Toru 'Makhan

Toru 'Makhan (formerly Makhanee) was a Sangheili military and political leader who emerged from obscurity in the aftermath of the to command a sizeable  faction known as the Imperium of Clarity. While not directly antagonistic towards either the UNSC or the Swords of Sanghelios, Toru proved to be a thorn in their side nonetheless through constant political and military maneuvering that made him one of the more dangerous warlords in the post-war era.

Hailing from a poor family living aboard High Charity, Toru was noted for his determination to succeed at any cost and was already a fairly talented warrior by the time he joined the Covenant Military at the age of nineteen. He would distinguish himself multiple times in the field and would eventually succeed in joining the Covenant's Special Operations division, where his talents for both combat and strategy were more appreciated. As war broke out with mankind, Toru would participate in numerous covert missions against this new foe over the years until he earned a promotion to the rank of Ultra in 2533, joining the esteemed Ker 'Montunee's personal retinue on the battlefield. Under 'Montunee's guidance, Toru honed his abilities even further as they continued their campaigns against the Humans, and would even become an adviser to the older officer, providing valuable tactical insight when needed.

It was this that helped him gain a promotion to Shipmaster years later, fighting in a number of naval engagements over the next decade with an impressive level of success. As rumours of his mentor's seditious beliefs spread, Toru betrayed 'Montunee by reporting him to the Ministry of Inquisition and personally participated in his execution. While he was formally appointed to the rank of Fleet Master after this incident, Toru was essentially exiled to a fleet on the furthest reaches of their empire, where he soon began to built up influence and connections among the races there towards the end of the war. As the Covenant's empire fell apart, Toru kept well away from the infighting among his kind and focused on cultivating his own miniature fiefdom, eventually promoting himself to the rank of Imperial Admiral and founding the Imperium of Clarity.

Early Life
Toru 'Makhan was born in the Covenant's capital city of in 2480. His family largely comprised of lower-class workers who despite their high standing compared to other Covenant races in the Covenant's hierarchy, did not enjoy a great deal of success. Without the money to depart the city and move to or another colony, the only way male members of Toru's family could leave was by joining the military. Growing up as part of a fairly tight-knit community within their district that followed few of the customs practised by more traditional Sangheili clans, he was trained to fight from an early age by his father, who had fought during the and other conflicts earlier in life. While informal compared to the lessons taught to the children of more affluent families, Toru quickly became adept at using melee weapons and was certainly one of the better fighters in his district by the time he entered his teen years.

It was not until he reached the age of fourteen that Toru first realised how poorly his family were treated by other Sangheili. While High Charity was indeed seen as a holy city and a site that many within the Covenant Empire travelled to on pilgrimage, a good portion of its vast populace lived in poverty. While on a trip to the upper districts with his family, Toru had encountered a few other Sangheili children visiting from their homeworld. After discovering his background they had mocked his supposedly poor lineage, prompting a brief brawl that was broken up by several nearby guards and an upper-class relative of one of the other boys. As he had badly beaten several of his opponents, Toru would have likely been imprisoned or even killed by the aristocrat were it not for the intervention of his father, who begged for his life. As a result, the other Sangheili would burn the side of his father's face with his energy sword, which was considered a mark of extreme shame for some. Forced to watch the humiliating sentence carried out, Toru was not allowed to enter the upper districts again by his family as they attempted to resume their normal lives. This incident instilled a lifelong hatred of the upper classes in Toru, who vowed to force his way through the ranks of the Covenant's hierarchy to prove his worth in spite of his low social standing.

List of Appearances

 * Punishment (2547)