User:Postmortem/Sandbox

Multi-system species

As space-faring species began colonizing other star systems throughout the Milky Way, many planets were discovered with thriving populations of identical or near-identical plant and animal species, some recognizable from the colonists' respective homeworlds. In many cases, this was a result of the Forerunner Conservation Measure and manipulation by the Lifeworker Rate. In other cases, the cause was not as clear.

On planets where native species were not identical, they largely tended to follow standard morphological baselines to those observed on Earth. Fish looked like fish, insects looked like insects. Amphibians, reptiles, avians, and mammals could all largely be grouped into the same class as their Earth counterparts, even if local environmental pressures caused them to evolve along alternative biological paths. For example, the Jiralhanae homeworld Doisac had a species of cattle which were used by the Jiralhanae similarly to Earth cattle, and the Kig-Yar homeworld Eayn had species of hawks and vultures.

Terraforming

In the process of terraforming other worlds, humanity employed various methods to nudge local environments towards Earth-normal, as well as sustain a growing population of frontier colonists. Many of these involved the introduction of human agriculture and livestock, as well as forms of wild plant and animal life to balance ecosystems and air levels for human habitability.

Some of the species introduced by humanity onto alien worlds include:

Earth ecology

On other worlds, Earth-native species were discovered prior to human colonization. On many planets, it was common to find species of terrestrial grasses, ferns, moss, and lichen. On others, more notable species were observed, sometimes dwelling alongside exotic, alien flora, other times as part of ecosystems nearly identical to some found on Earth.

The following is a list of known instances where Earth-native lifeforms were observed on alien worlds:

Arcadia and Trove

• Banana plant
• Eastern white pine
• Elephant ear
• Date palm

Circinius-IV

• Black cottonwood
• Pacific dogwood
• Red alder
• Sitka spruce
• Vine maple
• Western hemlock
• Western red cedar
• Western paper birch
• Hawthorn
• Hazelnut
• Huckleberry

Concord

• Juniper
• Sage

Harvest

• Magnolia trees
• Oak trees

Onyx

• Acacia trees

Reach

• Douglas fir

Exotic ecology

Beta Gabriel and Alluvion

• 

  Paelosur

• 

  Qothal

The Paelosur and Qothal, or "nightmare eel", were discovered on both Beta Gabriel and Alluvion, an Inner Colony and Outer Colony, respectively.

The Mantle of Responsibility

Although the Mantle of Responsibility was a wide-ranging belief interpreted in many forms by the Forerunner, and began as a more esoteric concept involving neural physics at the hands of the Precursors it did have some precepts that were put to writing. Those few have been collected here.

Numbers

• Didact's Number
  • Fifth Permutation - The peaceful one is at war without and within.

The Twelve Laws of Making and Moving

The Twelve Laws of Making and Moving were another group of written teachings pertaining to the Mantle, especially as regards the higher rates of Forerunner who had the ability to influence worlds.

1. The Mantle shelters all.
2. All is of the Mantle, and Living Time.
3. Preserve and protect all life, for all life has its place in Living Time.
4. Living Time is the joy of life's interaction with the cosmos.
5. Struggle and suffering is a part of Living Time.
6. Living Time must not be exempt of suffering.
7. The Mantle knows all truth, so bear it in your own heart.
8. The Domain is one with the Mantle.
9. [unknown]
10. [unknown]
11. [unknown]
12. [unknown]

List of appearances

• Halo 3 (Terminals) (First appearance)
• Halo: Cryptum
• Halo: Primordium
• Halo: Silentium
• Halo: Point of Light

Sangheili sayings

Much like humans, the Sangheili had many sayings and proverbs that encapsulated their cultural wisdom.

Sayings

Halo: Mortal Dictata

• "A slight against one Kig-Yar is a slight against all Kig-Yar, but fortunately they're still fighting each other over what they should do about it."

Halo: Hunters in the Dark

• "To spill blood outside of battle is a great dishonor."
• "The velithra can only walk the path one at a time."
• "Those who always look to the sky never see what is right before them." -- Saying of the Sumai clan

Halo: Empty Throne

• "It is the warrior who wields the weapon. The weapon must never wield the warrior."

Ceremonial curveblade inscriptions

Many ancient ceremonial curveblades were inscribed with Sangheili proverbs on the hilt. Some examples of such proverbs include:

• "Words are most powerful before blades are drawn."
• "The sun warms those who stand before those who kneel in their shadows."
• "Strength comes from recognizing another's weakness."
• "When night falls, even the greatest colo herder, will still smell like a colo"
• "Do not ignore the words of those who saw the sun before you."
• "No blade is sharp enough to cut an unknown enemy."

List of appearances

• Halo: The Flood (First appearance)
• Halo 5: Guardians

Spartan Battle Signals

Spartan-II operatives developed their own unique battle language comprised of silent hand-signals and LED HUD sequences, which later came to be utilized by Spartan-IIIs and presumably some Spartan-IVs.

Hand Signals

Gesture	Meaning
Two fingers touching helmeted faceplate	Indicates a smile

Status Light Signals

Spartan HUDs displayed LED status symbols for integrated members of a fireteam, capable of signaling in green, amber, and red. In addition to broadcasting a solid color, the status lights could be flashed in certain sequences to signal specific messages:

Sequence	Meaning
Double-green	"Go"

List of appearances

• Halo: The Fall of Reach (First appearance)