High Prophet of Mercy

"And this time, none of you will be left behind."

- High Prophet of Mercy's last words.

The High Prophet of Mercy, born Hod Rumnt, was one of the three Covenant Hierarchs in the Ninth Age of Reclamation. A former Philologist and leader of the order of Ascetic priests aboard the Forerunner Dreadnought, he was by far the most learned of the three High Prophets in matters of faith and scripture (and, as some would argue, the most pious), and Truth in particular would often defer to his counsel.

Personality and motivations
In the post-war era, the Concord of Reconciliation and affiliated post-Covenant parties launched an investigation into the activities of the last Hierarch triumvirate, especially in relation to their role in sparking the Human-Covenant War and the Great Schism. This investigation brought into light various theories as to Mercy's character, some of which sharply contrast with his public persona. While most interpretations of the three High Prophets' internal dynamic painted Mercy as the least politically relevant of the trio, largely consulted by the others for counsel, some suspected he had more influence than was readily apparent.

The most common theories claimed that the old Philologist had, in collaboration with Truth and/or Regret, orchestrated the Silent Oracle's dramatic quickening at the onset of the Ninth Age of Reclamation in order to justify his rise to power. Such views were not uncommon at the time of the trio's ascension, as it was common yet unspoken knowledge among High Charity's aristocracy that the Oracle's blessing was nothing more than a formality often earned through bribes for the Philologist and his monastic order. The Dreadnought's attempted launch was seen as nothing more than an elaborate show intended to rouse the Covenant's masses from the worldly stupor of the 23rd Age of Doubt and to give the new Hierarchs' ascension a robust justification in the form of a supposedly divine revelation. Few among the higher castes even suspected the Oracle had actually been involved in the affair, but by and large, the masses were convinced by it; some out of genuine faith, others simply because they wanted to believe it.

Some theories have gone as far to posit that Mercy was secretly hindering the prosecution of the Covenant's campaign of extermination against humanity, either out of outright sympathy for the condemned species, or reservations over humanity's relationship to the Forerunners; the latter theory surfaced in the post-war era with the widespread rumors over the supposed human-Forerunner connection. While often dismissed as preposterous, with critics pointing to Mercy frequently speaking out in favor of humanity's wholesale eradication, such theories are nonetheless not entirely without merit as they might explain various irregularities in the Covenant's invasion pattern, along with several cases of competent Sangheili commanders being reassigned from the front lines of the war to deal with internecine unrest. Even the UNSC speculated on the possibility of someone high up in the Covenant hierarchy hindering the war effort, as it was pointed out that the Covenant could have located Earth by triangulating old radio signals.

In addition, the years of the war would see Mercy often retreating to study obscure scripture. Many times he could be found aboard the keyship, absorbed in the study of religious esoterica while leaving matters of day-to-day governance to his fellow Hierarchs. When he did speak out in public, it was often to provide a religious angle to the issue at hand; he would also act as a moderating force between the fiercely competitive Truth and Regret. Outside this, he hosted many religious convocations throughout his reign. Since he was acting largely independent of Truth and Regret in this capacity, the views he shared in them also provide some of the most pertinent insights into his motivations. Many post-war commentators beginning with the Schism Councils have identified a definite trend of Mercy seemingly laying the theological groundwork for a major upheaval of the Covenant faith, encouraging the development of various sects that would permit the survival of the basic tenets of the religion in the event the truth of the final Hierarchs' deception was ever revealed. Some commentators claim he was doing this as an accomplice of Truth, while those supporting the theory that Mercy harbored covert human sympathies posit that he sought to sow the seeds of a version of the Covenant religion that would permit the inclusion of humanity under the Covenant banner.

Nonetheless, the truth about Mercy's motives may never be uncovered unless surviving private documents or associates of his resurface.