Archive:Halo Waypoint/2009 to 2014/Universe/Characters

Meet Fireteam Majestic
Composed of five SPARTAN-IV soldiers, Fireteam Majestic play an etremely important role in the events of Halo 4.

You can learn more about Fireteam Majectic and everything in the all-new Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide which is available in stores now.

The Master Chief
A look at the life and legend of Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, a central figure at the forefront of the war against the Covenant and rumored to be the lone survivor of the declassified SPARTAN-II project.

Cortana
Housed in the MJOLNIR armor worn by the Master Chief, the Artificial Intelligence known as Cortana (CTN 0452-9) served on the frontlines against the Covenant during the final days of the war.

The Arbiter 1
During the darkest hours for the Covenant, the High Prophets resort to their most effective strategy—the consecration and commission of the Arbiter.

The Arbiter 2
From the past to the present, nearly two hundred tombs girded the inner walls of the Mausoleum of the Arbiter. Sworn to death in the service of the Prophets, the Arbiters represent the razor edge of Covenant power—the vanguard of the Great Journey.

The Arbiter 3
At the end of the conflict with the Covenant, one Arbiter would turn against his own kind, changing the course of the war and bringing an end to years of brutality.

The Spartans 1
The story of the Spartans is buried in a sea of both mystery and moral ambiguity—a dark corner in the Office of Naval Intelligence's heavily classified past. Though the direction and focus of the project were often considered reprehensible by those with knowledge of it, the results were objectively indisputable: the children of the SPARTAN-II project grew up to be super-soldiers who would ultimately turn the tide of the war, finally ending the destructive swath the Covenant had carved through the UNSC's many colonies.

The Spartans 2
During the throes of the Covenant War, the Office of Naval Intelligence launched the SPARTAN-II program—a highly classified project which created an elite group of super-soldiers who were unrivaled in strength, speed, and intelligence. But even with this powerful asset, the war machine of the Covenant did not relent. It was then that another military branch dedicated itself to a new class of soldiers under the project known as SPARTAN-III.

Largely culled from orphans who had escaped worlds destroyed by the Covenant, these "disposable heroes" would be sent directly into the eye of the storm. In the end, their sacrifice would serve to ensure humanity's survival.

Wars and Rumors of Wars
Approximately one hundred thousand years before the war with the Covenant, there was another conflict—one which spanned the breadth of the galaxy and claimed the lives of billions. This was the legendary war between the Forerunners and the extragalactic parasite known as the Flood.

Before the Flood’s arrival, the Forerunners were an advanced civilization who dominated a vast portion of the galaxy—championing peace and security for the benefit of all living things. But when they made first contact with the parasitic threat, they failed to act quickly and decisively, and the Flood spread. Every world within the Flood's grasp fell prey to its infection—one which seemed to have no limitations.

Finally realizing that the survival of the galaxy was at stake, the Forerunners summoned every intellectual achievement they could muster, every technology at their disposal, to fight back in defense of the worlds they protected. Using immensely destructive weapons, ships of unparalleled power, and artificial intelligence constructs which outstripped anything that has been seen since, the Forerunners fought to wipe the Flood from existence.

But even with these tools, they soon realized that defeat was inevitable, and they determined that the only acceptable and plausible solution was self-destruction on a galactic scale. They created an array of seven ringworld installations which were collectively called Halo. Spreading these superstructures throughout the galaxy, the Forerunners intended to wipe out the Flood’s source of growing strength: all sentient beings, since the Flood spread by taking over such creatures.

Although this unbelievably horrific act would claim the lives of billions, the Forerunners had prepared a contingency plan: they safely stored populations of each species in order to repopulate their home worlds in the wake of Halo’s firing. This act allowed sentient life to persevere in the face of what would have been complete and utter annihilation.

Now all that remains of the Forerunners are dormant artifacts and relics strewn throughout the galaxy—a reminder of the price which was paid so that humanity and all other sentient species could survive.

Cryptum Glossary
Greg Bear's Halo: Cryptum has finally made it onto store shelves. To celebrate this momentous occasion, we're providing a handful of brief definitions for some of the exciting new terms you'll find in Cryptum.

So a word of warning to all who read past this point: if you haven't yet read Cryptum and would like its terminology unspoiled, please refrain from proceeding (and grab a copy at your earliest convenience!). But if you've already enjoyed the Forerunner novel or just want to get a quick preview of the incredibly deep lore Mr. Bear has packed into this book, check out what we have below:

If you haven't had time to pick up Cryptum, we hope we've whetted your appetite. You can learn much more more about the mysterious Forerunners and their world in Greg Bear's fascinating and informative novel, on sale now!
 * ANCILLA–A highly-advanced but purpose-scaled artificial intelligence housed in Forerunner armor, machines, buildings, and ships.
 * BAFFLER–A Forerunner-designed camouflage technique employing geometric distortions.
 * B'ASHAMANUNE–An equatorial variety of skinny and lithe humans living in Erde-Tyrene’s grasslands.
 * BEN NAUK–A neighboring planet to Charum Hakkor and Faun Hakkor, also occupied by the humans.
 * BREVET MUTATIONS–Risky, ad-hoc mutations which can be successful, like traditional mutations, but can often introduce complications since they are less practiced and honed.
 * BUILDER SECURITY–Forerunners of the Builder rate who conduct security and combat matters for the Builders.
 * BUILDERS–The highest and most powerful rate among Forerunners, led by the Master Builder.
 * THE CAPITAL–The center of the Forerunner ecumene, a repository of twenty thousand years of Forerunner knowledge and wisdom which housed trillions of ancilla and served as home to roughly one hundred thousand Forerunners, mostly Builders high of rate and the Council.
 * CHAMANUNE (CHAMANUSH)–A variety of the human species on Erde-Tyrene, bronze-skinned and predominantly hairless.
 * CHARUM HAKKOR–An important planet which was once a Precursor hub world and the site of a great Forerunner war.
 * THE COLLEGE OF STRATEGIC DEFENSE OF THE MANTLE–Often simply referred to as the “War College,” it was a school for warrior Forerunners at which the Didact once taught and where he acquired his final name.
 * THE CONFIRMER–An aged Promethean commander assigned by the Council to guard and protect the San’Shyuum.
 * THE COUNCIL–A collection of at least five hundred representatives from various Forerunner rates across the ecumene.
 * COUNCIL SECURITY–A team designated to protect the Council.
 * CRYPTUM–Also referred to as a “Warrior Keep,” a sealed structure where a Warrior-Servant would enter a self-imposed exile, hibernating in a meditative state of contemplative transcendence called “timeless xankara.”
 * DAOWA-MAAD–A human saying for a concept regarding the roll and tug of the universe on a being.
 * DAZZLER–A Forerunner-designed camouflage technique that causes visual and auditory delusions.
 * DJAMONKIN AUGH–A ring-shaped island known locally as “Big Man’s Water,” believed to be a Precursor site, located on Erde-Tyrene.
 * THE DIDACT–A banished Promethean warrior who once served as the protector of the entire Forerunner ecumene.
 * DIGON–An ancient language used almost exclusively by Warrior-Servants.
 * DURANCE–A receptacle which can maintain the “reduced essence” of a Forerunner after the moment of physical death.
 * ECUMENE–The Forerunner empire, which was composed of three million fertile worlds.
 * EDOM–A red, desert world which serves as a home to Forerunner miners.
 * ERDE-TYRENE–A blue-green planet neighboring Edom, presently occupied by humans.
 * FAUN HAKKOR–A neighboring planet to Charum Hakkor, one which humans had once occupied.
 * GEAS–A generations-long genetic command which can nudge or persuade individuals or generations into a planned destiny.
 * GHIBALB–The natal Forerunner planet, once a beautiful paradise, now a desolate, radiation-scorched cinder due to early Forerunner mistakes in stellar engineering.
 * HALO–An enormous ring-shaped, wide-effect neural-disruption weapon considered to be the final defense against the Flood.
 * HAMANUNE (HAMANUSH)–A smaller, diminutive variety of the human species, roughly half the size of the chamanune, and commonly known as Florians.
 * HURAGOK–Techno-organic Builder servant-tools which float above the ground.
 * JAGON–An older Forerunner language, though not as old as Digon.
 * JANJUR QOM–A primary-treaty planet and the largest of the San‘Shyuum quarantine worlds.
 * KASNA–An intoxicating green San‘Shyuum beverage.
 * K'TAMANUNE–A husky, ochre-skinned northern species of human living in frigid climates.
 * THE LIBRARIAN–The greatest and most prestigious Lifeworker; there have been only three to reach this rank in all of Forerunner history.
 * LIVING TIME – The joy of life’s interaction with the Cosmos and the foundation for the Mantle itself.
 * MANIPLE–A specific division, defined by one’s function, within a Forerunner family or guild.
 * MANIPULAR–A Forerunner’s initial and simplest physical form; the form prior to one’s first mutation.
 * THE MANTLE–A belief system held by the Forerunners in which they are required to protect and promote life.
 * MARONTIK–The largest human community on Erde-Tyrene.
 * MASTER BUILDER–A title given to the chief of the Builder rate and of all the guilds; considered to be the most powerful Forerunner in all the ecumene.
 * MENDICANT BIAS–A tremendously powerful Contender-class ancilla designed to coordinate control of the Halo installations under authorization of the Council and the Master Builder.
 * METARCH–A hyper-advanced level of ancilla in the exclusive service of the Council, with less than five in existence at any given time.
 * METARCHY–An unimaginably vast network used by ancilla, ultimately coordinated by a single metarch-level intelligence which reports directly to the chief councilor.
 * MUTATIONS–The careful act of customized biological maturation of a Forerunner to new forms and/or rates which is typically performed two to five times over the course of a lifetime. The process determines a Forerunner’s place within his or her family, Maniple, or guild, and is always patterned after the mutation’s mentor–typically, but not always one’s parent.
 * ORGANON–A possibly mythical device believed to be capable of reactivating all Precursor artifacts.
 * PHERU–A highly valued human pet who originally came from the planet of Faun Hakkor.
 * PHYLARCH OF BUILDERS–A leader within the Builder rate who was particularly notorious for his role in reinstating the Warrior-Servants in response to a great threat.
 * PLASMA JOCKEYS–A colloquial term by Builders for stellar-class Engineers equipped with third-class ancilla; their role is to tame young stars for future use.
 * PRECURSORS–A civilization which preceded the Forerunners, leaving behind indestructible and inscrutable remnants of their way of life.
 * PROMETHEANS–A noble class of the Warrior-Servant Forerunner rate from the distant past.
 * RATE–The Forerunner society is structured by “rates” of varying societal function and cultural importance: Builders (highest rate), Miners, Lifeworkers, Warrior-Servants, and Engineers.
 * SAN'SHYUUM–A peaceful species, interested in their own betterment through science; noted for their profound sensuality.
 * SUPREME MANTLE COURT–A rare holding of the court by the Council to discuss matters of extreme importance and significance.
 * SYNCHRONS–A nexus of great forces and personalities; a point when one’s life dramatically changes.
 * THE TIMELESS ONE–A mysterious creature which was once held within the arena of Charum Hakkor.
 * WAR SPHINXES–Flight-capable combat machines which were employed by Forerunner Warrior-Servants in battle; roughly ten meters tall and twenty meters long.
 * WISDOM OF HARBOU/STRENGTH OF LANG–Two forces that hold the millennial seal on the Didact’s Cryptum, barring entry to all but a Forerunner.


 * Source: Halo Waypoint: CRYPTUM GLOSSARY (defunct, backup on Archive.org)

High Prophet of Regret Intro
The story behind the Covenant's High Prophet of Regret.

High Prophet of Regret 1
Since the Campaign of Halo 2, many questions have surfaced about the High Prophet of Regret, the Covenant Hierarch who kick-started the invasion of Earth. Now with Halo 3: ODST's backdrop originating from the fallout after his departure, the Prophet's motivations are even more relevant to the overall story of Halo...

As a young San´Shyuum, he began his career in politics within the Ministry of Tranquility, long before the Human-Covenant War erupted. Operating as Vice Minister, he helped manage the expansive artifact-hunting efforts done by the Covenant fleets, seeking out Forerunner reliquaries along the remote borders of their space. It was likely here that he gained his more brazen and aggressive qualities, having frequently dealt with the bold Elite shipmasters who administered this work directly.

When an opportunity arose to align with the highly esteemed but controversial Minister of Fortitude, Regret wasted no time. Information from abroad had indicated that a sizeable Forerunner reliquary had been discovered, something that the pair could leverage to seize the Covenant hierarchy. This excitement, however, was short lived as they quickly discovered that the new species that occupied this world was somehow related to their gods—the Forerunners.

This revelation, taken to its logical conclusion, would eviscerate the Covenant belief system—effectively nullifying their culture, religion, and history.

High Prophet of Regret 2
When this shocking discovery was made Regret followed Fortitude's lead after it was determined that they could use this information to their benefit. Convincing the Covenant leadership that humanity was a heretical threat in need of eradication, the two Prophets were able to ascend to the mantle of Hierarch-initializing an Age of Reclamation while calling upon the destruction of this newfound race.

Upon their ascension, Regret received his new name and Fortitude became the Prophet of Truth. The third role went to a philologist, the Prophet of Mercy, who had also become privy to Humanity's relationship to the Forerunners. Together, the new triumvirate orchestrated the war, laying waste to a vast array of planets in the process. And ironically, despite his new role, Regret remained in the trenches, on the frontlines of the war, while Truth and Mercy led the Covenant from its capital city-High Charity.

Throughout the conflicts which buried humanity's Outer Colonies, Regret took ownership and directed these engagements, carefully watching them play out to their completion. It is unknown if this position was by choice or by relegation, as Regret followed his mentor's lead with unwavering submission. In retrospect, this act fit him well in that his previous status-Vice Minister of Tranquility-had already forced him to work abroad.

High Prophet of Regret 3
After bringing humanity to the brink of extinction, Regret discovered what Truth secretly already knew: a gateway portal leading to the Forerunner's most prized possession—the Ark—was buried beneath Earth's surface. Regret feverishly cobbled together a small fleet of fifteen ships to secure the artifact, unaware that it resided on humanity's heavily armed home world.

Upon arrival, Regret immediately sped toward the city of New Mombasa, sending troops to the ground to initiate the excavation process. When word got to him that human forces had reclaimed the city's center, his plans quickly changed and he directed his ship to jump into Slipspace, an act which would scuttle the city, carving out a large segment of terrain in the process.

Why or how Regret came to learn of the Ark's gateway portal or his secondary destination, Delta Halo, remains a mystery, but upon arriving at Delta Halo, he quickly located a temple and made preparations to fire the ring. Unfortunately for the Prophet, humans had followed him from Earth and soon began encroaching upon his position, eventually sending the Master Chief to assassinate him.

Regret was killed in this attack, and his body was sent to the watery depths of the ringworld where it would later be reclaimed by the Gravemind parasite that dwelt there. This is how the Flood acquired Regret's knowledge of the Ark's gateway portal—knowledge that would prove incredibly dangerous over time.

Professor Ellen Anders
Although her involvement with the war effort only lasted a matter of weeks abord the Spirit of Fire, Professor Ellen Anders' initial research on the Covenant proved invaluable, influencing many decisions the UNSC would make, even decades later.

Lord Hood
When the Covenant arrived in the Sol system, Lord Hood guided humanity against the enemy forces, holding them back long enough to secure the preservation of their species. His leadership played a crucial role in the defense of Earth-during its darkest of hours.

Heavy Weapons Specialist Dutch
Former road-train driver, Corporal Taylor H. Miles-or Dutch, as his friends call him-has enjoyed a wild and varied military career in the war against the Covenant.

Sergeant Mike Baird
Sergeant Michael Baird—born within the European Union on Earth—had already committed a significant portion of his life to military service when the Covenant first made contact. Stalwart and loyal, Baird was not remarkable among NCOs in the UNSC, but his shrewd understanding of tactical infantry combat made up for any perceived lack of formal education.

Eventually enlisting with the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, Baird became a key figure in a number of campaigns across the Outer Colonies—serving with the toughest and most talented warriors the UNSC would throw at the Covenant war machine. Late into the war, he was assigned to the destroyer known as The Heart of Midlothian, and given an elite squad of ODSTs and very clear—if not intriguing—orders.

They would enter the outlying regions of the Algolis colony’s star system, slingshot behind a proximal gas giant along a stream of asteroidal debris toward the planet’s surface. There, they would rendezvous with an ONI contact group deployed by a lone UNSC frigate assisting with the colony’s evacuation measures. After they ensured Algolis’ stockpile of prototype weapons were destroyed, they would bug out—leaving the planet to the Covenant.

During the course of this mission, The Heart of Midlothian would come under attack by the Covenant. As the only remaining survivor aboard the ship, Baird would be forced to fend off the enemy boarding party long enough to ensure the safety of the ship’s NAV data.


 * Source: Halo Waypoint: SERGEANT MIKE BAIRD (defunct, backup on Archive.org)

Heroes and Villains
While the characters of Halo are great in number, at their core, they represent very simple ideals—ideals which resonate with all of us. This is perhaps why the saga of Halo is so gripping and relevant, despite being firmly set half a millennium in the future.

There are heroes and villains, allies and enemies, bystanders and opportunists, prey and predator—all of whose decisions and actions form the tapestry of the Halo saga. And though things like majestic vistas, emotive sonatas, and frenetic Multiplayer modes are more readily lauded, the story and its players are where the heart and soul of Halo lie.