Canon

Vadam

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The State of Vadam on Sanghelios
The state of Vadam in 2559.

Vadam is a Sangheili state partly encompassing portions of both Qivro and Yermo, continents on Sanghelios.[1] It was named after its founder Ther 'Vadam, the ancestor of the House of 'Vadam.[2] The bloodlines that control the state share the surname Vadam, as is the custom in Sangheili culture.[3]

History

Early history

The state of Vadam was named after Ther 'Vadam who was said to have been imprisoned by his enemies. He was starved in the prison and yet refused to kill himself. He eventually became so thin from hunger that he was able to slip his body through the bars of his window. Even in his weak state he managed to scale the cliffs of Vadam keep, and swim down the river that surrounded the keep and also provided a good source of energy. He had to walk many days and he had to eat vermin and scraps to keep himself alive.[2]

He soon came across the vast desert that was in the interior of the Sangheili land. He started rebuilding his strength and toughness in the years to come, and managed to make allies with other wanderers. His newfound allies had statuses that were lower than Vadam's but they were willing to fight under Vadam's leadership. Now that he had warriors under his command he returned to Vadam keep, successfully defeating those who had imprisoned and mocked him.[2]

During the San'Shyuum-Sangheili War, the state of Vadam was one of the many Sangheili city-states attacked by the Reformist San'Shyuum. However, their keep was too well-defended to be destroyed.[4]

Sangheili civil war

In March 2553, Sangheili insurgents led by the Servants of Abiding Truth launched assault on the state of Vadam. Along with nine ships and forces from Nuan Keep and Rtova Keep, Avu Med 'Telcam commanded the assault from the frigate Unflinching Resolve.[5] Eventually, however, the Unflinching Resolve suffered a direct hit and crash landed. Despite being caught off-guard it appeared as though Arbiter Thel 'Vadam would be victorious, however, news spread that he allowed humans to land on Sanghelios; this caused many keeps to ally with the Servants of Abiding Truth and the tide turned in their favor. The Arbiter was caught off guard as his own reinforcements couldn't arrive on time, and he reluctantly accepted Admiral Terrence Hood's offer for help in fending off the attackers. The UNSC Infinity destroyed the rebel forces with a MAC round, leaving a large crater on the coast of the Vadam Harbor and effectively ending the attack.[6]

In October of 2558, following the death of Jul 'Mdama, the remnants of his Covenant launched a desperate assault on Vadam lands, hoping to kill the Arbiter directly. With assistance from Fireteam Osiris, the Swords of Sanghelios were able to fend them off and launch a counterattack at the last stronghold held by the Covenant on Sanghelios, the city of Sunaion.[7]

Rise of the Created

By late 2559, the state of Vadam, as well as the rest of Sanghelios, was occupied by the Created.[8] At this time, a human xenoarchaeologist named Keely Iyuska had discovered the potential existence of a method to defeat the Created's Guardian Custodes and travelled to Vadam to speak with Olympia Vale, a Spartan-IV and ally of Arbiter Thel 'Vadam. While there, Iyuska attempted to hide from the Created armigers in the kreche warrens of a tenement island, leading to its destruction as the hands of the armigers. After this event, Oath Warden Crei 'Ayomuu came to Thel 'Vadam seeking his help in finding the human and the supposed method of defeating the Guardians.[9]

Geography

The region of Vadam consists of a large valley between Kolaar Mountain and Vadam Harbor, as well as the surrounding lands. The region is well-developed, with building stretching across the entire state from the valley to the fields where the serfs work. During the time of the Covenant, these serfs were strongly motivated and efficient, harboring ambition to gain distinction and receive a position inside the keep.[10] The valley is home to the tenement islands, large compounds that house the forge-workers of the Kolaar Manufactorum. Other locations of the valley like the Old Borough consist of narrow warrens lined with single-brood domiciles occupied by merchants.[8]

As the region's primary means of access to the seas, Vadam Harbor brought profits and wealth for the state of Vadam. Above the valley and built into the base of Kolaar Mountain is the Vadam keep, a large castle-like fortress founded during the Sangheili's first exploratory age. Originally, the keep sat roughly thirty miles from the shores of the Vadam Harbor.[10] However, following the extension of the harbor formed by the crater from the UNSC Infinity's MAC round,[6] it is unclear if the edge of the Vadam Harbor has been brought closer to the keep.

Locations

List of appearances

Sources

  1. ^ Halo: The Cole Protocol, page 88
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Halo: The Cole Protocol, page 195-196
  3. ^ Halo: The Cole Protocol, page 90
  4. ^ Halo: The Cole Protocol, page 190
  5. ^ Halo: The Thursday War, page 114
  6. ^ a b Halo: The Thursday War, chapter 12
  7. ^ Battle of Sunaion (level), campaign level {{{Level}}}
  8. ^ a b c Halo: Outcasts, chapter 1
  9. ^ Halo: Outcasts, chapter 2
  10. ^ a b Halo: The Cole Protocol, page 93
  11. ^ Halo Waypoint: Catalog Interaction - Page 48
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