Keepers of the One Freedom: Difference between revisions

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{{Newcontent|[[Halo: Retribution]]}}

**[[Orsun]] †  

|dissolved=[[2559|October 14, 2559]]

The '''Keepers of the One Freedom''' are a religious movement operating in the [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|post-Covenant War era]]. They follow [[Covenant religion|the religion]] of the former [[Covenant]] (including their belief in the "[[Great Journey]]"<ref>''Halo: Last Light'', p. 126-128 (Google Play edition)</ref>), and are one of its many [[Covenant remnants|splinter factions]]. Their capital is established on the friendly colony of [[Venezia]], but they are known to have allies on [[Gao]]. The Keepers are led by a small group of elders called Dokabs, most of whom were formerly high-ranked members of the [[Covenant military]].<ref>''Halo: Last Light'', p 168-169 (Google Play edition)</ref>

Their official colors are blue and gold.

In [[2553]], a [[UNSC]] task force was dispatched to [[Gao]] with the mission of retrieving a suspected [[Forerunner]] [[ancilla]]. During their inspection, the term "ancilla" was overheard by [[Veta Lopis]], who promptly relayed this information to Gao's [[Minister of Protection]] [[Arlo Casille]]. Arlo then informed the cult leader (''Dokab'') [[Castor]] about the ancilla, much to the Jiralhanae's delight, beginning a Keeper invasion of Gao to recover the "oracle". The attack on UNSC forces begun when the ''[[One Light]]'' landed in a staged inspection, dispatching 500 troops into the jungle. The first attempt to recover the ancilla involved sending a small Brute task force into the caves, where they encountered and were subsequently defeated by [[Spartan]] [[Blue Team]]. At the same time, the larger task force opened fire on the UNSC garrison at [[Wendosa]], using mortars and snipers to suppress the UNSC marines. When Blue Team eventually emerged from the cave system into the war-torn town, they pushed through the Keepers to [[Hotel Wendosa]] to link up with what remained of the garrison. Although Blue Team would be evacuated by a [[UH-144 Falcon|Falcon]], the aircraft would be shot down by Keeper snipers, crash-landing in the jungle nearby. Castor and his pack would move in to engage the survivors of the crash, but would eventually be defeated by [[Blue Team]]. Castor was presumed dead after sustaining grievous injuries at the hands of [[Frederic-104]], but would later encounter the [[Huragok]] [[Roams Alone]], who would heal the injured Jiralhanae. Castor and Orsun then proceeded to leave Gao, with plans to exact vengeance on Casille for betraying the Keepers.{{clear}}

===Temporary alliance with the Banished===

At some point near April 2558, 6 months before the rise of the [[Created]], the Keepers entered into a temporary alliance with [[Atriox|Atriox's]] [[Banished]], serving as one of its [[legion]]s. Shortly after, Atriox and [[Decimus]] departed for the Ark, leaving [[Escharum]] in command.<ref>''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]'', Chapter 3</ref> At some point in July 2559, they received a transmission from Escharum ordering them and two other Banished legions, the [[Legion of the Corpse-Moon]] and the [[Ravaged Tusks]], to look for the hidden [[Ark]] slipspace portal in the [[Menachite portal complex]] beneath [[CASTLE Base]].<ref>''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]'', Chapter 3</ref> By the time the Keepers went to Reach, Castor had become in the last Dokab leading the faction. They succeeded in locating it by observing [[Blue Team]]'s path towards [[Menachite Mountain]].<ref>''Halo: Shadows of Reach'', Chapter 17</ref> Soon after excavating it, Atriox activated the other end of the portal with the three shards of the [[Menachite Forerunner crystal|Forerunner Crystal]] and came through in a [[Lich]]. Castor along with forty of his Keepers and [[Inslaan 'Gadogai]] went rogue, leaving the Banished, and took the portal back to the Ark with the intent of activating the [[Halo Array]].<ref>''Halo: Shadows of Reach'', Chapter 21</ref>

The Keepers have a wide range of former [[Covenant]] and human weaponry at their disposal, including mortars, [[Type-50 particle beam rifle|Beam Rifles]], [[Type-33 Needler|Needlers]], [[Type-25 Plasma Rifle|Plasma Rifles]] and more traditional Jiralhanae weapons such as the [[Type-25 Spiker|Spiker]] and [[Type-52 Mauler|Mauler]]. The Keepers also have at least one operational starship, the ''[[One Light]]'' and at one point, the [[Fleet of Glory]] which suffered heavy casualties during [[Operation: RETRIBUTION]]. Their manpower consists of hundreds, if not thousands, of soldiers of [[Jiralhanae]], [[Kig-Yar]] and [[human]] species. Their allies on [[Gao]] and [[Venezia]] have ensured a steady stream of supplies and weapons to the faction, allowing them to conduct anti-[[UNSC]] operations in a large capacity. They are also known to use [[Jiralhanae power armor]], painted blue and gold, for the colors of the Keepers.

The Keepers are referenced in one of the [[Skins (Halo 3)|weapon skins]] available for the [[Type-25 plasma rifle|plasma rifle]] in the ''[[Halo 3]]'' component of ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'', released in [[Season 4: Reclaimer]]. Named ''Keeper'', the skin's description reads ''Still searching for true freedom''; an obvious nod to the name of the Keepers of the One Freedom. The plasma rifle skin itself is painted in a deep blue with yellow stripes.