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[LordOfChaos]

Ive always considered Halo's ship names being a nod towards the Culture.

Although Culture wins out. The ship names are always a reflection of the AI personality. Something I wish Halo stole.

Good point, it could be. The Culture minds tend to be a bit more whimsical, with names like "Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The". Although there's the UNSC Two For Flinching.

So the Forerunners hunted the Precursors down in the Milky Way, and in another place, presumably another galaxy. Which one? And what kind of things may have happened in that galaxy? If the Precursors created humanity and the Forerunners and all of the Covenant races here, not to mention the ones we haven't seen yet, what may have been over there? What was lost across the middle distance?

Is it possible that the ship that crashed on Installation 04 was extra-galactic? Perhaps, from this very same other galaxy?

I thought that was in reference to Path Kethona, but not sure. I didn't think the Forerunners of the time were intergalactic capable, but Path Kethona would fit, as a satellite galaxy. The "Middle Distance" I guess being the space gap between the Milky Way proper and Path Kethona.

But maybe my thought process is just unromantic


If it meant something else, I submit Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal and the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy as the next best candidates. 16 and 13 kilo parsecs.


This discussion got me wondering, if the Forerunners did chase the Precursors to another galaxy, did any remain there, start building there? There are the technology-less Forerunners in Path Kethona (I wonder if the Halo array found them?), could there be more elsewhere? Not from the era of the IsoDidact, but descendants of the Forerunners who chased down the Precursors, who may have the old technology level still?

 

[wesleyshark]

I thought that was in reference to Path Kethona, but not sure. I didn't think the Forerunners of the time were intergalactic capable, but Path Kethona would fit, as a satellite galaxy. The "Middle Distance" I guess being the space gap between the Milky Way proper and Path Kethona.

But maybe my thought process is just unromantic


If it meant something else, I submit Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal and the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy as the next best candidates. 16 and 13 kilo parsecs.


This discussion got me wondering, if the Forerunners did chase the Precursors to another galaxy, did any remain there, start building there? There are the technology-less Forerunners in Path Kethona (I wonder if the Halo array found them?), could there be more elsewhere? Not from the era of the IsoDidact, but descendants of the Forerunners who chased down the Precursors, who may have the old technology level still?

- Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal sounds good. Let's go with that one.

Spoiler

Stinklespls

- It's possible that they may have left some behind to populate what they conquered, but I'd imagine that they would have been called in to help with the war efforts against humanity and the Flood, or the Flood may have found their way there already.

- I'd imagine that Path Kethona was wiped out as well- I suppose it comes down to how far out Path Kethona is from the galaxy proper, in comparison to how far out the Lesser Ark is.

 

[Fuchsdh]

- Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal sounds good. Let's go with that one.

Spoiler

Stinklespls

- It's possible that they may have left some behind to populate what they conquered, but I'd imagine that they would have been called in to help with the war efforts against humanity and the Flood, or the Flood may have found their way there already.

- I'd imagine that Path Kethona was wiped out as well- I suppose it comes down to how far out Path Kethona is from the galaxy proper, in comparison to how far out the Lesser Ark is.

The intimation from Selenium was that Path Kethona would get wiped (because the Star Roads get decimated).

What's interesting is I don't see how that'd be possible, with only one of the Halo rings—the distances between galaxies is way more vast than the lengths of galaxies themselves.

 

[wesleyshark]

The intimation from Selenium was that Path Kethona would get wiped (because the Star Roads get decimated).

What's interesting is I don't see how that'd be possible, with only one of the Halo rings—the distances between galaxies is way more vast than the lengths of galaxies themselves.

From Halopedia:

During the last stages of the Forerunner-Precursor war, after the Forerunners had already eradicated the Precursor presence in the Milky Way and followed them to the Path Kethona satellite galaxy, the ancestors of these Forerunners invoked the Mantle and disobeyed their commanders' orders to complete their genocide of the Precursors. Some were summarily executed aboard their ships, while others were marooned on an unidentified planet in Path Kethona. A functioning biosphere was created for the originally barren world—either by the exiled Forerunners themselves or those who abandoned them—using Forerunner genetics to bring forth a range of plant and animal species. Those who were abandoned were the only Forerunners to survive: their compatriots within the fleet refused to return to the ecumene, as they did not wish to spread the shame, fear, and knowledge of their actions.

They were rediscovered by the crew of the Audacity, led by the Librarian, circa 100,950 BCE. The initial exploration party consisted of the Librarian and Chant-to-Green, with Clearance-of-Old-Forests of staying behind with the seekers. As the Librarian was the only one without armor to enter the Forerunner village, she got bitten by a local elder known as Glow-of-Old-Suns, after which Clearance immediately retrieved them. Thanks to the microbes transmitted by Glow-of-Old-Suns' bite, the Librarian began to learn the locals' language and gain a more intimate understanding of their way of thinking.

The Librarian, Chant and Clearance continued the following day with another exploration to the town. Due to the Librarian being able to understand the locals' speech she, together with Glow, traveled to a canyon where the ancient memories of the Forerunners that first arrived were stored. Here the Librarian spent several days interpreting the carvings created by mosses and the spores she inhaled. After this last exploration, Glow was taken back to the town and the crew of the Audacity departed Path Kethona. This was likely the last interaction the Milky Way Forerunners had with them.

During the final stages of the Battle of the greater Ark, Omega Halo was fired in an attempt to stop the advance of the Precursor star roads. While decimating a small portion of the star roads, the blast also purged the satellite galaxy of all sentient life, while the star roads ended up destroying Omega Halo and the greater Ark anyway. Thus it is highly probable that the Path Kethona Forerunners were annihilated by the Halo blast and since it is not known if any of them were indexed or taken back with the Librarian, the subspecies has been rendered effectively extinct.​

 

[wesleyshark]

Also:

From Silentium, pg273:

"The multidimensional radiation field stretches out, as designed, to Path Kethona. Massless, subtle, deadly, it will cross that great distance in mere instants. Halo energy does not recognize space and time. Path Kethona is already dead."​

 

[TheChillyAcademic]

I miss Guilty Spark.

 

[wesleyshark]

Some number data. Who doesn't love number data!

The Large Magellanic Cloud (Path Kethona) is one of two Magellanic Clouds located 160,000 light years away.

The Lesser Ark is farther outside the galaxy- roughly 262,144 light years away.

The Greater Ark is estimated to have been at least 786,000 light years away.​

So, one would safely assume that to survive the Halo array, one would need to be, roughly, at least the distance of the Lesser Ark or beyond it.

I miss Guilty Spark.

From Primordium:

Spoiler

“Know that all that lingered in me, the memories and emotions of old humanity, when I was still flesh, is also hidden deep within you. It slumbers, but it shapes, and it haunts your dreams and your hopes.

“You and I are brothers in many ways …not least in that we faced the Didact before, and face him now, and perhaps ever after. This is combat eternal, enmity unslaked, unified by only one thing: our love for the elusive Lifeshaper. Without her, humans would have been extinguished many times over. Both I and the Didact love her to this day.

"Some say she is dead, that she died on Earth. But that is demonstrably untrue.

“One of you almost certainly carries Vinnevra and Riser’s old spirits within. Only the Lifeshaper can find them and coax my friends back to life. And after a hundred thousand years of exploration and study…

I know where to find her.”

Don't fret. 343GS will show up again soon.

 

[LordOfChaos]

I miss Guilty Spark.

Have you read the Forerunner trilogy? Because read the Forerunner trilogy.

Spoiler

We're 99.9999999999% sure to see more of him...He lost his body, but his being exists. I wonder if he'll find a new body...

 

[Fuchsdh]

Or, to butcher Chekov, you don't name your development studio after a dead guy and not plan on bringing him back at some point.

 

[LordOfChaos]

Or, to butcher Chekov, you don't name your development studio after a dead guy and not plan on bringing him back at some point.

They should have gone with Sargent Johnson Studios. Explain it with "Sorry Guns, classified".

 

[Toa TAK]

I would be 1000% okay if we never saw 343 Guilty Spark again.

Spoiler

But again, Forerunner Trilogy.

 

[wesleyshark]

I would be 1000% okay if we never saw 343 Guilty Spark again.

Spoiler

But again, Forerunner Trilogy.

Why is that? His character is vastly pivotal to a lot of varying plot threads, not to mention...

you don't name your development studio after a dead guy and not plan on bringing him back at some point.

 

[Toa TAK]

Why is that? His character is vastly pivotal to a lot of varying plot threads, not to mention...

Yeah I know all that but he's just a little shit. The most gratifying thing about him was being able to finally put him down in Halo 3. He's annoying and has tried to kill you twice. If I see him again I'm gonna blow him up.

 

[LordOfChaos]

Yeah I know all that but he's just a little shit. The most gratifying thing about him was being able to finally put him down in Halo 3. He's annoying and has tried to kill you twice. If I see him again I'm gonna blow him up.

Well, my primary hope is more that Chakas/Forthenchos personalities are extracted and unblocked from him.

 

[wesleyshark]

Yeah I know all that but he's just a little shit. The most gratifying thing about him was being able to finally put him down in Halo 3. He's annoying and has tried to kill you twice. If I see him again I'm gonna blow him up.

For good reasons though- he was designed to protect the Halo installation at all costs.

His memory was wiped.
His previous incarnation was forgotten.

All he knew was that Halo needed to be fired to eradicate the Flood, and add that to his subconscious level confusion of sensing the geas of the IsoDidact within Chief, and trying to process things that his memory could not connect to through dense clouds of mental fog.

 

[Toa TAK]

Well, my primary hope is more that Chakas/Forthenchos personalities are extracted and unblocked from him.

That would be much better.

For good reasons though- he was designed to protect the Halo installation at all costs.

His memory was wiped.
His previous incarnation was forgotten.

All he knew was that Halo needed to be fired to eradicate the Flood, and add that to his subconscious level confusion of sensing the geas of the IsoDidact within Chief, and trying to process things that his memory could not connect to through dense clouds of mental fog.

That's fine and all, but it doesn't change what he did to us, or how I (and a lot of other people) feel about him personally.

Plus, he could've helped me during The Library instead of running his mouth. ;_;

 

[wesleyshark]

Well, my primary hope is more that Chakas/Forthenchos personalities are extracted and unblocked from him.

These memories/past lives have already resurfaced to a great extent, as the Forerunner trilogy is retold through his own recollection. Primordium ends with him commandeering the UNSC Rubicon to search for the whereabouts of the Lifeshaper, which was an epiphany no doubt from either something Chakas witnessed/gathered or Forthenchos knew.

 

[wesleyshark]

That's fine and all, but it doesn't change what he did to us, or how I (and a lot of other people) feel about him personally.

Plus, he could've helped me during The Library instead of running his mouth. ;_;

I love his bits of dialogue in Halo CE, especially now that we know about his past. I always enjoyed his humming and chattering as you are mercilessly slaughtered by the Flood over and over and over haha. As frustrating as that level is, it's also one of the best ones in the game imo.

 

[Toa TAK]

I love his bits of dialogue in Halo CE, especially now that we know about his past. I always enjoyed his humming and chattering as you are mercilessly slaughtered by the Flood over and over and over haha. As frustrating as that level is, it's also one of the best ones in the game imo.

Just imagine, instead of him only opening doors, he can help rain red lazers from above.

I would cry less.

 

[wesleyshark]

Just imagine, instead of him only opening doors, he can help rain red lazers from above.

I would cry less.

But that's not challenging!

 

[Toa TAK]

But that's not challenging!

It's harder than Cortana.

Which I still need to beat on Legendary now that I mention it.

 

[Captain Zyrain]

At first I thought the #huntthetruth was all orchestrated by ONI, so it would start as a typical fluff piece and then he'd "discover" that John really didn't die (via carefully planted info), expose the SPARTAN-II atrocities, etc.. so ONI could wash their hands of the mess, blame Halsey, etc.. since it'd all be coming from a "non-biased" source.

But now I am wondering if they're really just trying to sell him on the fluff piece completely, and he's not supposed to find the truth.

It's ONI so anything is possible I guess! Either way, its all very well done, the little handwritten note from the girl is kind of heartbreaking when you think about it.

Also.. (completely unrelated).. 343 taking over the UNSC Rubicon happened really close to the events of Halo 4 didn't it?

 

[wesleyshark]

Also.. (completely unrelated).. 343 taking over the UNSC Rubicon happened really close to the events of Halo 4 didn't it?

It happened post Halo 3, for sure, as the fragment that the Rubicon recovered was found after the destruction of the replacement Halo at the Lesser Ark. How close/during/pre Halo 4 it occurs, I'm not entirely sure- I'll have to look into that.

Edit:

The vessel went missing July 2, 2557.
Halo 4 opens July 21st, 2557.

So we're looking at 19 days between the two events.

If Hunters in the Dark occurs only 2yrs after the events of Halo 3, that would place it in the year 2554 or 2555.

Perhaps we may get some gaps filled in with this novel, as far as more about the Rubicon and finding 343's fragment are concerned. That could be pretty cool, if so.

 

[LordOfChaos]

These memories/past lives have already resurfaced to a great extent, as the Forerunner trilogy is retold through his own recollection. Primordium ends with him commandeering the UNSC Rubicon to search for the whereabouts of the Lifeshaper, which was an epiphany no doubt from either something Chakas witnessed/gathered or Forthenchos knew.

Yeah, he's still fractured and blocked from certain memories though, I wonder if leaving his old chassis and becoming something of a free floating entity through the UNSC ship will allow him to unblock the personalities fully.

Basically, I really just want the Lord of Admirals to face off against the Forerunners again

 

[wesleyshark]

Yeah, he's still fractured and blocked from certain memories though, I wonder if leaving his old chassis and becoming something of a free floating entity through the UNSC ship will allow him to unblock the personalities fully.

Basically, I really just want the Lord of Admirals to face off against the Forerunners again

This all sounds quite plausible! And potentially a rather epic face-off millenia in the making.

However I think it'd be more of a face-off against the Flood than the Forerunners/Prometheans.

 

[Captain Zyrain]

It happened post Halo 3, for sure, as the fragment that the Rubicon recovered was found after the destruction of the replacement Halo at the Lesser Ark. How close/during/pre Halo 4 it occurs, I'm not entirely sure- I'll have to look into that.

Edit:

The vessel went missing July 2, 2557.
Halo 4 opens July 21st, 2557.

So we're looking at 19 days between the two events.

If Hunters in the Dark occurs only 2yrs after the events of Halo 3, that would place it in the year 2554 or 2555.

Perhaps we may get some gaps filled in with this novel, as far as more about the Rubicon and finding 343's fragment are concerned. That could be pretty cool, if so.

The timing is sure close.. how fortuitous! I don't see how they're related.. but.. you never know.

The "Eleventh Hour" stuff (reading for the first time, amazing how much stuff I managed to miss) makes the Lesser Ark seem like a pretty dangerous place.

http://www.halopedia.org/Eleventh_Hour_reports#tabsection-3-0

Two things..

343 "appeared" to be the source of the signals.. but not confirmed. MB perhaps?


Hunters in the Dark should be pretty interesting! Hopefully shedding light on the Ark.. it doesn't sound like (from the Eleventh Hour stuff) that a nice desert is still there to hide MB.. but I guess it could be?

 

[wesleyshark]

The timing is sure close.. how fortuitous! I don't see how they're related.. but.. you never know.

The "Eleventh Hour" stuff (reading for the first time, amazing how much stuff I managed to miss) makes the Lesser Ark seem like a pretty dangerous place.

http://www.halopedia.org/Eleventh_Hour_reports#tabsection-3-0

Two things..

343 "appeared" to be the source of the signals.. but not confirmed. MB perhaps?


Hunters in the Dark should be pretty interesting! Hopefully shedding light on the Ark.. it doesn't sound like (from the Eleventh Hour stuff) that a nice desert is still there to hide MB.. but I guess it could be?

[Part 4]:

PLNB PRIORITY TRANSMISSION [CLASSIFIED]
ENCRYPTION CODE: [CLASSIFIED]
PUBLIC KEY: N/A

FROM: CODENAME SURGEON
TO: CODENAME COALMINER

CLASSIFICATION: ELEVENTH HOUR [4/5]
SUBJECT: PROVENANCE

/FILE EXTRACTION-RECONSTITUTION COMPLETE/
/START FILE/

We dispatched an isolation contact group [L3-08] to the site. Upon entering the debris field, the group was immediately pinged by a non-standard, heterogenic signal emanating from the structure’s surface – or, at least, what remained of it after the event.

Following protocol, the contact group released probes [839] into the debris field. Once it was deemed secure by composite scans conducted over the course of 3.7 days, UNSC RUBICON was deployed from Luna. Aboard were a number of high-risk, remote contact teams [RCT] outfitted for deployment to the construct’s surface.

Without the installation’s artificial sun operating at full capacity, navigating the debris field for insertion was difficult – navigating the installation’s surface itself was even more difficult. The damage was... traumatic.

Habitability sustainment systems were still active in some locations, but were operating intermittently and in a state of disrepair – a factor that generated extremely volatile weather conditions. Some indigenous [if it can be called that] fauna may have survived the event, but RCTs were strictly advised to avoid all potentially hostile life forms.

After 8.4 days, all contact with RCTs was severed. Only one [RCT-06] returned, suffering extensive casualties. They brought back a severely damaged armature, which appeared to be the original source of the signal. Initially, there was a strong suspicion of this armature’s origin, but local science teams undertook an aggressive node cultivation process to withdraw data from the device and determine, with veracity, its actual origin.

All communications with the UNSC RUBICON halted within 48 hours of their last notice. Search and rescue teams have been deployed to the site, but have reported no findings yet.

/END FILE/​

- We know that the Rubicon picked up the shard of 343, as told by Primordium, so we easily assume at least the one signal was emanating from 343. Perhaps all of his shards were emitting beacons? Or perhaps MB had something to do with it.

- Local fauna = blind wolves <3

- the Lesser Ark is MASSIVE. I bet there's still plenty of areas that remained salvageable - not to mention, MB was buried in a containment that was made to withstand all Living Time. I do not think that what happened to the Lesser Ark upon the self-destruction of the replacement Halo would have been enough to destroy him or his containment.

 

[Toa TAK]

Yeah, he's still fractured and blocked from certain memories though, I wonder if leaving his old chassis and becoming something of a free floating entity through the UNSC ship will allow him to unblock the personalities fully.

Basically, I really just want the Lord of Admirals to face off against the Forerunners again

Could you imagine all that frustration between the two as they fight? That would make for a blowout for sure.

 

[Captain Zyrain]

- the Lesser Ark is MASSIVE. I bet there's still plenty of areas that remained salvageable - not to mention, MB was buried in a containment that was made to withstand all Living Time. I do not think that what happened to the Lesser Ark upon the self-destruction of the replacement Halo would have been enough to destroy him or his containment.

True.. true.. I wonder if the new book will have some insight towards that, figure it SHOULD, but in some way that wouldn't make it obvious for a few years (unless they all die I guess..).

Can't wait to read it!

Ahhh going through so much stuff today. I read the Escalation series (through 117's series) and I totally didn't pick up that

Spoiler

the Ur-Didact was composed! I just thought he blew up with the Halo piece. Looking at it again you can clearly see he's being digitized, but I just chalked that up to the genuinely terrible art (The Darth Vader-esque "NOOOOOOO!" didn't help either). That opens up so many possibilities for him/his essence to return.. I was just under the impression that it was the typical "He's not completely dead" reasoning..

Also, going along with that.. does it stand to reason that remaining SPARTAN-II's are under the command of UNSC directly? Hood gives 117 orders directly. In New Blood and elsewhere it's stated the SPARTAN-IV's are their own department now, separate from UNSC and ONI.

I could see both ONI and SIV branch not liking the SII's having their own chain of command.

 

[Fuchsdh]

True.. true.. I wonder if the new book will have some insight towards that, figure it SHOULD, but in some way that wouldn't make it obvious for a few years (unless they all die I guess..).

Can't wait to read it!

Ahhh going through so much stuff today. I read the Escalation series (through 117's series) and I totally didn't pick up that

Spoiler

the Ur-Didact was composed! I just thought he blew up with the Halo piece. Looking at it again you can clearly see he's being digitized, but I just chalked that up to the genuinely terrible art (The Darth Vader-esque "NOOOOOOO!" didn't help either). That opens up so many possibilities for him/his essence to return.. I was just under the impression that it was the typical "He's not completely dead" reasoning..

Also, going along with that.. does it stand to reason that remaining SPARTAN-II's are under the command of UNSC directly? Hood gives 117 orders directly. In New Blood and elsewhere it's stated the SPARTAN-IV's are their own department now, separate from UNSC and ONI.

I could see both ONI and SIV branch not liking the SII's having their own chain of command.

How exactly the Spartans have their own branch and no ranks still doesn't make sense to me. (Inside the organization, sure, but does the UNSC have to ask nicely to get the Spartans to do something?)

 

[Captain Zyrain]

Very true.. I have to imagine there is some sort of command over both.. or something.. but I don't think it's been explained yet. I assume the UEG would take that role.. but we haven't seen too much of that even in the fiction.

 

[daedalius]

How exactly the Spartans have their own branch and no ranks still doesn't make sense to me. (Inside the organization, sure, but does the UNSC have to ask nicely to get the Spartans to do something?)

The no ranks thing doesn't make a lot of sense. They clearly have some sort of INTERNAL ranking structure; but maybe front-facing to other departments they don't?

Buck is pretty clear about some Spartans being "more equal than others"

Oh hey comic people, I made a thing: http://michael-galefire.tumblr.com/post/115506221234/now-with-words-first-page

 

[Poodlestrike]

How exactly the Spartans have their own branch and no ranks still doesn't make sense to me. (Inside the organization, sure, but does the UNSC have to ask nicely to get the Spartans to do something?)

Them being their own branch makes some degree of sense; IIRC, it was a condition of... uh, what's-his-face for working on the SPARTAN-IV project. But the "no ranks" thing is just poorly thought out, IMO. There's a reason the traditional command and control structure has stuck around.

 

[Toa TAK]

I wonder who thought the no ranks thing was a good idea? Who is anointed a leader of a squad then? Does that make Commander Palmer just Commander of the Infinity?

 

[soulassssns]

I wonder who thought the no ranks thing was a good idea? Who is anointed a leader of a squad then? Does that make Commander Palmer just Commander of the Infinity?

Stinkles I hope you are reading these comments.

It just doesnt make since considering that the main character that fans identify with Halo is known simply by his rank as a Master Chief. LOL

 

[wesleyshark]

I wonder who thought the no ranks thing was a good idea? Who is anointed a leader of a squad then? Does that make Commander Palmer just Commander of the Infinity?

Does make you wonder why she has the extra, seemingly meaningless title, in the light of Jennifer Hale being brought in to voice a faceless, female agent of ONI...

Stinkles I hope you are reading these comments.

He may be banned, but I be he still lurks these hallowed shores... hallowed.. lores? &#128064;

 

[CRIMSONxSERAPH]

He may be banned, but I be he still lurks these hallowed shores... hallowed.. lores? &#128064;

Banned? Why would they do that to him?

 

[LordOfChaos]

Banned? Why would they do that to him?

He always goes banned now and again, I don't think it's "they" doing it to him, it's self-imposed for whatever reason (can't focus on making Halo while reading about Halo? )

 

[MrGreencastle]

He always goes banned now and again, I don't think it's "they" doing it to him, it's self-imposed for whatever reason (can't focus on making Halo while reading about Halo? )

Well he is writing a book. Maybe he doesn't want to get distracted by good ol GAF.

 

[wesleyshark]

Well he is writing a book. Maybe he doesn't want to get distracted by good ol GAF.

I refuse to believe that we are distracting in any sort of way.

Spoiler

Nope.

Not.

At.

All.

 

[soulassssns]

I cannot wait to read his Halo book.

 

[MrGreencastle]

I cannot wait to read his Halo book.

Yeah. Should be good. Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian was a fantastic read.

Pretty sure he wrote this in Halo 2 Limited, also: http://halo.bungie.org/misc/conversations.pdf

It's so juicy and there's still stuff in there that's relevant today.

 

[Onikaan]

Can anyone explain to me where the Lord of Admirals is in the Halo 4 Terminal where the Didact speaks to him?

He seems to be in some kind of prison or hospital bed?

 

[MrGreencastle]

Can anyone explain to me where the Lord of Admirals is in the Halo 4 Terminal where the Didact speaks to him?

He seems to be in some kind of prison or hospital bed?

This is where the Forerunners were using the Composers to try and extract the information from ancient humanity. Specifically their alleged cure for the Flood. If they would be unable to extract it, their mind essence were to be preserved via composition for future study. I believe the place was called the Halls of the Composers or something, I can't remember. I believe you see this from a different perspective in Primordium, but I'd have to go back and check.

 

[Onikaan]

This is where the Forerunners were using the Composers to try and extract the information from ancient humanity. Specifically their alleged cure for the Flood. If they would be unable to extract it, their mind essence were to be preserved via composition for future study. I believe the place was called the Halls of the Composers or something, I can't remember.

Creepy :|

I did wonder if they were experimenting on them or something.

Yeuch.

 

[Trey]

Finally finished Broken Circle. It had a snappy pace. As soon as something was mentioned, in a few chapters it came to bear. The writing was solid, giving each character a distinct feel while also being easy to follow. The politics surrounding the prophets was interesting, though I don't feel it was wise to have the birth of the Covenant be told from the perspective of the conquering species. It just makes it feel forced to have the Elites submit under the prescribed terms.

But Ussa's stuff was pretty cool, and indeed, the story flatlined when his tale abruptly halted three quarters of the way through to make way for a Halo 2 retelling and some boring asteroid Elite colony.

On the whole, the entire book doesn't do a whole lot for the lore, but it was a neat read.

 

[MrGreencastle]

Creepy :|

I did wonder if they were experimenting on them or something.

Yeuch.

Yeah, essentially, their minds were kept alive to be interrogated over a period of thousands of years. Very creepy stuff. The Forerunners were really messed up.

This is the terminal, for those wondering, btw: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3nx78-S2r0

 

[wesleyshark]

Finally finished Broken Circle. It had a snappy pace. As soon as something was mentioned, in a few chapters it came to bear. The writing was solid, giving each character a distinct feel while also being easy to follow. The politics surrounding the prophets was interesting, though I don't feel it was wise to have the birth of the Covenant be told from the perspective of the conquering species. It just makes it feel forced to have the Elites submit under the prescribed terms.

But Ussa's stuff was pretty cool, and indeed, the story flatlined when his tale abruptly halted three quarters of the way through to make way for a Halo 2 retelling and some boring asteroid Elite colony.

On the whole, the entire book doesn't do a whole lot for the lore, but it was a neat read.

There's actually a lot of key moments in there that will become a lot more important down the road, especially the bit about the Luminary and some of the things involving the bands of Elites.

 

[LordOfChaos]

I do wonder if the Ussan Sangheili will ever matter in the current Haloverse. Broken Circle was just "ehh" for me though.

 

[Trey]

There's actually a lot of key moments in there that will become a lot more important down the road...

Yeah, see, I remember you saying that, and I kept that in mind while reading. But at close, while I was satisfied with the book, I saw it as a side story at most. it's supposed to build up the elite side of things a little more, and I respect it for that, but the resolutions reached at the end of the book really just amount to there being more Forerunner stuff that may play a role.

Zo is the wild card. It's crazy how he was the only one to care about Inner Conviction's writings. And them ending up in Ussan Space after fleeing High Charity was the ultimate coincidence. That one strained my willingness to suspend disbelief.