Prophet of Mercy

The High Prophet of Mercy is one of three Hierarchs that lead the Covenant High Council. He is by far the oldest. His birth name is Hod Rumnt.

Biography
He served as the Philogist on the Forerunner Dreadnought, where he lead the priests prior to his ascension to Hierarch. He became the third Hierarch after the Oracle of the Dreadnought attempted to launch the Dreadnought, during which time it referred to the humans as his creators. His tenure has been marked by several tense debates with Elite High Councilors over the proper dispensation of Forerunner artifacts. Mercy is considered one of the last of the old guard of the Prophets - a hard-liner who publicly questioned the wisdom of the Prophets' demilitarization at the end of the Prophet-Elite War.

Being the oldest member of the Prophet triumvirate, Mercy is well-acquainted with the Covenant's governmental systems and its history. During a meeting with the Arbiter and the Prophet of Truth, he mentions a bit of Covenant history, referencing the Grunt Rebellion and the Taming of the Hunters.

He stayed by Truth's side after the death of the Prophet of Regret, and seemed to be more of a follower or supporter of Truth than an equal. As the Covenant Civil War began, Mercy still supported Truth's actions, even as it seemed that Truth was unraveling the very foundations of the Covenant through his extreme actions.

He and the High Prophet of Truth were attacked by Flood Infection Forms on High Charity as they prepared to depart for Earth to begin the Great Journey, a single Infection Form made it past the Honor Guard Brutes, and latched onto his neck, and devoured his windpipe. Even as Tartarus attempted to save him, Truth intervened and let Mercy die, saying "The Great Journey waits for no one, brother. Not even you." Before his death, he was found by the Master Chief, who questioned where Truth was going. He answered, "Earth, to finish what we started. And this time, none of you will be left behind." The Chief then killed the Infection Form, but Mercy died. It is unknown what happened to his body after the First Battle of High Charity, but it's possible that he became a Prophet Form like Regret, and was either killed by the detonation of High Charity ' s reactors, or during the Battle of the Ark.

Personality
Little is known about this Hierarch. However, Mercy can be seen as passionate and knowledgeable, as seen in the cutscene before the level Quarantine Zone where he shows his excitement about Halo, expressing hope that the Great Journey should begin very soon. It's very possible that he has a sense of levity, seeing that he talked Truth out of condemning Regret, as described on the level Regret, but that doesn't mean he knows right from wrong. He is perceptible and a veteran of the Forerunners and their knowledge, he can be considered the Prophet of Truth's right-hand. Without Mercy to advise him later, Truth becomes much more irrational and aggressive in Halo 3, even toward his subordinates.

Quotes

 * "Why was it not destroyed with the rest of their fleet?" - At the trial of the future Arbiter, when the Supreme Commander mentioned the UNSC Pillar of Autumn.
 * "There will be order in this Council!" - When the members of the High Council began in an uproar.
 * "The Taming of the Hunters, the Grunt Rebellion - were it not for the Arbiters, the Covenant would have broken long ago!" - Emphasizing the importance of the Arbiters.
 * "Their slander offends all who walk the path!" - To the future Arbiter, commenting on what the Heretics spoke of.
 * "The tasks you must undertake as the Arbiter are perilous, suicidal! You will die, as every Arbiter has before you! The Council will have their corpse." - Explaining that the former Supreme Commander would undoubtedly die at some point, thus his execution fulfilled.
 * "Even as the humans' annihilation filled us with satisfaction, the loss of one of the Sacred Rings wracked our hearts with grief."
 * "Halo! Its divine wind will rush through the stars, propelling all who are worthy along the path to salvation."
 * "Salvation for us all!"
 * "Earth... to finish what we started. And this time, none of you will be left behind..." - Dying, to the Master Chief, on High Charity.

Trivia

 * His name is ironic, like the names of all the other Hierarchs, as he is given no mercy by Truth, and he showed no mercy to the Arbiter, whom he wanted dead.
 * He was once in charge of the surveying and weighty inspection of the centered Forerunner Dreadnought.
 * The Prophet of Mercy is the first known Prophet to have been killed by the Flood. Note: Regret was killed by the Chief and later devoured by the Flood.
 * Mercy managed to become the third Prophet by being at the right place at the right time: He heard what the "Oracle" inside the Dreadnought had to say about how humans were the ancestors of the Forerunners and Truth, not wanting the information to be discovered, asked him if he would fill in the place as the third future Hierarch, Regret already being the second, to which he agreed.
 * He is the only High Prophet that is not mentioned in the novel Halo: The Cole Protocol.

Related Pages

 * Prophet of Truth
 * Prophet of Regret