Editing Swords of Sanghelios

{{Era|HCW|Post}}
{{Affiliation infobox
|anthem= 
|image=[[File:Fleet of Retribution - Ark.jpg|300px]]
|section1-title=Overview
|hideb=yes
|body= 
|bodyfigure=[[Thel 'Vadam]]
|branch= 
|main= 
|language= [[Covenant languages]] (various languages spoken by [[Sangheili]], [[Unggoy]], [[Huragok]], and [[Lekgolo]])
|script= 
|main=[[Sangheilios]]
|religion=
|notable= 
|formed-title= Establishment
|formed=*November [[2552]] (UNSC [[Military Calendar]])
*[[Ages of Reclamation|Ninth Age of Reclamation]], Seventh [[Cycle]] ([[Covenant Battle Calendar]])
|dissolved=
|affiliation=[[United Earth Government]]
*[[United Nations Space Command]]
}}
{{Quote|There was honor in our Covenant once, and there shall be again!|[[Thel 'Vadam]]<ref name="storm">'''Halo 3''', campaign level, ''[[The Storm]]'' ([[Thel 'Vadam]]: ''"There was honor in our Covenant once, and there shall be again!"'')</ref>}}

This '''faction''' is a [[Covenant remnants|splinter group]] of the former [[Covenant]] formed during the [[Great Schism]], when the bulk of the [[Sangheili]]-led forces seceded from the [[Hierarchs|Prophet]]-led hegemony. In [[2552|November 2552]], the [[Prophet of Truth]] had the Sangheili removed from their former position and replaced by the [[Jiralhanae]] as the Covenant's main military caste, resulting in an open war breaking out between the Jiralhanae-led forces loyal to the Prophets and the Sangheili. After the Sangheili learned the truth about the [[Halo Array|Halos]] near the end of the [[Battle of Installation 05]], they allied with [[human]]ity on their mission to stop the Prophet-led Covenant.<ref name="gj">'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[The Great Journey]]''</ref>

As they no longer looked to the Prophets for leadership, the separatists initially lacked defined leadership, although [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] and [[Shipmaster]] [[Rtas 'Vadum]] led their forces in the deciding battles of the war,<ref name="floodgate">'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[Floodgate]]''</ref> with 'Vadam becoming the group's most prominent leader following the war's end.<ref name="glasslands">'''Halo: Glasslands'''</ref> With the Covenant dissolved, the Sangheili returned to [[Sanghelios|their homeworld]] and splintered into various factions, with the Arbiter and his policy of cooperating with humanity retaining a solid following. However, many Sangheili disagreed with his ideals, planning to overthrow the Arbiter and rise against humanity.

In the wake of the Covenant War, 'Vadam's group is often viewed as representing the Sangheili on the whole in their diplomatic relations with humanity.<ref name="glasslands"/> Similar to [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s ideologically opposite [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|Covenant group]], 'Vadam's alliance considers itself—and is viewed by the UNSC as—the legitimate successor to the original Covenant.<ref name="storm"/><ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Dawn]]'' ([[John-117]]: ''"I thought we had a truce with the Covenant."'')</ref>

== Background ==
This disgruntled faction is led by the [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] and [[Shipmaster]] [[Rtas 'Vadum]], since the highest-ranking Sangheili military leader, [[Imperial Admiral]] [[Xytan 'Jar Wattinree]] was killed by a [[NOVA bomb]] soon after announcing the separation of the Sangheili from the main body of the Covenant.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 240''</ref> The group is mainly made up of Sangheili, along with some [[Unggoy]] and [[Mgalekgolo]] loyal to them.<ref name="uprising">'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Uprising]]''</ref><ref name="gj"/> At the onset of the Great Schism, the separatists began fighting the forces loyal to the Covenant, led by the [[San 'Shyuum]] with their forces comprising Jiralhanae, Yanme'e, Kig-Yar and some Unggoy and Mgalekgolo loyalists.

The Arbiter's faction dismisses the Forerunners as false gods, rejecting both the [[Covenant religion|Prophets' religion]] and the Sangheili's traditional faith. This has provoked the anger of many of their enemies, mainly the [[Servants of the Abiding Truth]].<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 20''</ref> Despite this, the Arbiter sought to build peace among the fragmented remains of the Covenant and remained as an ally to humanity.<ref name="HE1">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''Issue #1''</ref> Indeed, the faction is the only known Covenant group to maintain diplomatic relations with the [[Unified Earth Government]] or, more specifically, the [[UNSC]]. By [[2558]], the UNSC's ambassador to them was [[Rear Admiral]] [[Horatio Temkin]].<ref name="HE5">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''Issue #5''</ref>

== History ==
=== Origins ===
[[File:War.jpg|thumb|250px|Sangheili-controlled and Jiralhanae-controlled ships engage each other over ''High Charity''.]]
The [[Prophet of Regret|High Prophet of Regret]] led a badly planned mission to [[Earth]], against the wishes of the [[Prophet of Truth|High Prophet of Truth]], and was subsequently forced into the [[Battle of Earth]], as he did not know that the planet was the [[human]] homeworld. He escaped to [[Installation 05]], where he was killed by [[John-117]]. Regret's death was used as a justification by the remaining Prophets to [[Changing of the Guard|replace]] the Sangheili with Jiralhanae as their [[Covenant Honor Guard|protectors]]. However, this move resulted in great turmoil within the Covenant, with the Sangheili threatening to resign from the [[High Council]].

Truth then gave command of the [[Covenant fleet]]s, the post previously held by the Sangheili, to the Jiralhanae. Once there were enough of them in place, Truth secretly ordered them to commit a vicious genocide of the Sangheili (disguised as a retaliation to an Sangheili revolt against the other Covenant factions) so they may replace them in society. The Sangheili responded, with the help of factions of Mgalekgolo and Unggoy, and war broke out in ''[[High Charity]]'' with Jiralhanae and Sangheili fleets fighting each other in space around it. Later, most of the Sangheili Councilors were assassinated by the Jiralhanae at the behest of the Prophets.<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Gravemind (level)|Gravemind]]''</ref><ref name="uprising"/>

===Sangheili-human alliance===
[[File:Floodgate - Cutscene.jpg|thumb|250px|Humans and Sangheili onboard the ''Shadow of Intent'''s [[bridge]].]]
The Unggoy were too indecisive to continue the rebellion and the true political motivation of the Mgalekgolo, if any, remains a mystery, although Mgalekgolo pairs could have followed the Sangheili they protect. The shaky-to-steady alliance between the separatists and their former foes, the humans, was forged entirely out of necessity. The [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] forces were on the defensive, and both factions had two common enemies that wished for their extinction: the Covenant and the [[Flood]]. The alliance of circumstance was forged in the [[control room]] of [[Installation 05|Delta Halo]], when UNSC Sergeant Major [[Avery Johnson|A. J. Johnson]] and the Arbiter were coerced to unite in order to prevent [[Tartarus]], [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae]], from activating Installation 05.<ref name="gj"/> After that, the Arbiter persuaded the rest of the Sangheili to join humanity. While the two factions experienced some friction, they learned to work with one another for their mutual survival. By the end of the Human-Covenant War, the Sangheili fought alongside humans in battle and saved them from destruction.<ref name="floodgate"/><ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level, ''[[The Ark (level)|The Ark]]''</ref><ref name="cove">'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]''</ref>

The devastated [[UNSC Home Fleet]] defending [[Earth]] were glad to accept the help of the superior separatist warships. The Sangheili' understanding of Covenant equipment and combat tactics proved invaluable in the [[Battle of Installation 00]]. Recurrently the heroes of the battle, Thel 'Vadam and John-117, fought alongside one another many times in the desperate and long conflict.<ref name="cove"/>

===Post-war===
With Truth dead, ''High Charity'' destroyed, and Installation 00 essentially lost to the [[Installation 04B|reborn Installation 04]] firing, what remained of the Covenant was all but destroyed, with its member species divided into multiple factions. In the wake of the conflict, the Arbiter and his allies remained friendly to humanity and wished to build mutual peace, as they both had made tremendous sacrifices in order to stop Truth and the Covenant forces. On [[Sanghelios|their homeworld]], however, they were challenged by a resurgent faction of religious fanatics known as the [[Servants of the Abiding Truth]], who viewed the Arbiter's allies as "blasphemers" and began [[Sangheili civil war|an insurrection]], secretly with the support of the UNSC's [[Office of Naval Intelligence]]. The Abiding Truth managed to gather a large amount of followers in a relatively short timespan; while the faction had a strong religious underpinning, many Sangheili had more practical motives for allying against the Arbiter, among them resentment toward humanity.<ref name="glasslands"/><ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''pages 58-61''</ref> Meanwhile, 'Vadam planned to visit each state to make his case for permanent peace with the [[human]]s they had battled for so many years. These reforms did not meet with universal approval. By [[2553#January|January 2553]], there was great dissent among disparate Sangheili factions, especially from the more devout believers in the [[Forerunner]]s' divinity.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 130''</ref>

[[Avu Med 'Telcam]], leader of the Servants of Abiding Truth, decided that an immediate assault on the state of [[Vadam]] was necessary. Along with nine ships and forces from [[Nuan keep]] and [[Rtova keep]], 'Telcam commanded the assault from the [[Covenant frigate|frigate]] ''[[Unflinching Resolve]]''.<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 114''</ref> Eventually, however, the ''Unflinching Resolve'' suffered a direct hit and crash landed, though most of the crew, including 'Telcam, survived. Despite being caught off-guard it appeared as though the separatists would be victorious, however, news spread that he allowed humans to land on Sanghelios; this caused many keeps to ally with the Servants of Abiding Truth and the tide turned in their favor. The Arbiter was caught off guard and when his own reinforcements couldn't arrive on time, he reluctantly accepted [[Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood]]'s offer for help in fending off the attackers. The tide turned when {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} arrived over Sanghelios and destroyed the rebel destroyer ''[[Defender of Faith]]'' before finishing off the rebel ground forces with a [[MAC]] round. The {{UNSCShip|Port Stanley}}, posed as a [[Kig-Yar]] pirate ship, destroyed a few of 'Vadam's ships in order to maintain the stalemate between the two factions, leaving the Arbiter with a Pyrrhic victory.

After the battle, Thel 'Vadam was in talks to visit the UNSC ''Infinity'', a ship more powerful than any during the Human-Covenant War. 'Telcam retreated to [[New Llanelli]] until he would be able to convince more keeps to join his cause.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 122''</ref> At some point, the {{Class|CCS|battlecruiser}} ''[[Pious Inquisitor]]'' fell into the hands of the Abiding Truth. In turn, Kig-Yar [[piracy|pirate]] [[Sav Fel]] stole the ''Inquisitor'', with the intentions to sell it on [[Venezia]].<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 329''</ref> With 'Vadam occupied with the ongoing civil war, [[Kilo-Five]] was tasked with returning the ''Inquisitor'' back to the separatists, though the ship was ultimately destroyed.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 436''</ref>

Over the next six years, the Sangheili continued to wage war against the remaining San 'Shyuum and the Jiralhanae. At first, the Sangheili were at a major disadvantage, as millennia of depending on the San 'Shyuum for technology meant that the Sangheili were unable to properly repair or replace the ships they lost in battle. The odds began to even out when the San 'Shyuum vanished and the Jiralhanae began to fall back into internecine conflicts.<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''', ''"[[The Return]]"''</ref>

===Peace talks===
[[File:HE Spartans Ealen IV.png|thumb|275px|Thel 'Vadam, his escorts, and the rest of the peace delegation.]]
In [[2558#March|March 2558]], the separatists attempted peace talks with the Jiralhanae chieftain [[Lydus]] on [[Ealen IV]]. Thel 'Vadam, with several Sangheili escorts, led the negotiations. [[Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood]] volunteered to moderate the talks between the two factions. However, the meeting was interrupted by a [[Battle of Ealen IV|surprise attack]] by [[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group|Covenant mercenaries]] under the command of [[Shipmaster]] [[Vata 'Gajat]]. [[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[Thomas Lasky]], [[Sarah Palmer|Commander Sarah Palmer]], and the [[SPARTAN-IV Program|Spartan-IVs]] defended the delegation and evacuated them from the chamber. When their [[DS-004|evacuation ship]] was destroyed, the security detail proceeded to escort the delegates to a nearby parts depot.<ref name="HE1"/>

Inside the repair depot, 'Vadam notified Hood and the rest of an old fortified redoubt in which they could take refuge in. Captain Lasky ordered Palmer and the protection detail to escort the delegation to the redoubt. As the party escaped the depot, they were intercepted by a Covenant [[Type-56 Lich|Lich]]. Palmer quickly acted and threw her helmet filled with grenades and destroyed the Lich. The delegation stayed back as [[Fireteam Jackknife]] and their bodyguards went ahead to ensure the redoubt was safe for them to use as shelter.<ref>'''Halo: Escalation''', ''Issue #2''</ref> However, as the delegates entered the redoubt, [[Vladimir Scruggs|Spartan Scruggs]] of [[Fireteam Jackknife]] had killed the Sangheili and Jiralhanae escorts and ambushed the group, holding Hood hostage. 'Vadam queried Scruggs on what his demands were; Scruggs stated that they would discuss them once his associates arrived. With the Covenant bearing on the site in force, the ambassadors' security detail discovered [[Covenant cargo tug|a craft]] they could use to evacuate. Thanks to the sacrifices of Fireteam Bailey, the delegation, Lasky and the surviving Spartans made it aboard ''Infinity'', which rallied the feuding Sangheili and Jiralhanae fleets and forced 'Gajat's forces into retreat. Due to Shipmaster 'Gajat's attack, the negotiations were left in a standstill and little progress was made in furthering the peace between the Sangheili and the Jiralhanae.<ref>'''Halo: Escalation''', ''Issue #3''</ref>

== Military structure ==
'Vadam's separatists have been observed to use the same ranks as used by the former [[Covenant]].

{| class="wikitable" style="width:640px; margin:5px auto; font-size:smaller; text-align:center;"
|-
!Classes
![[Sangheili]]
![[Unggoy]]
![[Huragok]]
![[Lekgolo]]
|-
|colspan="4" | Ranks and type classes
|-
|Standard ranks
|[[Sangheili Minor|Minor]]
|[[Unggoy Minor|Minor]]
|
|[[Mgalekgolo|Hunter]]
|-
|Specialized troops
|[[Sangheili Ranger|Ranger]]<br>[[Special Operations Sangheili|Spec Ops]]
|[[Unggoy Heavy|Heavy]]<br>[[Special Operations Unggoy|Spec Ops]]
|
|
|-
|Veterans
|[[Sangheili Major|Major]]
|[[Unggoy Major|Major]]
|
|
|-
|Leaders
|[[Sangheili Zealot|Zealot]]<br>[[Sangheili Ultra|Ultra]]
|[[Unggoy Ultra|Ultra]]
|
|
|-
|colspan="4" | Titles
|-
|Ratings
|[[Shipmaster]]<br>[[Fleet Master]]<br>[[Supreme Commander]]
|
|
|
|}

=== Notable individuals ===
[[File:Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Rtas 'Vadum, one of the leaders of the Covenant separatists.]]
*[[Thel 'Vadam]], the '''Arbiter''', leader of the Covenant separatists.
*[[Rtas 'Vadum]], Special Operations Commander and Fleet Master.
*[[Xytan 'Jar Wattinree]], [[Imperial Admiral]] during the early stages of the Great Schism. Killed by a [[NOVA bomb]] in 2552.
*[[Voro Nar 'Mantakree]], Fleet Master. Killed by a [[FENRIS nuclear warhead]] in 2552.
*[[Unidentified Shipmaster (Righteous Vigilance)|Unidentified Sangheili Shipmaster]]
*[[Usze ‘Taham]], operator within the Special Warfare Group and liaison to the UNSC.
*[[N’tho ‘Sraom|N'tho 'Sraom]], Special Operation operator.
{{Clear}}
==Military assets==
Thel 'Vadam's Covenant utilized much of the same equipment that the original Covenant used. Most [[Unggoy]] used the [[Type-25 plasma pistol]] and [[Type-33 Needler]], while [[Sangheili]] personnel were typically armed with the [[Type-25 plasma rifle]] and [[Type-51 carbine]]. The [[Type-50 particle beam rifle]] remained as the separatists' main [[sniper rifle]]. [[Type-32 Ghost]]s and [[Type-26 Wraith]]s made up the majority of the faction's ground vehicles. Like the original Covenant the [[Type-26 Banshee]] remained as the main aircraft of the faction. [[Type-52 Phantom]]s were used as the main troop transports, although these sported a green color instead of the usual purple and utilized [[active camouflage]]. The faction's navy was composed of multiple {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}s, {{Class|CCS|battlecruiser}}s, and {{Class|CPV|heavy destroyer}}s.<ref name="HE1"/>

=== Units ===
'''Fleet units'''
*[[Fleet of Retribution]]
**''[[Shadow of Intent]]''
**''[[Pious Inquisitor]]'' {{C|former}}
*[[Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose]]
**''[[Sublime Transcendence]]'' (destroyed by a NOVA bomb on [[Joyous Exultation]])
*[[Fleet of Righteous Vigilance]]

'''Ground forces'''
*Several [[legion]]s
*[[Special Warfare Group]]
*[[Covenant Special Operations]]

== Trivia ==
Though the Covenant separatists were called "[[heretic]]s" by the High Prophet of Truth, they should not be confused with the [[Sesa 'Refumee's heretic faction|heretic faction]] led by the Sangheili [[Sesa 'Refumee]] and destroyed by Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee, although they do have the same goal and beliefs.

== Gallery ==
<Gallery>
File:2973083-Medium.jpg|Two Sangheili Minors during the Battle of Installation 00.
File:Schism_2.png|A Sangheili facing off a Jiralhanae in combat.
File:Schism_3.png|A group of Sangheili charge towards Jiralhanae defenses.
File:Schism_4.png|Sangheili warships and ground forces after a victorious battle.
File:Escalation_schism.png|A Sangheili and [[Jiralhanae Captain Major]] locked together in combat.
File:Thel 2558.png|Thel 'Vadam and escort on Ealen IV in 2558.
</Gallery>

== List of appearances ==
*''[[Halo 2]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[The Return]]''
*''[[Halo: Glasslands]]''
*''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]'' {{Mo}}

== Sources ==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Major Factions}}
[[Category:Factions]]
[[Category:The Covenant]]