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Taming of the Lekgolo: Difference between revisions

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|image=[[File:H2A Terminals - First Hunters.jpg|300px]]
|image=[[File:H2A Terminals - First Hunters.jpg|300px]]
|conflict=
|conflict=
|date=[[Age of Conversion]] - Age of Conversion ([[784 BCE]])<ref name="enc">'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 30''</ref>
|date=[[789 BCE]][[784 BCE]] ([[Age of Conversion]])<ref name="enc">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 30''</ref>
|place=[[Te]]
|place=[[Te]], [[Svir system]]
|result=Covenant victory  
|result=;Covenant victory  
*[[Lekgolo]] join the Covenant
*[[Lekgolo]] join the Covenant
|side1=Lekgolo
|side1=[[Lekgolo]]
|side2=The Covenant
|side2=[[Covenant]]
|side3=
|side4=
|commanders1=Unknown
|commanders1=Unknown
|commanders2=[[Unidentified Arbiter (Taming of the Lekgolo)|Unidentified Arbiter]]
|commanders2=[[Unidentified Arbiter (Taming of the Lekgolo)|Unidentified Arbiter]]
|commanders3=
|commanders4=
|forces1=Lekgolo
|forces1=Lekgolo
*[[Mgalekgolo]] forms
|forces2=
|forces2=
*Arbiter
*An [[Arbiter]]
*[[Sangheili]]
*[[Sangheili]]
|forces3=
|forces4=
|casual1=Unknown
|casual1=Unknown
|casual2=Presumably heavy
|casual2=Presumably heavy
|casual3=
|casual4=
}}
}}
{{quote|While some were shortsighted and chose to reject the promise of our union, all were eventually swayed by the knowledge that those who joined the Covenant would be welcome on our [[Great Journey]].|[[Prophet of Truth]]<ref>'''[[Limited Collector's Edition Disc (Halo 2)]]''', ''Mural Scene''</ref>}}
{{Quote|While some were shortsighted and chose to reject the promise of our union, all were eventually swayed by the knowledge that those who joined the Covenant would be welcome on our [[Great Journey]].|[[Prophet of Truth]]<ref>'''[[Limited Collector's Edition Disc (Halo 2)]]''', ''Mural Scene''</ref>}}
 
The '''Taming of the Lekgolo''' was an event in the history of the [[Covenant]].<ref>'''Halo 2:''' - ''[[The Arbiter (level)|The Arbiter]] first cutscene''</ref> First contact with the worm-like [[Lekgolo]] species during the Covenant's galaxy-wide search for remnants of [[Forerunner]] technology in one of their early [[Ages of Conversion]] led to a conflict between the Lekgolo and the Covenant, eventually resulting in the former's incorporation into the hegemony.<ref name="bestiarum">'''[[Bestiarum]]'''</ref>
The '''Taming of the Lekgolo''' was an event in the history of the [[Covenant]].<ref>'''Halo 2:''' - ''[[The Arbiter (level)|The Arbiter]] first cutscene''</ref> First contact with the worm-like [[Lekgolo]] species during the Covenant's galaxy-wide search for remnants of [[Forerunner]] technology in one of their early [[Ages of Conversion]] led to a conflict between the Lekgolo and the Covenant, eventually resulting in the former's incorporation into the hegemony.<ref name="bestiarum">'''[[Bestiarum]]'''</ref>


==History==
The Covenant's use of the term "taming" can be misleading, as the Lekgolo possessed a highly advanced, if alien, culture prior to their contact with the Covenant, having reached [[Technological Achievement Tiers|Tier 3]] of the Forerunner technological achievement scale on their own. Despite this, their space travel capabilities were extremely limited, having developed at an exceedingly slow rate due to the difficulties resulting from their high-gravity homeworld [[Te]].<ref name="bestiarum"/>
The Covenant's use of the term "taming" can be misleading, as the Lekgolo possessed a highly advanced, if alien, culture prior to their contact with the Covenant, having reached [[Technological Achievement Tiers|Tier 3]] of the Forerunner technological achievement scale on their own. Despite this, their space travel capabilities were extremely limited, having developed at an exceedingly slow rate due to the difficulties resulting from their high-gravity homeworld [[Te]].<ref name="bestiarum"/>


After the formation of the Covenant, early experiments with the [[Luminary|Luminaries]] reverse-engineered from the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] in ''[[High Charity]]'' led the Covenant to a gas giant in a system near [[Urs system|Urs]], the home system of the [[Sangheili]]. While the [[San 'Shyuum]] and [[Sangheili]] hoped to find a treasure trove of Forerunner artifacts, they instead found hives of Lekgolo inside orbital rings surrounding their planet. The rings were in fact the destroyed remains of an ancient Forerunner installation in orbit. The relics had been the Lekgolo's food for millennia, and the orbital rings around the giant were actually composed of digested-and-destroyed Forerunner relics that some of the Lekgolo had been consuming. However, the Lekgolo colonies had very differing diets, as some would eat only Forerunner alloys, while other would eat everything ''except'' Forerunner materials.<ref name="ch">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 269-271''</ref>
==History==
 
After the formation of the [[Covenant]], early experiments with the [[Luminary|Luminaries]] reverse-engineered from the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] in ''[[High Charity]]'' led the Covenant to [[Te]] in the [[Svir system]] near [[Urs system|Urs]], the home system of the [[Sangheili]], in [[789 BCE]]. While the [[San'Shyuum]] and Sangheili hoped to find a treasure trove of Forerunner artifacts, they instead found hives of [[Lekgolo]] inside orbital rings surrounding their planet. The rings were in fact the destroyed remains of an ancient Forerunner installation in orbit. The relics had been the Lekgolo's food for millennia, and the orbital rings around the giant were actually composed of digested-and-destroyed Forerunner relics that some of the Lekgolo had been consuming. However, the Lekgolo colonies had very differing diets, as some would eat only Forerunner alloys, while other would eat everything ''except'' Forerunner materials.<ref name="ch">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 269-271''</ref>
Appalled by this desecration, the Prophets ordered the Sangheili to exterminate the Lekgolo. [[Covenant fleet]] commanders soon found that indiscriminate destruction would have unacceptable consequences: since the Lekgolo lived in the sacred relics that the Sangheili were trying to preserve, simply annihilating the Lekgolo would have resulted in the destruction of some or all of those relics.<ref name="ch"/>


The Covenant also sought to take control of the Lekgolo homeworld, [[Te]], due to its rich deposits of heavy metals.<ref name="bestiarum"/> The high-gravity conditions of the planet proved particularly difficult for the Covenant to carry out a ground campaign while serving as a tremendous advantage for the native Lekgolo,<ref name="bestiarum"/> who were able to combine into [[Mgalekgolo]] and other, even more powerful gestalt forms. Consequently, the Lekgolo won most, if not all, ground engagements. The Covenant's forces were completely overwhelmed by the sheer size and ferocity of their foes.<ref name="ch"/>
Appalled by this desecration, the San'Shyuum Prophets ordered the Sangheili to exterminate the Lekgolo for unauthorized contact with Forerunner relics. [[Covenant fleet]] commanders soon found that indiscriminate destruction would have unacceptable consequences: since the Lekgolo lived in the sacred relics that the Sangheili were trying to preserve, simply annihilating the Lekgolo would have resulted in the destruction of some or all of those relics.<ref name="ch"/> The first battle against the Lekgolo saw the Covenant's first military defeat.<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 311''</ref> The Covenant sought to take control of the Lekgolo homeworld, Te, due to its rich deposits of heavy metals.<ref name="bestiarum"/> The high-gravity conditions of the planet proved particularly difficult for the Covenant to carry out a ground campaign while serving as a tremendous advantage for the native Lekgolo,<ref name="bestiarum"/> who were able to combine into [[Mgalekgolo]] and other, even more powerful, gestalt forms. The Covenant first encountered the Mgalekgolo forms in [[784 BCE]] on a [[natural satellite]] of Te, [[Rentus]].<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/db05ce78845f4120b062c50816008e5d/topics/catalog-interaction/4c3e1c6f-6519-4ee0-83a4-4bac13bf07a3/posts?page=74#post732 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction'' (post 2988575)]</ref> Consequently, the Lekgolo won most, if not all, ground engagements. The Covenant's forces were completely overwhelmed by the sheer size and ferocity of their foes.<ref name="ch"/>


The [[Arbiter]] that was created during this crisis suggested that the Lekgolo could be "tamed" and put to better uses as part of the Covenant hierarchy.<ref name="ch"/> Despite viewing the Lekgolo's destruction of Forerunner artifacts as grave heresy, the [[San 'Shyuum]] recognized their potential and absolved the Lekgolo from their transgressions against the [[Covenant religion]], allowing them to join the hegemony as a client race.<ref name="ch"/>
The [[Hierarchs]] of the Covenant assigned [[Unidentified Arbiter (Taming of the Lekgolo)|an Arbiter]] to help end the war through an unconventional way. The Arbiter travelled to one of the moons of Te, [[Rantu]], that contained a Lekgolo colony. For an entire year, the Arbiter remained on the moon and studied the Lekgolo's strengths and weaknesses. On Rantu, the Arbiter encountered more Mgalekgolo forms and engaged them in combat.<ref>'''[[Halo 2 Anniversary]]''', ''[[Terminal/Halo 2 Anniversary|Terminals]]''</ref> When he returned to ''High Charity'', the Arbiter suggested that the Lekgolo could be "tamed" and put to better uses as part of the Covenant hierarchy. Despite viewing the Lekgolo's destruction of Forerunner artifacts as grave heresy, the San'Shyuum recognized their potential and absolved the Lekgolo from their transgressions against the [[Covenant religion]], allowing them to join the hegemony as a client race.<ref name="ch"/>


==Aftermath==
==Aftermath==
Despite initial difficulties in communication,<ref name="bestiarum"/> the compliant Lekgolo were incorporated into the [[Writ of Union]] in [[784 BCE]].<ref name="enc"/> Impressed by the Mgalekgolo fighting prowess, the Sangheili incorporated them into the [[Covenant military]]. Individual Lekgolo worms were used by San 'Shyuum [[Asceticism|ascetic priests]] to explore the electrical pathways deep inside the Dreadnought on ''High Charity''.<ref name="ch"/> In exchange for providing troops and manual labor to the Covenant, the Lekgolo were granted access to the Covenant's advanced slipspace technology, elevating them from their native Tier 3 to the Covenant's Tier 2.<ref name="bestiarum"/>
[[File:H2A Terminals - Dreadnought Oracle.jpg|thumb|250px|The Hierarchs and Arbiter inserting a Lekgolo into the Dreadnought.]]
Despite initial difficulties in communication,<ref name="bestiarum"/> the compliant Lekgolo were incorporated into the [[Writ of Union]] in [[784 BCE]].<ref name="enc"/> Impressed by the Mgalekgolo fighting prowess, the Sangheili incorporated them into the [[Covenant military]]. After many experimentations, individual Lekgolo worms were given proper training by San'Shyuum [[Asceticism|ascetic priests]] and were used to explore the electrical pathways deep inside the Dreadnought on ''High Charity''. It became a ritual for San'Shyuum priests and [[Huragok]] to insert Lekgolo into the Dreadnought to allow them to probe for information for a time, before retrieving the worm and returning it to its colony.<ref name="ch"/> In exchange for providing troops and manual labor to the Covenant, the Lekgolo were granted access to the Covenant's advanced [[slipspace]] technology, elevating them from their native Tier 3 to the Covenant's Tier 2.<ref name="bestiarum"/>


The Taming of the Hunters was pictured on one of the [[seven]] [[Covenant murals|murals]] in the [[Mausoleum of the Arbiter]].
The Taming of the Hunters was pictured on one of the [[seven]] [[Covenant murals|murals]] in the [[Mausoleum of the Arbiter]].

Revision as of 14:02, November 16, 2014

Template:Battle Infobox

"While some were shortsighted and chose to reject the promise of our union, all were eventually swayed by the knowledge that those who joined the Covenant would be welcome on our Great Journey."
Prophet of Truth[1]

The Taming of the Lekgolo was an event in the history of the Covenant.[2] First contact with the worm-like Lekgolo species during the Covenant's galaxy-wide search for remnants of Forerunner technology in one of their early Ages of Conversion led to a conflict between the Lekgolo and the Covenant, eventually resulting in the former's incorporation into the hegemony.[3]

The Covenant's use of the term "taming" can be misleading, as the Lekgolo possessed a highly advanced, if alien, culture prior to their contact with the Covenant, having reached Tier 3 of the Forerunner technological achievement scale on their own. Despite this, their space travel capabilities were extremely limited, having developed at an exceedingly slow rate due to the difficulties resulting from their high-gravity homeworld Te.[3]

History

After the formation of the Covenant, early experiments with the Luminaries reverse-engineered from the Forerunner Dreadnought in High Charity led the Covenant to Te in the Svir system near Urs, the home system of the Sangheili, in 789 BCE. While the San'Shyuum and Sangheili hoped to find a treasure trove of Forerunner artifacts, they instead found hives of Lekgolo inside orbital rings surrounding their planet. The rings were in fact the destroyed remains of an ancient Forerunner installation in orbit. The relics had been the Lekgolo's food for millennia, and the orbital rings around the giant were actually composed of digested-and-destroyed Forerunner relics that some of the Lekgolo had been consuming. However, the Lekgolo colonies had very differing diets, as some would eat only Forerunner alloys, while other would eat everything except Forerunner materials.[4]

Appalled by this desecration, the San'Shyuum Prophets ordered the Sangheili to exterminate the Lekgolo for unauthorized contact with Forerunner relics. Covenant fleet commanders soon found that indiscriminate destruction would have unacceptable consequences: since the Lekgolo lived in the sacred relics that the Sangheili were trying to preserve, simply annihilating the Lekgolo would have resulted in the destruction of some or all of those relics.[4] The first battle against the Lekgolo saw the Covenant's first military defeat.[5] The Covenant sought to take control of the Lekgolo homeworld, Te, due to its rich deposits of heavy metals.[3] The high-gravity conditions of the planet proved particularly difficult for the Covenant to carry out a ground campaign while serving as a tremendous advantage for the native Lekgolo,[3] who were able to combine into Mgalekgolo and other, even more powerful, gestalt forms. The Covenant first encountered the Mgalekgolo forms in 784 BCE on a natural satellite of Te, Rentus.[6] Consequently, the Lekgolo won most, if not all, ground engagements. The Covenant's forces were completely overwhelmed by the sheer size and ferocity of their foes.[4]

The Hierarchs of the Covenant assigned an Arbiter to help end the war through an unconventional way. The Arbiter travelled to one of the moons of Te, Rantu, that contained a Lekgolo colony. For an entire year, the Arbiter remained on the moon and studied the Lekgolo's strengths and weaknesses. On Rantu, the Arbiter encountered more Mgalekgolo forms and engaged them in combat.[7] When he returned to High Charity, the Arbiter suggested that the Lekgolo could be "tamed" and put to better uses as part of the Covenant hierarchy. Despite viewing the Lekgolo's destruction of Forerunner artifacts as grave heresy, the San'Shyuum recognized their potential and absolved the Lekgolo from their transgressions against the Covenant religion, allowing them to join the hegemony as a client race.[4]

Aftermath

The Hierarchs and Arbiter inserting a Lekgolo into the Dreadnought.

Despite initial difficulties in communication,[3] the compliant Lekgolo were incorporated into the Writ of Union in 784 BCE.[8] Impressed by the Mgalekgolo fighting prowess, the Sangheili incorporated them into the Covenant military. After many experimentations, individual Lekgolo worms were given proper training by San'Shyuum ascetic priests and were used to explore the electrical pathways deep inside the Dreadnought on High Charity. It became a ritual for San'Shyuum priests and Huragok to insert Lekgolo into the Dreadnought to allow them to probe for information for a time, before retrieving the worm and returning it to its colony.[4] In exchange for providing troops and manual labor to the Covenant, the Lekgolo were granted access to the Covenant's advanced slipspace technology, elevating them from their native Tier 3 to the Covenant's Tier 2.[3]

The Taming of the Hunters was pictured on one of the seven murals in the Mausoleum of the Arbiter.

Gallery

List of appearances

Sources

  1. ^ Limited Collector's Edition Disc (Halo 2), Mural Scene
  2. ^ Halo 2: - The Arbiter first cutscene
  3. ^ a b c d e f Bestiarum
  4. ^ a b c d e Halo: Contact Harvest, pages 269-271
  5. ^ Halo Encyclopedia, page 311
  6. ^ Halo Waypoint: Catalog Interaction (post 2988575)
  7. ^ Halo 2 Anniversary, Terminals
  8. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named enc