Covenant (disambiguation)

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The Covenant is a religiously zealous hegemony of alien species, controlling a large portion of the Orion Arm of the Milky Way galaxy. More specifically, the Covenant's government system is a hierarchical theocratic oligarchy, having a caste system and being ruled by a group of specific individuals. They waged a genocidal campaign against humanity until they were defeated due to many factors, the most pressing of which was internal conflict. The Covenant was presumably dissolved after its defeat by the UNSC and Covenant Separatist forces. It is unknown what happened to members of the Covenant after it disbanded.

Background
The name "Covenant" was taken from the binding pact that forged the peace between the Elites and Prophets. They are combined forces of alien races, and act as the main antagonists in the game. The war which had devastated their respective races for years, was fought over the Forerunners artifacts on the Elite home world, Sanghelios. With the Elites wishing to preserve them, and the Prophets wishing to use the artifacts to explore the galaxy. The Elites held a distinct strategic upper hand, as their militaristic society was ready for a war, but the Prophets had one massive advantage; an immensely powerful Forerunner construct known as the Dreadnought. After the Prophets decided to use the Forerunner Dreadnought against the Elites, the Prophets destroyed the Sangheili forces, while the wise and prudent Elite Commanders, realizing their peril, laid their arms aside and conceded defeat, also doing away with an hatred towards their enemies. When the Prophets found evidence of the Forerunners and their "Great Journey", hoping to create a peace between them, told the Elites of their discovery and promised to find the means of the Forerunners' transcendence. The Prophets would share this knowledge with the Elites who in turn would protect the Prophets from harm as they searched for transcendent Forerunner artifacts to activate all the Halo Installations. These ideas would be put into the Covenant's founding document, the Writ of Union. At first, the Covenant were only a loose non-aggression pact of two races held together by a common need to avoid mutually assured destruction ; but, as their society advanced, so did their technology, culture, and religion. By the time of the Halo games, the Covenant controlled a large part of the Orion Arm of the Milky Way galaxy. They discovered and conquered various races. Their society had evolved into a complicated caste system, with the Prophets governing the Covenant, and the Elites left in charge of the military. The Covenant was a theocracy, based on prophecies about the Sacred rings and The Great Journey. The primary belief of the Covenant was that the Halos will allow them passage into the "Divine Beyond", where they might join the Forerunners as gods, while those who did not believe in the Great Journey would be left behind to die by the power of the Halo rings.

The Government
The Covenant is governed by the High Council, which is led by a trio of Prophets and consists of lesser Prophets, Legates and very high ranking Elites. However, near the start of the Covenant Civil War, the Prophets began to replace the Elites with Brutes in various positions in Covenant society, including the protection of the Hierarchs and command of the Covenant Fleets. The Prophets of Truth and Mercy used the Prophet of Regret's assassination at the hands of Master Chief as an excuse to replace the Elite guard with Brutes. The Prophets then secretly ordered the Brutes commit genocide against the Elites, and thus leading to the beginning of the Civil War.

In addition to the High Council, there are three other Councils: the Council of Concordance, the Council of Doctrine and Deed and the Council of Masters.

Numerous Ministries exist within the Covenant government as well, each of which possesses a single role.

Species
Covenant society is based around a caste system of the species below. Many of the alien species conquered by the Covenant are conscripted into, or gradually become part of the alliance. However, during first contact with the Humans, The Oracle on board the Forerunner Dreadnought revealed to Truth and Regret that Humans are "My Makers", as shown by its luminary. Since the entire Covenant was based on the belief that the Forerunners had transcended, or evolved, Truth and Regret knew if any of the other races found out what the Oracle told them, the Covenant would break apart.





Prophets
As the highest caste, it's the Prophets who lead the Covenant and exert complete control over religious and political affairs. Physically weak, Prophets wield power through absolute command of the Covenant and through scavenged Forerunner technology, leaving the task of conquest to the Elites and the other races. Their higher understanding of the Forerunners gives them great egos and religious powers over the Covenant. The fact that the Covenant are religious zealots makes it all the more easy to control them. They are addressed as "Hierarchs", "Noble Hierarchs" or "Holy Ones" by the other races of the Covenant. Prophets enforce a misguided theology based on the belief that firing the Halo Array will herald some kind of sublimation event called the "Great Journey", which they believe will lead them to the Forerunner's final destination. They are called San 'Shyuum in the Covenant language. The most recent and final Hierarchs were Regret, Mercy and, Truth.

Brutes
Brutes are one of the new species to the Covenant and is the only race that has obtained equal status to that of one of the founding "clients" of the Covenant pact, the Elites. They have an incredible natural resilience to damage because of their tough rhino like skin that makes up for their lack of Energy Shields (be it noted that later in Halo 3 they get power armor), and use a number of weapons and vehicles based upon their pre-Covenant technology. As opposed to standard Brute combat, Brutes sometimes will go "berserk", and will kill anyone or anything in its path. The said Brute will charge mindlessly in the event of its armor being shot off or its companions being killed. Brutes have their own ranks going up to War Chieftains who usually wield Plasma Cannons, Fuel Rod Guns, or Chieftains who usually wield Gravity Hammers. The Brutes always work in packs of 3-8 when possible. Brutes are unlike Elites in that they do not have an aversion to using Human weapons, as shown in the books and Halo 2. After the Elites were replaced for failing to protect the High Prophet of Regret from the "Demon", they took over their role as personal bodyguards of the Prophets and also now make up most of the Covenant army. They have a hairy, ape-like appearance with rough, rhino-like skin and a highly resilient body. They are called Jiralhanae in the Covenant language.

Elites
Elites served as the military leaders for the Covenant. While Prophets often had the last say, it was the Elites who organized military campaigns and naval engagements. Ship Masters commanded ships, Fleet Masters commanded fleets, and Field Masters commanded the vast armies. Elites maintained the military structure of the Covenant and ensured the Prophets' orders, as well as their own, were carried out. They also had a diverse rank structure which is based of how many foes an Elite had killed. Elites were a major component of the Covenant and were the only caste able to maintain the military hierarchy as well as having a voice within the High Council. As the Prophets and Brutes attempted genocide of the Elites, they left the Covenant, causing a civil war within the Covenant and became allies with the UNSC. They are called Sangheili in the Covenant language. An "ee" at the end of an Elite name, such as "'Notodee," would signify that that Elite is a part of the Covenant military.

Hunters
Hunters are actually an assemblage of worm-like entities called Lekgolo that create a communal, armour plated form. In this form, they are known as Mgalekgolo. They always fight in pairs known as "Bond Brothers", and are the strongest Covenant fighting units. They wield powerful Assault Cannons and wield a massive shield resistant to any small arms fire. They are usually used as shock infantry. Their political and religious motivations are completely unknown. Their main weakness is when their back is turned, because of the lack of armour they have there. They are one of the most powerful Covenant foes, challenged only by the Elites and the Brutes.

Drones
Also a new species in the Covenant, these flying, insect-like creatures referred to as "Drones" serve almost exclusively as professional soldiers rather than conforming to Covenant societal norms and are extremely dangerous. Their ability to fight on the wing makes them an excellent strategic weapon against ground-based opponents. Unlike most other Covenant race, the Drones do not require an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere or a methane environment, as Grunts do, to survive. They are called Yanme'e in the Covenant language. Some people believe that Drones had joined the Covenant some time in between Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2. This can be proved false, as they appear in the novel Halo: Contact Harvest, which was the first Human-Covenant contact.

Jackals
Due to their superior senses, Jackals are the scouts and marksmen of the Covenant military. They are about 5'6" tall and due to their lack of physical durability, they carry a portable Energy Shield generator during combat. Jackals are employed mainly as sharpshooters with their excellent vision and dexterity, and are also deployed to defend stragtic areas. When a jackal is under fire, it will cover its head with its hands and trot away to another position from which to fire from. The first Human contact was between Staff Sergeants Johnson and Byrne on a Human freighter as Jackal pirates tried to board the ship. Jackals have never been seen throwing grenades. This is probably because they wield both their weapon and their shield, and so can't throw grenades while dual-wielding. They are called Kig-yar in Covenant language.



Grunts
Grunts are the most common and lowest-placed caste of the Covenant, as the name implies. Despite their notable cowardice and ineptitude, they are quite dangerous in large numbers, which may have been why an Arbiter was needed to quell the Grunt Rebellion. They breathe a methane mixture and thus must wear a large tank on their backs full of the methane to live. They fight well in Plasma Turrets and use the Plasma Pistol and Needler, sometimes wielding the Fuel Rod Gun as well. If their leader is killed, Grunts will run away or they may go Kamikaze by activating two Plasma Grenades (one on each hand) while charging at you and yelling gibberish, and Heretic Grunts will fearlessly charge the enemy when their leader is dead. Their discipline is dependent upon strong leadership and strength of numbers; however, when leaderless, they will present significantly less resistance, often cowering. Unggoy have a considerable amount of physical strength, enabling them to wield large weapons in the Covenant arsenal. They have learned many Human languages from intercepting transmissions between Human vessels, a fact that they apparently take great pride in. They are called Unggoy in the Covenant language. During the Covenant Civil War they, as well as the Hunters, did not fully support either side.

Engineers
Engineers do not really fit in with the Covenant caste system. In military terms, they are the lowest as they are a non-militant race. They are needed to maintain the Covenant war machines and will only converse with the Prophets (also Grunts who learn their language). This, however, indicates Engineers are very high in the caste system, probably because the Covenant are aware of how much they are needed and that the Engineer's grasp on Covenant and foreign technology, constantly examining or repairing any nearby technology regardless of affiliation. Engineers are actually an artificial species created by the Forerunners, which could contribute to their high status. They are called Huragok in the Forerunner and Covenant language. They were removed from the final version of Halo: Combat Evolved (though they are still present in the code, they are not used), but feature in some of the novels.

Deleted Races

 * Drinols are bosses that did not make it into the Halo games. They are thought to have been remade into the Tank Pure Form.
 * Stalkers are a Covenant race that did not make it into Halo 2, seen in the Halo 2 Collector's Edition Disc. They were taken from original idea sketches of the Elites in the first Halo game and were supposed to be very wiry and skeletal, with massive amounts of teeth, similar to sharks.
 * Keelbugs are a deleted Covenant race seen in the Halo 2 Collector's Edition Disc. They were a cross between Drones and Brutes, more like Drones but without the insect-like look to them. They were supposed to fly into the battlefield, cut dead bodies into sections, and fly off with them.
 * Alien Troopers are a deleted Covenant race seen in the Halo 2 Collector's Edition Disc. It is understood to be a deleted form of soldier that would complement the Elites. The only known data is that it was supposed to carry its weapon under its belly.
 * Special Purpose Snipers are a deleted Covenant race seen in the Halo 2 Collector's Edition Disc. Their arms were used like a tripod, so they could flip from side to side, without having to switch weapons. They would also be able to hang from trees.
 * Sharquoi were mentioned in the Halo 2 Collectors' Edition Booklet, detailing conversations among Human and Covenant individuals. Nothing seen in any Halo product outside of that mentioning can be called a Sharquoi with any certainty.

Creatures Inhabiting Covenant Worlds

 * Scrub Grubs are small creatures the equivalent of the rats found on Humanity's home world, Earth. They were first mentioned in Halo: Contact Harvest, while inhabiting a Jackal ship.
 * Zap-Jellies are sea creatures that live on the Grunt home world, Balaho. Possibly the equivalent of large jellyfish on Earth.
 * Thorn Beasts are a food source for the Covenant. The only reference to the Thorn Beasts is in Halo: Contact Harvest, when the Brutes are first mentioned.
 * Mud Wasps are insects found on the Grunt home world, Balaho.
 * Shade Crabs are crustaceans found on the Grunt home world, Balaho.

Religion and Culture
The Covenant society and culture is based solely on worshiping the Forerunners and recovering their sacred artifacts. Because of this, they often have to turn to war to achieve their ends, and so the Elites, and later the Brutes, have a very high place in their culture as they protect the Prophets from external and internal threats. In Covenant society, personal vendettas are not tolerated.

Because of the Prophet's links to the Forerunners, they possess superior technology, and this, combined with the unique abilities of the client races, helped to push the ever-growing war machine of the Covenant. The client races are nearly enslaved by the Covenant, forced to live a completely different way of life. Their past cultures are all but erased, and the only practical way for them to relive their former cultures is through dreams. Most races are only kept for their varying skills to be exploited, rather than to be a part of a flourishing empire. Hunters, for example, are indomitable ground forces, and so they were conquered by way of orbital bombardment to help the Covenant in close-range combat, rather than from star ships.

The Forerunners, a long-since vanished and utterly mysterious civilization, are revered as Gods by the Covenant, although their original nature was certainly not divine. The Covenant belief system is underpinned by the existence of numerous abandoned Forerunner artifacts, objects and installations. Of these, the most notable are the seven Halo rings, said to be the locations at which the Covenant belief of the Great Journey may be begun. The evident technological perfection of Forerunner objects, and the awesome and unknown purpose for which these artifacts exist, has powered the Covenant theology for millennium.

It appears that the Covenant's faith is solely qualified by finding the Forerunners' abandoned technology scattered throughout the galaxy. However, much of this Forerunner technology is as obtuse as it is arcane. It can only be guessed at what its true purpose and origin might be. That said, they have been able to incorporate some Forerunner advancements into their weapon and transport technology. The Covenant, then, are mainly driven by their fanatical devotion to religion. The client races are held together by a common belief; the slave races are driven by the religion which they have been forced to accept.

The History Of The Covenant
The Covenant divided their history into eons called Ages. There are at least eight ages, although their exact order is uncertain. The Ages are named according to things that have happened or are happening in them. This also means that the lengths of the Ages vary, with some longer than other. Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 take place during the 9th Age of Reclamation, which began during the events in Halo: Contact Harvest.

"The First Age: Ignorance and Fear.''
 * The Second Age: Rivalry and Bloodshed.
 * The Third Age: Humility and Brotherhood.
 * The Fourth Age: Wonder and Understanding.
 * The Fifth Age: Obedience and Freedom.
 * The Sixth Age: Faith and Patience.
 * The Seventh Age: Journey and Salvation."

- Maccabeus and the Jiralhanae of the Rapid Conversion.

Technology
Covenant technology is repeatedly referred to as more imitation rather than innovation, unlike their human enemies. Some may say that their technology is far more advanced than that of the humans. Their technology is based largely on mimicry of the leftover Forerunner artifacts they have discovered; their weaponry is mostly plasma based and most of their vehicles are capable of hovering. Most of the Covenant's hand-held weapons (except the Fuel Rod Gun, Needler, Carbine, Brute Shot and later the Mauler, and Spiker) use magnetic coils to direct the usually unstable plasma.

While Covenant technology is (on the whole) far more advanced than humanity's, the Covenant seem to be ignorant of how precise or powerful their technology can be. Covenant slipspace engines, for example, are more precise and faster than a human engine, but the Covenant use their engines slower and less precisely than they can be used. This is because the Covenant don't bother to learn the principles behind the technology they use. Cortana used this to her advantage on the captured Covenant Flagship Ascendant Justice by reconfiguring the electromagnetic shaping coils to shape the plasma into a thin, sustained beam that, while very effective, consumes plasma at an astonishing rate. These Plasma Torpedoes are said to be a much more powerful torpedo, breaching a larger Covenant ship's shields and hull in one shot. These were seen in the book Halo: First Strike. Covenant starships use Repulsor Engines for propulsion in space, rather than traditional chemical rockets presumably used by the UNSC. As found in Halo: Contact Harvest it seems that the Covenant have a reasonable understanding of herbal medicines.

Only two Covenant AI have ever been found. One was a rampant AI that was stationed aboard the Ascendant Justice and destroyed by Cortana, while the other was The Seeker, sent to infiltrate UNSC systems and alert the Covenant to the location of Earth. Given their continued scarcity, and the Prophet's traditional ban on artificial intelligences, it is unlikely that they are anywhere near as common as UNSC AI's.

Covenant architecture is known for its curved and sophisticated style, likely for the aesthetic tastes of the higher-ranked castes. Constructed of distinctive purple or white metal, these colors are the main focus of Covenant design and distributed throughout their starships, vehicles, and weapons. The metal they use is unknown to the UNSC but is very strong and resilient.

Military
Like other civilizations, the Covenant maintains a permanent armed forces branch, used to enforce order, conduct atmospheric and space combat operations, and generally project the Covenant's power onto others. Formerly led by the Elites prior to the Covenant Civil War, the Loyalist branches are now led by the Brutes. The military comprises of the Covenant Navy, the Covenant Army and the Covenant Special Operations Division (SpecOps).

Weaponry
The Covenant boast a large arsenal of Directed-Energy-Weapons, largely plasma-based though they also utilise lasers and particle beam weapons. Most of the Covenant's weaponry uses a form of magnetic channeling that humans can only match with the MAC gun aboard starships and the Warthog mounted M68 Gauss Cannon.

Plasma-based weaponry is extremely effective against the Covenant's own Energy shields. The amount of shots that can be fired tends to be very high, but power cannot be recharged without a recharge station nearby, and firing many shots in a short duration can cause the weapon to overheat, which reduces energy efficiency as well as forcing a temporary cooling period in which the weapon cannot be fired. Once the Plasma reserves are used up, the weapon is useless. As is evidenced in some of the game files, recharging is possible, although this technology cannot be used by the Master Chief or the Arbiter in Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 or Halo 3.

With the introduction of the Brutes as the major military caste within the Covenant, their weaponry has found widespread use. Utilizing crude projectile-like metal spikes in place of plasma, human-based hand held Shotguns "maulers", explosive grenade-like launchers, and sharp blades, they are more primitive, yet brutal - fitting, considering the nature of their creators, the Brutes.

There are three known types of dedicated melee weaponry used by the Covenant. The first, and certainly most well known, is the Energy Sword, used solely by the Sangheili. Creating a solid blade of superheated plasma, it has both ceremonial and martial value to the Sangheili warriors, and its possession is closely monitored. Secondly is the Gravity Hammer, used by Jiralhanae, which seems to be the cultural equivalent to the sword – rather than using a blade of plasma, it can generate a gravitational field, doing devastating damage. The third has not yet been seen in a game, but is used by Unggoy and Kig-Yar – an Energy Cutlass, a crystal similar to those fired by the Needler, used in melee combat, capable of embedding in a target and exploding. The Jiralhanae Brute Shot, and the Spiker are extremely capable in melee combat, is not exclusively used as melee weapons.

Vehicles
Covenant Vehicles use advanced anti-gravity technology for propulsion, as well as utilizing Plasma Cannons as offensive weaponry and are mainly being constructed out of a high-strength purple metal. Though often faster than their UNSC counterparts, Covenant vehicles are more unstable over uneven terrain where the sudden changes affects its handling. All Covenant vehicles are made from a purple or dark blue type of metal, and all Covenant vehicles are nicknamed after some kind of supernatural entity by the UNSC, except for Scarabs. Scarabs are a name synonymous with an Egyptian God Khepri, though, and therefore another supernatural entity. The reason behind this form of naming is not known. Recently, Brute vehicles and technology have been incorporated into the Covenant's arsenal. Though more primitive, they serve the Brutes' need for power. Brute vehicles are not named after spiritual entities, and rather than being a series of Covenant vehicles are regarded as native Jiralhanae technoology.

Covenant Worlds
51 Pegasi-B System
 * Pegasi Delta

K7-49

Salia System
 * Joyous Exultation
 * Malhiem (Satellite)

Urs System (with stars Fied and Joori as secondary stars)
 * Sanghelios (Elite Homeworld)
 * Yermo
 * Iruiru

Tala System
 * Balaho (Grunt Homeworld)
 * Buwan (Satellite)
 * Padpad (Satellite)

Oth Sonin System
 * Doisac (Brute Homeworld)
 * Warial (Satellite)
 * Solrapt (Satellite)
 * Teash (Satellite)

Prophet Homeworld- Currently Unknown

Svir System
 * Te (Hunter Homeworld)
 * Rantu
 * Uhtua
 * 23 smaller satellites

Napret System
 * Palamok (Drone Homeworld)
 * Naxook (Satellite)
 * Oquiu (Satellite)
 * Ka'amoti (Satellite)
 * Kami (Satellite)

Y'Deio System (HD 69830)
 * Chu'ot
 * Eayn (Satellite) (Jackal homeworld)

Covenant Starships
Also see the List of Starships article for further information

Fleets

 * Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose- Partially destroyed by Nova Bomb
 * Fleet of Particular Justice- Heavy casualties at the Battle of Reach and Battle of Installation 04, several ships survive.
 * Second Fleet of Homogenous Clarity- Broken up
 * Fleet of Retribution- Separatist Fleet
 * Truth's Fleet- Believed to be completely destroyed

Space Stations

 * High Charity - The Covenant Holy City, absorbed by the Flood, then destroyed by Master Chief on the Ark.
 * Unyielding Hierophant - Destroyed by Master Chief and the Spartans of Blue Team

Assault Carrier

 * Shadow of Intent

Supercarrier

 * Sublime Transcendence - destroyed

Carrier

 * Lawgiver - unknown status, possibly destroyed

Flagships

 * Ascendant Justice - destroyed in the battle for the Unyielding Hierophant
 * Seeker of Truth - unknown status, possibly destroyed

s

 * Incorruptible - destroyed at the battle for Onyx

s

 * Purity of Spirit - unknown status
 * Sacred Promise (hypothesized) - unknown status, probably destroyed
 * Truth and Reconciliation - destroyed in the Battle of Installation 04

Other Types

 * Contrition - unknown status
 * Penance - unknown status
 * Rapid Conversion - likely active

CPV-class Destroyers

 * Esteem - unknown status
 * Reverence - destroyed

Other Types

 * Absolution - destroyed
 * Bloodied Spirit - destroyed, Onyx
 * Far Sight Lost - destroyed
 * Rapturous Arc - destroyed

Frigates

 * Tenebrous - destroyed
 * Twilight Compunction - unknown status
 * Revenant - destroyed

Support Ships

 * Infinite Succor - destroyed, sent into a star to prevent the Flood from escaping.

Unknown Type

 * Begotten Angel - unknown status.
 * Commitment and Patience - unknown status.
 * Devotion - unknown status.
 * Pious Inquisitor - unknown status, likely destroyed.

Important Covenant Events

 * Taming of the Hunters
 * Grunt Rebellion
 * Human-Covenant War
 * Civil War of the Covenant
 * The Great Journey

Known Legions

 * Dn'end Legion
 * E'Toro Warrior Crèche
 * R'Lan Warrior Crèche
 * N'Noro Warrior Crèche

Food/Food Devices In The Covenant

 * Food Nipple - A Device that feeds Unggoy.
 * Hookah Tobacco - Prophet stimulate smoked via pipe.
 * Thorn Beasts - A Giant creature eaten by Jiralhanae.
 * Shade Crabs - Crustaceans hunted/eaten by Unggoy.
 * Mud Wasps - Insects hunted/eaten by Unggoy.
 * Scrub Grubs - Ratlike arthropods living on Covenant ships.
 * Zap-Jellies - Jellyfish-like creatures eaten by Unggoy.

Trivia

 * In a biblical reference, the Ark of the Covenant represented the will of God, in connection with the quote: "Your destruction is the will of the Gods... and we are their instrument." This references the Covenant's belief they carry though the will of their gods, the Forerunner.
 * The first Covenant species the player encounters in all three games of the original Halo Trilogy are the Elites.
 * 343 Guilty Spark often refers to Covenant species as "meddlers" due to their constant disregard for Containment protocols, and misinterpretation of Forerunner language technology.
 * Excluding Huragok, 7 Covenant species appear in the game series (Elites, Grunts, Brutes, Prophets, Jackals, Hunters, and Drones).
 * There are 7 Ages in the Covenant history.

Internal

 * Governors of Contrition
 * Writ of Union
 * Mark of Shame
 * Great Journey
 * True Sayings
 * Ratification Parley
 * Covenant Weapons

External

 * A Covenant Primer: The Best of the Bestiary

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