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It was one of the most trafficked locations in the ecumene, with constant security patrols, [[sentinel]]s, and transports swarming around it.<ref name="description"/> Within five thousand kilometers of the structure, incoming vessels would be carefully screened by sensory fields and directed by [[hard light]] docking nets.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 283''</ref> The Capital's system housed multiple [[slipspace portal]]s that linked to many worlds, as well as [[Installation 00|the Ark]].<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 312''</ref>
It was one of the most trafficked locations in the ecumene, with constant security patrols, [[sentinel]]s, and transports swarming around it.<ref name="description"/> Within five thousand kilometers of the structure, incoming vessels would be carefully screened by sensory fields and directed by [[hard light]] docking nets.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 283''</ref> The Capital's system housed multiple [[slipspace portal]]s that linked to many worlds, as well as [[Installation 00|the Ark]].<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 312''</ref>


During the [[Forerunner-Flood war]], Maethrillian became the site of an [[Battle of the capital|enormous battle]] as [[Mendicant Bias]], having been persuaded into [[rampancy]] by the [[Primordial]], attempted to deliver a crippling blow to the Forerunner leadership. Even though the Forerunners responded with heavy force, Mendicant Bias was successful in firing [[Installation 07]] in the system, sterilizing the Capital and eliminating most of the Ecumene Council,<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 272''</ref> although the Council would be reconstituted shortly afterward as the "New Council".<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 373-374''</ref> Around 100,000 BCE, the Flood had almost completely overrun the Capital system; as a result, strategic command of the ecumene was moved to the [[greater Ark]].<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''String 25''</ref>
During the [[Forerunner-Flood war]], Maethrillian became the site of an [[Battle of the capital|enormous battle]] as [[Mendicant Bias]], having been persuaded into [[rampancy]] by the [[Primordial]], attempted to deliver a crippling blow to the Forerunner leadership. Even though the Forerunners responded with heavy force, Mendicant Bias was successful in firing [[Installation 07]] in the system, sterilizing the Capital and eliminating most of the Ecumene Council.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 272''</ref> Although the Council would be reconstituted shortly afterward as the "New Council",<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 373-374''</ref> they would not return to the former capital.<ref name="ptk">'''[[Halo: Fractures]]''', ''[[Promises to Keep]]''</ref> Around 97,445 BCE, the Flood had almost completely overrun the Capital system; as a result, strategic command of the ecumene was moved to the [[greater Ark]].<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''String 25''</ref>


Long after the Forerunner-Flood war, the [[Covenant]] learned about the existence of Maethrillian—the fabled throne of their gods. In [[2552]], [[Supreme Commander]] [[Rho 'Barutamee]] found Forerunner artifacts after [[Battle of Beta Eridani|an engagement]] with the [[UNSC]]. That led him to think he was close to finding Maethrillian. Ultimately he arrived at [[Reach]], which he [[Fall of Reach|attacked]] with restraint, preferring to localize important Forerunner artifacts first. However, he never accomplished his secret objective, as his plan was foiled by [[NOBLE Team]], and the rest of the Covenant did not pursue his goal.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/rho-barutamee '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Rho 'Barutamee'']</ref>
Long after the Forerunner-Flood war, the [[Covenant]] learned about the existence of Maethrillian—the fabled throne of their gods. In [[2552]], [[Supreme Commander]] [[Rho 'Barutamee]] found Forerunner artifacts after [[Battle of Beta Eridani|an engagement]] with the [[UNSC]]. That led him to think he was close to finding Maethrillian. Ultimately he arrived at [[Reach]], which he [[Fall of Reach|attacked]] with restraint, preferring to localize important Forerunner artifacts first. However, he never accomplished his secret objective, as his plan was foiled by [[NOBLE Team]], and the rest of the Covenant did not pursue his goal.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/rho-barutamee '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Rho 'Barutamee'']</ref>
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===The Crown===
===The Crown===
The Crown was the top platform of Maethrillian and was presumably used primarily for storage. During the attack on the Capital the Crown was cracked in two.<ref>'''[[Halo: Fractures]]''', ''[[Promises to Keep]]''</ref>
The Crown was the top platform of Maethrillian and was presumably used primarily for storage. During the attack on the Capital the Crown was cracked in two.<ref name="ptk"/>


===Defenses===
===Defenses===

Revision as of 00:11, September 29, 2016

"WE'VE GOT A NEW CONTACT, UNKNOWN CLASSIFICATION!"
This article may contain information based upon upcoming, unreleased, or recently-released content from Promises to Keep, and may not be fully complete. Additionally, the information may be subject to change if it is based on pre-release material. Please update it as soon as any relevant and accurate material is available.
Maethrillian
File:Capital.png
General overview

Description:

A series of spiraling, circular platforms arranged around a central rod

Operation overview

Function:

Administrative capital of the ecumene

Attached AI(s):

Capital metarchy

Date of construction:

c. 125,000 BCE

Structural information

Diameter:

100,000 kilometers (62,000 mi) (approx.)

 

Maethrillian,[1] commonly known as the Capital, was the political center of the Forerunner ecumene. It housed the Ecumene Council, the main governing body of the ecumene, as well as the Capital Court. It was a massive structure, greatly exceeding the scale of even the Halo installations.[2]

Overview

Maethrillian was one of the oldest structures in the ecumene, having been constructed roughly around 125,000 BCE.[3] Despite its immense size, the Capital itself had a comparatively small population of several hundred thousand Forerunners, mostly high-ranking Builders. Trillions of ancillas served in the capital in the Capital metarchy, an enormous network coordinated by a Metarch-level ancilla that answered to the First Councilor.[2]

It was one of the most trafficked locations in the ecumene, with constant security patrols, sentinels, and transports swarming around it.[2] Within five thousand kilometers of the structure, incoming vessels would be carefully screened by sensory fields and directed by hard light docking nets.[4] The Capital's system housed multiple slipspace portals that linked to many worlds, as well as the Ark.[5]

During the Forerunner-Flood war, Maethrillian became the site of an enormous battle as Mendicant Bias, having been persuaded into rampancy by the Primordial, attempted to deliver a crippling blow to the Forerunner leadership. Even though the Forerunners responded with heavy force, Mendicant Bias was successful in firing Installation 07 in the system, sterilizing the Capital and eliminating most of the Ecumene Council.[6] Although the Council would be reconstituted shortly afterward as the "New Council",[7] they would not return to the former capital.[8] Around 97,445 BCE, the Flood had almost completely overrun the Capital system; as a result, strategic command of the ecumene was moved to the greater Ark.[9]

Long after the Forerunner-Flood war, the Covenant learned about the existence of Maethrillian—the fabled throne of their gods. In 2552, Supreme Commander Rho 'Barutamee found Forerunner artifacts after an engagement with the UNSC. That led him to think he was close to finding Maethrillian. Ultimately he arrived at Reach, which he attacked with restraint, preferring to localize important Forerunner artifacts first. However, he never accomplished his secret objective, as his plan was foiled by NOBLE Team, and the rest of the Covenant did not pursue his goal.[10]

Design details

File:EcumeneCouncil.png
A Council meeting in progress at the Capital

Maethrillian was composed of a series of perfectly circular "platforms" arranged in a spiral along a central rod. These platforms decreased in size toward either end of the rod, with the widest central one being approximately 100,000 kilometers in diameter. Each platform was covered with a "city" of structures and buildings,[2] whose gravity was controlled individually by buffer fields.[11]

The Capital was home to the Council amphitheater, where the Ecumene Council engaged in debate on important matters. The amphitheater was suspended in midair, attached to the rest of the capital by bridges, anti-gravity gondolas, and lift tubes for individual Councilors. During Council proceedings, the amphitheater would be decorated with display spheres showing representations of the twelve original systems inhabited by early Forerunners, each carrying an epistle of the Mantle. Near the Council amphitheater there was a hallway with its walls decorated with countless spent slipspace flakes, some of which had also been built into sculptures.[12]

The Crown

The Crown was the top platform of Maethrillian and was presumably used primarily for storage. During the attack on the Capital the Crown was cracked in two.[8]

Defenses

In the event of a large-scale attack, the capital could rotate its sections to assume a spherical shape, thus protecting the structures atop each platform from damage. It also possessed powerful energy shields and a large defensive fleet. If the capital metarchy coordinating the fleet was compromised, the fleet would splinter into individual squadrons, each having specific instructions on how to deal with an attack.[13]

Trivia

The Capital is similar in design and function to the Citadel space station from the Mass Effect series. Both are large-scale artificial stations featuring inhabited cities, both serve as a center of galactic politics, and both are able to change their structure, closing themselves in the event of siege. However, the Citadel is only around forty-five kilometers long and thirteen kilometers in diameter, as opposed to the scale of the Capital, which is closer to that of a gas giant.

List of appearances

Sources

  1. ^ Halo Waypoint: Forerunners
  2. ^ a b c d Halo: Cryptum, pages 280-281
  3. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 296
  4. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 283
  5. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 312
  6. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 272
  7. ^ Halo: Primordium, pages 373-374
  8. ^ a b Halo: Fractures, Promises to Keep
  9. ^ Halo: Silentium, String 25
  10. ^ Halo Waypoint: Rho 'Barutamee
  11. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 304
  12. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 293
  13. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 311