Morolaath
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
- Olympia Vale: "Those strange dinosaur-looking creatures?"
- 000 Tragic Solitude: "In your tongue it means 'blind wolf,' though it has been some time since humans have encountered them."
- — Installation 00's monitor explains morolaath to diplomat Olympia Vale.[2]
Morolaath, colloquially known as "blind wolves," are predatory creatures found on various Forerunner installations.[2][3] They are formidable pack hunters that primarily rely on sound to direct their attacks.[2][4] Known to humans in the ancient past, operatives of the United Nations Space Command have observed morolaath on Installation 00 and at least one Halo ring in the modern era.[2][3]
Overview[edit]
Biology and physiology[edit]
With several variations known to exist,[6][7] morolaath somewhat resemble Earth's carnivorous theropod dinosaurs, being scaly bipedal creatures with three clawed toes on each foot.[3][4][8] Unlike theropods, however, they possess neither eyes nor arms.[4] Morolaath have gargantuan fangs which extend from the bottoms of their jaws and sharp teeth which line their upper jaws. Their nostrils, situated at the tips of their snouts, are flared to improve their sense of smell. It is their hearing, however, that morolaath primarily rely on to perceive their surroundings;[6][7] they are able to react to relatively loud sounds from some distance away and also take notice of something as quiet as a human sighing from ten meters away.[4][8]
Morolaath have long tails and powerful legs which allow even a small group to make the ground rumble when running at high speeds and affording them the ability to leap through the air.[4][5][8] Their strong, wide jaws are capable of tearing a human's head from their body.[4][8] Certain parts of their anatomy are more susceptible to injury than others, and a few rounds from a rifle fired at point-blank range into one's mouth and out the back of its head is enough to kill it.[8]
Behavior[edit]
Morolaath are predatory carnivores which hunt in small packs led by an alpha.[2][4] While hunting, they have been observed slowly striding toward potential prey with their heads low to the ground, sweeping them from side to side like conning towers. When noise signals the presence of a target, they may bolt toward it, only to slow down with confusion or irritation should the target move silently away in time. This change in emotional state manifests itself through random snapping of their teeth in the air or howling.[4] When speeding in for an attack, morolaath may clack their jaws together.[8] They are known to make low growling sounds, and the roaring or howling noises they make sound eerily similar to those of Earth's wolves.[1][4][8]
While multiple variations of morolaath have been encountered, they are all territorial apex predators that closely guard areas important to them, such as riverbanks they need to drink from.[1][6][7] Those that encroach on these locales may find themselves set upon by the pack which claims it.[1] The pack mentality of morolaath can be overridden by fear, in which case a larger or more intimidating creature can cause a pack to retreat and slink away rather than engage it.[8] Prolonged gunfire is especially likely to upset them, leaving them disoriented as they scramble about to locate targets amidst the cacophony.[8]
Morolaath could be readily keyed by the Forerunners to inhabit specific hunting ranges, and their acute senses make them well-suited as a "tripwire species" for detecting early Flood infestation and incursions by unauthorized sapient parties.[6][7] Those on Installation 00 that were bred by 000 Tragic Solitude were specially imbued with a genetic predisposition to attack interlopers while the monitor was in control.[1]
Habitat[edit]
As morolaath were modified by the Forerunners so that they could suit different hunting ranges,[6][7] these creatures have been found to inhabit several different biomes. Possibly lending to their differing variations, morolaath have thus far been witnessed inhabiting snowy plains,[4] rocky badlands,[5] desert-like regions,[3] forested marshes,[9] and riverbanks[1] on Installation 00 and an unidentified Halo Installation.[1][3][4]
History[edit]
Distant past[edit]
Long ago, morolaath were known to ancient humans and were among the creatures preserved by the Librarian in preparation for the activation of the Halo Array in 97,445 BCE.[2]