Arbiter (Halo)
The Arbiter is a title that features in Halo.
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History
An Arbiter was a position that was created by the Sangheili and used by their kind on their homeworld of Sanghelios. Many centuries ago, a tyrannical Arbiter judge-king came to power who ruled the continent of Qivro until a sword brother of Kaidons arose to form the Swords of Sangelios who overthrew him in a time before their race became a spacefaring species. Despite that occurrence, Arbiters continued to arise among their race where they continued to lead their species as the Sangheili began to colonise dozens of other worlds. In 938 BCE, the frontier colony world of Ulgethon came to make first contact with the San'Shyuum who arrived on-board the Forerunner Dreadought. Initial contact between the two species became violent as the reigning Arbiter triggered hostilities by decapitating the San'Shyuum delegation and returning their heads to them. This resulted in the War of Beginnings that lasted many decades with the San'Shyuum quickly coming to realise the importance of the position of Arbiter in Sangheili society. The conflict came to an end when a pact was forged between the two races with the signing of the Writ of Union that led to the establishment of the Covenant with the Arbiter holding an important place within this newly forged empire. Though losing much of their traditions, the Sangheili maintained the position of Arbiter that was a rank afforded to the commander-in-chief of the Covenant military.
Events changed when an Arbiter challenged the word of the Prophets and was branded as a heretic as a result. From that point onwards, the title of Arbiter was deemed as a mark for the Elite's most spectacularly failed warriors.
In 2462, the Covenant was torn by strife during the Unggoy Rebellion when the Grunts staged an open revolt following tensions with the Kig-Yar. The Arbiter was appointed to put down the insurrection where they determined the means of stopping it was by taking a fleet to partially glass the Unggoy homeworld of Balaho. Seeing the near extermination of their species, the rebelling Grunts came to surrender where they pledged themselves back to the Covenant.
During the Human-Covenant War, the Prophet of Regret made Ripa 'Moramee an Arbiter where he had been charged with the destruction of humanity. Acting as the Arbiter, 'Moramee led Covenant forces during the Harvest campaign, the Battle for Arcadia and the Battle of the Etran Harborage.
After the Human-Covenant War ended, the Arbiter ratified the Treaty of 2552 with the Unified Earth Government in order to declare peace between the Sangheili and humanity. The Arbiter established the Swords of Sanghelios and attempted to unify the Sangheili species, although he did not receive universal approval among his people.
Overview
In appearance, the Arbiters were skilled warriors of the Sangheili and traced their history to their homeworld. Those chosen from the ranks of their people used to rule their world with pride and vigilance where they had survived perils from both land and sea. Those that held this position were said to had been part-judge and part-kings with these warrior-rulers being unlike any that would follow them. Arbiters were held as the pinnacle of the Sangheili and served as a leader of the clans with them being a master of the battlefield.
Over time, the Arbiter came to be a ceremonial, religious, and political rank bestowed upon Covenant Elites. Its position changed during the time of the Covenant where it became a mark of shame placed upon an Elite. In reality, the branding of an Arbiter was a political move by the Prophets to eliminate a growing politically powerful Sangheili.
The armor of the Arbiter was seemingly recovered and stored in the Mausoleum of the Arbiter.
Members
- Ripa 'Moramee : a ruthless male warlord who was imprisoned for a failed coup d'état against his kaidon but was released by the High Prophet of Regret who named him Arbiter and charged him with the extermination of humanity during the Human-Covenant War. He accompanied his master to the Forerunner shieldworld of Etran Harborage but was ultimately killed in a fight with Sergeant John Forge.
- Thel 'Vadamee : a highly skilled male Elite whose successes in the Human-Covenant War led to him rising to the position of Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice. However, the destruction of Halo ring Installation 04 along with his growing popularity in the public led to the Prophets deciding to engineer his fall where they named him Arbiter in the hope that he would die in this role. During the Great Schism, he came to learn of the Prophets deceptions and came to lead the Elite n revolt against them leading to the Covenant Civil War where the Sangheili established their own nation that the Arbiter came to head with him leading the Swords of Sanghelios.
Notes
- The Arbiter was created by Bungie where it featured in the setting of the Halo universe.
- In an interview, lead designer David Pottinger described Ensemble's Arbiter as a "mean guy. He's Darth Vader times ten."
Appearances
- Halo 2:
- Halo 3:
- Halo Wars:
External Links
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