The Veiled Dominion

is a splinter organization of the Covenant, founded after the Fleet of Hastened Wrath was marooned by Forerunner Line installations. Developing in the absence of the Covenant, the Veiled Dominion evolved separately, forming its own government, military, and religion. Only recently have they crossed the Line Installations, and back into the galaxy at large.

The Marooning
The Fleet of Hastened Wrath was, as it's name implied, hastily formed, in response to a poorly understood threat rising at the edge of Covenant space. Several exploratory ships had vanished, and a squadron of warships sent to investigate vanished also. In response to this unknown threat, the Prophets authorised an overwhelming response, with a large fleet commanded by Fleet Master Artan 'Kaluur. Confident of victory against their unknown foe, 'Kaluur took his entire fleet into slipspace, and travelled to the last point of contact with the lost ships.

Reaching their destination, his fleet suddenly came under attack, their ships plucked from slipspace, fired upon by a barrage of energy weapons, and thrown into the gravity well of a planet. The entire fleet, more than a hundred and fifty vessels, came under attack in this manner, some failing to survive the re-entry. Despite trying to organize a defence, when Artan's carrier was hit, he knew the battle was lost. A single corvette escaped the massacre, recording on its luminary the details of the Forerunner weapons. It returned to High Charity, reporting on it's findings. The Prophets decreed that all records of the fleet were to be sealed, and the area designated a forbidden territory.

However, on the surface of the Line Installation, the fleet had not been exterminated. There were several thousand survivors, including Artan, and several prophets. Establishing a makeshift camp, the survivors found themselves attacked by strange machinery at night, killing some, snatching others. Artan, leading the survivors, focused his efforts on repairing his command ship, in hopes of getting off world. Salvaging supplies and parts from the other ships, Artan oversaw repairs by day, while he devised the defence of the survivors at night, until they finally repaired their ship. Rather than attempt a traditional exit, they initiated a slip-space event on the ground, teleporting themselves, and a chunk of the planet, into slipspace. Knowing they couldn't go back, they ventured past the Line Installation, into unknown space.

A New Home
Escaping the Line Installation, the wary survivors fled to slipspace, in hopes of finding a habitable world to rest at. While travelling, they discovered a Forerunner site through their luminary. Changing course to meet it, they found an abandoned world, strewn in Forerunner temples, and empty arcologies. Setting down here, Artan led his survivors, numbering just 5000, onto the world, seeking shelter. Amongst the abandoned Forerunner structures, they established camps, preparing to gather supplies and relics. Most prepared to journey back to High Charity, ready to brave the Line Installation once more. However, Artan and many others, wanted to stay, unwilling to face certain death. In the end, most wished to stay, and only a few wanted to brave an escape. Allowing them to take the carrier, albeit without any of the weapons or supplies. The carrier left, never to be seen again. Attempting to evade the Line Installation, it ran into another, and was shot down. The already damaged vessel was torn asunder in the gravity of a gas giant, its wreckage consumed by it's crushing gravity.

Artan now faced the challenge of leading a group of survivors on an alien world. Despite insistences from the Minister of Consecration that he should be in charge, most followed Artan's word, as he organized parties to gather supplies, to hunt, to sow seeds, and to establish a base. They occupied an abandoned Arcology, moving into the empty super-structure to find shelter, bedding and a home.

However, Artan knew survival was not possible, not for everyone. He instead focus his efforts on ensuring the survivors could survive, long enough to see rescue. The community of survivors bunkered down in their home, for one year, then another, and then another. Fifteen years passed, and no sign of rescue came. To make matters worse, Consecration was riling up some of the survivors, blaming Artan for their situation, in a bid to take control of the situation. Artan came to terms with the fact no rescue would come, and instead focused on their future. The Sangheili, Kig-Yar, and Lekgolo had enough members of the opposite sex to breed, but of the four Prophets marooned, only one was female. They would likely die-out within a few generations. He began to put measures in place, to secure their future, and make sure there would be future generations.

Rebellions
Artan's growing focus on survival, rather than escape, began to frustrate some, who began to come around to Consecration's camp. Consecration began to stockpile weaponry, preparing to usurp Artan's leadership. He used a small Forerunner bunker as a base of operations, his troops beginning to rally their in preparation for the uprising. However, Artan loyalists had long infiltrated Concecration's faction. Before he had the opportunity to ever put his plan into motion, Artan surrounded and subdued his rebels, capturing them. The survivors were too few in number to allow them to kill the rebels, so instead he had them imprisoned them in the very bunker they used. Consecration was given no such quarter though, and was publicly executed as a warning to anybody else.

Government and politics
The Dominion is headed by the Princeps, the hereditary ruler of the group. The current Princeps is Eischal 'Kaluur, descendent of the first Princeps. At his right hand, is the Praetor, the executer of his will. Both a political agent, and a military general, the Praetor ensures the security of both his liege and the Dominion.

Day to day operations of the Dominion are run by the Kaidon Consuls. These are the hereditary rulers of the Dominion's Keeps, leaders who arrange the day to day affairs of both their state, and the Dominion as a whole. The Consuls are ultimately subservient to the Princeps, but do have powers to limit his activities. The Consuls and Princeps have at times, not seen eye to eye, prompting friction, and the use of their veto. The military side of the Dominion is entirely out of their hands, however, and controlled by the Princeps, and the Praetor.