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This topic has moved here: Subject: Halo Cryptum Questions (Spoilers)
  • Subject: Halo Cryptum Questions (Spoilers)
Subject: Halo Cryptum Questions (Spoilers)

Expressing my strong liberal views without shame. Favorite quotes below:

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
"One starts to live when he can live outside himself."

- Albert Einstein

I've just finished reading Cryptum, and needless to say, I have some questions. The book was certainly a different way of writing the Halo canon. I felt like Greg Bear was teaching me about the Halo Universe, rather than telling me a story about it. But moving on...

1) It is mentioned that there was a divide in the Forerunners about how to deal with the Flood. The Prometheans wanted to created Fortress (Shield Worlds), whereas an extreme faction of the Builders built the Halo arrays.

Question: Were the Halo arrays designed to directly kill Flood? Or, as the games say, was their purpose to kill all sentient life to starve the Flood. Also, do the rings cause physical damage? For example, it said that structures on Charum Hakkor were destroyed (as a result of Halo ring?)

2) The Forerunners "devolved" humans? How? Wasn't evolutionary manipulation a power the Precursors had?

3) The number of Halo arrays got convoluted in my mind. So there wer 12 initially, one disappeared, there were 11 around the capital, and Medicant Bias had control of five. The other 7 tried to escape, but one was destroyed, so only six of the 11 Halo arrays made it to the Ark? Was the 12th one found yet?

4) Seeing as the captive was a Precursor, is it reasonable to assume the Flood was a result of Precursor technology? That the Precursors sent those containers in starships from distant galaxies to take revenge on the Forerunners (and if yes, revenge for what?)

I intend on re-reading the novel before Primordium, but nontheless, some clarification would be appreciated.

  • 07.20.2011 11:47 PM PDT

I wake up to find myself
After all these years
And where all the time has gone
Still seems so unclear

The Halo Array was as described "complete neural destruction." It destroyed all matter that had a neurological center developed enough to sustain the Flood.

The Precursors has the ability to accelerate evolution, the Forerunners had the ability to reverse it.

As far as I can remember, Bias had his original and there were 12 other Halos. He took 5, 6 escaped and 1 was destroyed before it could escape. But, remember, the Ark can make more.

The captive is a Precursor, yes. The Forerunner's had examples of Precursor technology and ships, yet they did not recognize the ship the Flood powder was on. However, if I recall correctly, the Forerunners rebelled against the Precursors. So, it's possible the Flood was made to stop them. (Seeing as how the Humans and Prophets figured out how to kill them and the Forerunner didn't, it's possible the Precursors put a Geas on them to figure it out and a Geas on the Forerunners to have them never figure it out. Remember, the Precursors are said to have "breathed" life into both species.)
Please, correct me if I'm wrong.

[Edited on 07.21.2011 12:05 AM PDT]

  • 07.21.2011 12:04 AM PDT

@accordingto343

Your one stop shop for all of 343's fabulous errors and ridiculous notions in the Halo lore.

I'll do my best.

1. From the looks of Halo: Legends the Halo Arrays kill all sentient life AND non-pure Flood forms.

Halo's killing Flood forms.

As for physical damage to structures, they do affect Precursor structures, but I'm not sure they destroy others.

2. Unclear at the moment.

3. It seems the six rings made it to the Ark, but according to the details on Priomordium, Chakas and Riser will journey on a Halo ring, possibly the missing ring.

4. It would make sense from a Biblical perspective. The Precursors (God) created the Forerunners, possibly humanity, (Man), but the Forerunners rebel (the Fall of Man) and the Precursors send the Flood (the Great Flood of Noah) to wipe out their creation.

  • 07.21.2011 12:07 AM PDT

Expressing my strong liberal views without shame. Favorite quotes below:

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
"One starts to live when he can live outside himself."

- Albert Einstein

Interesting.

Did the five Halo rings MB controlled actually fire? And this means that the 7 Halo rings in the original trilogy were six original, and one replacement I suppose.

Also, this begs the question of what happened to the other five Halo rings at the Forerunner capital. Were they destroyed by the Forerunner fleet. This is the only logical conclusion, as if they weren't, then there would actually be 11 (probably 12) rings to consider later on.

  • 07.21.2011 1:03 AM PDT
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Posted by: DecepticonCobra

We are all going to get banned aren't we?


Posted by: Plasma Prestige
Interesting.

Did the five Halo rings MB controlled actually fire? And this means that the 7 Halo rings in the original trilogy were six original, and one replacement I suppose.

Also, this begs the question of what happened to the other five Halo rings at the Forerunner capital. Were they destroyed by the Forerunner fleet. This is the only logical conclusion, as if they weren't, then there would actually be 11 (probably 12) rings to consider later on.




it was implied that they did.

well there are 8 rings at the ark then you gotta add the one that made it and MBs ring. so there are atleast 10 still

  • 07.21.2011 4:08 AM PDT

Expressing my strong liberal views without shame. Favorite quotes below:

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
"One starts to live when he can live outside himself."

- Albert Einstein

Alright, let's focus on the Halo rings for a moment.

It is said that there are 11 around the capital when Bornstellar was arriving to testify against the Master Builder. Then, Medicant Bias launched an assault on the capital, being able to control five Halo rings.

Does MB bring with it the 12th ring that was missing?

And how many rings were destroyed? One was destroyed trying to get past the portal, but was another destroyed in combat? If so, did the other four that MB controlled succeed in firing? If they did, then that means the Forerunner capital has been wiped out, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

  • 07.21.2011 1:09 PM PDT
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Posted by: DecepticonCobra

We are all going to get banned aren't we?

yea MB brought his ring and we don't know how many were destroyed.
and how does several rings firering not make sense?

  • 07.21.2011 2:04 PM PDT

Expressing my strong liberal views without shame. Favorite quotes below:

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
"One starts to live when he can live outside himself."

- Albert Einstein

Posted by: grey101
yea MB brought his ring and we don't know how many were destroyed.
and how does several rings firering not make sense?

Because wouldn't there be more than 7 in such a case?

  • 07.21.2011 2:28 PM PDT

Oh hey there

Posted by: petarded2
It's a metaphor for the 07s' lack of identity. too old to be newfa­g, yet too new to be oldfa­g, we wander b.net in search of a home, forever trying to be something we are not.

1) The ring that destroyed Charum Hakkor was the original design for the Halo Array. It was later changed to the kill all sentient life in the galaxy design that we have all come to know and love. At least that's what I think so far.

2) The Forerunner achieved this technology as well, apparently.

3) Yeah the numbers confused me during that battle at the Forerunner capitol world as well. There was just a lot going on in the story at that time. If I went back and read it again I could figure it out but I don't feel like it right now.

4) That is the consensus that has been reached by the majority of the forum. Part of that consensus being that that the Forerunner destroyed the Precursor somehow. Thus their desire for revenge.

[Edited on 07.21.2011 6:02 PM PDT]

  • 07.21.2011 6:00 PM PDT
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Posted by: DecepticonCobra

We are all going to get banned aren't we?


Posted by: Plasma Prestige
Posted by: grey101
yea MB brought his ring and we don't know how many were destroyed.
and how does several rings firering not make sense?

Because wouldn't there be more than 7 in such a case?


You do understand that in the end game there will only be 7 rings? the books is the start of the fall, thus if there were still 14 or 20 rings it wouldn't matter because we know only 7 will make the cut.

  • 07.21.2011 9:01 PM PDT

Expressing my strong liberal views without shame. Favorite quotes below:

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
"One starts to live when he can live outside himself."

- Albert Einstein


Posted by: grey101

Posted by: Plasma Prestige
Posted by: grey101
yea MB brought his ring and we don't know how many were destroyed.
and how does several rings firering not make sense?

Because wouldn't there be more than 7 in such a case?


You do understand that in the end game there will only be 7 rings? the books is the start of the fall, thus if there were still 14 or 20 rings it wouldn't matter because we know only 7 will make the cut.

Yes, you make a good point, but it would still be nice to understand exactly how many rings are left, and where they are as of Cryptum.

  • 07.21.2011 9:24 PM PDT
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Deva Path


Posted by: DecepticonCobra

We are all going to get banned aren't we?


Posted by: Plasma Prestige

Posted by: grey101

Posted by: Plasma Prestige
Posted by: grey101
yea MB brought his ring and we don't know how many were destroyed.
and how does several rings firering not make sense?

Because wouldn't there be more than 7 in such a case?


You do understand that in the end game there will only be 7 rings? the books is the start of the fall, thus if there were still 14 or 20 rings it wouldn't matter because we know only 7 will make the cut.

Yes, you make a good point, but it would still be nice to understand exactly how many rings are left, and where they are as of Cryptum.


"patience young one" we still have two more books.

  • 07.21.2011 9:25 PM PDT