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Judgement of Intent; Possible halo rp
Tweet Topic Started: Oct 4 2009, 08:46 PM (1,313 Views)
Post #1 Oct 4 2009, 08:46 PM RTMX
I have edited the plot to occur after the Halo trilogy.

~TIMELINE~

Sources:
Halo: The Fall Of Reach
Halo: The Flood
Halo: First Strike
Official Backstory (Xbox.com)
Halo 2
Halo: Ghosts Of Onyx

2160-2200: This period in human history was marked by a series of brutal conflicts between various governments and factions in our Solar System. Conflicts of particular historical importance included the Jovian Moons Campaign, The Rain Forest Wars, and a series of clashes on Mars.

As overpopulation and political unrest on Earth increased, a number of new political movements formed. The most noteworthy dissident movements of the period were the "Koslovics" and the "Frieden" movement. The Koslovics—supporters of neo-Communist hardliner Vladimir Koslov—sought a return to the glory days of Communism and the elimination of corporate and capitalist influence, particularly in orbital facilities and offworld colonies.

The Frieden movement was a resurgence of fascism, springing from anti-Koslovic sentiment that had taken root in the Jovian colonies (largely backed by Unified German Republic corporations, frequent targets of Koslovic "workers' crusades"). "Frieden" literally means "peace." In this case, they believed that peace could be achieved only once the "oppressors on Terra Firma" were eliminated.
~~~
2160 March-June: The Jovian Moons Campaign began. Jovian secessionist attacks on United Nations Colonial Advisors on the moon Io led to three months of fighting between the Earth military and Jovian "Frieden" forces. Though this was not the first armed conflict in our Solar System, it was easily one of the bloodiest, and is generally considered to be the spark of increased friction and militarization that followed.

The Jovian Moons Campaign escalated tensions, as Earth's national governments-many of which sponsored colonies within the system-began fighting proxy wars off-planet. As these proxy wars continued, tensions on Earth mounted, leading to a number of armed conflicts on Earth itself.
~~~
2162 The Rain Forest Wars: Armed conflict ripped through South America, as Koslovic, Frieden, and UN forces all clashed over ideological differences, sparking additional conflicts off-planet.
~~~
2163 December: In a conflict that stemmed from the Rain Forest Wars, the three primary Earth factions clashed again, this time on Mars. A series of lightning strikes against Koslovic forces near the Argyre Planitia marked the first extra-terrestrial deployment of Marines. The campaign was an unqualified success. As a result, future military doctrine favored large contingents of Marines for ground assaults and ship-boarding actions.
~~~
2164: UN-sponsored military forces begin a pattern of massive buildups, culminating in the first real interplanetary war. After the successful Marine deployment on Mars, recruitment drives and propaganda tactics strongly bolster UNSC (UN Space Command) forces. UN forces defeat Koslovic (supporters of rabid Communist hard-liner Vladimir Koslov) and Frieden (a resurgence of fascism) forces on Earth, then begin a systematic and dedicated drive to crush their remnants on the various planets they hold throughout the system. At the conclusion, Frieden and Koslovic forces are defeated, in the face of a massive, unified and very powerful UN military.
~~~
2170: A unified Earth government was formed in the wake of the conflicts of 216. Now, the victors were forced to deal with a less obvious but equally serious threat: overpopulation and a massive military that had no enemy to fight.

In the postwar period there were massive population surges and the overpopulation, coupled with the destruction and famine bred by the Rain Forest Wars, threatened to destabilize the economy.
~~~
2291: A team of researchers, physicists, and mathematicians working in secret developed the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine, a practical means of propelling spacecraft across vast interstellar distances. This new engine allowed ships to tunnel into "the Slipstream" (also called "Slipspace"). Slipspace is a domain with alternate physical laws, allowing faster-than-light travel without relativistic side-effects. Faster-than-light travel is not instantaneous; "short" jumps routinely take up to two months, and "long" jumps can last six months or more.

The SFTE generated a resonance field, which when coupled with the unusual physics of the Slipstream, allowed for dramatically shorter transit times between stars; however, scientists noted an odd "flexibility" to temporal flow while inside the Slipstream. Though no human scientist is sure why travel time between stars is not constant, many theorize that there are "eddies" or "currents" within the Slipstream-there is generally a five to ten percent variance in travel times between stars. This temporal inconsistency has given military tacticians and strategists fits-hampering many coordinated attacks.
~~~
2310: The Earth government unveils the first in a line of colony ships; given conditions on Earth are deteriorating in the face of overpopulation, hitching a ride out to a colony becomes a highly attractive option. Additionally, the Earth government plans to attach military personnel to each colony, to help better utilize the massive (and expensive) standing fleets. Because FTL travel is still fairly new and expensive, colonists and military personnel face a stringent regimen of physical and mental testing. In theory, only the best-qualified citizens and soldiers are allowed to colonize "nearby" worlds. This is the birth of the Inner Colonies; typically Inner Colonials are—later in the timeline—considered the elite, the best and brightest.
~~~
2362 Jan 1: The Odyssey is launched. The lead ship in the colony vessels, the Odyssey—laden with troops and terra forming gear—spearheads the colonization of a new world. This sparked the first wave of human expansion beyond the confines of the Solar System.
~~~
2390: The colonization of the Inner Colonies was fully underway. There were 210 human-occupied worlds in various stages of terraforming, and the population burden across human-controlled space was largely stabilized.
~~~
2490: Expansion continued at a rapid pace, and by 2490 human space encompassed more than 800 worlds throughout the Orion Arm of the Milky Way (ranging from fairly well-tamed planetary strongholds to tiny hinterland settlements). Outward expansion continued, and the Inner Colonies become a political and economic stronghold, though they relied heavily on raw materials supplied by the Outer Colonies.

During this period, the planet Reach (orbiting Epsilon Eridani, right on Earth's metaphorical doorstep) became the UNSC's primary Naval yard and training academy. Reach was a major producer of warships and colony vessels, as well as a training ground for covert operatives and Special Forces.
~~~
2494: First rebel insurrection in Eridanus system.
~~~
2496: The Eridanus insurrection is defeated by UNSC forces.
~~~
2510: The structural system for the Pillar of Autumn is designed by Dr. Robert McLees at the Reyes-McLees Shipyards over Mars.
~~~
2512: A geological survey team on Sigma Octanus IV finds rocks with odd compositions. These were introduced from meteor impacts roughly 60,000 years ago.
~~~
2513: Second rebel insurrection in Eridanus system, led by Colonel Robert Watts, is suppressed by the UNSC in operation TREBUCHET. Watts is driven into the local asteroid belt.
Brain mutations are outlawed by UNSC MED CORPS.
~~~
2517 Aug 17: Dr. Halsey and Lieutenant Keyes meet 6-year-old John on a playground in Elysium City, Eridanus-2.
~~~
2517 Sep 23: Project SPARTAN II begins on Reach with 75 conscripts. Project SPARTAN is an attempt to develop an effective, surgical military team to relieve political tensions and circumvent civil war.
~~~
2519 Jul 12: John makes squad leader.
~~~
2523 Jul 14: SPARTAN Training exercise: Capture the Flag against Tango Company.
~~~
2525 Feb 3: Contact with Harvest, an outer colony, is lost shortly after the colony itself had made contact with an unknown object. The Colonial Military Administration sends the scout ship Argo to investigate.
~~~
2525 Apr 20: The Argo arrives in-system and makes one confirmation transmission. No further reports are received.
~~~
2525 Mar 9: The SPARTANs undergo a radical series of biological, neurological, and physiological alterations. 30 die, 12 are permanently disabled, and 33 successfully adapt.
~~~
2525 Sep 12: The SPARTANs first "official" mission, to infiltrate the rebel base on Eridanus to capture the rebel leader, Colonel Robert Watts, is successful.
~~~
2525 Oct 7: A UNSC battle group, consisting of the destroyer Heracles, under Captain Veredi, and the two frigates Arabia and Vostok, enters the Harvest system and discovers that everything on the planet has been completely incinerated and the surface melted down to glass. In orbit around the remains of the colony world is a single alien ship, which proceeded to attack the battle group, destroying both Arabia and Vostok and badly damaging the Heracles. Intercepted communications identify the enemy as The Covenant. The message "Your destruction is the will of the Gods... and we are their instrument" is broadcast in UNSC language.
~~~
2525 Nov 1: Vice Admiral Preston Cole mobilizes the largest fleet in human history to retake Harvest.
~~~
2525 Nov 2: The SPARTANs learn of the attack of the Covenant at Harvest and Project MJOLNIR commences. CPO Mendez leaves to train next group of SPARTANs.
~~~
2525 Nov 27: Project MJOLNIR, a comprehensive package of scientifically enhanced armor, custom-tailored to the biologically augmented SPARTANs, is introduced to John and his squad at the UNSC Damascus Materials Testing Facility, on the planet Chi Ceti-4. The SPARTANs (now decked out in Mjolnir armor) destroy a Covenant ship by carrying a nuke onboard, inside the energy shield.
~~~
2531: Cole's war fleet engages the alien warship responsible for the decimation of the colony, scoring a victory (though the battle cost Cole two-thirds of his battle group). Only a last minute tactical inspiration turned the tide of battle.

After returning to Earth, Cole—promoted to Admiral—learns that a number of outlying colonies have been destroyed, leaving behind no survivors. Cole begins to move his fleet around, trying to intercept the invaders. Ground and ship-to-ship battles begin in earnest, raging throughout the Outer Colonies. During one ground engagement, Human forces capture one of the aliens. Before succumbing to his wounds, interrogators learn that the aliens refer to themselves as "the Covenant" (roughly translated).
~~~
2531 Nov 7: SPARTAN-051, Kurt, is covertly reassigned to ONI Section Three and tasked with secretly training a new generation of soldiers, the SPARTAN IIIs, assisted by CPO Mendez and under the authority of Colonel Ackerson. He is promoted to Lieutenant and is given the last name Ambrose.
~~~
2535: In the course of four short years, Cole's forces are hammered, despite his excellent leadership and tactical brilliance. It is simply a matter of being outgunned; Covenant kill ratios tend to top four to one in ship-to-ship combat. By 2535, virtually all of the Outer Colony worlds have been destroyed by the Covenant. The "Cole Protocol" is established by military order: all human vessels must ensure that Covenant forces do not find Earth. Human ships must-when forced to withdraw-not move on to an Earth bound vector, even if that means jumping without proper navigational calculations. If blind jumps are not possible, the ship's captain must order self-destruction if capture is imminent. In addition, it is also imperative that the powerful ship A.I. data cores not fall into Covenant hands, so part of this protocol involves either the removal or destruction of the ship's A.I. in extreme situations.
~~~
2535 Feb 12: Jericho VII in the Lambda Serpentis system falls. Master Chief, on board the UNSC Destroyer Resolute under Captain de Blanc, is allowed to view as the Covenant fleet glasses the planet.
~~~
2536: Covenant forces begin to swarm into the Inner Colonies. For several years the war falls into a pattern: humans win isolated battles, typically during ground operations, but at a horrible cost. In space combat, the humans are losing at a precipitous rate, and one by one, the colonies fall.
~~~
2537 July 27: SPARTAN III Alpha Company begins Operation PROMETHEUS, to disable as much of the Covenant orbital shipyard K7-49 as possible. In a little over a week, the shipyard is completely shut down, at the loss of the entire company of SPARTANs.
~~~
2539: SPARTAN III Beta Company Team X-ray vanishes while on a routine exercise north of Camp Currahee on the planet Onyx in the Zeta Doradus system. ONI fences off the area, designates it "Zone 67," and declares it absolutely off-limits.
~~~
2545 July 3: SPARTAN III Beta Company is delivered to Pegasi Delta onboard the All Under Heaven, beginning Operation TORPEDO, the destruction of a Covenant refinery. The operation is a success, although all but two of Beta Company, Tom (B292) and Lucy (B091), are lost.
~~~
2550: The Pillar of Autumn is refit to serve near Zeta Doradus.
~~~
2551 Feb 19: Biological augmentation of SPARTAN III Gamma Company, including significant brain chemistry modifications designed to enhance primitive survival responses in times of extreme stress, authorized by Lieutenant Ambrose.
~~~
2552 Jul 17: A Covenant fleet is discovered by Ensign William Lovell on UNSC Remote Scanning Outpost Archimedes, entering the Sigma Octanus system. Commander Keyes, on board the UNSC Destroyer Iroquois, takes on 4 medium-tonnage Covenant craft (two frigates, one destroyer, one carrier), and destroys 3 of them in what becomes known as the 'Keyes Loop'. The Carrier heads to Sigma Octanus IV and drops Covenant troops, invading the city of Cote D'Azur. Keyes is promoted to Captain by Admiral Stanforth.
~~~
2552 Jul 18: The SPARTANs and the Marines engage Covenant forces on the ground, eventually nuking Cote D'Azur and most of the Covenant invasion force (but very few humans), while 4 dozen UNSC ships engage 20 Covenant craft. Seven human craft survive. The Iroquois destroys a stealth ship receiving an encrypted transmission from the surface. Once this ship is destroyed, the 7 surviving Covenant ships break off and flee. The Iroquois heads back to Reach for debriefing. A Covenant tracker attaches itself, unseen, to the Iroquois' hull.
~~~
2552 Aug 12: The Master Chief is debriefed by ONI at Camp Hathcock, Reach, on the events of Cote D'Azur.
~~~
2552 Aug 25: The Pillar of Autumn is chosen by Dr. Halsey and Cortana (with Keyes as Captain) to handle a secret mission that Dr. Halsey is planning.
~~~
2552 Aug 27: John rejoins the remaining SPARTANS (except for three that are otherwise engaged - Gray team) in the FLEETCOM Military Complex on Reach, where they learn of their next mission: To acquire a Covenant vessel, navigate to the Covenant home world, and return with captured Covenant leadership.
~~~
2552 Aug 29: The Master Chief gets a neural interface upgrade and new armor with built-in Covenant shield technology. He is also introduced to Cortana, an A.I. created from Dr. Halsey's own neural patterns.
~~~
2552 Aug 30: Cortana gets revenge on Colonel Ackerson, part of ONI's Special Warfare branch, for attempting to eliminate Cortana and Master Chief - she gets him transferred to the front. Bypassing several other colonies, the Covenant arrive at Reach and begin what has become all too familiar to the embattled Human forces: the destruction of the planet.
~~~
2552 Aug 30: The remaining SPARTANS are divided into two teams: Red and Blue. John and the rest of Blue team (Linda and James), while on an orbital mission to ensure that a NAV database stays out of Covenant hands, end up onboard the Pillar of Autumn when she jumps away from the Reach system to evade Covenant forces. James is lost and Linda is mortally wounded, and the subsequent mission on Halo is left to the Master Chief to complete.

The Covenant take the surface of Reach, and Red team splits, one group to retrieve Admiral Whitcomb, while the rest hole up in ONI's Castle Base underground facility with Dr. Halsey. The Spartans receive parts of a MJOLNIR Mark V upgrade and new weapons, while Dr. Halsey learns of Colonel Ackerson's mysterious plans, plans that seem to involve "her" Spartans.
~~~
2552 Sep 4: Lieutenant Wagner returns to Earth and reports on the evident destruction of Reach to Colonel Ackerson, Admiral Hood, and General Strauss at an ONI facility in Sydney, Australia.
~~~
2552 Sep 7: The Time/Date Record Anomaly of Sep 23, 2552 most likely rejoins the timeline here. Dr. Halsey and members of Red team discover an enigmatic shard in an ancient installation below the ONI facility. Blue team joins with team Gamma to retrieve Admiral Whitcomb, and rejoin the rest of Red team who have been besieged by the Covenant, who apparently revere the artifact that the humans have found.
Unknown The remaining Spartans, Admiral Whitcomb, Dr. Halsey, Sgt. Johnson, Lieutenant Haverson, Warrant Officer Polaski, and Corporal Locklear jump to Slipspace on board the Covenant/Human hybrid ship Gettysburg/Ascendant Justice, and discover that the shard seems to have the ability to bend both space and time.
~~~
2552 Sep 12: The Gettysburg/Ascendant Justice arrives for refit and provisioning in Eridanus system and meets with the rebels under Governor Jiles. Dr. Halsey sedates Spartan 087, Kelly, and absconds with her on Governor Jiles ship (the Beatrice), a Chiroptera-class vessel, the smallest UNSC classification that contains an SFTE. Before she goes, she gives the alien artifact to Corporal Locklear, with implicit instructions to destroy it.
~~~
2552 Sep 13: Admiral Whitcomb and Lieutenant Haverson destroy the majority of the surrounding Covenant fleet by detonating the Unyielding Hierophant. John, Linda, Will, and Fred, the last known remaining Spartans, along with Sgt. Johnson, and, of course, Cortana, depart for Earth to warn of the impending Covenant invasion.
~~~
2552 Sep 19: The Pillar Of Autumn arrives at Halo.
~~~
2552 Sep 22: The Master Chief and Cortana, onboard a Longsword in the debris field of the destroyed Halo, find one remaining Pelican containing Sgt. Johnson, Lieutenant Haverson, Warrant Officer Polaski, Corporal Locklear, and a set of cryotubes containing Spartan 058, Linda.
~~~
2552 Sep 23: The Master Chief, Cortana, Linda, Polaski, Sgt. Johnson, Haverson, and Locklear depart for Reach via Slipspace aboard the Covenant Flagship Ascendant Justice, captured near the Halo debris field. A Time/Date Record Anomaly continues from this point in the narrative, resolved above on Sep 7, 2552.
~~~
2552 Oct 20: The Master Chief and Captain Keyes (post-humously) are decorated for their actions on Reach and Halo 04.
Edited by RTMX, Dec 7 2009, 09:10 PM.
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Post #2 Oct 4 2009, 08:46 PM RTMX
~RACES & FACTIONS~

HUMANS: By the 24th century, Humans have founded a modest interstellar empire. There are at least a few dozen, but more likely one or two hundred, colony worlds within human-explored space. Some of them, if not most, are relatively heavily populated, indications of a prosperous 2 centuries exploring our neck (or arm, if you like) of the galaxy.

Human technology is not that far advanced from what we have today; the basic technologies are mostly the same, just on a much larger scale, with the exception of FTL travel made possible by the Shaw-Fujikawa slipstream drives of Human starships. Weaponry is still projectile-based, and explosives still seem to involve chemical reactions rather than a release of contained plasma or energy. While Humans have recently come to possess artificial gravity (another product of reverse engineering Covenant ordinance, as demonstrated by the gravity on the Pillar of Autumn), they have yet to apply it to smaller planet-bound vehicles; the Warthog, for example, still uses wheels and does not hover.

AI is a different story. Mankind has long striven to artificially produce some semblance of consciousness, and their dedication has not been in vain. In Humanity's limited extraterrestrial experience, the likes of Cortana appear only to be matched, if at all, by the constructs of the ancient Forerunner themselves. Covenant AI, though inherently complicated and dangerous, prove to be little more than simple-minded curiosities to Cortana, as she so effortlessly dissects and examines her would be tormenter. However, their exact make-up and origins possess riddles enough for the future.

The Covenant, however, "own nothing which they have not stolen", and have had a decisive advantage so far in their own technological revolutions: the raiding of abandoned Forerunner complexes, caches, and worlds. But, as Humanity's resistance plays out across the fields and starscapes of the Milky Way, mankind not only adapts and incorporates, but creates and improves. The Mjolnir armour and shield technology, coupled with the yields of Humanity's fascination with sentient constructs has so far been the most successful of their ingenuities.

The bulk of Humanity still does not know about the events which transpired after the Pillar of Autumn jumped away from the Reach system; the Master Chief and a handful of Human survivors wrenched from Installation 04's wreckage, are the only remaining witnesses of our race to the Flood and the Forerunner machines left on Halo. All they know is that their last hope, Reach (and her military forces), is either completely lost or severely impeded (depending on the number of surviving Spartans), and that the Covenant still loom over Human space. Even with ONI's morale-boosting propaganda and hush tactics, every night they watch the sky, waiting for the hammer to fall. Earth cannot last long.

COVENANT: The Covenant are a religious alliance initially founded between the Elites (Sangheili) and the Prophets. Formerly at war with one another, the discovery of Forerunner technology solidified a union whereby the Elites would provide protection for the Prophets as they searched for the means by which the god-like Forerunner transcended this reality and found their "salvation". (The exact nature of the Covenant Gods themselves is unknown.) On the way, they have converted (read: subjugated) at least seven, though possibly more, species. These races include, but may or may not be limited to: Grunts (Unggoy), Jackals (Kig-yar), Drones (Yanme'e), Hunters (Lekgolo), Brutes (Jiralhanae), Engineers (Huragok; from the novels), and Drinol Beasts (possibly called the Sharquoi; seen only in concept art).

The Covenant have a relatively high level of technology, mainly accrued from excavated Forerunner installations. The seat of their power, and the only homeworld they seem to have, is the planetoid High Charity, a tremendous semi-spherical habitat and battle station dozens of kilometers across, powered at its center by an actual Forerunner vessel. Most of their weapons are plasma-based, with the exception of their fuel-rod, particle beam, and needle ordnance. Their starships are much faster than Human vessels, and are capable of pinpoint maneuvering while in FTL travel, as is made explicitly clear several times in The Fall of Reach, when Covenant ships materialize right in the middle of a Human battlegroup. Their technological feats seem coupled with what can only be described as a reverent ignorance; they seem unable, unwilling, and vehemently against attempts (by Covenant or Human agents) to improve upon any Forerunner relics they come to acquire. To do so would be blasphemy.

However, this alliance is far from secure. The Covenant ranks have been rife with unrest, and even assassinations within recent years. With the exception of the two founding races, all others have joined the Covenant through force and now exist as part of the caste system with strict rules guiding their upbringing and socialization to prevent any true unity among the conquered peoples. In the times of trouble and insurrection that have inevitably occurred, a chosen Elite has risen to become the Arbiter, "The Will of the Prophets", and has inevitably reestablished the peace.

Even still, though their hatred for those filthy primates called Humans is both harsh and powerful, there remains some confusion over their precise transgression the Human race has inflicted against the Gods. The details of this Holy War appear to be known only by the Prophets; there is confusion among the Elites as to why the Humans, having proven there tenacity and worth in battle countless times, have not been offered the sanctuary of the Covenant alongside the others. From where this hatred springs, how it relates to the Covenant's "Great Journey", and more importantly, how Man may manage to survive them both, has yet to be discovered.

Halo, according to Cortana and the Covenant databanks, holds some deep religious power over the Covenant. They have searched for these seven rings for some time, and it is through them, they believe, their Great Journey is to be accomplished. Needless to say, they are profoundly important to them; so much so that they avoid firing upon the Pillar of Autumn for risk of striking Halo 04. Upon the Human's arrival at Halo 04, the Covenant are already on the ring's surface, following course and scouring the ring for technology they can adapt to their own purposes. What is odd is the discovery of the Flood. They were come across and "released" (whether intentionally or not is unknown) by the Covenant; Human tinkering merely made the problem worse. While terrifying, the Flood is not entirely unexpected to the Covenant. It seems that they have encountered the Flood before, and may have quite a history with them.

FLOOD (unplayable): A species so eminently threatening that a powerful and ancient civilization constructed habitable rings ten thousand kilometres in diameter to contain and observe them. The Flood are as numerous as they are voracious; they neither surrender nor retreat. The Flood appear to be sentient and omni-parasitic, preying upon any host utilizing a certain minimum level of sentience and bio-mass, and can infiltrate "even advanced life forms". It is not known whether they were merely encountered, or created by the Forerunner for some purpose known only, as of yet, to themselves.

There are five known types of Flood. There is the Ranger/Infection class, the Carrier/Incubator class, a Worker/Soldier class, a Command/Pilot form (as contained Keyes), and the Gravemind intelligence (it is not known if the Gravemind is a solitary individual or one of many such beings). To explain how the process begins would lead into a chicken-and-the-egg discussion, so we'll begin at the Rangers.

The Rangers are small, tentacled creatures which have their own defined biological framework, which are not dependent upon a host. A Ranger will seek out any life of capable bio-mass and calcium deposits to sustain itself, and proceed to attempt to use the creature as a host, by tapping into the spinal system, suppressing the host's consciousness, embedding itself in the thoracic cavity, and releasing spores which cause the host to mutate. (343 Guilty Spark mentions these "spores" during his own synopsis of the Flood life-cycle, which may be either another term for the Infection form, or an even more base form of the Flood.) From here, it is assumed that one of three changes will occur in the host.

The first is that the host will remain relatively physically unchanged, save for the Ranger attached to it. These would be the Worker/Soldier class, used for manual labor such as building, gathering, repairing, or defensive/offensive actions. So far, only Marines and Elites have been seen to mutate into Workers/Soldiers.

The second host possibility is that of the Carrier, which presumably only affects creatures who are physically or mentally unsuitable to be Workers/Soldiers. The Carriers grow large epidermic sacs which contain several Ranger-class Flood. When a Carrier is in close proximity to any number of suitable hosts, it triggers some manner of biochemical reaction, causing the pus-filled sacs to explode and spread the Rangers in order to infect more hosts, and perpetuate the cycle of reproduction. When the Flood's inability to suitably care for the host body has caused sufficient degeneration, the Worker/Soldier class will also change into the Carrier form.

The Command form has been seen in detail only once and discussed even less, therefore the process of its creation remains uncertain. Found on the bridge of the Truth and Reconciliation, this large multi-appendaged amalgamation appears to be a combined symbioses including several, at least in this case, Human hosts. Other than extracting information, its capabilities and roles are unknown.

The nature of Gravemind taunts us all the more...

Though they have a relatively simple procedure for reproduction, as 343 Guilty Spark states, the "parasitic nature of the Flood belies their intelligence". What is interesting is that they are able to function the machinery and technology of their host to an amazing degree, and are able to fire weaponry and repair damaged electrical and mechanical equipment at a surprisingly nominal level. The Command form (as we learn through Keyes) has the ability to access host memory, strip it from them piece by piece, and utilize it to it's advantage; the lesser Flood also possess some semblance of this ability, though from what we have seen (Jenkins) it does not appear to have such a pronounced sense of self; it does not exert the same levels of mental force or operate nearly as methodically.

And although the Halo network is meant to ultimately starve and eradicate the Flood, their continued existence after a previous firing and eons of isolation shows ever more that though they may be contained and slowed, as a whole they are not so easily destroyed...
Edited by RTMX, Dec 7 2009, 09:15 PM.
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Post #3 Oct 4 2009, 08:47 PM RTMX
~CLASSES~

~HUMANS~

Marine: Self-explanetary. I don't need to explain the role of what a marine does, do I?

ODST "Helljumper": The Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, or "ODST", are an elite special operations unit within the UNSC Marines. Their role on the battlefield is usually described as that of an aggressive shock infantry raid force. As their name implies, ODSTs are dropped from low-orbital positions onto the surface of planets (or in the case of both Halo rings, ancient artifacts), often directly into combat situations.

Pilot: Self-explanetary. Seriously, if you DONT know what a pilot is, just kill yourself.

SPARTAN: Created by the United Nations Space Command (UNSC), its purpose was to create an army of chemically and cybernetically-enhanced supersoldiers that could face any foreseeable military challenge without the need for large-scale military action. Only a few individuals were chosen either by birth (by screening or testing) or through early childhood.
~~~

~COVENANT~
(The Covenant uses different races to distinguish classes)

Grunt: Grunts (Covenant: Unggoy, in Tagalog: Monkey) serve as the primary infantry of the Covenant's military forces, yet are the lowest creatures in the caste system. Roaming individually or in pairs they pose very little threat to the player, but en masse and in large hordes, their charged plasma pistols can overwhelm opponents. Without leadership and facing forces of equal size, it is common for Grunts to panic and retreat in the face of danger. They do not breathe the same atmosphere of both the players or the rest of the Covenant species. In order to survive in oxygen-based environments, they must wear a SCUBA-like breathing apparatus allowing them to breathe methane gases. Grunts stand at approximately five feet tall. Despite their small stature, they are more than capable of wielding the more powerful Covenant weapons systems, such as plasma turrets and man-portable fuel rod guns.

Jackel: Jackals (Covenant: Kig-Yar) serve as the Covenant's scouts and snipers. They are higher in status, if not necessarily rank, than the Grunts. They have superior senses compared to both humans and other Covenant races and are competent marksmen, equipped with either an arm-mounted energy shields and plasma pistol, or a high-powered particle beam rifle. Their shields are more than capable of deflecting human projectile weapons and Covenant needler rounds, but their strength fades considerably under sustained fire from plasma-based weaponry. The beam rifle is capable of cutting down all but the hardest of targets with very few well-placed rounds. Jackals are the only race of the covenant confirmed to be mercenaries, paying only occasional lip service to the Covenant religion.

Elite: The Elites, called Sangheili, their name for themselves as a species, are the core of the Covenant military. They were the guardians of the prophets, and the frontline troops for most of Covenant history. They stand 8'6" and are excellent soldiers, brilliant tacticians, and disciplined, aggressive fighters. Faster, stronger, and tougher than any Human (with the exception of the MJOLNIR-equipped Spartan II's) they fight in relatively small numbers but often lead squads of Grunts. Armor color seems to indicate rank, and it is believed Elites are promoted based on the numbers of casualties they inflict.

Brute: Brutes, called Jiralhanae by the Covenant, have a hairy gorilla-like appearance and possess immense strength. Brutes often travel in packs which can cause a prolonged engagement. Standing 9' tall they are organized tribally and are led by their chieftain, Tartarus, who was killed by the Arbiter. Brutes are the newest addition to the Covenant and the most willing fighters. Brutes appear in a few different fur colors; white colored Brutes are usually in higher ranks, as evidenced by the Brute captains, the Honor Guard Brutes and their chieftain, Tartarus. Two types of brutes: Those who follow along with the Covenant, and those who follow under the tribal command of Tartarus.

Hunter(unusable): Hunters, called Lekgolo in the Covenant language, are incredibly dangerous foes, deployed more like equipment than soldiers. They stand 12' tall or 8' while contracted. They are brought in for demolition or heavy defense, and always work in pairs, calling each other "bond brothers." Unlike the other Covenant species, which have endoskeletons and central nervous systems, Hunters are actually made up of a conglomerate colony of sentient orange symbiotic eels, held together by their armor. Hunters usually show nothing but opprobrium towards the lesser Covenant races (even purposefully killing them if they become an obstruction during battles) and rarely communicate with any other race (including the Prophets) apart from the Elites. They are believed to have their own religion; it has also been noted that some Hunters even recite poetry and meditate in their spare time. Their massive size, near-impenetrable armor, large shields, and arm-mounted fuel-rod cannons make them essentially walking tanks in combat. Their armor exposes the worms inside the back and neck areas, and well-placed shots to these areas (especially the back) will kill them. When one member of a Hunter pair is killed, the surviving Hunter will forego its fuel-rod cannon and charge its attackers, striking with its shield.

Prophet(unusable): Prophets are the highest ranking species forming the Covenant. They form the Covenant's political and spiritual leadership and have absolute control over day-to-day operations. The primary executors of the Covenant's will is a theocratic triumvirate of Hierarchs, the Prophets of Truth, Mercy and Regret. Together, they form the core of power for the Covenant government. There are also lower-ranked Prophets who are responsible for individual aspects of Covenant culture, society, and military operations.

Drone: Drones are an insectoid race which are called Yanme'e in the Covenant language. They talk in a chirpy, clicking noise but it is not certain if this is a hive communication or individual conversation. Their exoskeleton is pale green and thick in texture. Because of their mobility, they can sometimes be difficult to kill. They are new additions to the Covenant forces.

They are suited to flight and combat in areas like Earth's atmosphere which suggests their home world is much like our own (but with much less gravity, limiting their flight span). They prefer to stay at a distance and use long range tactics. However, they are skilled close-range combatants as well if the need arises, utilizing their climbing claws in close-quarters. Drones have been noted to land on vehicles and use their claws for vicious and surprisingly powerful attacks against the occupants.

Engineer: Engineers are the scientific engineering backbone of the Covenant and its economy. They float via air sacs and their many tentacles are able to split into many fine cilia, with which they are able to manipulate machinery. Their motivations are unknown, but they appear to draw no distinction between friend and foe, preferring to spend their time inspecting or repairing technology, although they will utter a high pitched keening sound when a Forerunner artifact is under any sort of threat. They are extremely apathetic to any sort of combat, and will just float along with their one desire: to fix things.
Edited by RTMX, Dec 7 2009, 09:17 PM.
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Post #4 Oct 4 2009, 08:49 PM RTMX
~LEADERS~

~HUMANS~

SPARTAN-117 (the Master Chief): The Master Chief was the sole Spartan to leave the Reach system aboard the Pillar of Autumn (with the exception of Linda-058 in cryo). For all he knew, he was the last Spartan alive. All of humanity depended on him, for even after their defeat at Halo 04 the Covenant were still strong, and there were new enemies and variables to contend with that Earth knew nothing about: the Flood, the Forerunner, and their creations, such as 343 Guilty Spark.

He has lived most of his life in various military camps on Reach; stolen from his family at age six and his name changed to "John-117", his entire upbringing has been centered around making him a mechanism of military efficiency, utilizing both force and tactics. He displays an odd sort of attitude for a creation of the military: he does not glorify his violent actions, but merely does what he has to do. He does not hate his enemy; he kills them because he knows it is his duty to kill them; to win. "It wasn't [the Chief's] job to make things suffer - he was just here to win battles. Whatever it took." (FoR, p.6)

He is an unconventional Hero, for though he is strong, fast, and tactically brilliant, he is the epitome of none of those attributes, and is surpassed by other Spartans in each area. What John does possess above all is leadership and, to both Cortana's repeated salvation and bewilderment, probability-defying luck.

Cortana: Cortana is one of thousands of AIs which populate the computer networks of the Human worlds. She is, however, somewhat unique; she is a direct copy of a human being, Dr. Halsey, and lacks behavioral inhibitors of any kind. She is free to do as she pleases, unlike most other military AIs, such as the ONI AI Beowulf, which is strict, sullen, and by-the-book. Cortana, on the other hand, is strong-headed, noisy, and somewhat off-the-wall.

However, her freedom comes at a price. As a "smart" AI, she has an unextendable life-span of approximately 7 years, at which time she will become too smart, suffering from an exponential attenuation of function; she will think so much she will forget to breathe.

At her choosing, she and the Master Chief were specifically paired together for Mjolnir/Spartan II proving trials, in preperation for her placement aboard the Pillar of Autumn for its covert infiltration mission (which was cut short by the Covenant invasion of Reach). In the midst of the Pillar of Autumn's fiery descent to Halo, her safety (as well as that of the UNSC and coordinate data she possessed) could be assured in only one place- the suit of the Master Chief.

However, since her time in Halo 04's Control Center, Cortana has found herself laden with vast amounts of hastily compressed data, the contents of which would surely initiate consequences beyond anyone's wildest expectations. There simply has not been a chance or location to unload and analyze it, something that has frustrated her to no end. The additional burden of carrying this inaccessible information considerably dampened her prowess as well as her ability to concentrate and multitask, as she noticed on several occasions in contact with the Covenant AI aboard the Ascendant Justice. (This information does not appear to be a continuing aspect of the game's story however.)

In spite of this, her spare time has already allowed her to exceed the Covenant's knowledge of their own technology, refining them to create focused streams of plasma energy, a Slipspace system capable of jumps much closer to gravity wells, and enabling her to make copies of herself (further proof of the Covenant's lack of comprehension and ignorant reverence towards their stolen ordnance), allowing her to reek further havoc during fleet engagements.

Dr. Halsey: As the "mother" of Cortana, the SPARTAN II's, and project MJOLNIR, Dr. Halsey (civilian ID #10141-026-SRB4695) is quite possibly the author of Humanity's only true chance at halting the Covenant's campaign of genocide and pillage. Although a civilian, her work for ONI and dedication to the survival of a unified Human government and its people have earned her the highest security clearance available for non-military personnel, a restriction that has been stretched and broken innumerable times. A growing respect and budget have also ensued, much to the embarrassment and frustration of her rivals, namely Colonel Ackerson and his own mysterious special weapons program.

Her motivations have always been pure; to protect Humanity from forces both without and within. However, focusing on the necessity and positive yields of her operations, Dr. Halsey had reluctantly bought into ONI's concept of "acceptable losses", always for the greater good and preservation of the species. Her pride and and satisfaction have always been coupled with a deep remorse for those she has sacrificed along the way; a remorse she had told herself she should not entertain.

And so she has repented, and is now taking steps (known only to herself) to save not only the many, but the few. How her kidnapping of Kelly-087, with her anomalous DNA, and sudden departure in an ONI stealth prowler will accomplish this is yet to be seen.

Captain Keyes: Keyes was a member of the UNSC Navy for much of his life, slowly working his way through the ranks until finally becoming a Captain in the Battle of Sigma Octanus and going on to command the Pillar of Autumn.

At some point early in his military career, when he was still an Ensign, Keyes was nearly killed when a captain of his decided to try out his new method of FTL transfer and the experiment went horribly awry. Keyes learned during the trial of the captain to keep his mouth shut - something that Dr. Halsey, the Spartan II project, and no doubt, ONI, valued greatly. As such, Keyes was involved in the initial exfiltration of the then young Spartans to be, beginning with John-117, the one day Master Chief. With his experience, it was no surprise he was chosen to lead the Pillar of Autumn on its Spartan insertion operation.

When the PoA reached Halo, Keyes was in command of what was possibly the last group of human soldiers from Reach. If he failed, and Halo was lost to the whims of the Covenant, Reach would certainly not be the last planet to fall, and Earth's imminent discovery and siege would be hastened. When an already dismal situation went further awry, only his steadfast will and resolve prevented the location of Earth from falling into the hands of a foe more threatening than even the Covenant: the omni-parisitic, sentient xenoform known as The Flood. His interrogation and eventual death, though slow and horrific, was consistently fought with the courage and tactical skill his life and command had become known for.

Miranda Keyes: Miranda Keyes is, as far as we know, the only surviving child (or perhaps even relative) of the late Captain Jacob Keyes. It is unclear how well they knew one another, though it is unquestionable that she thinks both highly and fondly of him. She has apparently risen quite quickly through the UNSC, achieving the rank of Commander and acquiring her own vessel, the In Amber Clad, at a relatively young age. Like her father she is bold, imaginative, and not likely to ask for assistance. But also like her father, her daring and courage may yet prove to be an integral step in Humanity's salvation from the Covenant.

Sergeant Johnson: The Man. The Myth. The Legend.

Whatever the grizzly details of Sgt. Johnson's current reputation, he has certainly earned it. And, if you have anything to say, you had better be well out of boot range when you do.

Several things characterize Johnson's known career thus far: his bad-ass command style, addiction to Flip music (a descendant of old Earth "Metal"), and his apparent infection and subsequent death at the hands of the Flood, as recorded on the headset of the late Pvt. Jenkins.

Unable to harmonize with and thereby commandeer his nervous system, due to its erratic behaviour as a symptom of Boren's Syndrome (p.243, FS), the Flood simply passed him over. The only apparent trace of his pseudo-infection are bits of dead, non-infectious Flood DNA, from which some intact gene fragments have given him a kind of regenerative ability (though whether these leftovers are a result of the parasitic invasion or Johnson's eating the little bastard for the inconvenience is unknown

Unlike many other members of the Human military, Johnson holds no grudges or prejudices against the "freakish" SPARTANS, or even Elite warriors when the need arises. He is motivated by an hatred for the Covenant's war on Humanity, and he'll need all the mop-up crew he can muster to follow in his wake.

~COVENANT~

Arbiter: In times of crisis, an Elite warrior is chosen to don the ancient armour, and assume the role of the Arbiter, "The Will of the Prophets". The nature of the Arbiter's challenges (to quell threats and insurrections) guarantee his death, but also his internment in the hallowed Mausoleum to sleep with the other Blessed.

And so, the Fleet Commander of the armada at Halo 04 was condemned to death for heresy, having failed at his charge and allowing the Sacred Ring to be destroyed. His appeals on the grounds of the unpredictable nature of "The Demon" (Master Chief) and of the struggles encountered with the release of the parasite (The Flood) were ignored. Following his public torture, he was brought before Truth and Mercy and allowed the chance to redeem himself in concert with his execution. He would become the Arbiter in order to quell a band of Heretics, but he would surely die in the process; the Council would have their corpse. And yet, he survived time and time again.

Tartarus: the lowest depths of the Earth, the realm of the dead, and in our case, the Chieftain of the Brutes. The Brutes are the most recent amalgamation into the Covenant, and appear to be one of its most zealous members. Their affinity for violence, their "brute" strength, and their unquestionable dedication to the Prophets have made them the favored race of the Hierarchs. While Truth may hide some motive for replacing the Elites, Tartarus and his company are lead by a pure desire to usurp the Elites and become the Prophet's honoured escort on the Great Journey.

Prophets: Once locked in a bitter war with the Elites, the discovery of Forerunner technology quelled hostilities long enough to form a pact where the Elites would protect the Prophets and facilitate the scourging of the galaxy in a joint attempt to discover the mode of the Forerunner's ascension from physical reality (what they refer to as The Great Journey). Though formed through mutual agreement and governed by a Council of both races, the three Prophets known as the Hierarchs ultimately control all aspects of the Covenant's government, military, and theology. Whether their claim to have evolved on a planet laden with Forerunner tech or their intrinsic skill at manipulation has secured this place as the Covenant priest-leaders is not fully known. Regardless, the Prophets are by far the most subtle and mysterious of the Covenant races.

Half-Jaw: Somber and professional, Rtas 'Vadumee, a high-ranking Spec-Ops Elite (nicknamed "Half-Jaw") leads his troops into battle with a rare care and sensibility. He has been through a great deal, from quelling heresies to repeated skirmishes with the Flood.
Edited by RTMX, Dec 7 2009, 09:26 PM.
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Post #5 Oct 4 2009, 10:04 PM Vanishedspartan
I really like the proposal. I would like to be the first to show interest. If enough people show interest, I'll help co-GM if you desire. Also, you may find it helpful to find resources from wikipedia in reference to covenant characteristics and their histories. Halo Wars would also provide a good timeline of events leading to specific events in the Covenant war with Earth.
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Post #6 Oct 4 2009, 10:11 PM RTMX
That would be awesome. If there is enough interest to set this up, You'll be the first to know. And thanks for the suggestions for pulling the information.
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Post #7 Oct 4 2009, 11:15 PM Fenrisulfr.
I'm up for it.
Going ODST, Spartan, or Elite.
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Post #8 Oct 4 2009, 11:25 PM Thunder God Bush
I'm going to sit this one out. I've never been quite that fond of Halo or the universe surrounding it. Though it does seem like you've put in a lot of work, so I hope your RP goes well.
Edited by Thunder God Bush, Oct 4 2009, 11:25 PM.
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Post #9 Oct 4 2009, 11:25 PM Vanishedspartan
If I don't co-GM I will definitely be going Spartan II.
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Post #10 Oct 5 2009, 12:14 AM Crimson Knight
My answer: a resounding no. You can count me out for this one.
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