Vadam Keep

The Vadam Keep is the keep and seat of the House of 'Vadam, the ruling Sangheili clan of the state of Vadam in the Yermo province of Sanghelios. Over three thousand years old, it is a large castle-like fortress built on the lower slopes and base of Kolaar Mountain.

Location
The Vadam Keep is built into the lower slopes of Kolaar Mountain, a multi-peaked mountain overlooking Vadam Valley. It was constructed amid a maze of warrens that run inside of the mountain itself, something that has contributed to its ease of defense over the ages.

Facade
At the zenith of the Vadam keep is large semicircular structure lined with large columns that can been seen from the Vadam Valley and surrounding areas. On either side of the semicircular structure is an enormous statue of a Sangheili holding an energy sword, similar to the statues that can be found amidst the ancient ruins in the Vadam clan burial grounds.

Mountain Gate
The Vadam Keep has at least one entrance intended to permit vehicles. Known as the Mountain Gate, this entrance is located at the end of a box canyon in the foothills of Kolaar Mountain. The approach to the gate is through a crooked gorge only wide enough for two small vehicles, and it is lined by firing positions that can only be accessed from within the keep. The entrance itself is set beneath an overhang made of rhyolite and the gate is formed from a single slab of energy-shielded nanolaminate, an armor strong enough to repel any weapon that could reasonably reach the secluded entrance.

Courtyard
The keep includes a sandy courtyard surrounded by walls.

Reception bailey
The keep has an aboveground area referred to as a "reception bailey." Presumably where guests are typically received and greeted, the reception bailey leads into the Ancient Hall.

Ancient Hall
The Ancient Hall is a hallway within Vadam Keep located directly behind the reception bailey.

Grand Gallery
The Grand Gallery is an underground chamber with a vaulted ceiling designed to intimidate visiting elders and kaidons. A set of massive double doors stand at the main entrance to the Grand Gallery. Inside the chamber, two golden bars flank the main entrance. When a visitor is ready to be received inside the Grand Gallery, the bars will glow to signal the occupants within the room to unlock the doors. There is a secondary private entrance to the Grand Gallery that can be used by the keep's kaidon. A large table used either for feasting or conversation is located in the center of the room. The corners of the Grand Gallery held smaller conversation areas with cushioned lounging benches where individuals can engage in more intimate discussions. During the Created's subjugation of Sanghelios, electronic devices—with the exception of personal energy swords—were forbidden in the Grand Gallery, in an effort to stave off Created eavesdropping. A log accessible via glassboard was kept to record each time the chamber was swept for surveillance devices.

Surrounding the chamber is the keep's saga wall, consisting of high relief sculptures and poetic stanzas depicting the saga of the Vadam Clan. The first panel on the wall depicted Ther 'Vadam, a long-dead hero of the clan. Further along the saga wall, Arbiter Thel 'Vadam claimed a section to illustrate his own chapter in his clan's story, depicting several events from his life: his rise through the ranks of the Covenant to become the Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice, his failure to prevent the destruction of a sacred Halo ring, the Hierarchs having him branded with the Mark of Shame, those same Hierarchs granting him the title of Arbiter, Thel 'Vadam's discovery of the Prophets' deception, and finally a depiction of Thel fighting alongside Spartan-II John-117 to prevent the Prophet of Truth from firing the Halo Array and destroying all sentient life in the galaxy.

As of late 2559, more panels were in the process of being added to the saga wall, including depictions of Thel reviving the Swords of Sanghelios and forging his alliance with humanity. At this time, space had been allotted for one final panel, which had not yet been designed.

Parking Court
The Vadam Keep has a subterranean parking court where the keep's fleet of utility vehicles are stored. The parking court can be accessed via the mountain gate and from the keep's main residence.

Contemplarium
The contemplarium is a room within Vadam Keep in which Thel 'Vadam stores his personal collection of energy swords. Given that he once requested to speak with his ally Olympia Vale in the contemplarium, it is likely that it is also used as a meeting place for trusted individuals, whereas the Grand Gallery is used to meet with less trustworthy individuals.

Study
The Vadam Keep has a large study. Inside there’s a desk but the room is largely devoid of furniture.

Training hall
There is a training hall within the keep where its inhabitants train for combat.

Ancient times
The Vadam Keep was constructed over three thousand years before the Human-Covenant War, circa the war between the Sangheili and San'Shyuum. During the War of Beginnings, the state of Vadam was one of the many Sangheili city-states attacked by the San'Shyuum. However, Vadam Keep was too well-defended to be destroyed. In ancient times, after being overthrown, Ther 'Vadam and his soldiers were imprisoned in the keep. Ther eventually escaped and after recruiting followers from the wilderness, returned and retook the keep.

Kaidon Thel 'Vadam
In 2535, shortly after being elected as kaidon of the state of Vadam, Thel 'Vadamee was attacked by three assassins sent by Koida 'Vadam, all of whom failed, and were all killed by his own hand without a scratch.

During the Servants of the Abiding Truth's insurrection in early 2553, the Vadam Keep became the target of a concentrated attack by the insurgent forces. The intervention of eventually drove back the attackers, although the keep took heavy damage.

In 2559, during the Created occupation of Sanghelios, Oath Warden Crei 'Ayomuu visited Thel 'Vadam at Vadam Keep to request his assistance in locating a human xenoarchaeologist named Keely Iyuska who had supposedly discovered the existence of an artifact that could defeat Cortana's Guardian Custodes. While skeptical of Crei and his motivations, Thel ultimately agreed to help.

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Cole Protocol
 * Halo: The Thursday War
 * Halo: Mortal Dictata
 * Halo: Hunters in the Dark
 * Halo 5: Guardians
 * Halo: Outcasts