Editing Halo: Cryptum

{{Title|''Halo: Cryptum''}}

{{Novel infobox

|image=[[File:Cryptum - Cover.jpg|300px]]

|author=[[Greg Bear]]

|publisher=[[Tor Books]] (2011)<br>[[Simon & Schuster]] (2019)

|publication=[[2011|January 4, 2011]] (original)<br>March 26, 2019 (2019 edition)

|length=352 pages (original)<br>336 pages (2019 edition)

|ISBN=[[Special:BookSources/0765323966|0765323966]], [[Special:BookSources/978-0765323965|978-0765323965]], [[Special:BookSources/978-1982111755|978-1982111755]]

}}

'''''Halo: Cryptum''''' is the first novel in ''[[The Forerunner Saga]]'' by [[Greg Bear]]. The novel explores [[Forerunner]] society and their shared history with [[human]]ity. The story is told in a first-person narrative, from the perspective of a Forerunner [[Manipular]] known as [[Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting]],<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/user/HaloWaypoint?blend=2&ob=1#p/u/7/PZAkTzMzGGk '''YouTube''': ''SDCC: Halo Universe Panel Part 4'']</ref><ref name="cryptum">[http://www.tor.com/stories/2010/12/excerpt-halo-cryptum-chapter-one-by-greg-bear? '''Tor.com''' — ''Halo: Cryptum'' chapter one excerpt]</ref> and follows Bornstellar's adventures with the ancient [[Promethean]] military commander known as the [[Didact]] and two humans, [[Chakas]] and [[Riser]].

==Official summary==

==Plot synopsis==

{{Spoiler/begin}}

To Bornstellar's surprise, the Cryptum is unlocked by a code the humans had been unknowingly [[Geas|programmed with]]. Upon opening the Cryptum's seal, Bornstellar finds that it belongs to an ancient military leader known as the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]], who is then unwillingly revived from his millennial hibernation. Some days after the Didact's revival, a [[fleet]] of Forerunner ships arrives in the area, apparently aware of the Didact's presence despite the [[baffler]] that hides the central region of the crater. The Didact realizes that the ships have arrived to ask for his help in something that is at this point unclear to Bornstellar. However, the Didact has other plans. He deduces that his revival, Bornstellar and the humans were part of a larger plan engineered by the Librarian, his wife. He decides to make his escape using [[Didact's ship|a ship]] created from a [[design seed]] planted under the crater's central peak, taking Bornstellar, the humans and his war sphinxes with him.

As they approach Janjur Qom, it becomes apparent that they have walked into a trap engineered by the Didact's ancient enemy, the [[Faber|Master Builder]]. The world is in ruins, swarming with Forerunner ships and war machines; the San'Shyuum have attempted [[Battle of Janjur Qom|a rebellion]] that is now being violently suppressed. The Didact's ship is swiftly intercepted and dismantled by a superior force of Forerunner warships and its occupants are captured and taken aboard the Master Builder's ship. Before this, Bornstellar witnesses a [[Halo Array|Halo ring]] transition over the San'Shyuum world. Bornstellar is then questioned by the Master Builder, but has few answers. Frustrated, the Master Builder sends Bornstellar back to his family, while the Didact and the two humans remain in captivity.

Aboard the [[Council ship]] ''[[Seedling Star]]'', Bornstellar meets [[Splendid Dust of Ancient Suns]], a young first-form councilor who instructs him and gives him access to historical records. During the journey to the capital, Bornstellar studies the background of the [[Flood]] and discovers that the parasite was defeated ten thousand years ago thanks to the efforts of the humans, but has now resurfaced in the Forerunners' domain, attacking a number of bordering worlds over the last 300 years. He also learns that following the war with the humans, there was a millennia-long political strife between the Builders and the Prometheans, with the Didact proposing a strategic solution, the building of fortresses known as [[Shield World]]s to monitor and control potential Flood outbreaks. On the other hand, an extreme faction of Builders led by the Master Builder began designing a superweapon which could decimate life on a galactic scale. The Builder faction was victorious and the Prometheans were forced out of the council, with most of them going into exile.

*[[Ur-Didact]] {{1st}}

*[[Librarian]]

*[[Bornstellar's sister]] {{1st}}

*[[Faber]] {{1st}}

*[[Unidentified millipede]] {{1st}}

|title-3=Organizations|

*[[Ecumene]] {{1st}}

**[[Ecumene Council]] {{1st}}

*[[Erde-Tyrene civilization]] {{1st}}

*[[Human-San'Shyuum alliance]] {{Fm}}

*[[Unified Earth Government]]

**[[United Nations Space Command]]

|title-4=Locations|

*[[Charum Hakkor system]] {{1st}}

**[[Ben Nauk]] {{1st}}

|title-5=Events|

*[[Forerunner-Flood war]]

*[[Forerunner-Precursor war]] {{Fm}}

*[[Grand Star Season]] {{1st}}

*[[Baffler]] {{1st}}

*[[Buffer field]] {{1st}}

*[[Confinement field]] {{1st}}

*[[Constraint field]] {{1st}}

*[[Vigilant]] {{1st}}

|title-9=Miscellaneous|

*[[Pentad]] {{1st}}

}}

==Trivia==

*Greg Bear had stated at the Emerald City Comic Con that the novel's working title was "''[[Wikipedia:Antediluvian|Antediluvian]]''", Latin for "before the deluge." This term refers to the time between the creation of Earth and the [[Wikipedia:Flood myth|biblical flood]].

*The novel's narrative, presented as an in-universe account by Bornstellar, is referenced in ''Halo: Primordium'' and ''Halo: Silentium'' as the "Bornstellar Relation" ("Destruction of Orion Complex Capital World," or "ONI File CR-537-21")<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 12''</ref> discovered by the UNSC on [[Onyx]].<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 230''</ref>

*The cover of the novel, as well as that of ''Halo: Primordium'', was created as concept art for ''[[Halo 4]]''. Both images were illustrated by [[Nicolas Bouvier|Nicolas "Sparth" Bouvier]].<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP2gSLNzKSc&feature=related '''Halo Fest 2011''' - ''Halo 4 Discussion Part 1'']</ref>

==Gallery==