Halo: Cryptum
Encyclopedia
Halo: Cryptum is a science fiction novel by Greg Bear
, set in the Halo universe
. The book released on January 4, 2011, and is the eighth Halo novel, following 2009s Halo: Evolutions, an anthology written by various writers creating short stories.
Set approximately 100,000 years before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved
, the novel tells the story of the Forerunners'
rule over the galaxy. The novel is focused on the Forerunner youngster Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting and his adventure to Earth (Erde-Tyrene) and beyond.
"The enigma of the Forerunners is really at the heart of the drama and mystery of the Halo universe," says Frank O'Connor, Franchise Development Director for 343 Industries. "In all the games and the books so far we've only scratched the surface of the terrible events that engulfed the Forerunners and the Galaxy they protected 100,000 years ago, and we're very lucky to have a writer with Greg's experience and creativity to help us finally shed some light on why the Halos are really here."
Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting
Chakas
Day-Chaser Makes Paths Long-stretch Morning Riser
The Librarian
, then known as "Erde-Tyrene". He meets two humans named Chakas and Morning Riser, who serve as his guides. Bornstellar is seeking adventure treasure in the form of Precursor artifacts. The humans suspect they know of the treasure Bornstellar seeks, and they lead him to an ring island. There, they activate the cryptum of Didact, a Warrior-servant class Forerunner who had gone under timeless sleep. Bornstellar begins to suspect that the AI in his suit of armor has conspired to bring him to this island, and that the humans held some form of subconscious knowledge allowing them to aid in waking the Didact.
After the Didact recovers from his slumber, he conscripts Bornstellar, Chakas, and Riser, taking them on a quest given to them by a Lifeworker named Librarian who turns out to be Didact's wife. The Librarian has provided them with a state-of-the-art ship, hidden for thousands of years beneath the ring island. Though the ships systems are handicapped by lack of access to the Domain, a repository of all Forerunner knowledge and experience, Bornstellar learns more about the ancient Forerunner war with humankind.
Forerunners went to war with humans when their expansion began encroaching on Forerunner worlds. It is implied that Forerunners, San 'Shyuum, and humans were at one time all incredibly advanced and powerful races. Despite their advanced technology, and combined forces, the humans and San 'Shyuum were defeated by the greatly advanced Forerunners. As a punishment, human populations were devastated, the race devolved, stripped off their technologies and were limited to their own home planet Erde-Tyrene. It was the Librarian who saved the human race and planted a genetic command known as a geas in them, as well as preventing them from being wiped out fully. Later it is learned that the humans and San 'Shyuum were originally united against the Flood, at the far reaches of their territories, far away from the eyes of Forerunners.
Hoping to uncover some of the mystery surrounding the Librarian's plan, the Didact and his makeshift crew travel to an ancient Precursor planet, Charum Hakkor, which was one a thriving human planet as well. The Didact is disturbed to find that many of the Precursor structures on the planet have been devastated, or are falling into decay and ruin. Precursor structures were thought to be eternal, and resistant to the power of time. The Didact also discovers that a prisoner, ensconced in both Precursor and human containment methods, has escaped. They leave Charum Hakkor, traveling to the nearby world of Faun Hakkor, another formerly human-settled world, only to find it void of all sentient life, and its ecosystem in total jeopardy. At this point, the Didact attempts to impart his knowledge to Bornstellar, hoping to fill him in on parts of the mystery. The process fails, however, as Bornstellar has yet to undergo his first mutation, which is necessary for such a transfer to take place. Soon, the Didact offers to initiate the mutation, offering up his own image for the imprint the process requires. This is problematic and seemingly against Forerunner ritual, as it is typically a family right, and the Didact and Bornstellar are of differing classes. Bornstellar eventually concludes it is his destiny, and undergoes the mutation, making him something of a freak among Forerunners, but allowing him to receive the imprint of the Didact, including his memories, tactics, experiences, and other traits.
When attempting to visit the San 'Shyuum home world, the four are are captured by Builders, at the command of the Master Builder, the leader of the Builder class, and effectively the Forerunner race. The Didact and humans are held prisoner while Bornstellar is sent back to his father's custody, owing to his family's power among the race, something Bornstellar was not aware of. On the trip home, he hears whispers and rumors that the reason the Domain is disrupted is due to massive disruptions in slipspace caused by large objects being trasported. Back on his family's home world, he uses the time and peace to reflect on recent events, and allow the imprint of the Didact to fully assimilate into his thoughts. While on an armor-less walk around his family's estate, he overhears an argument between his father and another Builder. From this, he learns that his father was one of the chief builders of Halo. The Didact opposed the Builders' decision to construct such a weapon and hence he was exiled with most of his warrior-servant class.
It is soon revealed that the Master Builder is being brought up on charges, and that all eleven Halo weapons had been recalled, but that one Halo had gone missing. Bornstellar is called to a Forerunner core planet to testify against the Master Builder, who is being put on trial for crimes against The Mantle. Just as the trial is about to begin in earnest, all the sentinels, monitors and Halos guarding the planet are disabled by an unknown force. It is revealed that the AI Mendicant Bias has betrayed the Forerunners and intends to use the combined power of the in-system Halos to begin wiping out the Forerunner race.
In the ensuing battle for saving the planet, several Halos are able to escape, their own controlling AI's enacting failsafe survival protocols. Bornstellar manages to escape with the help of a young council member and a Warrior-servant council guard. They make it to the power the Halos were escaping through, just in time to see one blown up as it attempted to enter. Along with debris from that disintegrating structure, they make it through the portal, losing power and drifting for an unknown amount of time before being recovered by Lifeworkers.
They discover that the portal has carried them to The Ark, the massive structure that serves as a haven for Lifeshapers and a construction site for Halos. The trio are given medical attention and allowed time to heal. Soon, Bornstellar meets the Librarian, which brings up conflicting thoughts and feelings, due to his imprint from the Didact. She tells Bornstellar that the Master Builder executed the Didact, soon after Bornstellar was sent back to his family. With the news that the Didact is gone, Bornstellar appears to resolve himself to take his place.
The book ends with a narration/remembrance from the Didact/Bornstellar, revealing a that the escaped prisoner was the last Precursor, known as Timeless One. Through a conversation the Didact had long ago, it is learned that the Precursors created the Forerunners, only for the Forerunners to rise up and wipe out the Precursors, save for this one, which is now wanting to extract revenge.
Greg Bear
Gregory Dale Bear is an American science fiction and mainstream author. His work has covered themes of galactic conflict , artificial universes , consciousness and cultural practices , and accelerated evolution...
, set in the Halo universe
Halo (series)
Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant...
. The book released on January 4, 2011, and is the eighth Halo novel, following 2009s Halo: Evolutions, an anthology written by various writers creating short stories.
Set approximately 100,000 years before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved, frequently referred to as Halo: CE, or Halo 1, is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The first game of the Halo franchise, it was released on November 15, 2001 as a launch title for the Xbox gaming system, and is...
, the novel tells the story of the Forerunners'
Forerunners (Halo)
Forerunners is the translated name for an ancient race of sentient beings which ceased to exist 100,000 years before the events of the Halo video game series began. They are known for their advanced technologies, enabling them to build mega-structures like the Halo installations, The Ark and the...
rule over the galaxy. The novel is focused on the Forerunner youngster Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting and his adventure to Earth (Erde-Tyrene) and beyond.
Background
Greg Bear was contracted to write three books nicknamed the "Forerunner Trilogy". This is the first of three."The enigma of the Forerunners is really at the heart of the drama and mystery of the Halo universe," says Frank O'Connor, Franchise Development Director for 343 Industries. "In all the games and the books so far we've only scratched the surface of the terrible events that engulfed the Forerunners and the Galaxy they protected 100,000 years ago, and we're very lucky to have a writer with Greg's experience and creativity to help us finally shed some light on why the Halos are really here."
Setting
Cryptum takes place in the Halo universe telling the story of Forerunners long before their disappearance. It revolves around the journey of a young Forerunner known as Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting and two humans, Chakas and Morning Riser, and how their life changes when they meet a Warrior-servant class Forerunner, the Didact.Characters
Didact- A Warrior-servant class and a Promethean Forerunner who was one of the commanders of Forerunner military in the Forerunner-human war. He is married to the Librarian. He wakes up from his exile which he took when he lost his ideas and plans to Builder class of Forerunners.
Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting
- Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting (aka Born or Bornstellar) is a young Forerunner, referred to as a "Manipular". He is the main character of Halo: Cryptum. He is a young rebellious Forerunner boy whose family and ancestors came from a long line of Builders. In search of adventure he arrives on Erde-Tyrene and activates Didact's cryptum.
Chakas
- Chakas is a human youngster of a species known as chamanune, living on Earth in approximately 100,000 BCE. He, along with Riser, is part of a collective of guides based in the city of Marontik and join Bornstellar on his quest.
Day-Chaser Makes Paths Long-stretch Morning Riser
- Day-Chaser Makes Paths Long-stretch Morning Riser (aka Morning Riser or Riser) is a human and Chakas' compatriot. He is a Florian, a member of a diminutive species of human known today as Homo floresiensisHomo floresiensisHomo floresiensis is a possible species, now extinct, in the genus Homo. The remains were discovered in 2003 on the island of Flores in Indonesia. Partial skeletons of nine individuals have been recovered, including one complete cranium...
.
The Librarian
- The Librarian is a Forerunner Lifeworker, and one of the most powerful and influential Lifeworkers who ever lived, a Lifeshaper, the highest rank a Lifeworker can achieve, and one of only three Forerunners ever to receive the title. She was married to the Didact.
Plot
The story starts with the Manipular (a young Forerunner of the Builder class) Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting when he makes his way to EarthEarth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, then known as "Erde-Tyrene". He meets two humans named Chakas and Morning Riser, who serve as his guides. Bornstellar is seeking adventure treasure in the form of Precursor artifacts. The humans suspect they know of the treasure Bornstellar seeks, and they lead him to an ring island. There, they activate the cryptum of Didact, a Warrior-servant class Forerunner who had gone under timeless sleep. Bornstellar begins to suspect that the AI in his suit of armor has conspired to bring him to this island, and that the humans held some form of subconscious knowledge allowing them to aid in waking the Didact.
After the Didact recovers from his slumber, he conscripts Bornstellar, Chakas, and Riser, taking them on a quest given to them by a Lifeworker named Librarian who turns out to be Didact's wife. The Librarian has provided them with a state-of-the-art ship, hidden for thousands of years beneath the ring island. Though the ships systems are handicapped by lack of access to the Domain, a repository of all Forerunner knowledge and experience, Bornstellar learns more about the ancient Forerunner war with humankind.
Forerunners went to war with humans when their expansion began encroaching on Forerunner worlds. It is implied that Forerunners, San 'Shyuum, and humans were at one time all incredibly advanced and powerful races. Despite their advanced technology, and combined forces, the humans and San 'Shyuum were defeated by the greatly advanced Forerunners. As a punishment, human populations were devastated, the race devolved, stripped off their technologies and were limited to their own home planet Erde-Tyrene. It was the Librarian who saved the human race and planted a genetic command known as a geas in them, as well as preventing them from being wiped out fully. Later it is learned that the humans and San 'Shyuum were originally united against the Flood, at the far reaches of their territories, far away from the eyes of Forerunners.
Hoping to uncover some of the mystery surrounding the Librarian's plan, the Didact and his makeshift crew travel to an ancient Precursor planet, Charum Hakkor, which was one a thriving human planet as well. The Didact is disturbed to find that many of the Precursor structures on the planet have been devastated, or are falling into decay and ruin. Precursor structures were thought to be eternal, and resistant to the power of time. The Didact also discovers that a prisoner, ensconced in both Precursor and human containment methods, has escaped. They leave Charum Hakkor, traveling to the nearby world of Faun Hakkor, another formerly human-settled world, only to find it void of all sentient life, and its ecosystem in total jeopardy. At this point, the Didact attempts to impart his knowledge to Bornstellar, hoping to fill him in on parts of the mystery. The process fails, however, as Bornstellar has yet to undergo his first mutation, which is necessary for such a transfer to take place. Soon, the Didact offers to initiate the mutation, offering up his own image for the imprint the process requires. This is problematic and seemingly against Forerunner ritual, as it is typically a family right, and the Didact and Bornstellar are of differing classes. Bornstellar eventually concludes it is his destiny, and undergoes the mutation, making him something of a freak among Forerunners, but allowing him to receive the imprint of the Didact, including his memories, tactics, experiences, and other traits.
When attempting to visit the San 'Shyuum home world, the four are are captured by Builders, at the command of the Master Builder, the leader of the Builder class, and effectively the Forerunner race. The Didact and humans are held prisoner while Bornstellar is sent back to his father's custody, owing to his family's power among the race, something Bornstellar was not aware of. On the trip home, he hears whispers and rumors that the reason the Domain is disrupted is due to massive disruptions in slipspace caused by large objects being trasported. Back on his family's home world, he uses the time and peace to reflect on recent events, and allow the imprint of the Didact to fully assimilate into his thoughts. While on an armor-less walk around his family's estate, he overhears an argument between his father and another Builder. From this, he learns that his father was one of the chief builders of Halo. The Didact opposed the Builders' decision to construct such a weapon and hence he was exiled with most of his warrior-servant class.
It is soon revealed that the Master Builder is being brought up on charges, and that all eleven Halo weapons had been recalled, but that one Halo had gone missing. Bornstellar is called to a Forerunner core planet to testify against the Master Builder, who is being put on trial for crimes against The Mantle. Just as the trial is about to begin in earnest, all the sentinels, monitors and Halos guarding the planet are disabled by an unknown force. It is revealed that the AI Mendicant Bias has betrayed the Forerunners and intends to use the combined power of the in-system Halos to begin wiping out the Forerunner race.
In the ensuing battle for saving the planet, several Halos are able to escape, their own controlling AI's enacting failsafe survival protocols. Bornstellar manages to escape with the help of a young council member and a Warrior-servant council guard. They make it to the power the Halos were escaping through, just in time to see one blown up as it attempted to enter. Along with debris from that disintegrating structure, they make it through the portal, losing power and drifting for an unknown amount of time before being recovered by Lifeworkers.
They discover that the portal has carried them to The Ark, the massive structure that serves as a haven for Lifeshapers and a construction site for Halos. The trio are given medical attention and allowed time to heal. Soon, Bornstellar meets the Librarian, which brings up conflicting thoughts and feelings, due to his imprint from the Didact. She tells Bornstellar that the Master Builder executed the Didact, soon after Bornstellar was sent back to his family. With the news that the Didact is gone, Bornstellar appears to resolve himself to take his place.
The book ends with a narration/remembrance from the Didact/Bornstellar, revealing a that the escaped prisoner was the last Precursor, known as Timeless One. Through a conversation the Didact had long ago, it is learned that the Precursors created the Forerunners, only for the Forerunners to rise up and wipe out the Precursors, save for this one, which is now wanting to extract revenge.