User:XW3 AR3 L3GION/Ascetic Zealots

"The true devotee honours our name with actions, not words."

- Mantra of the Zealots

The Ascetic Zealots are a special caste inside Sangheili society and military order, known for their constant years of devotion to Asceticism and martial prowess on the battlefield. Once a proud symbol of the Sangheili religion, based on the worship and protection of Forerunner artifacts, the Ascetics were officially disbanded by the San 'Shyuum at the end of the Sangheili-San 'Shyuum War. However, few Ascetics units survived but were forced into ceremonial positions guarding lower ranking San 'Shyuum officals.

The Imperial Zealots, San 'Shyuum attempts to produce elite units of Sangheili, were incredibly talented killing machines and inflicted huge casualties amongst the human military forces in the Great War. Many were used as suicide warriors, dropped deep into enemy-held territory to inflict the maximum amount of damage as possible. However, Imperial Zealots were but imitations of Ascetic Zealots who had become stuff of legend and myth amongst Sangheili.

After the Great Betrayal and the forming of an independent Sangheili nation, the Ascetics became relevent once again in Sangheili society. Presently, the Order of the Ascetics maintain a large an extensive Temple in the Northern Mountains in Sanghelios' Artic Circle, where the largest Forerunner relic on Sanghelios exists.

Ascetic Zealots are trained from birth to uphold the standards and laws of the Sangheili and to become master swordsmen. Typically, only lower ranking Ascetic Zealots are ever seen wielding anything other than an energy sword, while higher ranking Ascetics distinguish themselves by wielding two energy swords as a mark of their martial prowess. Ascetics are taught to revere and humble themselves in the presence of Forerunner relics. They are charged with the discovery and protection of Forerunner relics, no matter what the value and what the cost of life involved. However, unlike their predecessors, modern Ascetics openly encourage the exploration of Forerunner relics to help further the Sangheili cause.