Editing Sanctum of the Hierarchs

{{Status|Canon}}

[[File:H2A - Hierarchs with Vadum.jpg|thumb|350px|The central room in the inner sanctum.]]

The '''Sanctum of the Hierarchs''' is the name given to the private quarters of the [[Hierarchs|High Prophets]] on ''[[High Charity]]''. They were restricted to virtually all other creatures, except the [[Covenant Honor Guard|Honor Guard]], [[San'Shyuum]] and [[Sangheili]] [[Councilor]]s and high-ranking [[Covenant]] officers, such as [[Special Operations Commander]]s, [[Arbiter]]s and [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae|Chieftains of the Jiralhanae]].

[[File:H2A - Hierarch Sanctum.jpg|thumb|left|300px|The main hall, guarded by Sangheili Honor Guardsmen.]]

One of the rooms in the sanctum was a massive chamber with its walls, floor, and ceiling ornamented with smooth glass from all the worlds [[glassing|glassed]] by the Covenant.<ref name="FS338">'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''pages 338-339''</ref> This chamber was a large, round room with an illuminated pedestal in the center. On the perimeter of the room, there was space for three hundred Honor Guard Sangheili, should a Prophet be present.{{Ref/Reuse|FS338}} The walkways lining the room housed folding platforms with [[gravity bridge]]s allowing passage over the void in the center of the room.<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level, ''[[Gravemind (level)|Gravemind]]''</ref>{{Ref/Note|It is never definitely stated that the chamber featured on the level ''Gravemind'' is the one described in ''First Strike''. The novel makes no indication that the Sanctum of the Hierarchs encompasses multiple rooms, which would suggest that the Sanctum chamber featured in the book is not meant to be separate from the inner Sanctum room seen in ''Halo 2''. However, the novel describes the Sanctum as capable of accommodating 300 Honor Guards and its ceiling being ornamented with shards of glass; neither fit the description of [[:File:Sanctum.png|the room identified as the Sanctum of the Hierarchs in ''Halo 2'']], which would not have enough space for 300 Sangheili and has a ceiling of plain purple Covenant material. These differences are likely a result of artistic decisions or miscommunication between ''First Strike'' writer Eric Nylund and ''Halo 2'' level designers, although it is apparent that the novel's description of the Sanctum inspired the separate shard chamber featured in ''Halo 2''. Although quite distant from the Prophets' inner Sanctum, the chamber has a prominent ceiling fixture of what appear to be shards of glass, although most of the room is dominated by a bottomless pit with only several platforms allowing passage. This makes it somewhat suspect that 300 warriors would fit in the space simultaneously, unless the chamber is capable of reconfiguring itself for such occasions.}}

After [[Operation: FIRST STRIKE]], during the [[Step of Silence]], the High Prophet of Truth and [[Tartarus]], [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae]] discussed the events that took place on [[Installation 04]], as well as the fate of [[Thel 'Vadam|the future Arbiter]], the destruction of the ''[[Unyielding Hierophant]]'' and the Covenant personnel who survived it, in the Sanctum's chamber housing the glass shards.{{Ref/Reuse|FS338}}

Later, when the Flood invaded High Charity during the [[Fall of High Charity|fall]] of the Holy City, the infection quickly spread to the Sanctum. Flood biomass soon appeared both in the main hall and the inner sanctum. A bastion of Covenant led by several [[Jiralhanae Honor Guardsman|Jiralhanae Honor Guardsmen]] fortified the main hall in preparation for a final stand against the Flood. At the same time, the [[John-117|Master Chief]] entered the area in his pursuit of the High Prophet of Truth, and after a pitched battle, he slaughtered all combatants.<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level, ''[[High Charity (level)|High Charity]]''</ref>

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