Unggoy: Difference between revisions

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'''Unggoy'''<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', page 191 - ''"Unggoy: the Elite name for the Grunt race."''</ref> ([[Latin]], ''Monachus frigus'', meaning "cold monk"), also known as '''Grunts''' by many individuals, are a [[sentience|sapient]] species of squat bipedal xeno-arthropodal vertebroid lifeforms<ref name="waypointarticle"/><ref name="THB 5.9.12">[http://halo.bungie.org/halobulletins/49 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin - 5.9.12'']</ref> from the planet [[Balaho]]. In [[2142]], the Unggoy became the fourth species to be assimilated into the [[Covenant]]. During their tenure in the hegemony, Unggoy were always the lowest-ranking species in general terms, and were frequently mistreated by members of almost every other race, especially the [[Kig-Yar]], [[Jiralhanae]], and [[Sangheili]].

Unggoy are believed to have evolved from smaller amphibious primates.<ref name="waypointarticle"/> Prior to the activation of the [[Halo Array]], the Unggoy had managed to achieve a [[Technological Achievement Tiers#Tier 4: Space Age|Tier 4]] society on their homeworld, [[Balaho]]. However, the planet and the Unggoy civilization was devastated by the collapse of its biosphere due to massive global over-industrialization.<ref name="Bestiarum"/>

In [[2142]], the Unggoy and their defenseless homeworld were discovered by the [[Covenant]]. Most species of the Covenant became incorporated due to faith or mutual beneficence, however the Unggoy were forced into lowly positions within the Covenant through force and aggressive conversion.<ref name="waypointarticle"/><ref>'''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''', ''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminal 10]]''</ref> The Unggoy were quickly conquered with little resistance and were the seventh species to be inducted into the empire. The species was quick to become one of the most devoted followers of the [[Covenant religion]] and the Great Journey.<ref>'''[[Halo: Broken Circle]]''', ''page 187''</ref> It even became a popular notion among the Unggoy, thanks to the theologian, [[Ang'napnap the Enlightened]], that the Forerunners' pre-ascension forms were akin to their very own.<ref name="buzz">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-buzz-generating '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Buzz Generating'']</ref> By the time of their discovery by the Covenant, the Unggoy homeworld was still recovering from its ecological collapse over a hundred millennia earlier, and the Unggoy's [[Technological Achievement Tiers#Tier 6: Industrial Age|Tier 6]] civilization had yet to return to its former state.<ref name="Bestiarum"/>

After the Human-Covenant War, at least some of the Unggoy continued working for the Sangheili as farmers on [[Sanghelios]], while others continued to work in the military under either their Sangheili or Jiralhanae commanders.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''' ''page 90''</ref> Many Unggoy returned to Balaho after the war.<ref name="waypointarticle"/> A number of Unggoy joined—or were drafted into—the various [[Covenant remnants|splinter groups]] that upheld the Covenant's religious beliefs after the war, most notably [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant]]. [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]] surveys record no off-planet transport from Balaho since "Solipsis"<!--Presumably this was an ONI operation. However, the report does not specify what Solipsis was.--> and seem to indicate that facilities on Balaho's primary [[Natural satellite|satellite]] [[Buwan]] has been abandoned, though both remain under observation. Moderate Unggoy populations have been observed in Sangheili systems at various intervals.<ref>'''[[Eleventh Hour reports]]''', ''#3''</ref> The Office of Naval Intelligence speculates that several independent vessels and colonial facilities are under the control of Unggoy factions, yet no significant populations of unaffiliated Unggoy are known to exist among the [[human colonies]].<ref>[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2969315_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2969315 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction - Page 14'']</ref> By [[2558]], some Unggoy had taken up residence in the city of [[Paxopolis]] on the [[Forerunner]] [[shield world]] of [[Trevelyan]].

Unggoy are the only Covenant species to breathe [[methane]] rather than [[oxygen]]. Their combat armor/harness has an integrated methane re-breather system, as Unggoy are unable to survive for long periods of time without methane due to asphyxiation.<ref name="ENC143"/> Unggoy could be afflicted by [[Wikipedia:Barnacle|barnacles]]; the removal of barnacles leads to deep, oozing pores in their chitinous skin.<ref name="ch307">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 307''</ref>

Although other species generally regard the Unggoy as a dim-witted race, many have proven to be very intelligent, resourceful, and knowledgeable. Indeed, the general perception of the Unggoy being inherently unintelligent is almost certainly a result of their poor education and training within the Covenant.<ref name="waypointarticle"/> Unggoy are one of the most gregarious and sociable of the Covenant races and possess a very strong pack mentality, often associating with each other in groups. This numerical superiority and pack mentality allows for their sense of cultural identity to remain, despite a number of hardships, including their extreme subservience to the other races of the Covenant, as well as [[the dark time]] following [[reintroduction]] after the activation of the [[Halo Array]].<ref name="Bestiarum"/>

Unggoy develop sensory-motor integration relatively rapidly, and possess unburdened neural pathways which allow them to absorb knowledge more freely compared to the other Covenant species. As such, they were often tasked by the Covenant with monitoring space for traces of human communication. In addition, many Unggoy have developed a clear understanding of two or even three [[human]] languages. This advantage serves as a river of confidence in times of great stress for them.<ref name="Bestiarum"/> The Unggoy [[Deacon]] [[Dadab]] was also able to learn and communicate in [[Huragok]] sign language.

The taxonomic classification of the Unggoy has been a source of some confusion for the [[United Nations Space Command]]. Because they possess exoskeletons, they have been identified as being analogous to Earth arthropods; despite this, the Unggoy are actually a vertebrate species. The UNSC misclassified the species as arthropodal due to their physiological similarities to terrestrial arthropods; among other differences, the Unggoy circulatory system is apparently closed as opposed to the open systems characteristic of many arthropods.<ref name="THB 5.9.12"/> More accurately, the species should be considered xeno-arthropodal vertebrates which possess substantial—albeit hypothetical—genetic influences from primate-like amphibians that once dwelt in Balaho's [[Wikipedia:Aphotic zone|aphotic zones]]. This taxonomically incorrect nomenclature persists as late as [[2557]] as an ''ad hoc'' identifier, though the pressures of the Human-Covenant War and reconstruction have made such concerns trivial at best.<ref name="waypointarticle"/><ref name="THB 5.9.12"/>

Unggoy share a number of features with different animal species on [[Earth]]. Like primates, they walk both bipedally and with the aid of their oversized forearms. However, their bodies are armored with a hard exoskeleton as with crabs and insects. Their mouths have a set of small, pointed teeth, much like reptiles.<ref name="waypointarticle"/> Unggoy are on average about four to five feet tall and are relatively weak compared to other [[sentient|sapient]] species. The Unggoy have flat, three-toed feet, with another toe on the back of their feet. Although they can easily walk upright on two legs, they may often use their arms to move in a quadrupedal fashion. While carrying armaments, they are forced to walk upright so that they may support their weapons with their hands, but while trying to flee, or while patrolling without a weapon drawn, they use their oversized arms as forelegs to add speed or stability to their gait. Their eyesight<ref name="THB 5.9.12"/> and hearing are average, and seem to have a very well-developed sense of smell, sometimes sniffing the air to detect traces of foes or hidden enemies.<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level ''[[The Arbiter]]''</ref> This is facilitated through the olfactory membranes installed in their masks. Unggoy have oversized forearms, while their upper arms and thighs are relatively small. This has allowed them to be quite excellent climbers over rocky terrain, although they are rather clumsy when walking upright. Their large arms help the Unggoy in hand-to-hand combat and scaling heights, but make movement around tight corridors or manipulation of small, delicate objects difficult. To protect themselves from the voracious predators of Balaho, the Unggoy have a rigid exoskeleton that is lined with sharp barbs that covers large portions of their backs, arms, and legs.<ref name="waypointarticle"/> They also have an astonishingly fast finger reflex speed, as they can fire a [[Type-25 plasma pistol|plasma pistol]] at almost the same rate a Sangheili can with a [[Type-25 plasma rifle|plasma rifle]].

Unggoy also have thick, bioluminescent,<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', page 59: ''Phosphorescent blood pooled beneath their prone forms.''</ref> light-blue [[blood]],<ref>'''[[Halo: The Flood]]''', ''page 27''</ref> possibly a result of methane-based proteins in the blood to facilitate methane-based respiration.<ref name="ENC143"/> Like Earth's [[Wikipedia:Horseshoe crab|horseshoe crabs]], it is possible that their blood is blue due to high copper content.

Some Unggoy, commonly seen among bands of [[Covenant remnants|Covenant remnant]] forces in the mid 2550s, have exoskeletons that cover only patches on their bodies, leaving most of their skin exposed; the paucity of chitin means that the elbow and knee spikes of these individuals are less pronounced.<ref name="THB 5.9.12"/> Unlike other Unggoy, which have a chitinous protrusion that covers the groin and posterior, these Unggoy are unarmored in this area, exposing their primate-like buttocks.<ref>[http://mcfarlane.com/toys/media.aspx?product_id=4573&type=photo&file=halo4s1_stormgrunt_photo_03_dp.jpg '''McFarlane Toys''': ''Halo 4 Storm Grunt'']</ref> Their necks are also several times longer than normal (Unggoy typically have almost non-existent necks) and their heads are set farther forward; folds of loose skin hang down from their necks and chins, likely due to the relative lack of chitin.  Their eyes are reddish orange and feature black, cross-shaped pupils, unlike the solid red or yellow eyes of their kin. Their mouths are set farther inward and house larger, more pointed teeth. These specimens have much stouter legs and have longer and thinner fingernails than the rest of the species, and they possess claws meant for climbing and digging<ref>'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 39''</ref> on their feet instead of the more common hoof-like digits. What sets these Unggoy apart—morphologically speaking—is that they are sourced from specific breeding zones. This indicates either prolonged genetic drift in [[Wikipedia:Refugium (population biology)|refugia populations]] or induced selection.<ref>[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postst248247p37_Catalog-Interaction.aspx '''Halo Waypoint Forums''': ''Catalog Interaction'' (post 248247)]</ref> In any case, such morphological variation can be likened to the differences among Earth's dog breeds.<ref name="THB 5.9.12"/>

Unggoy [[Reproduction|breed]] prodigiously, with large egg clutches and short childhood periods.<ref name="Bestiarum"/> Adulthood is reached between the ages of 5 and 8 years.<ref name="LoO"/> This combined with the large number of young per clutch, which could range from 5 to 12 Unggoy,<ref name="LoO"/> and rapid sensory-motor integration development was one of the primary reasons why the Covenant cleverly used the breeding habits of the Unggoy to their advantage in battle, deploying the Unggoy as cannon fodder—this would play a key-role in their war against humanity. Overpopulation is a serious problem and in non-war times, strict laws are placed on Unggoy breeding.<ref name="ch150"/>

Unggoy do value their ties to their offspring, but are usually separated from their families at an early age by the requirements of military service to the Covenant.<ref name="ENC143"/> They resent this greatly, but because of their low social status in the Covenant, they are unable to muster any response.

Although the Unggoy culture has been largely wiped out as a result of constant indoctrination by the Covenant, they do retain a degree of their cultural identity as a result of their inherent tenacity. Of what is known, the Unggoy generally live in small, tribal societies which are typically defined as being matriarchal.<ref name="Bestiarum"/> Unggoy family structure is polyamorous, with several male and female Unggoy living together.<ref name="LoO">'''[[Halo: Legacy of Onyx]]''', ''chapter ??''</ref> On Balaho, Unggoy had to constantly produce food to ensure that they had enough stocked during the planet's winter seasons. On a near-daily basis, the corpses of those that succumbed to Balaho's plagues had to be burned to further prevent infections. Both of these problems were solved when the Unggoy were discovered by the Covenant.<ref name="ENC143"/> Unggoy universally agree that their species is embodied by three pillars: ruggedness, agility, and lethality.<ref name="buzz"/> The wise [[Ang'napnap the Enlightened]], the charismatic [[Awlphhum Who Became Tolerable]], and the strategist [[Yayep the Archdeacon of Indolence]] are revered as historical heroes by the Unggoy.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/haze-of-glory '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Haze of Glory'']</ref>

Many Unggoy are interested in [[human]] culture. During their service with the Covenant, Unggoy enjoyed trading human communication files, such as [[Wikipedia:Soap opera|soap operas]] and [[Wikipedia:Sitcom|sitcoms]], through their own [[black market]].<ref name="ENC143"/> Unggoy often gamble with each other and often play games; one in particular, [[hunting rock]], involves two Unggoy competing to kill the most [[scrub grub]]s.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 89-90''</ref> Unggoy were also known to take recreational narcotics called [[infusion]]s by adding them to their portable methane tanks.<ref name="ch150"/><ref>'''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]''', ''pages 186-187''</ref> The chemical [[Wikipedia:Benzene|benzene]], referred to as "Lovely lung gold" and a "sacred aromatic, is also considered a recreational drug by Unggoy.<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', ''page 237''</ref>

Believed to be rather unintelligent by the [[San'Shyuum]], Unggoy were generally forced to serve in laboring positions or deployed into battle as cannon fodder. During engagements, they were often deployed as the first wave of attack in ground campaigns or Unggoy were deployed in high numbers to undertake various types of operations.<ref name="waypointarticle"/> Most Unggoy that served aboard Covenant [[warship]]s were tasked with monitoring human communications, leading to most members of the species having a better grasp on [[English]] than other species.<ref name="ENC143"/> The [[lower districts]] of [[High Charity]] housed a massive Unggoy population;<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 261''</ref> the Unggoy-inhabited portion of the districts was methane-rich so the Unggoy did not require [[methane tank]]s to breathe.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 149''</ref>

The Unggoy's lowly position within the Covenant was based on racial bias rather than the species' inherent abilities.<ref name="Bestiarum"/> The Unggoy were not represented on the Covenant [[High Council]] but were instead vetted by the [[Ministry of Concert]], albeit poorly.<ref name="ch150"/> The Unggoy were mistreated by nearly every client species of the Covenant, except the [[Huragok]]. They were often treated as second-class citizens within Covenant society.<ref name="ENC143"/> The Unggoy had a particularly tense relationship with the [[Kig-Yar]], a race only ranked slightly higher in the Covenant hierarchy. Despite both species holding similar standings, the Kig-Yar were granted more independence and often favored over the Unggoy by other individuals in the Covenant. Unggoy were expected to revere [[Sangheili]] as the near-divine protectors of the San'Shyuum, however many Unggoy despised the Sangheili for mistreating their race.<ref>'''Halo: The Flood''', ''pages 35-36'' (2010 edition)</ref> While they were essentially a [[Slavery|slave race]], the Unggoy have managed to largely retain their cultural identities, and have [[Unggoy Rebellion|rebelled in the past]] [[Sixteenth Unggoy Disobedience|more than once]]. Before the Unggoy Rebellion of [[2462]], Unggoy were not given the right to use weapons in battle. When the rebellion proved to the Sangheili that Unggoy could be determined and competent fighters, they were given better training and weaponry, and integrated into formerly Sangheili-only units. Within the Unggoy community there is a general strong hatred of the other Covenant species, due to the fear they face. This causes many Unggoy to believe that someday a dynamic grunt will lead them to freedom on a methane-rich paradise world.<ref>[[Halo: Combat Evolved: Sybex Official Strategies & Secrets]]</ref>

Their native language is composed of dog-like barks, squeaks, and grunts. Though largely unintelligible to most humans, translation software is able to decipher the meanings of these.<ref>''[[Conversations from the Universe]]''</ref> The word "Unggoy" itself is not a word from their vocabulary, rather, it is the Sangheili name for their species.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 191''</ref> Unggoy are also fully capable of speaking a variety of human languages, a fact in which they take great pride.<ref name="Bestiarum"/>

The Sangheili did not permit the Unggoy to retain family names during their service in the Covenant.<ref name="ENC143"/> Instead, they formally identified themselves by the names and birthplaces of famous patriarchs within their family. This patriarch could be the Unggoy's uncle, grandfather, or even a mythical [[Wikipedia:Pater familias|paterfamilias]] that was revered by their ancestors. An example of this identification method would be "''Yayap, son of [[Pum]]. Of Balaho's blasted scablands.''"<ref name="ch307"/> Following the end of the Human-Covenant war, individual Unggoy serving under the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] and [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction]] have begun to use family names to identify themselves, such as [[Dimkee Hotay]].

The Unggoy homeworld of [[Balaho]] is a temperate, swampy planet with a [[methane]] atmosphere and naturally occurring pillars of fire. The planet is orbited by two [[natural satellite]]s: [[Buwan]] and [[Padpad]]. A cold planet, temperatures on Balaho range from -33&nbsp;°C to 5&nbsp;°C (-27&nbsp;°F to 41&nbsp;°F).<ref name="Bestiarum"/> The cold season of their planet makes them highly covet any source of warmth and light they can find, mainly due to the "[[Blue Death|blue death]]".<ref name="goo237"/> The planet is still in process of recovery from a global ecological collapse before the activation of the Halo Array due to over-industrialization caused by the Unggoy at the time.<ref name="Bestiarum"/>

While regular Unggoy infantry occasionally choose to employ [[suicide attack]]s out of desperation, the Covenant were also known to purposefully assign [[Suicide Unggoy|select fanatical Unggoy squads]] to use such attacks as their primary offensive tactic against the enemy.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 350''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[Exodus]]''</ref> The [[Banished]] later adopted similar tactics.<ref name="CFI96"/>

[[Unggoy jockey|Jockeys]] operate Unggoy-manufactured [[Goblin]] [[Powered exoskeleton|battlesuits]] or other vehicles,<ref name="buzz"/> such as [[Type-32 Ghost]]s or [[Type-54 Ghost]]s.