Monolith (Faction)

Monolith is the collective name of a radical Covenant splinter-faction dedicated to the preservation and defence of the Monolith. 
==Origins==
===Beginnings===
With its origins in the early beginnings of the Human-Covenant War, Monolith can largely be traced back to a sizable expeditionary fleet assembled shortly after the occupation of by Covenant forces in 2525. Naval patrol ships had, just following the initial invasion of the Human colony, discovered a world that had seemingly appeared spontaneously in empty space on the fringes of Imperial territory; inspection of the planet's surface by Naval crew revealed abundant Forerunner architecture, and operational jurisdiction over the planet, deemed a , was quickly granted to the . A large Naval fleet and Army escort were transferred from the command and oversight of the , and, alongside archaeological personnel loaned from the as well as Fervent Intercession's own élite paramilitary units, the archaeological expedition was dispatched to what was potentially the greatest trove of Forerunner technology ever discovered in the history of the Empire.
However, upon the purported discovery of a massive Forerunner construct beneath the world's surface, the expedition's contact with the Covenant Ministry of Fervent Intercession and Empire proper ceased entirely. Further investigations conducted by the Imperial Navy shortly thereafter puzzlingly yielded no evidence that any world had ever been in the area, nor did they reveal any clues as to the fate or whereabouts of the expedition or its military elements. 
In time, with the Human-Covenant War taking prominence in the Empire's affairs before the would split it asunder, the expedition, despite its size and the mysteries surrounding its disappearance, would virtually fade from memory and concern.
===Re-emergence===
In late 2552, however, with the Great Schism having thrown what was the Empire of the Covenant into disarray and civil war, the expedition's militant elements emerged in force. Unusually organised and disciplined , , , and troop detachments performed systematic and meticulous invasions of worlds across the fringes of former Imperial space while small fleets supplemented by unfamiliar technology provided orbital cover, welcoming into their ranks willing followers of the old Covenant and executing those that did not lay down their arms or did not submit. Resistance by forces of the Loyalist "Sacred Covenant" or Separatist "Great Truth" movements was overcome through overwhelming military force, and by the end of the Human-Covenant War proper, the group, referring to itself by the name of Monolith, had captured a sizable number of the old Empire's fringe and outer colonies.
===Post-War===
In the years following the end of the Human-Covenant War, territory controlled by Monolith would become completely isolated from either of the Covenant Empire's two major resultant factions, being small and ultimately inconsequential in comparison to either's holdings, with borders patrolled by fleets seemingly incapable of being bested in naval combats. Monolith would ultimately remain an enigmatic and isolationist power for much of the post-war era, violently disallowing any penetration of its borders and ignoring requests for negotiations from either the resurgent United Republics of Sangheilios or recovering Unified Earth Government, leaving both to focus their efforts on hunting down the Covenant Empire's remnants.
==Military==
The Monolithian Armed Forces, referred to by its members as the Defensive Vanguard of the Monolith or as the Instruments of Its Will, is a highly structured and efficient military force, structured primarily around the Imperial Military escorts of the original archaeological expedition that would go on to found the organisation. The old Imperial 393rd Sn'toro, 2412th Mt'dara, and 5745th Lk'rani Legions, élite formations lent to the expedition, form the core of its Army component, supplemented by additional Legions gained during Monolith's conquests, including but not limited to the 448th Jk'rinti, 9611th Bv'namu, 3622nd Gl'ani, and 203rd Mn'ogo Legions. In addition to such units, the old Imperial Ministry of Fervent Intercession's Zealot-class detachments Righteous Fortitude and Blessed Vitality play important roles in Monolithian ground operations. The Military's Naval component is largely centered around the former Imperial Fleet of Pious Devotion, considered at the time of its expeditionary dispatch to be one of the finest crewed in the Imperial Navy, supplemented by the later assimilated Fleets of Divine Prosperity and Heavenly Grandeur.
Monolith's military forces are comprised of members of each of the old Covenant Empire's constituent species, and through enigmatic processes of conditioning and training, maintain rigorous standards of discipline, fitness, and combat prowess seen only in the old Imperial Military's Special Warfare groups. Monolith troops are further supplemented by functional Forerunner Military equipment, armour, vehicles, and weaponry comparable in quality and function to those used by Forerunner Military forces at the peak of the , as well as combat drones and other Forerunner constructs of unknown origin.
Monolithian troops have been observed to show near complete disregard for personal safety when regarding tactical or strategic objectives, gladly sacrificing themselves to achieve greater effect on the battlefield. In a similar vein, Monolithian troops display staggering mental fortitude and willpower, being largely incapable of succumbing to traditional interrogation and torture techniques.
Category:Covenant remnants