Phoenix Logs

Template:Newcontent In Halo Wars 2, Phoenix Logs are a collection of codex entries that provide background information on units, characters, and other events of the Halo universe. Much like its predecessor’s collectible Black Boxes, which unlocked Timeline entries in the game, the Phoenix Logs can be unlocked by both feats of completion as well as collection and be accessed from the game’s campaign menu.

Multiplayer Maps

Ashes The wreckage of a Covenant freighter lies scattered across the amber wasteland. This hostile environment, blood-red and battered by harsh winds, is rendered even crueler by the scorched and smoking remains of a Covenant freighter, blasted out of the sky by Forerunner defenses. The impact trench created by the crash leads down into a deep crater, where the force of the collision has destroyed the top layer of the refugia, revealing the proto—Forerunner substructure running underneath. Badlands The unforgiving desert threatens to engulf this Forerunner bastion and all who fight there. "I was tired. I signaled to the Grunt on the other side of the door, undid the lock and stepped back, hands held up where it could see me. The Grunt got up slowly and started walking towards it. I had stumbled upon the abandoned research outpost a couple of days ago after a week in the howling desert wind. My entire squad had been killed in a Banished ambush, but I was saved - then damned - by a sudden sandstorm that covered my escape. Then came a week walking through the biting wind, ears dulled by the constant whine, almost delirious with starvation. I tried to cry when I first saw the outpost, but I was so dehydrated I could only choke out a a[sic] few guttural noises. With the researchers long dead the outpost was filthy and a stale smell hung in the air, but the quiet hum of the power systems after the noise of the desert felt like home. I found fresh clothes, enough food stocks for six months and a communication system that I thought I could get working within a few days so I could contact the Spirit of Fire. late a large meal, found a cot and fell asleep in seconds. A crash woke me up, and I crept into the corridor to see a Grunt inside the pantry, searching for supplies - I wasn't the only one who had gotten lost in the storm. I slammed the door and locked it. trapping the Grunt inside. He spun around, shocked to see someone else and then tried to barge through the door. But it was too heavy. He started pacing around in circles, which is when he saw my gun propped up against the refrigerator inside the pantry. We had a standoff; he was trapped, but I was unarmed and couldn't get to the food. My only hope was the communications equipment. After three days without food, I was ravenous and having lapses in concentration. I weighed the risks and decided to let the Grunt out so I could get to the supplies. As he crossed the threshold of the door he triggered the tripwire, setting off the small explosion I had cannibalized from the communications equipment. I dragged his body to the side of the pantry and took a drink from the refrigerator. I wasn't going to be calling anyone anytime soon — but neither was the Grunt." Report found in abandoned outpost, author unknown. Bedrock The sub—structure of an incomplete refugia stands ready to continue the Ark's work. The Ghost skimmed the surface of the Forerunner terrain as its Elite rider deftly dodged the latest salvo of enemy fire from the Hornets hounding it, effortlessly taking a sudden sharp turn to widen the gap between the pursuers. This particular Sangheili was a confident and experienced driver, a far cry from the Ghost's first owner. The Ghost first saw service in 2552 on the planet Reach, but it was short—lived. The young Sangheili who drove it then was overeager and reckless, so sure of the Covenant's superiority that he rushed ahead of the rest of the squad and was quickly picked off by UNSC sniper fire before being able to baptize the Ghost's plasma cannons. The Ghost sat out the rest of the battle until being collected and returned to a Covenant dropship. The next Sangheili had driven many Ghosts, and had learned caution as well as skill with the vehicle. In 2553, the Ghost and its new rider were deployed to the Ark where it fought in the climactic battle of the Human—Covenant war. However, despite his combat experience, the Ghost’s Sangheili was unprepared for the Demon. who surprised the Sangheili from nowhere and threw his body from the vehicle. Amazingly, this Demon demonstrated all the skill of a trained Sangheili in using the Ghost's tricky controls. turning the Ghost's plasma cannons against its own kind and using it as a bludgeoning tool to ram through clusters of shrieking Unggoys. This Demon, the Ghost's third driver, was the shortest owner and quickly abandoned it once it had started belching smoke from the damage inflicted upon it. Years of respite from battle followed, as the Ghost lay dormant among the other Covenant wreckage, undisturbed. With the return of humans to the installation, the Ark started rebuilding itself and repairing the damage. Life and fauna returned to the Ark and the Ghost became home to insects and small animals, while creeping weeds grew around and into it, strangling its controls. Then the Banished arrived and the Ghost was torn free from its resting place and repaired by Hugaroks, then reshaped to fit a more brutal, battle torn Banished aesthetic and it once again had a driver and a war to fight in. Now, the Ghost was now closing in fast on its target. shades of azure flashing by in a blur as the Elite manipulated it up and down the ramps and curves of the Forerunner terrain. The power resource was now in sight, protected only by a few enemy ground troops. The Elite fired the Ghost’s plasma cannons and forced them to scatter, leaving the resource open for him to capture. The Elite eased off on the accelerator and the Ghost hummed to a slow crawl. The warning whine of several Hornets came too late, and as emerged from behind the Forerunner tower, the Elite was cut down in the crossfire of their autocannons and fell from the Ghost’s cockpit. The Hornets continued onto their next target and the Ghost sat silent and awaited its next driver. Frontier Verdant grasslands overrun a Forerunner facility suspended on the edge of the world. A clash of familiar and alien environments characterize this battlefield; lush grassland and sandy beaches are punctuated by several monolithic Forerunner structures, creating unnatural 'islands' among the landscape. The sleek but complex designs of the Forerunner ramps and lightbridges that branch off from these islands form multiple paths over the natural chasms of the environment as factions clash to gain control over valuable Forerunner resources.

Highway A remote transport route bisects the crystalline wilderness. "I watched as my scattered recon team were swiftly picked off one by one by the two Elite Ranger patrols. They must have been watching all along, waiting for us to split up as we scouted the area for power nodes. The Elites had the element of surprise, the numbers and the high ground. My only advantage was that they hadn’t spotted me yet, but as soon as I took a shot, they'd be able to pinpoint my position. I checked my ammo — six bullets for four Elites. Our Pelican pick up wasn't scheduled for another hour, and I could follow the Elite's movements from the glints of light bouncing off their carbines as they reflected the crystals lining the platform. If I didn't act now, they'd have me pinned. I reprogrammed my spotter drone to patrol three points on the map and sent it off. As soon as it broke cover, I engaged my cloaking technology and made for the opposite direction. One of the Elites bellowed something and their carbine rounds pinged off the Forerunner structures as they tried to shoot the drone. While they were distracted I made a dash for the nearest teleporter and jumped in. I was lucky, and I appeared above them at a blind spot. I aimed and fired. Even before the Elite hit the ground I had already entered the teleporter and back where I started. By now, the Elites had figured out where my shot came from, taken cover and were searching for me, but now I was behind them. I aimed and took out another of them and they yelled in surprise. I ducked back into cover and waited. My drone was now reaching the final point of its patrol and as it floated past the spooked Elites, they overreacted and blasted it out of the sky. Taking advantage of their panic, I fired off a wild shot to ricochet off some crystals and jumped back through the teleporter as they swung round in the direction of the ricochet. l was back above them again. They were shouting something angrily at each other, and I saw one gesturing towards the teleporter. I took another shot and one of the Elites fell back. The last Elite finally spotted me, but it was too late. He didn't even get a chance to raise his gun. As I collected my team's tags, I checked my rifle. One bullet left. I figure I'll save it for the next Elite." Report pvt. C. R. Scott, sniper detail Rift The battles fought at this Forerunner array will echo through history. A monolithic Forerunner structure dominates this environment, sitting atop a churning whirlpool that harnesses the power of subterranean rivers and waterfalls that flow into the ocean. Though one side remains unsullied by the war, the other is pitted with large breaches in the surface as the Banished tunnel downwards to plunder the Ark's valuable resources. Sentry A sleeping giant protects this ancient landscape. "The skeletons of wrecked Covenant ships, slowly being buried by shifting sands, should have acted as a warning to us. When I warned the Jiralhanae leading our mining expedition that we should act with caution, he only snorted and called the wrecks merely 'ghosts of the old war'. The Unggoy chattered amongst themselves nervously, and I knew they too had noticed the charred terrain. pocked by heavy blast points. The .Jiralhanae roared and gave the nearest Unggoy and a swift kick as a warning to the others, and shot me an angry look for daring to scare his rabble. When we reached the site. I stayed on guard while the Jiralhanae ordered his Unggoy to prepare the mining equipment. They had just breached the surface when I felt the air move. I screamed a warning and managed to dive into cover as the first salvo exploded the rocky outcropping where I once stood. I lay on the ground. dazed from the blast and smelled a sickening burning odor, followed quickly by a jolt of searing hot pain. My sword arm had been severely burnt and the light from the blast had temporarily blinded me. I heard the Jiralhanae barking orders to his panicked Unggoy, but his cries were quickly cut short by another blast. My sight had cleared enough that I could just make out a large shadow hovering over the panicking Unggoy, who scattered as I sunk into unconsciousness. When I awoke. our attacker had disappeared and the only things left were our mining equipment - damaged beyond use - and the body of the Jiralhanae served as the iris of a newly created crater." Report of Jato 'Ratum, only survivor of the mining expedition Vault Lush woodlands conceal an immense Forerunner storage facility. "The storage facility was only a couple of KlicKs out as we pushed through the woods, and after a long exhausting march I could feel the rest of the team relax a little. After all the alien sights we had seen, the familiarity of a cool breeze and :the smell of those large trees was a comfort, and for a short while we could almost forget where we were. That was our first mistake. Something shimmered out of the corner of my eye and lifted Dimitri into the air. He lurched violently to the left as the cloaked Elite :swung his sword free of his victim and Floyd shouted 'Elite!'. We fired off several :rounds at the spot where Dimitri had been standing, but the Elite had already melted back into the trees. We still outnumbered him seven to one, but I wasn't about to follow a cloaked Elite into the trees so he could pick us off one by one. We popped our grenades. A minute later, we slowly pushed through the burning trees, picking splinters out of our uniforms. There was no sign of the Elite, but the shallow stream beyond was streaked with purple blood. I collected Dimitri's tags and blinked to get the sting of smoke out of my eyes. We wouldn't forget where we were again." Journal of Private D. Wood

Campaign logs

The Healing of Old Wounds I

Journal of Nathaniel J. Palmer, Archaeologist, Henry Lamb Research Outpost.

Personal Diary Date: 03/16/2558

The will and resilience of life never ceases to amaze me. Infinite permutations of

bacteria, animals, and plants all exist as a direct result of the endless struggle

and adaptation against a hostile universe. This installation, light years from the

galactic center, is a paragon of that fact. When we first arrived here, the Ark

had suffered great wounds from our war against the Covenant, and so we

activated dormant retriever sentinels and deployed them to strip-mine lifeless

planets for the materials needed to repair the installation. Like watching a

sleeping giant nudged into wakefulness, the reconstruction slowly reached full

automation until we were no longer needed to guide the sentinels and could

simply sit back and record the wonder of a world being reborn. [1/3]

The Healing of Old Wounds II

It has been three months now since we established the outpost, and each day

we wake up to some new, shift in our surroundings as its Sentinels repair and

rebuild the Ark around us. I have witnessed dense forests spring up from pit-

black, barren terrain over the span of a week and monitored a particularly

virulent strain of weed checked by the reintroduction of voracious, insectoid

parasites before it could strangle the budding plants nearby. [2/3]

The Healing of Old Wounds III

My role as an archaeologist has been inverted. Instead of peeling back the layers

of the past to reveal hidden truths, I watch and document those layers being

placed and marvel at the subtle ambiguities. More than anything, I want to tell

my family back home about the wonders I've seen, but for now I have to be

content with news from home until the confidentiality contract is lifted. So

much to talk about - we could learn so much here! [3/3]

A New Bridge to Cross I

Journal of Nathaniel J. Palmer, Archaeologist, Henry Lamb Research Outpost.

Personal Diary Date: 04/02/2558

Isabel, our new smart AI, has embraced our new home with a wonder and

enthusiasm that matches our own. She is a young AI and this is her first

assignment but even so, her excitement for discovery and investigation is

infectious among the team. I even caught Brewer, the most jaded of the

scientists here, swapping jokes with her while they worked. Although we are

hesitant - and too worldly - about admitting it openly, it feels like we are on the

cusp of a new era. [1/3]

A New Bridge to Cross II

The Human-Covenant War often felt impossible to win, or at least,

would be so prolonged that as a race we would end it exhausted and broken,

retreating back to our own galaxy, cowed by the power of a greater enemy.

Instead, it proved that there was always hope, and that even enemies can

become allies.

Now the war is over and events have brought us to the Ark. Peace reigns, and

we have the time and resources to unlock some of the mysteries of the

Forerunners. We've been mired in war for so long -perhaps now mankind can

focus on development, on self-enrichment, for a change. [2/3]

A New Bridge to Cross III

As I have cataloged the marvels of the Ark, I've come to realize it is not simply

repairing itself from the ravages of the war, but remains remarkably adaptable

to change. Only this morning, I watched in awe as giant tectonic plates

rearranged, shifted and unfolded to form a new pathway across a chasm.

My amazement at the size of these things was only matched by the

naturalness of the movements, as graceful as a flower opening in time-lapse. If

eon's-old technology can move with the present, if it can adapt and change to

work in harmony with the universe, then perhaps we can learn to evolve as

well. [3/3]

The Graveyard

Palmer, Nathaniel J. Archaeologist, Lamb Research Center.

Personal Diary Date: 10/26/2558

Fifteen of us managed to escape the attack. I still don't know if anyone else

made it out.

We were returning from a survey expedition when we heard the first

explosions.

I ran back, following the plumes of black smoke rising into the evening sky from

just over the bluff. Sounds of UNSC gunfire were soon drowned out by the too-

familiar whine of plasma weapons, confirming our worst fears.

As we looked down at the horror below, we saw several hulking outlines move

amongst the shadows. Jiralhanae, I think. Brutes. They were everywhere. The

air was filled with the smell of burning ozone as a couple of bright, electric blue

shapes arced their way toward us. We scattered as the plasma blast hit,

vaporizing the trees nearby and showering us with ash and debris.

We instinctively turned and ran. My ears were ringing and the ground shook,

but we somehow managed to stay together. I yelled at everyone to keep

moving, to not look back no matter what. But when the firing stopped I

couldn't help myself, I turned around and witnessed the orbital plasma

bombardment of our home firsthand. It didn't last long. I didn't need to. But

the finality of it will be forever seared into my memory.

We've been on the run for three days now. The grime and smoke and ash clings

to our clothes, our hair. We sleep in shifts, but not for very long. Every sound

wakes us with a start and we expect to see the enemy bearing down on us.

We don't know where we're going but we've found some temporary shelter

amongst some old wreckage from the last time humanity was here - skeletons

of the past.

I can't help but think of the people we left behind. Will the Ark simply clean

them away as it repairs itself? As if they never existed, layering fresh grass

and fauna over their graves until the scars are no longer visible? They should not be

forgotten. I think of you and I pray we are not at war again.

Rise of Atriox I

ONI Section Zero Board//Surveillance transcription of internal communications

between subjects 'D' and 'S', 02.15.2550 0313 hrs//Full transcript available on

request//

['D'] Whatever it is you woke me for it had better be good. I have a 0600 with

Zero and I'm going to need my full four hours to keep ahead of them.

['S'] Yes, sir. It's one of the Unggoy we captured. It's offering information in

exchange for a deal.

['D'] A grunt? Why are you wasting my time? Those things don't know HOW to

tell the truth. Besides, something that far down the chain won't have access to

plans. Not beyond kitchen duty anyway.

['S'] You're right, sir. But it's not about the Covenant. The Unggoy says he was

snatched from the Covenant. You remember the attack on Carter Guard Armory

six weeks ago?

['D'] I'm still trying to make up the losses from the fallout. They took everything

we had and left no survivors. I've never seen the Covenant take our gear like

that before. Are you telling me we have a splinter group to contend with now?

['S'] Maybe. Whether they're our problem too is another matter. I started doing

some digging and the group's targets seem to be chiefly Covenant. I guess hit

what you know, eh? Anyway, I pulled the security vids of the raid to get the

Unggoy to identify the leader.

['D'] And did the grunt ID? Do we have a visual?

['S'] Pulling it up now. It's a little blurry, but what you're about to see is the

leader, a Jiralhanae, fighting a squad of ODSTs. There's a lot of blood, sir. It's not

an easy watch.

['D'] Good lord. Is he beating that ODST With...? Do we have a name?

['S'] We do, sir. From the Unggoy. Says his name is Atriox.

['D'] Make sure no one else talks to that grunt. I want this compartmentalized.

Some at ONI will see this as a problem to be fixed, not an opportunity. Find out

all you can on this Atriox and keep me informed.

The Turn of the Screw

Palmer, Nathaniel J. Archaeologist, Lamb Research Center. Date: 01/17/2559

It has been two months since the attack and our group has atrophied to eight.

Four disappeared one night while the rest of us slept. Each of them had argued

with us that week about returning to the base to see if they could reopen the

portal, so I can only hope they left in the night to go back without us. Three we

lost to thirst, hunger and the elements. I am ashamed to notice that our

smaller group is now more manageable - finding food and water is easier with

fewer mouths to feed.

During this time, the invaders have not been idle. Yesterday we stumbled upon

what seems to be some kind of transport route, moving resources they're

mining to supply their forces. The lanes sprawl out across the land like a spider

web, with all the grace and aesthetics of Forerunner design.

We rested and argued for a while about which direction to head in. There was a

real danger we could accidentally stumble upon an enemy base, but that could

also lead to supplies, perhaps even a vehicle we could steal.

We are hungry and exhausted and cannot last much longer in the wild. One of

us, Brewer, said as much and not for the first time raved about surrendering.

We thought we had talked him out of it but the next morning he had gone. If

he had successfully surrendered he could have given away our position, so we

had no choice but to start moving immediately.

We look for cover but avoid the trees because I have seen strange shimmers

and movement amongst them. I am scared and tired and want to give up. But

that won't get me back to you.

Rise of Atriox II

ONI Section Zero Board//Surveillance transcription of internal communications between

subjects 'D' and 'S'. 11.17.2550 1453 hrs//Full transcript available on request//

['S'] Sir. did you receive the report on Codename: Slow Dive? I thought you

should see it.

['D'] I did. although I'm not sure why I'm looking at it. Hit and run, neutralize

Covenant forward outpost...break it down for me, what am I missing? Why is

this an ONI concern? Did we lose anything vital?

['S'] No sir - in fact we suffered no casualties at all. When the team arrived at

the outpost it had already been wiped out. Every Covenant dead, every weapon

and vehicle gone. The only vehicles left look to have been sabotaged.

['D'] Crossed lines happen all the time. I take it you've already had a discrete poke

around the other departments. Did we have a Spartan black ops mission there?

['S'] No one's heard a peep, sir and l was very thorough. I've annotated the

report for you. The ballistics report confirms the majority of the damage came

from spikers, brute weapons. Remember our discussion about Atriox?

['D'] Ah. You think this could be his work. What did that Grunt call them, 'The

Banished'? Still out there, are they?

['S'] Once I saw the ballistics report I requested the last six months of mission

reports — under a proxy of course — and I believe I've found other similar

incidents; five months ago a rookie marine trips an alarm during a mission

against a Covenant training camp. The team dig in, fearing the worst but no

Covenant troops respond. The team sweep the camp only to find a few dead

Sangheili in a warehouse. Everything else is gone, vehicles, weapons, even the

rest of the Covenant that were stationed there. Once I started looking I found

five other similar cases, all against Covenant targets.

['D'] So he's not just stealing armaments, he's recruiting. At the moment he's still

using guerrilla tactics, which means he's still small time. Still, I'm impressed he's

still alive. If he's got a grudge against the Covenant we may be able to use his

attacks to our advantage, coordinate our operations with his raids. See if you

can find a pattern, I want us to follow him more closely. Who knows, we may be

able to come to some kind of agreement.

Alice-130 Report #1

Spartan Alice-130, Spirit of Fire Red Team. Date: 05/15/2559

This is senior chief petty officer Alice-130, recording status report. Operating comms silent.

I managed to hold them off as long as I could while the Pelicans carried out

Jerome and Douglas, and once they we clear I spotted a Ghost,

commandeered it and made for the nearest portal. There was a brute coming

through from the other side, and I have to admit, his surprised expression as he

bounced off the front of my Ghost was very satisfying.

The Portal transported me a couple of clicks away from the main force, so I

stashed the Ghost in a nearby cave and took up a watch. After a couple of

hours perched in a small indent of a cliff face, the hostiles had moved on. A

caravan detachment had captured some of our troop from back at the

outpost and were taking off in another direction of the main forces, so I've been

tracking them, maintaining comms silence until it's safe to contact the Spirit of :Fire.

One more thing - although the hostile forces consisted of both Unggoy and

Jiralhanae soldiers they're not kitted out like any I've seen before, and the taking

of prisoners is unusual behavior tor the Covenant. It's unclear yet whether this

is some kind of subfaction or new enemy force. I will continue to make and log

these reports until contact is reestablished. Alice-130, signing off.

The Blinded

From the journal of Orda Val 'Saham, Sangheili Guard 03/04/2559

How my ancestors would envy me. I have walked within the cavernous corridors

of one of the fabled cartographers on the Ark, a place long considered only in

legends. I still feel strong emotions here, for so much of the history of our race

is intrinsically bound up in it. But those emotions are not those of my ancestors.

No longer do I feel the religious reverence or feel humbled in the presence of the

ancient's structures and monuments. Gone is the comforting certainty of a

shared destiny and the peace and connection between brothers that comes

with it. Instead, when I close my eyes and breathe in the air around me, I smell

only machines. I remember how many hundreds of thousands of our warriors

fell — how many were sacrificed for a journey that never existed. I feel anger and

a deep sorrow for a race that has lost its way.

Even now, long after the Prophets' lies have been revealed, the ripples of that

revelation continue. I have become estranged from my family, who even after

the truth has come to light, refuse to fully renounce the ancient doctrines I

have brought shame upon our name by offering up my blade alongside my

brothers...for hire.

Battle and conflict is in our blood, our very way of life, and that is the only truth

I can now find. I cannot wait for another holy war, not will I be duped again.

With Atriox there are no lies; he speaks like a warrior. He wished to break free

from the yoke of the Prophets, so he did. Would that we had joined him earlier.

Now he offers us a way to keep our ship and our crew together and I can think

of nothing more truthful to fight for right now. The Shipmaster brought us

through the war and to this place alive where so many others have perished.

He asked us to follow him once more, and I will.

The Telegony

Professor Ellen Anders, Civilian Consultant 500493, Spirit of Fire. Date:

05/16/2559

As we continue our campaign against Atriox and the Banished, I continue to

discover more about the Forerunner's history and the Ark. Ever since Red Team

rescued Isabel, I've been pouring over her notes, trying to catch up on as much

history as possible. There are so many intertwining stories and revelations that

each new piece only throws up more questions, sending me darting down

another branch of investigation.

I am trying my best to remain focused, but it's hard not to wander occasionally

when something intrigues. However, my passion is tempered with my

responsibilities to the rest of the crew.

Although I am still a civilian here, I've been through too much with these people

to not consider the Spirit of Fire home and its crew family. Now I can help them

by beating Atriox in the race for knowledge. It's the only way to keep them...and :me...alive.

A Split Heart is Easily Conquered

From the journal of Orda Val 'Saham, Sangheili Guard 05/17/2559

This may be my last entry. The humans reached the Cartographer and by now

have no doubt discovered the location of Atriox's reinforcement portals. I admire

the humans' courage and skill as warriors; they are just one ship, but fight as

fiercely as an entire fleet! If their leader is as shrewd as he has appeared so far,

then he will understand the value of the portals and they must be the human's

next target. They're like|y already striking out to destroy them.

I have been ordered to defend the portals and must report to Decimus. This

gives me grave concern. When we first arrived at the Cartographer, I was

among the Sangheili who were to sweep the area for hostile elements and as

such I was privy to Decimus' movements.

He is Atriox's right—hand and pledges loyalty to the Banished, but as I watched

him walk among the ancient's halls I recognized the awe and reverence in his

eyes that I once saw among my own clan. I saw that fatal longing, that tragic

need to be once more struck dumb and blind by the promise of a wondrous

destiny. If we are to succeed, Decimus must purge these old conflicts from his

thoughts. A warrior's heart must be certain if he is to survive, as doubt is a

surer killer than the sharpest blade.