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  • Subject: Halo 4 Demo's Sphere: Possible Cryptum?
Subject: Halo 4 Demo's Sphere: Possible Cryptum?
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*Warning: Cryptum/Primordium/Glasslands Spoilers*

I was checking up on new information about Halo 4, based upon the demo revealed at E3, when I stumbled upon this piece of artwork, found here. I compared it to the sphere shown in the demo (here), and, to me, they look almost exactly alike.

That got me thinking; why would it be flying, let alone to the Infinity. Furthermore, who would be inside of the cryptum, if that's what it is? As we have learned from Cryptum and Primordium, cryptums are reserved exclusively for high-ranking Prometheans. The Didact would be the most obvious assumed occupant, simply because he is well-known through the Forerunner novels.

I, however, was thinking on a larger scale. It appeared as though the "cryptum" reacted as a result of the Infinity's crash-landing on Requiem. The Infinity, as we know, has been outfitted and integrated with every possible piece of Forerunner data and technology that Humanity could use. Perhaps, in having the Forerunner technology on board, and being within a suitable range of Requiem, the Infinity tripped sensors on the planet, causing defensive measures to be activated, unlike the Forward Unto Dawn, which, presumably, had none, and was attacked for other reasons. This, perhaps, includes several Warrior-Servants kept within cryptums until they are needed. While the Forerunner's body deteriorates after long periods of time within the cryptum, their combat skins would be able to compensate for their temporary weak state.

Considering the aft section of Forward Unto Dawn was drifting, albeit for years, it would still be easily within range of the Ark. This would make it a perfect strategic location for the Forerunners, and thus one they would want to defend heavily.

Another possibility I've toyed with is that the "cryptum" contains the Librarian. While this is far less likely, as she was a Lifeworker, not a Warrior-Servant, she was the Didact's wife. Thus, it may have been possible that she was able to be stored in a cryptum. Considering how close (relatively speaking) Requiem would be to the Ark, and the fact that Requiem is an artificial world with, from what we've seen so far, rich, diverse ecosystems, it is possible that the Librarian could have done some work there, and perhaps have placed a cryptum there. Seeing as though both of these places are on the fringe of the galaxy, encountering life, let alone sentient life, are (pardon the pun) astronomically slim odds. In this case, scanners/sensors picking up sentient life, such as the Master Chief, would probably warrant some sort of defensive measures, similar to above. Finally, the Chakas/343 Guilty Spark copy, which was found and being interrogated in space above the Ark, took control of the ship and piloted it to an unknown location, saying he knew exactly where she was. Seeing as though these locations are so close, the trip would surely be within range of a human vessel.

In any case, the action of the "cryptum" approaching the Infinity's crash site was most likely investigative. However, I think the situaton quickly escalated to the point of violence, thus warranting more defensive measures and contributing to the distress calls on the ground by the crew of the Infinity.

This is all just speculation, and I realize I may be assuming a tad more than I should, given what little information is available. Please share your comments and ideas about what you think of the sphere.

[Edited on 06.05.2012 5:08 PM PDT]

  • 06.05.2012 2:37 PM PDT

@accordingto343

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

Pretty sure Cryptums are simply stationary rooms.

  • 06.05.2012 2:38 PM PDT
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Posted by: DecepticonCobra
Pretty sure Cryptums are simply stationary rooms.


I'm tempted to think that as well, but, given the Forerunners' technical capabilities, and the resemblance between the two, I see no reason why it wouldn't be possible.

[Edited on 06.05.2012 2:42 PM PDT]

  • 06.05.2012 2:41 PM PDT

@accordingto343

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

Well, Cryptums are used as isolation chambers really, not sure why something for that purpose would be moving around.

  • 06.05.2012 2:44 PM PDT


Posted by: DecepticonCobra
Well, Cryptums are used as isolation chambers really, not sure why something for that purpose would be moving around.


Evacuation in the event of Flood incursion? It just seems practical. Also makes sense seeing as how the Didact/whoever Saren is voicing has 'long dreamt,' which implies he's been asleep.

  • 06.05.2012 2:49 PM PDT

@accordingto343

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

Posted by: Wolverfrog

Posted by: DecepticonCobra
Well, Cryptums are used as isolation chambers really, not sure why something for that purpose would be moving around.


Evacuation in the event of Flood incursion? It just seems practical. Also makes sense seeing as how the Didact/whoever Saren is voicing has 'long dreamt,' which implies he's been asleep.


Perhaps, but Frankie said the Flood aren't in Halo 4. And even then, I think it would take a lot of effort to breach a Cryptum.

  • 06.05.2012 2:53 PM PDT
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During the time the Halo Array was constructed, the Flood was still a very real threat. The idea of having a cryptum on the outskirts of the galaxy in order to be revived at a safe time seems like a very practical solution. Furthermore, judging by the concept art liked in the OP, the cryptum does not look to be permanently attached to the ground, and, as a result, could be capable of moving, either by aid of other Forerunners, or under its' own power, as suggested in the OP.


Posted by: DecepticonCobra
Posted by: Wolverfrog

Posted by: DecepticonCobra
Well, Cryptums are used as isolation chambers really, not sure why something for that purpose would be moving around.


Evacuation in the event of Flood incursion? It just seems practical. Also makes sense seeing as how the Didact/whoever Saren is voicing has 'long dreamt,' which implies he's been asleep.


Perhaps, but Frankie said the Flood aren't in Halo 4. And even then, I think it would take a lot of effort to breach a Cryptum.

  • 06.05.2012 3:09 PM PDT

@accordingto343

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

What concept art are you refering to?

  • 06.05.2012 3:09 PM PDT
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This one.

  • 06.05.2012 3:12 PM PDT

@accordingto343

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

Alright then, I can get behind the idea.

  • 06.05.2012 3:15 PM PDT

Vengeance for self-retribution's sake is hollow; vengeance for the sake of others is just.

This is the most logical idea I've seen yet, but what I'm debating is whether the Prometheans and the Didact are the bad guys, or the Precursors as the overall arc of reclamation. And where the hell is the librarian. But, I guess I'll just have to pre-order the game and hope I can stand the wait...

  • 06.05.2012 3:32 PM PDT

I am alpha, i am omega.

I am the last of the primes.

If it's not the didact who is in that thing, who could it be?

  • 06.05.2012 4:50 PM PDT
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Don't do anything you wouldn't want to have to explain to paramedics. Trust me, I'm a pilot.

My thinking is that, if it happens to be a Warrior-Servant, that it is some sort of defense system. Recall that, in Cryptum, the Didact was exiled because of his opposition to the Master Builder's Halo array. I would assume, out of the perhaps billions of Forerunners that existed, there would be other like-minded individuals, who, in turn, would be similarly exiled. As I stated in my OP, perhaps it was the Forerunner technology on board the Infinity that tripped off some senors, or something entirely different. Though the Forerunner inside would be weak after a hundred millenia inside the cryptum, I would think that his combat skin would more than compensate for this.

[Edited on 06.05.2012 5:02 PM PDT]

  • 06.05.2012 5:02 PM PDT
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Reach beats GoW!
Reach beats CoD!!
Reach beats everything!!!

I think from the available information we have access to, your theory is spot-on... I was thinking the exact same thing when I saw the gameplay for the first time, and reassured when Didact's logo flashed at the very end of the trailer.

However, I think that cryptum holds a surprise perhaps none of us can even hint at at this point. We basically know nothing of the origin of the Promethean enemies we will encounter (promethean here only by name, since their allegiance is in no way tied to the Forerunner warriors).

I have thought, although the idea is far-fetched, that they are some sort of defense AI left over from the rogue Mendicant Bias' army. We all know he went rogue, we all know he had countless Forerunner ships at his disposal as well as millions of forerunner attack systems. It seems to me like this ancient enemy cannot be the Didact simply because even in his anger he was still a Forerunner, he was still upholding the principles of the mantle and he was still fighting even when circumstances seemed dire. Evidence points otherwise, specially the very last terminal entry found in Halo CEA. We'll know soon enough... this seems to be the most intriguing premise of any Halo yet.

  • 06.06.2012 2:17 PM PDT
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"Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before." - James T Kirk

If the Infinity was dragged in because of Forerunner tech how the hell did the Dawn get sucked in?

  • 06.06.2012 3:29 PM PDT

Posted by: Enormous Corgi
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All very interesting. I really hope 343 manages to tie multiple books into the game, seeing as how I loved the books.

  • 06.06.2012 6:42 PM PDT
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Posted by: Onomatopoeia
If the Infinity was dragged in because of Forerunner tech how the hell did the Dawn get sucked in?



If you recall from the ending of Halo 3, Forward Unto Dawn was seen drifting towards Requiem. As the Dawn would be drifting, and it was only the aft section, then one can presume it would be due to the force of gravity exerted on the Dawn by Requiem. As I stated earlier, Requiem is on the outskirts of the galaxy, and would most likely have been a place of strategic value for the Forerunners. Therefore, one can presume that there would be defensive measures in place on the planet. Perhaps, as the Dawn was not (presumably) carrying any Forerunner technology on board, it was attacked simply because senors on Requiem detected it as a sizable object, and therefore a possible threat. With the Infinity, that was outfitted with every piece of Forerunner data and technology that Humanity could use, though the ship itself was not of Forerunner design, sensors may have been outfitted to detect such equipment,and therefore enact appropriate measures, as the ship was unrecognizable to the sensor equipment.

  • 06.06.2012 6:57 PM PDT

This has been posted many times on B.net & Waypoint but quickly...

An official MS press page names the orange sphere file as "Cryptum". Source Link, click on artwork tab.

From all the fiction/lore we only know of 1 Cryptum. The original Didact's. Also Cortana states "HE", so it's not the librarian etc.

Further John & Cortanan have obviously had a previous encounter as they are calm after turning around and know who "he" is.

My speculation is we are going to be allied with the Didact and he assists in "saving/restoring" the Infinity and 17,000 as troops to help his cause against Halo cleansing and "evil factions" of the Forerunners he was exiled from.

[Edited on 06.06.2012 7:00 PM PDT]

  • 06.06.2012 6:58 PM PDT
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Don't do anything you wouldn't want to have to explain to paramedics. Trust me, I'm a pilot.

I'll answer your points in order.

1.Yes, that is the artwork I have been using as my resemblance to the sphere seen in the Halo 4 Demo (albeit linked through Halopedia).

2. Though we do only know of one, the numbers aren't limited. There could be anywhere from one to one million, for all we know (an exaggeration, but the point stands).

3 & 4. From what I've heard, the demo occurs roughly one third into the campaign. However, I have also heard that this is the first time the Chief encounters the Prothean enemies. This may also be the first time the "cryptum" is encountered as well. As for the gender assignment, I think of it like assigning genders to fish. Many people don't take the time to find out the fish's gender, they merely assign one and give it an appropriate name. Finally, I think the Chief was more awestruck than anything at a large, black, glowing sphere shooting past him at mach speeds than anything else. Realistically, it's too large, and, if it's a cryptum, too heavily armoured to take down with an assault rifle and battle rifle.

I think the Didact will be involved in Halo 4 in some way, though I don't know for sure that the occupant of the "cryptum" is the Didact.



Posted by: Oddley765
This has been posted many times on B.net & Waypoint but quickly...

An official MS press page names the orange sphere file as "Cryptum". Source Link, click on artwork tab.

From all the fiction/lore we only know of 1 Cryptum. The original Didact's. Also Cortana states "HE", so it's not the librarian etc.

Further John & Cortanan have obviously had a previous encounter as they are calm after turning around and know who "he" is.

My speculation is we are going to be allied with the Didact and he assists in "saving/restoring" the Infinity and 17,000 as troops to help his cause against Halo cleansing and "evil factions" of the Forerunners he was exiled from.

  • 06.06.2012 7:12 PM PDT

The trouble with gender assignment is the object is not humanoid in form. So gender assignment is a way off, if anything when unknown she would say "We know where it is heading"

Cortana clearly knows exactly who and what this object is or contains.

Sure it could be another Cryptum but then why would the books bother to explain about Didact etc. 343i won't just pull a new random character and unknown Cryptum out of their proverbial.

  • 06.06.2012 8:28 PM PDT
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Posted by: DecepticonCobra
Posted by: Wolverfrog

Posted by: DecepticonCobra
Well, Cryptums are used as isolation chambers really, not sure why something for that purpose would be moving around.


Evacuation in the event of Flood incursion? It just seems practical. Also makes sense seeing as how the Didact/whoever Saren is voicing has 'long dreamt,' which implies he's been asleep.


Perhaps, but Frankie said the Flood aren't in Halo 4. And even then, I think it would take a lot of effort to breach a Cryptum.


Frankie said you won't be fighting Flood in Halo 4. I would be surprised not to see the Flood at least in one of the containment facilities.

  • 06.06.2012 9:22 PM PDT

Posted by: Oddley765
The trouble with gender assignment is the object is not humanoid in form. So gender assignment is a way off, if anything when unknown she would say "We know where it is heading"

True, but if something displays thought and character then I guess you sometimes feel inclined to assign a gender to it.

My take on it is that Chief and Cortana have encountered the Sphere before but have not communicated with whoever is inside (if indeed there is someone inside, and it isn't simply a huge robot).

  • 06.08.2012 2:01 AM PDT

You forget cortana has had considerable access to forerunner tech throughout the halo trilogy. The books also mention she downloaded a great store of information while inside alpha halo's (instillation 04's) control center.

  • 06.10.2012 11:58 AM PDT
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I think anything is possible. I have a very open mind when it comes to all things 'forerunner'.

  • 06.10.2012 12:21 PM PDT