Ragan 'Tagrah

Early Life
Ragan was born in 2507 on the Sangheili homeworld of Sanghelios within the Tagrah Keep in the State of Tagrah. The Tagrahs were a line known for it's strong bloodline and reputation as relentless and ferocious warriors. Like many children, he was raised in a common home to be a warrior and to serve the gods. He and his fellows would be trained under the watchful eye of Vhagur 'Tagrahee. Ragan's childhood was actually a rather lonely one. He had no brothers nor any uncles. For this he was often isolated during his youth and had did not have many friends for a long time. Back then he was not the strongest of Vhagur Tagrahee's students, not even the top five, but he had qualities that Vhagur quickly spotted. Out of all his pupils, Ragan was by far the most enthusiastic, studious, and attentive. He was not the best fighter among them but he hated losing and so learned his lessons faster than any of the others.

Once he was old enough he attended a prominent War College in the region and this time gained the recognition and respect of his peers. He became reputed as a tough fighter and excellent duelist, something that he would find many admired. After his training was complete, Ragan graduated with honors in his crèche. His crèche would then be garrisoned with the Ilamus Legion, a fresh unit of which many of his kin from Tagrah would also be assigned to.

Early Service
Ragan was in the Army for little more than a year when word came that the Covenant had encountered another race, "Humans". At first Ragan was excited at the idea of converting a new race into the folds of the Covenant, but he was surprised when he learned that there would be no conversion, instead a unconditional campaign of extermination. Anywhere that they are found they are to be killed to the last and their all signs of their presence cleansed from their worlds. This confused a young Ragan as the Covenant had never refused entry to a race before. But he did not question the Prophets orders and prepared himself for war.

He would be sorely disappointed to learn that while his fleet was mobilized and moved towards the conflict, it would stay in reserve and for almost a year they would not participate in active combat. He heard stories of the battles raging on the human world of "Harvest", tales of a back and forth battle that left the world in ruins. It irked Ragan that they were not a partaking in the glory.

Battle of New Trinidad (2527)
"Many warriors remember keenly their first kill. I do not. It was in the heat of the moment, we were running and firing as we went. A human soldier appeared over a barricade. I fired and he disappeared. I never got a look at him it was so fast."

- Ragan accounting his first kill

Eventually his fleet would receive orders to deploy to a newly discovered human colony called New Trinidad. This campaign would be Ragan's first taste of real combat. Their scouting vessels had discovered a human freighter and upon capturing it pried the location of the planet from it's shipmaster which proved too easy.

Battle of Rhododendron (2538)
"I still remember those bloody days. Everything went wrong, from start to finish...and everyone paid for it, because of the incompetence of a few idiots! When I close my eyes I can still see those muddy fields strewn with the bloated bodies of our fallen brothers. And who had to hold it all together? Who had to carry our battered and bloodied carcasses through till the next day? That responsibility...was mine alone. There was no one less left. There was no glory that day, there was nothing that day for us..."

- Ragan reflecting on the disastrous battle on Rhododendron

Five months after the battle of Avalon, Ilamus Legion was transferred to the recently formed Fleet of Infinite Sacrifice and attached to the ship Commitment and Compunction, under the overall command of a unusually young Ship Master by the name of Hora 'Wattinre, of the noble lineage of Wattinr. The transfer was not a easy one as the fleet was a fresh unit, and it's commander was of a particularly brash and arrogant breed and there were murmurs that 'Wattinre had been promoted too quickly.

During the Legion's mustering Ragan was met by the Ship Master of the vessel, Vekta 'Tagrahee, a well respected naval commander. Ragan knelt and introduced himself and his men to their new commanding officer, as he rose from kneeling he looked into Vekta's eyes and what he saw shocked him. Vekta had the very same eyes as that of his own, and it was at that moment that Ragan knew that this was his father.

Battle of Bastogne
"Be warned. Humans might be primitive, but stay in their line of sight and their weapons will kill you. Let your guard down and their tactics will destroy you. Do not underestimate them."

- Field Master Ragan to a subordinate

Battle of Actium
"Now here is an enemy with spine! Come my brothers, let us meet them with faith and fire! With blood and rage! The god's test us with these foes...onwards till salvation greets us!"

- Field Master Ragan at the Battle of Actium

Personality
In his youth Ragan was a imperious and devout believer of the Great Journey, equal parts holy warrior and firebrand. Amongst all of Vhagur Tagrahee's students he was the most enthusiastic, studious, and attentive. As a Zealot Ragan truly lived up to his title, a zealous believer of the Path and vehement persecutor of heretics.

Despite his fiery zeal he takes great care for those under his command. After the Battle of Rhododendron more than 80% of his legion was wiped out by disaster after disaster. The loss of almost every one of his childhood friends left him exceptionally sobered. When he wasn't screaming fiery speeches to his men he was a noble commander who did his best to preserve his soldiers even if it meant risking death to go back for them himself.

In every way he truly believed in the holiness of their mission to exterminate the humans. But as the years wore on he began to be disturbed by what he considered to be dishonorable actions. To exterminate the defenseless was not the way of a true warrior, Ragan wanted to fight against their armies, to kill and be killed with weapon in hand. But many missions simple ended with glassing or attacks on civilian populations. His mission to New Seattle was especially upsetting when he gunned down an unarmed family. It went against everything that Ragan was to be so "dishonorable". As time went on his ego slowly crumbled and his pride guttered away as he came to see himself as a mere butcher. Nightmares plagued him for years, from the muddy fields of Rhododendron, the dozens of worlds he burned, and that small home on New Seattle. Still he believed in his duty to the Covenant and his gods. It was his faith that kept him alive.

When word came that the Prophets had betrayed them, it nearly destroyed him. When the red haze of hatred finally left him he quickly slumped into a deep depression. He realized that everything that his race had done and bled for was for lies, including his own atrocities. He realized that if the Prophets had lied then the humans were not heretics but innocent, which meant that what he did was not for a holy crusade but a political agenda. For a time he had no idea what to do with himself, what his race would do, or how they will reconcile their crimes.

But it was after a summit with the humans that fate would have him face someone who has haunted his dreams for years. Emerging from this, he had the epiphany that the Sangheili do not need gods or a purpose to be who they are, living was enough. He still remained guilt ridden for his actions during the war but embraced the coming era with hope. With the threat of the Halo rings still out there and the remnants of the Covenant still at large, Ragan's will to fight was reignited. But this time he fought for his own reasons; to protect his people and eventually atone for his actions.

Blade Style
Ragan was an excellent swordsmen, following in the traditions of his lineage his style was to be ferocious and above all relentless. In a fight Ragan never allows the enemy to regain their footing or to gather momentum.