High Charity: Difference between revisions

{{Status|Canon}}{{Status|Featured}}

|manufacturer=The [[Supernal Chorus]]<ref name="Warfleet">'''[[Halo Warfleet]]''', ''High Charity'', ''page 56-57''</ref>

*15,000 [[Obedientaries]]{{Ref/Reuse|Warfleet}}

{{Quote|Shall we let the Flood consume our holy city? Turn High Charity into another of their wretched [[Flood hive|hives]]? No enemy has ever withstood our might. The Flood too shall fail.|The [[Prophet of Truth|High Prophet of Truth]]}}<ref name="highcharity">'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level, ''[[High Charity (level)|High Charity]]''</ref>

'''High Charity''', often referred to as the '''Holy City''', was the [[Covenant]]'s mobile capital city and center of government, effectively serving as the collective's united homeworld.<ref name="floodgate">'''[[Halo 3]]''', campaign level, ''[[Floodgate]]''</ref> It was a massive space station, home to billions of individuals from each of the Covenant's member species. Home to the [[Hierarchs]] and the [[High Council]], the city was full of [[San'Shyuum Councilor|San'Shyuum]] and [[Sangheili Councilor|Sangheili]] [[Councilor|High Councilors]], who functioned as the centralized government of the entire alien hegemony.<ref name="universe">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/locations/high-charity '''Halo Waypoint''': ''High Charity'']</ref> High Charity also housed the Covenant's many [[ministries]] in its [[Tower Districts]],{{Ref/Book|Halo: Contact Harvest|Page=304}} as well as their [[minister (title)|minister]]s.{{Ref/Book|Wages of Sin}} Because it served as the Covenant's most significant [[Covenant religion|religious]] center and capital, High Charity was considered to be of utmost sanctity and importance to the Covenant, thus guarded by their central fleet: the [[High Charity defense fleet]].

 

Throughout the history of the empire, High Charity "gorged on the wealth of hundreds of worlds."{{Ref/Reuse|Warfleet}} It was widely believed that true adherents to the Covenant religion should visit it at least once in one's lifetime, although few of the Covenant could afford to do so.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 304''</ref>

High Charity was a massive mushroom-shaped structure, roughly 348 kilometers in diameter. It was partially constructed from an enormous chunk of rock<ref name="CH145">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 145''</ref> that had been blasted away from [[Janjur Qom]] by the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]].<ref name="ch262">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 262-264''</ref> The rest of the superstructure was built around it. Inside the hollow dome of the station was a massive multi-leveled city, and within the foundation rock, which served as a structural support, was a honeycomb structural pattern of [[hangar bay]]s and weapons platforms.{{Ref/Reuse|CH145}} The dome itself was overlaid with a strident energy shield known as "Plaon's Gaze". This shield was powered by minerals extracted from the titular moon [[Plaon]] that orbited Janjur Qom. Surrounding the open nave at the dome's crest was the high seat of the Prophets known as the "[[Fount of Light]]".<ref name="Mythos1">'''[[Halo Mythos]]''', ''page 112''</ref> The dome itself was called the Skin of the First Worlds and was made of dirt from the homeworld of every member species in the Covenant as a symbolic statement of unity and common purpose among the various Covenant members.{{Ref/Reuse|Warfleet}}

The station received the majority of its power from the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]], the ship at the center of the city. The city was completely powered by the engines of the decommissioned Forerunner vessel. The Dreadnought's engines were powerful enough to run the city on a fraction of their potential output.<ref name="gravemind">'''Halo 2''', campaign level, ''[[Gravemind (level)|Gravemind]]''</ref> However, the station also possessed a set of backup auxiliary reactors that were capable of generating enough power for slipspace travel.<ref name="cortana">'''Halo 3''', campaign level, ''[[Cortana (level)|Cortana]]''</ref> Known as the Founts, the massive network of clustered pinch-fusion reactors were intended to supplement the energy siphoned from the inert Dreadnought. But since these paled in comparison from power from the Dreadnought's engines, centuries of expansion and complacency left them wholly inadequate to keep the capital powered.{{Ref/Book|Id=HE220|Enc22|Page=220-221}} For propulsion, the station was pushed along by the [[Wings of Malygus]], while the [[Sefom Invictus]] allowed it to enter and exit slipspace. Both of these systems are Forerunner artifacts of some form.{{Ref/Reuse|Warfleet}}

[[File:Enc22 LowerDistricts.png|thumb|left|250px|The capital city with the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] in the center.]]

[[File:HWF HighCharity CrossSection.jpg|thumb|250px|A cross-section of High Charity.]]

===Spine of the gods===

The Spine of the Gods<ref name="Mythos1"/>{{Ref/Reuse|Id=Enc22|Enc22}} was the long boom that trailed behind the holy city, where the Lances of the Faithful were mounted.{{Ref/Reuse|Warfleet}} It is the nigh unbreakable skeleton of a derelict [[Fortress-class vessel|Fortress-class warship]] found in orbit around [[Tuluk'katho]], the original site of High Charity's creation.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=Enc22|Enc22}}

[[File:H2A - High Charity defense fleet.jpg|thumb|250px|High Charity surrounded by the hundreds of vessels that made up its defensive fleet.]]

Due to many years of peace for the Covenant, the growing Unggoy population on High Charity forced many of the Kig-Yar to relocate their homes and nests. The relocation caused stress for female Kig-Yar that were going through their incubation cycles, and Kig-Yar infant mortality rose on High Charity and the birth rate declined. In response, radical Kig-Yar [[shipmaster]]s poisoned the Unggoy [[infusion]] supply, leading to the sterilization of many male Unggoy. After the [[Ministry of Concert]] failed to act accordingly, the Unggoy [[Unggoy Rebellion|revolted]] on High Charity. Eventually, the rebellion was put down when [[Arbiter]] [[Heki 'Gibadee]] partially glassed [[Balaho]].{{Ref/Reuse|ch150}}<ref name="h2a terminal10">'''Halo 2: Anniversary''', ''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminal 10]]''</ref> Prior to the [[Human-Covenant War]] in [[2525]], High Charity was almost destroyed when the Forerunner Dreadnought was powered up by [[Mendicant Bias]], who was galvanized by the discovery of "[[Reclaimer]]s" by the Covenant.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 276''</ref> Bias attempted to reach [[Harvest]] to transport the occupants to the [[Installation 00|Ark]]. It was inadvertently deactivated by a [[Lekgolo]] who were used by the Covenant to probe the Dreadnought's machinery; a worm short-circuited the ship during the launch sequence.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 381''</ref> When it was discovered that the [[UNSC]] had recovered a ''[[kelguid]]'' from a wreckage of [[Worthy Silence|an]] [[intrusion corvette]], leading the [[Minor Minister of Artifact Survey]] to fear that they would use it to deduce the location of High Charity and mount an attack. However, [[Fleetmaster]] [[Nizat 'Kvarosee]] disregarded the Minor Minister's concerns, instead bringing [[Fleet of Inexorable Obedience|his fleet]] to [[Zhoist]], the humans' most logical target.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS21|HSS|Chapter=21}} In the aftermath of [[Operation: SILENT STORM]], Fleetmaster 'Kvarosee was summoned to High Charity to explain himself where he noticed a massive fleet gathering to strike at humanity. During the discussion, the Hierarchs decide to relocate High Charity due to the possible danger of [[ONI]] finding it.<ref>'''[[Halo: Oblivion]]''', ''Chapter 5''</ref>

[[File:H2A Terminals - Ship in lower districts.jpg|250px|thumb|High Charity was a sprawling city in its prime.]]

Upon the discovery of [[Installation 04]] by the Covenant, High Charity was supposed to perform a [[Slipstream space|slipspace]] jump to the ring along with its fleet, where the [[Hierarchs]] would activate the ring to send the Covenant on the [[Covenant religion|Great Journey]]. The [[Fleet of Particular Justice]], led by then [[Supreme Commander]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee, had already made its way to the ring while chasing the {{Class|Halcyon|light cruiser}} {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}, but they were unaware of the Flood's presence on the installation, and did not expect interference from the UNSC. When High Charity and its fleet arrived at [[Threshold]], they found that both Installation 04 and most of the Fleet of Particular Justice had been [[Battle of Installation 04|utterly destroyed]].<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[The Heretic]]''</ref><ref>'''Halo 2: Anniversary''', ''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminal 13]]''</ref>

[[File:H2A Great Schism.png|250px|thumb|Sangheili and Jiralhanae-controlled ships engage around High Charity.]]

At the same time, the Flood made their own entrance, using the captured {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}} to perform a slipspace jump into the interior of High Charity, bypassing its exterior defenses.{{Ref/Reuse|gravemind}} Once inside, the Flood used [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelican]] [[dropship]]s to spread both [[Flood combat form|combat]] and [[Flood carrier form|carrier forms]] throughout the city, using the inhabitants as new hosts. The Flood ravaged the Jiralhanae and Sangheili forces, who were already embroiled in conflict. John-117 was unfortunately caught in the middle of the battle, but managed to escape.{{Ref/Reuse|highcharity}}

[[File:Flood biomass.jpg|thumb|250px|The interior of the Flood Infested High Charity, its corridors have amalgamated Flood biomass.]]

On November 18, 2552, High Charity arrived in the [[Sol system]] and made a slipspace jump bound for the Ark near [[Mars]] at 1545 hours.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/db05ce78845f4120b062c50816008e5d/topics/query-catalog-old/7fbf60e8-92f7-4826-ac2a-ab1b5e4e3603/posts|Site=Halo Waypoint Forums|Page=Query: Catalog(old)|D=29|M=12|Y=2019|LocalArchive=Catalog/Archive/2014#Query: Catalog(old)}} The Gravemind was able to perform the jump under the city's own power rather than using the [[Portal at Voi]] due to the major modifications it had made and its knowledge of the esoteric techniques the [[Precursor]]s once used.{{Ref/Reuse|Bulletin924}} During the [[Battle of Installation 00]] while the combined human and Sangheili forces were attempting to reach [[Installation 00 Citadel|the Citadel]], High Charity appeared, disgorging [[Flood dispersal pod]]s—one of which pierced [[Rtas 'Vadum]]'s {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}} ''[[Shadow of Intent]]''—and crashed on the installation,<ref name="h3covenant">'''[[Halo 3]]''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant]]''</ref> having been weakened by the Gravemind's desperate ''ad hoc'' transit measure.{{Ref/Reuse|Bulletin924}} Covered with Flood biomass and with the interior transformed into a Flood hive, High Charity was almost unrecognizable.{{Ref/Reuse|h3covenant}}

After stopping Truth from activating the rings, John-117 returned to the Flood-infested High Charity on a mission to retrieve [[Cortana]]. After successfully locating and retrieving her, he overloaded High Charity's backup reactor core and maneuvered back through High Charity to meet the Arbiter and reactivate a crashed Pelican dropship to escape the explosion. High Charity was destroyed by the resulting explosions, with only its broken outer shell and [[Spine of the Gods|Unbreakable Spine]] remaining as burnt rubble. The Gravemind managed to escape, and immediately began rebuilding itself on [[Installation 08]].<ref>'''[[Halo 3]]''', campaign level ''[[Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo]]''</ref>

Three days after the battle, with a few of the Flood spores having survived the [[Raid on High Charity|explosion]] of High Charity's reactor and the [[Raid on Installation 08|faulty firing]] of [[Installation 08]], the Ark's [[monitor]] [[000 Tragic Solitude]] had the ruined remains of the city sealed off with a [[containment shield]] and the Ark's [[Sentinel]]s raze the perimeter and modify the refugia nearby so that no sentient life would survive in the vicinity, thus depriving the Flood of new host bodies were they ever to escape. Tragic Solitude also set a battalion of Sentinels on patrol around the perimeter, not only to keep the Flood contained, but to defend against any future outsiders who might try to enter the wreckage and thus unleash the Flood.<ref name="AUT">'''[[Halo Wars 2]]''' ''Phoenix Logs'' - ''Idle Hands II''</ref>

[[File:HW2-HighCharityremains.png|350px|thumb|The ruined remains and rubble left over from High Charity's destruction.]]

A mercenary organization known as the [[Banished]] were inadvertently responsible for a second Flood outbreak around the rubble of the destroyed High Charity. In early [[2559#June|June 2559]], after the loss of the ''[[Enduring Conviction]]'' in the [[Second Ark Conflict]], the [[Jiralhanae]] brothers [[Pavium]] and [[Voridus]] were tasked to salvage the wrecks around High Charity for weapons to use in [[Second Ark Conflict|the conflict]] with the humans of the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}. The Banished leader [[Atriox]], aware of the potential danger of the [[Flood]] having survived in the city, gave specific orders to only scout the shell and not to go inside lest surviving Flood be disturbed. However, [[Voridus]], like many of the Banished, did not take the threat of the Flood seriously, believing it simply be another lie of the [[San'Shyuum|Prophets]]. Ignoring the warnings of both Atriox and his own brother Pavium, Voridus deactivated the Ark's Sentinel defense network and used a [[Barukaza Workshop Scarab]] to burn a hole in the [[containment shield]] around the former Covenant holy city. When Voridus' troops entered the wreckage to salvage it, they were ambushed by thousands of Flood [[infection form]]s lurking within High Charity which were then set loose upon the Ark. With the Sentinel defense network down, the Flood were left unhindered by the Ark's defense systems.<ref name="What Could Go Wrong?">'''[[Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare]]''', campaign level ''[[What Could Go Wrong?]]''</ref>

With the Proto-Gravemind dead, the Flood threat was greatly diminished. Atriox ordered Pavium and Voridus to clean up their mess and the Banished joined a force of thousands of the Ark's Sentinels in containing the Flood outbreak and sealing off High Charity once more.{{Ref/Reuse|Manifestation}} The Banished and the Sentinels ultimately ended up "scouring" the Flood from High Charity.{{Ref/Reuse|Sacrifice}}

 

After the Flood were scoured from the ruins, the Banished were able to access High Charity's systems and pillage the city's data stores, retrieving, amongst other things, the access code to the ''[[Anodyne Spirit]]''.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Sacrifice|HSoR|Detail= Adjunct - [[Sacrifice]]}}

File:H2_HighCharity_Concept_1.jpg|Another early concept, showing a structure that would have been inside High Charity.

File:H2A Terminals - High Charity interior.jpg|An overview of the Covenant's Holy City within High Charity in ''Halo 2: Anniversary''{{'}}s [[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|terminals]].

File:HW2-HC hall.jpg|A render of High Charity's Hall from ''[[Halo Wars 2]]''.

File:HW2-Scarabbeatsshield.png|Voridus' [[Barukaza Workshop Scarab]] breaks through a segment of the [[containment shield]] around High Charity's ruins.

*''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''

*''[[Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo]]''

[[Category:High Charity| ]]