Ancient History

The San’Shyuum, commonly known as the prophets, are a highly advanced extraterrestrial species and one of the pivotal founders of the Covenant. Prior to the cataclysmic events of the Forerunner Era, the San’Shyuum boasted technological prowess nearly on par with ancient humanity. During the tumultuous Human-Forerunner Wars, they formed an alliance with humanity against the formidable Forerunners.

However, as the war neared its conclusion and the prophets sensed their impending defeat, they callously severed their alliance with humanity and betrayed them in exchange for a comparatively lenient punishment. In the aftermath of the conflict, the San’Shyuum were confined to their native star system, confined within the boundaries of Janjur Qom. While they were permitted to maintain their civilization, they were restricted from expanding beyond their designated stellar domain.

Throughout the waning days of the Forerunner Era, the San’Shyuum endured within their secluded star system. However, their existence was ultimately jeopardized by the devastating Great Purification, resulting in their near extinction. Nevertheless, the San’Shyuum were eventually reintroduced to the cosmos through the Conservation Measure after the eradication of the formidable Flood, ensuring the resurgence of their species several years later.

Recent History

After countless millennia, the San’Shyuum underwent a remarkable resurgence as a space-faring species, aided by the myriad Forerunner relics strewn across Janjur Qom. In the year 2200 BCE, a profound conflict erupted on the planet, known as the War of Wills. It pitted the Stoics, a faction advocating non-interference with the artifacts, against the Reformists, a smaller group seeking to harness their potential for their own gain. For a century, this relentless struggle persisted until 2100 BCE, when a faction of Reformists gained access to the remnants of a crashed Forerunner keyship, the Anodyne Spirit. Seizing control of the vessel, they embarked on a daring escape from Janjur Qom, bearing with them a portion of the planet's crust.

In 938 BCE, the San’Shyuum encountered the Sangheili, igniting a fierce conflict known as the War of Beginnings. Analogous to the War of Wills, this clash revolved around the Reformists' ambition to exploit the scattered Forerunner artifacts on Sangheili colonies, while the Sangheili revered the relics and advocated their preservation. Despite the Sangheili's prowess as formidable warriors, the San’Shyuum prolonged the battle for over five decades, propelled by their utilization of the Anodyne Spirit. Slowly, they advanced deeper into Sangheili territory, until only Sanghelios and a handful of Sangheili colonies remained. Ultimately, in 852 BCE, the Writ of Union was signed, culminating in a momentous peace treaty between the two races. This pivotal agreement birthed the Covenant and delineated the respective roles of each species within the newfound alliance.

Modern History

Over the course of numerous millennia, the Covenant flourished, bolstering the San’Shyuum's authority in tandem. Gradually and steadily, they cemented their control over the Sangheili and the subordinate Covenant races. As the Human-Covenant War erupted in 2525, the San’Shyuum reigned supreme, fending off occasional challenges from disenchanted Sangheili commanders, all of which were swiftly quelled. Nonetheless, the Prophet of Truth, one of the Covenant Hierarchs, harbored misgivings about the perceived threat posed by the Sangheili to their dominion. To counter this, he devised a scheme to replace the Sangheili within the power structure, favoring the newly incorporated Jiralhanae.

This intricate plan, known as the Changing of the Guard, reached its climax at the culmination of the 2552 events during the Battle for Earth and the Battle of Installation 05. This ignited a massive conflict between the Sangheili and the Jiralhanae, fracturing the Covenant. Simultaneously, the Flood seized control of High Charity, the Covenant's epicenter and the abode of the San’Shyuum. The surviving San’Shyuum Reformists were nearly eradicated, while those who remained became targets of Sangheili pursuit. Subsequently, they vanished from the known galaxy, unseen since 2553.

Notable San'Shyuum

Despite being significantly inferior to the Sangheili and numerous other Covenant races in terms of physical prowess, the San'Shyuum assumed authority over virtually all political matters, establishing themselves as the preeminent species within the hegemony. This elevated position bestowed upon them immense power, making them the most influential species within the entire Covenant. Their decisive actions not only paved the way for the formation of the Covenant but also instigated the onset of the Human-Covenant War. This conflict served as a means to conceal the true nature of their religion and the actual events concerning the fate of the Forerunners.

Worlds

Janjur Qom, the ancestral home of the San'Shyuum, has served as their planetary haven for countless centuries, predating even the tumultuous times of the Great Purification and the Human-Forerunner Wars. While it continues to hold the designation of their homeworld in the present day, the San'Shyuum affiliated with the Covenant departed Janjur Qom circa 2100 BCE in the wake of the War of Wills. Since that time, records indicate that the planet has only been visited on a single occasion by the Covenant Prophets, and scant information exists regarding its present state.