Halo Waypoint Chronicles are a series of short stories published by 343 Industries on the eponymous Halo Waypoint website, beginning in late 2022. They are generally short fiction designed to feature small glimpses into aspects of the Halo universe that may not otherwise be suitable for a feature-length novel or game. Due to their smaller scope and nature, Waypoint Chronicles frequently feature or flesh out aspects of other Halo media, and feature increased use of weapons, vehicles, locations, and characters from the series' expanded universe. The Chronicles are written by Alex Wakeford and other members of the 343 Industries franchise writing team, and are released for free on Halo Waypoint alongside an audiobook usually narrated by Wakeford on YouTube.
All currently-released Waypoint Chronicles are fully-canon within the Halo universe; the alternate-universe Fracture events within Halo Infinite have their own Story Shards which are similar in premise.
List of Halo Waypoint Chronicles
Vertical Umbrage
- Main article: Halo: Vertical Umbrage
Vertical Umbrage was the first Waypoint Chronicle, released in late 2022 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the release of Halo 4. It depicts an operation by Fireteam Shadow to board and disable a Zanar-pattern light cruiser Panom's Canticle, as first-depicted offscreen via radio chatter in the Spartan Ops level Everything Has Gone Wrong.
- External links
- Halo 4 - Vertical Umbrage - The official Waypoint post in which the short story was released for free.
- Official Vertical Umbrage PDF - The PDF of the short story released on Halo Waypoint (Archived copy).
- Halo: Vertical Umbrage | Audiobook - The audiobook narrated by Alex Wakeford.
Vertical Umbrage keyart.
Winter Contention
- Main article: Halo: Winter Contention
Winter Contention was the second Waypoint Chronicle released in early 2023 to coincide with the Noble Intention in-game event within Halo Infinite. The piece depicts an operation by NOBLE Team late in the Human-Covenant War to fend off a Covenant attack on the colony world of Concord. The story notably features the inclusion of Rosenda-A344 and Thom-A293, two previously mentioned-only characters cut from the production of Halo: Reach, alongside the Draugr - a vehicle also cut from the game's development.
- External links
- Halo: Winter Contention - The official Waypoint post in which the short story was released for free.
- Official Winter Contention PDF - The PDF of the short story released on Halo Waypoint (Archived copy).
- Halo: Winter Contention | Audiobook - The audiobook narrated by Alex Wakeford.
Winter Contention keyart.
Sunrise on Sanghelios
- Main article: Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios
Sunrise on Sanghelios was the third chronicle to be released, debuted on Day 2 of the Halo World Championships 2023. Unlike prior stories, Sunrise on Sanghelios was debuted with a live reading from Halo voice actors Steve Downes, Keith David, and Jen Taylor, who all reprised their roles of John-117, Thel 'Vadam, and Catherine Halsey/Cortana, respectively. The story depicts a conversation between John, Thel, and Halsey first hinted at in Halo: Bad Blood's first chapter, both of which coincide with the final non-legendary cutscene of Halo 5: Guardians.[1]
- Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios - The official Waypoint post in which the short story was released for free.
- Official Sunrise on Sanghelios PDF - The PDF of the short story released on Halo Waypoint (Archived copy).
- Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios | Audiobook - The audiobook narrated in the HaloWC 2023 Community Stage.
Sunrise on Sanghelios keyart.
Saturn Devouring His Son
- Main article: Halo: Saturn Devouring His Son
Saturn Devouring His Son is a short story released on Halloween, October 31, 2023. The story (named after the famous painting) depicts a Flood containment Fireteam deployment, first hinted at in Season 04: Infection's final intel drop and to tie in with the Flood armor of Season 05: Reckoning.[2]
- Halo: Saturn Devouring His Son - The official Waypoint post in which the short story was released for free.
- Official Saturn Devouring His Son PDF - The PDF of the short story released on Halo Waypoint (Archived copy).
- Halo: Saturn Devouring His Son | Audiobook - The audiobook narrated by Alex Wakeford.
Saturn Devouring His Son keyart.
Battle for the Blood-Moon
- Main article: Halo: Battle for the Blood-Moon
Battle for the Blood-Moon released on November 27, 2023, and concerns the Banished attack on Suban, as depicted on the Halo Infinite map Prism and the keyart for the Combined Arms event.[3]
- Halo: Battle for the Blood-Moon - The official Waypoint post in which the short story was released for free.
- Official Battle for the Blood-Moon PDF - The PDF of the short story released on Halo Waypoint (Archived copy).
- Halo: Battle for the Blood-Moon | Audiobook - The audiobook narrated by Alex Wakeford.
Battle for the Blood-Moon keyart.
Keyart used to tease Battle for the Blood-Moon.
Trial of Reckoning
- Main article: Halo: Trial of Reckoning
Trial of Reckoning was the final of the four chronicles released during Season 05: Reckoning. It depicts a number of survivors of UNSC Infinity's destruction over Installation 07 at the start of Halo Infinite's campaign, and their experiences having been captured by the Banished. The story ties in with the Firefight mode released in Season 05's mid-season update, depicting some of the prisoners' attempts to survive the arena of the titular House of Reckoning.
- External links
- Halo: Trial of Reckoning - The official Waypoint post in which the short story was released for free.
- Official Trial of Reckoning PDF - The PDF of the short story released on Halo Waypoint (Archived copy).
- Halo: Trial of Reckoning | Audiobook - The audiobook narrated by Alex Wakeford.
Keyart for the story.
The House of Reckoning image used to tease the story.
Hippocratica
- Main article: Halo: Hippocratica
Halo: Hippocratica is the first chronicle released during Content Update 29. It depicts Adam Andrews reflecting on his memories about the Battle for Arcadia in 2531 and how he was saved by the crew of the UNSC Spirit of Fire. The story ties with Halo Wars and to the Team Omega armor sets featured in CU29's Store.
- External links
- Halo: Hippocratica - The official Waypoint post in which the short story was released for free.
- Official Hippocratica PDF - The PDF of the short story released on Halo Waypoint (Archived copy).
- Halo: Hippocratica | Audiobook - The audiobook narrated by Alex Wakeford.
Hippocratica Keyart
Fireside
- Main article: Halo: Fireside
Halo: Fireside was released on the seventh birthday of Halo Wars 2 - February 21, 2024. Appropriately, it depicts a series of micro-snippets looking into the life of UNSC Spirit of Fire's crew in their ongoing war against the Banished on the Ark.
- External links
- Halo: Fireside- The official Waypoint post in which the short story was released for free.
- Official Halo: Fireside PDF - The PDF of the short story released on Halo Waypoint (Archived copy).
- Halo: Fireside | Audiobook - The audiobook narrated by Alex Wakeford.
Fireside Keyart
The Third Life
- Main article: Halo: The Third Life
Halo: The Third Life is an upcoming Chronicle set for release in the week of May 6, 2024 to coincide with the launch of the Banished Honor update for Halo Infinite.[4] The story is set in the immediate aftermath of the Hunt the Truth audio drama, and focuses on the rogue Spartan-IV Ilsa Zane.[5]
- External links
- Halo: The Third Life- The official Waypoint post in which the short story was released for free.
- Official Halo: The Third Life PDF - The PDF of the short story released on Halo Waypoint (Archived copy).
- Halo: The Third Life | Audiobook - The audiobook narrated by Alex Wakeford.
The Third Life Keyart
Sources
- ^ YouTube - Halo, HaloWC 2023 Community Stage – Day 2 (Season 5, Steve Downes, Jen Taylor, Keith David, Cosplay +): 3:39:50 (Retrieved on Oct 14, 2023)
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Championship Chronicles (Retrieved on Oct 24, 2023) [archive]
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Combined Arms Operation Launch (Retrieved on Nov 14, 2023) [archive]
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Banished Honor Launch - Halo Infinite CU32 (Retrieved on Apr 30, 2024) [archive]
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Community Update: Jilted Jiralhanae (Retrieved on May 2, 2024) [archive]
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