
Soon after, the Humans and Sangheili followed through the portal to the Ark. Truth took up residence in the Installation's Control Room in preparation for the Array activation. Once activated, the excavation triggered a large, stable Slipspace portal to Installation 00. Once there, he set the Forerunner Ship at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, and began excavating the Artifact with Loyalist orbital plasma bombardments. He prevented Tartarus from aiding Mercy and escaped to his Forerunner flagship, but not before Master Chief realizes his aim and pursues.Īboard the Forerunner dreadnought, Truth then led the Covenant Fleet to Earth in order to activate the portal to the Ark. When the Gravemind teleported John-117 to High Charity, Truth betrayed Mercy, who was under attack by a Flood Infection Form.

He spearheaded the purge of the Sangheili High Councilors, which sparked the Great Schism. Truth offered the former Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice the chance to become the Arbiter and ordered him to defeat the Heretics, rebels that regarded Covenant teachings as false, and to retrieve the Sacred Icon on Delta Halo. The Prophet of Truth, his former position in the Covenant being the Minister of Fortitude, was the leader of the last three Hierarchs. However, she fell victim to a political shakedown in the Covenant and had to step down from power, replaced by the High Prophets of Truth, Mercy and Regret.ĩth Age of Reclamation Main article: Ages of Reclamation Prophet of Truth Main article: Prophet of Truth One of the most beloved Prophets at the time, she gave birth to triplets in 2524. Prophetess of Obligation Main article: Prophetess of Obligation The Prophet of Tolerance was responsible for the creation of five hundred teams consisting of the most clever and most educated Sangheili and Unggoy to study the human language. Prophet of Tolerance Main article: Prophet of Tolerance With no choice, Restraint abdicated the position of Hierarch, allowing the Minister to succeed as the High Prophet of Regret. The Minister offered to keep the scandal quiet, but only if Restraint stepped down as Hierarch. To cover up the scandal, the Prophet attempted to convince the Vice Minister of Tranquility to claim the children as his own.

Prophet of Restraint Main article: Prophet of RestraintĪs of 2524, the aging Prophet's tenure had been marked with scandal involving his various sexual exploits most notably the impregnation of a young female San'Shyuum while lying about his status on the Roll of Celibates and then refusing to abort the offspring.

The last three Hierarchs came to power in the beginning of the 9th Age of Reclamation in 2525. Approaching the Hierarchs is a right strictly reserved for only high-ranking members of the Covenant, and to take out a weapon before a Hierarch is grounds for immediate execution. Among their powers are the composition of fleets within the Covenant Navy (without even informing the High Council) and appointing an Arbiter from among the Sangheili to serve as the "Will of the Prophets."Īs the leaders of the Covenant, Hierarchs were guarded by the Honor Guard of the Covenant, once exclusively composed of the Sangheili but later replaced by the Jiralhanae. Upon their ascension, a Hierarch may choose a new regal title from a list of names of previous Hierarchs. In addition, upon a Prophet's rise to the level of Hierarch they select specially made Gravity Thrones-decorated with golden backs, equipped with energy shielding, and armed with Gravity Cannons-and crowns adorned with small holographic projections of a Halo installation. In practice, however, it appears that the Hierarchs are replaced due to political machinations. In theory, if a trio of Prophets wish to become Hierarchs, they must receive the blessing of the Oracle within the Dreadnought on High Charity. The ascension of a new set of Hierarchs inaugurates a new Age. The Hierarchs are a triumvirate composed exclusively of San'Shyuum who rule with near-absolute power over the Covenant the other races obey their will without question.
