User:Imperial Misanthrope/Covenant Remnants (Imperial Misanthrope)

"We beat them in the war, but we never did find out where they came from you know, stands to reason they'd came back at us at some point"

- Anonymous Marine

The Covenant Remnant is a political and military body of surviving former Covenant leaders who still wish to rule the former Covenant Empire, and follow the Great Journey. The Remnant was formed officially under the self proclaimed triumvirate of San ‘Shyuum, Discipline, Nobility and Labour, and a Federation of Jiralhanae clans. The Covenant Remnant is also infamously made up of conquered species much like the former Covenant Empire, such as some Unggoy, Yanme’e and Huragok, though the majority of these species are in fact independent, or allied with the ISE or UNSC.

Synopsis
The Covenant Remnant was formed in 2561CE during the Sangheili 1st Age of Realization. Very few San ‘Shyuum survived the Human-Covenant-Flood War; however in 2555 three of them were able to group under mysterious circumstances. Working for a full six years to gain the unity of the once again divided Jiralhanaen clans, the Prophets eventually were able to form the pivotal Assembly of Doisac, where the heads of almost every clan came together. In merely a few days, the three Prophets were able to surreptitiously coax the Chieftains into uniting again under the proverbial banner of the San ‘Shyuum.

Utilizing this Federation of Jiralhanae, the three Prophets took on their current names of Discipline, Nobility, and Labour, and ushered in the combined strength of the Covenant Remnant. The New Remnant’s Capital resides on the Jiralhanae Homeworld of Doisac, lead by the High Council of Jiralhanae Chieftains and the Triumvirate of the Three High Prophets. The basis of this union is quite simple; unlike the Covenant, the Covenant Remnant’s goal is to reclaim the former territories of the former Covenant Empire, and to crush the victorious UNSC and ISE, which was one of the main topics of the Assembly of Doisac.

Government


The Government is made up of two significant bodies; The High Council, and the lower constituents. The High Council is comprised of the Three Prophet Hierarchs, and two lower bodies, the Jiralhanaen Chieftains, and an opposing body of located San ‘Shyuum. The High Council here is meant to replicate that held in the former Covenant Empire. The Three Hierarchs possess less power than in the Covenant Empire, however they still retain phenomenal amounts of personal authority, that make them essentially the leaders of the Covenant Remnant. The two lower ‘houses’ decide and create all law, though the Hierarchs may not submit law, they have a say whether one is passed. The High Council also deals with all civil trials, military affairs, and general governing of the Remnant territories.

The Constituents, as they are known as, are the lower level governing bodies of Remnant territories and control the individual economies, and act in much the same way as a US State, albeit with far less individual power from the High Council than a US State does to their Federal Government. The Constituents are made up of a Governor and a cabinet. Individual Governors rule over selected planets or planetoids of Remnant Territory, and possess a Fleet subject to their will when not in service to the High Council.

Military
The Military is a more divided entity than it was in the Covenant Empire. The armies and fleets of the Remnant are raised and supported by the Constituents instead of the High Council, however in times of war or invasion, the army and navy in total are subject to the orders of the High Council.

Each territory of the Remnant is expected to raise its own army and naval forces that are to be committed to combat when necessary. The military of each territory is made up of Jiralhanae occupants, and for the majority a number of conscripted species, most of which include several Yanme’e hives and Unggoy planets and planetoids. The Remnant also hires numerous Kig-Yar mercenaries, and keeps a small number of Huragok around to decipher and unlock Forerunner artifacts that may add to Remnant technology.

Current Standards
Current Remnant military standards stand at Tier 2 technology, with much of their ships and technology being modeled after that of the old Covenant military, such as plasma pistols, Fuel Rod Guns, Plasma Torpedoes, Energy Projectors, et cetera. However, much of their ground based weaponry is more diverted towards Jiralhanae technology, which stays at a Tier 3 level.

In terms of numbers, it took until the year 2572 to build up enough forces to lay any form of war to the UNSC or ISE. At that time the Fleets numbered in total in the hundreds and their infantry in the millions.

Operations: The 40th Age of Conflict
In the year 2574CE, the Covenant Remnant had finally been able to build and coordinate enough of its forces to commit to a war of territorial gain, which it had begun since its initial conquests in the late 2560’s, which the UNSC and ISE were in no position to stop at the time. In May of 2574CE, the High Prophet of Discipline announced the 40th Age of Conflict, and along with his fellow Hierarchs, ushered in the Remnant Wars.

The Wars lasted for brief periods of time, usually large skirmishes between the built up might of the UNSC and ISE, followed by a year or so of rebuilding, though minor skirmishes were common and seen all over at strategic points, though in the many years of the wars neither the Remnant, ISE or UNSC gained much territory from either side.

However, in 2587CE, the Remnant tactic changed. A large combined Fleet of several interior territories amassed, and systematically jumped into Slipspace, exiting in the Urs System, the home system of Sanghelios. Apparently unknown to them, Sanghelios had deployed probes and minor satellites all over the system, much like the human had done in the Sol system. As a result, the large Fleet that had attempted to approach Sanghelios without triggering any alarm, and form up before attacking, was caught off guard by several Fleets of the ISE and the Human Delta-Force Fleet that had been stationed at Sanghelios as to do a virtual test on the Surface-to-Space Plasma Cannons being set up on several positions of the planet’s surface.

As a result, the Fleet was routed and began to scatter out of formation, making it easy prey for the several Allied Fleets to push out of the system.

In 2589CE, the Remnant was under pressure from both the UNSC and ISE forces. Since the attack on Sanghelios, it had become apparent to the allies that a sufficient blow to the Remnant territories may be enough to at the very least keep them occupied long enough to mount adequate defences in their own territories. Near the end of the year, a Combined Fleet of ISE, UNSC, and several units of Mgalekgolo, allied primarily with the ISE were dispatched into Remnant territory with the intent of crippling their main naval operations.

Exiting Slipspace in one of the inner systems, the Fleet immediately obliterated a naval outpost, ushering in the warning to the Remnants. Far from a mere show of strength, the Naval outpost was the main refueling depot for Remnant forces in the area. Moving inwards, the Fleet then proceeded to engage a Remnant Fleet that had amassed over the nearby planet of “Familiar Clarity”.

“Island Hopping” from planet to planet of the inner Remnant territories, the Allied Combined forces were able to lay siege to Doisac in the later months of 2590CE. After several weeks of bombardment threats, and multiple arguments within the Allied command structure as to whether they should just glass the planet or not, the Remnant Government finally conceded to the Allied Forces.

By 2591, the outer colonies of the Remnant were under UNSC or ISE control, with the inner colonies too devastated to support a large military for many years to come, which would put the Remnant at a serious disadvantage in the Accidental War that would occur the following year.

The Accidental War
The Remnant’s part in the war was minor; however Doisac itself did come under attack from the Marionette Fleet of Thoughtful Security in 2596CE. This began the Second Battle of Doisac, a desperate struggle that resulted in the Marionette Fleet vanishing after kidnapping the High Prophet of Nobility. After the War ended the Prophet was returned, however he was so mentally disturbed by the ordeal that he was deemed unfit to serve as a Hierarch.

As a result, the Remnant remained aggressive after the war towards the Vincicitum Invasionary Task Force, however it was in such bad shape from the Early Remnant Wars and Accidental War that it was in no position to do anything about them.

Society
The Covenant Remnant, like the former Covenant, is primarily a hierarchical styled society based upon rulers, citizens, secondary citizens, and slaves:


 * Rulers: The rulers of the Covenant Remnant are the top of the proverbial food chain. They make all decisions, have some immunity to various laws, and hold authority and respect over the lower castes. This caste is comprised of The San ‘Shyuum and Jiralhanae Chieftains


 * Citizens: Citizens are comprised of the Jiralhanae and Kig-Yar. Though the Kig-Yar are not considered technically citizens, they are on the same level since they are hired mercenaries from outside of the Remnant Territories. Jiralhanae are the true citizens of the Remnant, enjoying many privileges accorded tot heir status. These include preference by the Ruling Class, and social superiority over the lower castes.


 * Secondary Citizens: Secondary citizens are comprised of distinguished Slaves and criminalized citizens, mainly just a go between the two castes. Jiralhanae who have become outcasts are a part of this caste, and distinguishable Unggoy, Yanme’e or other slave races are a part of this group.


 * Slaves: The lowest caste are the dregs and stairs of society. This largest caste is comprised of debtor Jiralhanae and Kig-Yar, and the majority of the slave species conquered by the Remnant.

Religion
Religion still plays a major role in the Covenant Remnant. With the Jiralhanae bent on the words of the San ‘Shyuum, and the Prophets wills primed on ascending to Godhood, the San ‘Shyuum hold magnanimous power that allows them to do just about anything they wish.

Unlike the Covenant Empire, however, the lower castes do not believe so dearly in the Great Journey as they once did, the Unggoy and Yanme’e in particular merely do as they are told rather than heed the religion itself.