Anodyne Spirit: Difference between revisions

|role=*Activation of portals to the Ark<ref>''[[Halo 3]]'' level [[The Storm (Level)|The Storm]], [[Terminals]]</ref>

{{Quote|My Dreadnought, the vessel that has so long been the focus of our worship, now rests on its [[The Artifact|true pedestal]]. Even now, its engines spark greater ones below, relics long without power, yet ready to fulfill their divine purpose. Stand fast! Keep our enemies at bay! Soon, my brothers, we will all have our reward!|[[Prophet of Truth]] to his troops during the [[Battle of Earth]].<ref>'''[[Halo 3]]''' ''level [[Tsavo Highway (level)|Tsavo Highway]]</ref>}}

The '''Forerunner Dreadnought''', colloquially known as the '''Forerunner Ship''', was a [[Forerunner]] [[Keyship]].<ref name="Halo3Six">'''[[Halo 3]]''', [[Terminals|Terminal Six]]''</ref><ref>''[[Halo 3]]'', [[Terminals|Terminal Four]]</ref> The Keyships were a large part of the Forerunner strategy against the [[Flood]], as they were the only vessels capable of activating the [[Portal]] to reach [[Installation 00|the Ark]].  

During the Forerunner-Flood War, there had most likely been an entire fleet of Keyships. It was used extensively by the Forerunners in their [[Forerunner-Flood War|war]] against the Flood. A number of Keyships were given to the [[Librarian]], and combined with her ability to build [[Portal]]s, the Librarian was able to transport herself back to the [[Ark]] with her Keyships if the situation required. The Librarian, however, destroyed her Keyships to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Flood, who with them, would be able to instantaneously travel to the Ark, rendering the [[Halo Array]] useless. Near the end of the war, the Keyships were part of an unknown strategy to hold off the Flood for nearly 79 years<ref>''[[Halo 3]]'', [[Terminals|Terminal Five]]</ref>, although this advantage would be foiled by the massive computing power of the Flood. At the [[Battle of the Maginot Sphere]], [[Didact]] was in command of multiple Keyships, although near the end, when the Forerunners began generating [[Slipspace]] ruptures to destabilize the battlefield and destroy Flood craft, Keyships were recklessly piloted near the rifts, destroying them. However, several Keyships automatically were sent out into the galaxy in the aftermath of Halos' activation, containing numerous specimens of various alien races, to ensure that life would go on.

The two races then penned the [[Writ of Union]], which formally began the Covenant, and decommissioned the [[Forerunner]] warship, removing all known weapons, and placing it within the partially completed [[High Charity]].<ref>''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'', page 145-148</ref> It was then used to power the city, with its engines at partial power.<ref>''[[High Charity (Level)]]''</ref><ref>''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'', page 148</ref> The Dreadnought then became the purview of the ascetic priests, who studied the vessel's systems and tended to the [[Oracle]], in fact a fragment of the [[Rampancy|rampant]] Forerunner AI [[032 Mendicant Bias]].  

After the [[Taming of the Lekgolo]], the Prophets used the newly incorporated [[Lekgolo]] to explore Forerunner relics, and after ages of experimenting on lesser relics, finally worked up the courage to explore the Dreadnought's pathways. At first, these explorations were slow and deliberate, as the priests feared damaging the Dreadnought or offending the Oracle. But with no response from the Oracle, the priests began to continue the explorations until the practice became common place.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', pages 269-271</ref>

During this series of messages, the Oracle began a launch sequence, which would rip the Keyship from High Charity and destroy the Covenant capital with it. Fortunately for the people of High Charity, the Dreadnought was short-circuited by Lekgolo exploring the pathways. The Oracle was soon disconnected, but this caused a spiritual crisis for Fortitude, Tranquility and the Philologist. Through the Oracle’s messages, the Forerunners (or their descendants), were still alive, which would shake the foundations of the Covenant itself to the core: if the masses learned that they might be left behind, then they would revolt against the Prophets. In an attempt to keep the religion itself intact, they covered up the encounter, and would try to eradicate these [[Human|Reclaimers]].<ref>''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'', pages 274–276</ref><ref>''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'', pages 379–384</ref>

Now aware of the immediate threat within his ship, Truth ordered a jump deeper in the system, straight to Earth, where the battle was still raging between the battered remains of the UNSC fleet and Truth's forces.<ref>'''[[Halo Waypoint]]''' - ''The Long Road Home''</ref> As the Dreadnought transitioned from Slipspace, now in range of Earth's [[Orbital Defense Platform]]s, [[Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood|Hood]] was about to give the order to attack the ship. He only stopped because he found out that the Master Chief was aboard. The Keyship, leading the [[Truth's Fleet|Covenant Loyalist Fleet]], eventually broke through Earth's already-weakened defenses, and headed for Earth.

*The Covenant were only able to use 10% of the Dreadnought's generator to power High Charity.<ref>Halo: Contact Harvest</ref>