Redeemer

Sangheili Redeemers are a martial order of specialized enforcers and chaplains charged with investigating all honor-bound transgressions in the Covenant's Sangheili population and sometimes non-Sangheili faithless. Originally an independent order, the Redeemers were organized under the Ministry of Penance in the Covenant's later centuries following the Second Illumination.

Description
A specialized class of law enforcers, the responsibility of Redeemers begins and ends with upholding all obligations and acts related to the Sangheili concept of honor, specifically in the institutional sense. Each individual is ultimately responsible for their own personal honor and dignity, but an offending individual can also tarnish the honor of his peer group, such as a family or military order. Redeemers fulfill a particular but necessary niche in Sangheili culture, ensuring that maverick individuals do not exploit and therefore render meaningless the species' pervasive code of honor. At the same time, since honor is fundamentally an internalized concept rather than a strict law enforced from above, Redeemers' activities are not highly public and largely focus on major infractions that also have legal dimensions.

Redeemers primarily act as judges and executioners of their field, personally carrying out sentences against each infringing individual. Their authority supersedes most other policing units, only limited by the administrating bureaucrats of the Ministry of Penance and the higher governors and Councilors. While they maintain an extensive understanding of Covenant law and knowledge of religious practices, these are considered secondary concerns to them. Unlike most of their peers, their jurisdiction also extends to operatives in the field; even if they are captured, a Redeemer is expected to track them down and eliminate them for their failure to follow through on their own suicide. This is not strictly to salvage the captured warrior's honor, but to preserve the honor of his unit and to silence him, for those unable or unwilling to follow through with their own suicide are also regarded as untrustworthy and more likely to betray secrets to the enemy.

All Covenant fleets and Legions are generally granted a small detachment of roving Redeemers for the purposes of enforcing the basic tenets of honor as well as acting as field chaplains. They have typically recruited from those in senior constable or Prefect positions, Ultras, and Special Operations units, which makes them formidable warriors even before they receive their specialized training and education. Because of the belief that they are preserving the integrity and respect of various organizations, they are highly respected and many follow their duties with a near-fanatical focus. While Redeemers have no option of becoming officers, their experience and knowledge make them valued advisors. Redeemers are expected to harshly punish those who refuse to face judgment for their crimes, although they have shown lenience to those that come forward with their breaches and wish to atone for their crimes.

Within Covenant territorial holdings, Redeemers work as traveling missionaries and lawmen, occupying a peculiar boundary between mercenaries and law enforcers. They continue to enforce appropriate punishment against Sangheili individuals found guilty of blasphemous acts or wavering in their faith. Moreover, Redeemers are frequently paid to hunt down individuals who are considered to bring dishonor upon their peer group such as a clan or state. This is usually done if that group is not able to handle the problem themselves or wishes for the matter to be handled with particular discretion and professionalism. In principle, Redeemers' jurisdiction is limited to a select number of duties, though in practice (and depending on the moral fiber of each Redeemer) they also undertake various other tasks that are only tangentially related. Despite the solemn vows they must taken upon entering service and the very code of honor they supposedly enforce, corrupt Redeemers are not unheard of; this is in part because of the latitude they are given in interpreting the limits of their jurisdiction. These actions rarely but occasionally extend to non-Sangheili subjects if a Redeemer seems extra-zealous regarding the duties of his station. In more civic roles, Redeemers ensure communes are reinforcing High Charity-led edicts to their constituents and perform ceremonial duties for the communities they visit. These peacetime duties tend to be less volatile compared to frontier and military duties and Redeemers of older stature tend to transition towards communal service as they age.

Known Redeemers

 * Raxs 'Gatakurr - former Redeemer known for his corruption, left the unit to pursue a career in Covenant Special Operations.