R'Noh Custo

R'Noh Custo was a San'Shyuum politician during the Covenant's early years. He served as the Minister of the short-lived Ministry of Anticipatory Security, acting as the High Prophet of Excellent Redolence's right-hand man.

Biography
R'Noh Custo was an old political rival of Mken 'Scre'ah'ben, and the two had been at odds numerous times. At one point in his career, Custo plotted with the High Prophet of Excellent Redolence to kidnap female San'Shyuum from Janjur Qom to help prevent inbreeding on High Charity. Additionally, he feared that if the Sangheili were to take note of the San'Shyuum's low population, they may begin to reconsider their peace with the San'Shyuum. However, Mken discovered the plan and informed the other two Hierarchs, leading to Excellent Redolence being overruled. The aftermath of the controversy led to Custo becoming severely embarrassed in front of the Hierarchs, though both he and Excellent Redolence merely pretended to shrug off the incident.

In 850 BCE, R'Noh Custo was appointed the Minister of the Ministry of Anticipatory Security—a newly formed Ministry that was charged with anticipating possible security matters on High Charity before they became a threat—by the High Prophet of Excellent Redolence. Shortly after his appointment, Custo contacted Mken. R'Noh revealed to Mken that he was aware of the latter's spouse Cresanda's pregnancy and his history on the Roll of Celibates. Custo threatened to use his new ministerial powers to put Mken back on the Roll of Celibates. However, Custo offered 'Scre'ah'ben an opportunity to make him "forget" the incident. On behalf of the Prophet of Excellent Redolence, R'Noh wanted Mken to lead a team to Janjur Qom on an expedition to obtain a Forerunner Luminary and a group of voluntary female Stoic San'Shyuum to return to High Charity for breeding purposes. Custo told him that in the grotto of the Great Transition on the planet, the Purifying Vision of the Holy Path would be found with the Luminary. Custo claimed that he chose Mken for the mission because of his knowledge of Janjur Qom and his past military experience in the San'Shyuum-Sangheili War. Mken was reluctant to go on a mission for Custo and consulted the High Prophet of Excellent Redolence himself. After consulting with Vervum L'kosur, the captain of Vengeful Vitality‎, to ensure that the corvette was prepared for the mission, Custo entered the Hall of Sacred Guidance to listen in on the conversation between Excellent Redolence and Mken.

As later predicted by Mken, Captain Vervum L'kosur was an operative of the Ministry of Anticipatory Security. Custo had ordered Vervum to allow Mken to retrieve the Luminary and Purifying Vision of the Holy Path, and then assassinate Mken, to allow Custo to take credit for the mission's success. However, Vervum's assassination attempt failed when local Stoics attacked the group and killed the captain. Mken succeeded in returning safely to High Charity with the Stoic females and Purifying Vision of the Holy Path, but the Luminary was destroyed. Upon his return, Mken, Custo, and the crew of Vengeful Vitality‎ were called before the Hierarchs in the High Council Chamber. The testimony of the surviving members of the corvette's crew all concluded that Vervum, an agent of the Ministry of Anticipatory Security, had attempted to assassinate Mken. The Minister of Relative Reconciliation interrupted the proceedings and claimed that Mken was innocent and that the new Ministry and its Minister were to blame for the loss of the Luminary. At the Minister of Relative Reconciliation's suggestion, the Hierarchs dissolved the Ministry of Anticipatory Security and demoted Custo for allowing his personal agenda obscure his ministerial agenda. Additionally, Relative Reconciliation suggested for Custo to be demoted to third administrative assistant in the sewage treatment of High Charity or sent to oversee a mine. Custo attempted to protest, but Excellent Redolence ordered him to leave the chamber or be executed, to prevent being implicated in the conspiracy against Mken himself. Custo reluctantly left the chamber, when he saw the Hierarch's hand nearing the controls of his gravity throne's assault cannon.

Personality and traits
R'Noh Custo was a power-hungry San'Shyuum politician that had formed a political alliance with the High Prophet of Excellent Redolence. Custo enjoyed his friendship of sorts with Excellent Redolence, and was noted to "bask" in the Hierarch's power and authority. Custo had a tense political rivalry with Mken 'Scre'ah'ben, though the two always acted politely to each other, likely to prevent courting trouble. However, Custo often spoke to Mken in a mocking tone. Custo was not very religious, and was known to rarely spend any time even contemplating anything spiritual. He would often paraphrase Excellent Redolence's own speeches to appear to be a devout follower of the Great Journey in public.

As the Minister of the Anticipatory Security, R'Noh Custo donned a silver filigreed robe, and his anti-gravity chair had a high, branching, cooper-colored mantle that bore resemblance to that of a Hierarch's. Mken commented that the chair's details resembled "a child's mockup of a Hierarch's headdress".

List of appearances

 * Halo: Broken Circle