High Council: Difference between revisions

The '''High Council''' was the central theocratic/aristocratic and decision-making body of the [[Covenant]].<ref name="ch154">'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 154''</ref> Based in the [[High Council Chamber]] in the heart of the Covenant holy city ''[[High Charity]]'', the High Council consisted of more than two hundred [[Sangheili]] and [[San'Shyuum]] High Councilors<ref name="ch271">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 271''</ref> and was headed by a triumvirate known as the [[Hierarchs]] or "High Prophets".

In [[2525]], during the [[Ascension]] of the [[Prophet of Truth|Prophets of Truth]], [[Prophet of Mercy|Mercy]], and [[Prophet of Regret|Regret]], the High Council had been initially reluctant to support the new Hierarchs. However, the Council eventually complied.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 380''</ref> During the [[Human-Covenant War]], the High Council would order the complete [[glassing]] of [[human colonies]] during times of "particular religious significance". During the [[Battle of Kholo]], the [[Prophet of Conviction]] represented the High Council and gave the order to [[Unidentified Sangheili Shipmaster (Righteous Vigilance)|the Shipmaster]] of the [[Fleet of Righteous Vigilance]] to glass [[Kholo|the planet]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''', "[[The Return]]", ''page 313''</ref> In [[2535]], the San'Shyuum High Councilors reorganized the [[Covenant fleet]]s, against the desires of the [[Sangheili Councilor]]s, forming the [[Fleet of Particular Justice]].<ref>'''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]''', ''page 349''</ref> On [[2552|October 20, 2552]], the High Council convened to debate the fate of the [[Supreme Commander]] of the Fleet of Particular Justice, [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee. Ultimately, the High Council branded 'Vadamee a [[heretic]] and sentenced him to execution.<ref name="heretic">'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level ''[[The Heretic]]''</ref> However, the High Prophets intervened and 'Vadamee was given the rank of [[Arbiter]].<ref name="arbiter">'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[The Arbiter]]''</ref>

After the High Prophet of Regret's death on [[Installation 05]], the High Prophets of Truth and Mercy publicly [[Changing of the Guard|replaced]] the [[Sangheili Honor Guardsman|Sangheili Honor Guardsmen]] with the [[Jiralhanae]]. This decision was not approved of by the High Council,<ref name="bc217">'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''pages 217-218''</ref> and the Sangheili viewed this as a violation of the principle that the Covenant had been founded upon and threatened to resign from the High Council.<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Sacred Icon]]''</ref> During the [[Battle of Installation 05]], the San'Shyuum and Sangheili High Councilors were to meet in the [[Control Room (Installation 05)|Control Room]] of [[Installation 05]] to make preparations for the activation of the installation. However, only some of the Sangheili Councilors and former Honor Guards—particularly the ones that opposed the Changing of the Guard, but were unwilling to resign from their positions—had arrived at the Control Room. A large contingent of Jiralhanae, led by [[Jiralhanae Captain|Captain]] [[Melchus]], entered the Control Room and proceeded to massacre the Councilors, as part of the High Prophet of Truth's plan to replace Sangheili with Jiralhanae in Covenant society.<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Uprising]]''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''pages 218-221''</ref> With the [[Great Schism|expulsion]] of the Sangheili, the [[Flood]] [[Battle of High Charity|invasion]] of ''[[High Charity]]'' and the eventual dissolution of the Covenant itself, it is likely that the High Council no longer exists at all.