Halo Alpha
Register
Advertisement
Halo Alpha
35#.png35#.png35#.png
35#.png


“The Flood cover more of our galaxy with each passing day. They feast on the essence of life itself. The only way to stop their advance is to remove that life upon which they feast.”
— Faber discussing the necessity of the Halo Array with the Librarian.

Faber-Of-Will-And-Might,[1] more commonly known by his title as the Master Builder, was an immensely powerful Forerunner Builder.[2] He commissioned the construction of the Halo Array, and co-created Mendicant Bias alongside the Ur-Didact.

Biography[]

Human-Forerunner war[]

When humanity first began attacking Forerunner worlds and vessels, Faber attended a meeting of the Ecumene Council to determine the proper course of action. The Didact proposed a policy of neutralization rather than extermination, intending to defeat the enemy and exile them back to their homeworld, in accordance with the tenets of the Mantle of Responsibility. Faber conceded that the Didact made "a valid, if uncomfortable, point," and gave the Didact his support.[3]

Forerunner-Flood war[]

Sometime following the end of the Human-Forerunner war, Faber commissioned the creation of the Halos, an array of weapons capable of purging all sentient life from a star system and, if the situation became dire, the entire galaxy. The purpose of this project was two-fold: to be used as a defensive measure against the Flood were they ever to return to the galaxy, and to secure the preeminence of the Builder rate. Despite opposition from the Didact and the Prometheans, who managed to delay the construction of the Halos for thousands of years, the Ecumene Council eventually agreed to Faber's proposal, causing the Didact to go into exile.[4] Under Faber's orders, the father of Bornstellar-Makes-Eternal-Lasting designed the Halo Array, and twelve of the weapons were built by his guild.[5]

However, the The Librarian and the Lifeworker rate strongly opposed the construction of the Halos, viewing them as contrary to the principles of the Mantle of Responsibility. With the Lifeworkers threatening to go on strike if the weapons were constructed, the Council agreed to the Librarian's demands to provide a workable plan to save sentient life in the galaxy in the event the rings were ever fired. This plan, known as the Conservation Measure, involved giving the Lifeworkers biological preserves for specimens of numerous species on several of the Master Builder's installations, including the Halos and their construction foundries, known as the Arks.[6] After the onset of the Forerunner-Flood war, Faber authorized the use of the Lifeworkers' biological specimens on the Halo installations for experimentation on the Flood in hopes of finding a cure to the parasite.[7] Of particular interest to his researchers were humans, primarily housed on Installation 07, many of whom seemed to exhibit an immunity to the parasite - unaware that this was due to an ongoing strategy on the Flood's part. He authorized that more humans with the Librarian's special geas be brought on the installation from Earth, against the instructions of the Council and the Librarian.[8]

Circa 100,043 BCE, Faber, with the Council's authority, tasked Mendicant Bias with conducting the first test of a Halo installation near Charum Hakkor. Installation 07, fired on a system-wide power setting, released an ancient being known as the The Primordial; the entity was taken on the installation by Faber's orders afterward. As he did not trust the Lifeworker scientists who at first studied the creature, Faber soon assigned Mendicant Bias to interrogate it.[8] Over the course of the extended conversation, the Primordial managed to encourage the Master Builder to continue the experiments on humans, and eventually convinced Mendicant Bias to turn to rampancy and defect to the Flood.[9]

Around 100,000 BCE, he arrived at Janjur Qom to seek information on the Flood from the San'Shyuum leadership. Their arrival, following the Librarian's indexing of the San'Shyuum, caused the San'Shyuum to rebel against the Forerunners. In retaliation, the Master Builder ordered Mendicant Bias to use Installation 07 to sterilize the San'Shyuum population.[10] During the battle, Faber's forces intercepted the ship carrying Bornstellar and the Didact, who had also come to meet with the San'Shyuum leadership. He placed the Didact under arrest and sent Bornstellar back to his family.[11] When the Didact later refused to give vital information to the Master Builder, he left him to die in a Flood-infested system, with the rest of the galaxy believing him to be dead.[12] The Didact would continue interfering in his plans, however, as his memories and personality had been transferred to Bornstellar's mind.[13]

However, the Master Builder had overestimated his control over his allies. They believed that the Halo Array was intended as a last resort weapon, not to punish uprisings. Many of his closest allies felt he had violated the Mantle of Responsibility with his actions, and a political revolution occurred, with many Councilors resigning in protest. Meanwhile, many Lifeworkers and Warrior-Servants on Installation 07 violently rebelled against the Master Builder, but this revolt was mostly suppressed by Faber's loyal Builder Security forces.[8] The Builders stripped Faber of his title, and he was put on trial before the Forerunner Council for the unsanctioned use of a Halo and other war crimes.[14] However, the trial was interrupted by Mendicant Bias' assault on Maethrillian.[15]

In Halo: Silentium, it was revealed that Faber regained a position of power within a new council of Forerunners. He was present on the Greater Ark where he ordered the activation of Omega Halo in the form of a linear attack of mythic power, purging life from the small neighboring galaxy of Path Kethona instantaneously. This provided an escape route for the Iso-Didact and the Librarian as the Flood and Precursor star roads closed in and sheared the Greater Ark and Omega Halo to pieces. It is likely that he was killed in this event, as evidenced by the Iso-Didact's remark after escaping to travel to the Lesser Ark; that Faber apparently no longer wished to escape -as was the purpose of Faber's secret portal that they were using.

Personality and traits[]

“If not for your family's power, I would strip you down to a haze of burning brain cells and spread you out upon this field.”
— Faber to Bornstellar-Makes-Eternal-Lasting.

Despite his high standing in Forerunner society, Faber displayed arrogance and cruelty wholly at odds with the Forerunner ideals of peace and enlightenment. He held utter contempt for less-advanced species, as well as lower-ranking Forerunners. He also was not above using torture and other Draconian methods against those who crossed him. Regardless of his cruelty, Faber was exceptionally powerful in many ways; in addition to his political power, he was noted as being an individual of "near-infinite complexity and mental resources," equally cunning to the Didact, and possessed immense knowledge of Forerunner politics and technology.[16]

Faber appeared to dedicate considerable attention to his personal appearance, making use of perfumes and maintaining an attitude of superiority in all encounters.[17][18]

However, during the activation of Omega Halo, he showed "an unusual display of humility" as he confessed that his interests were in the profit of himself and his rate shortly before activating the ring. This shows that some of his previous actions may have been motivated by the desire of power and greed. Not forgetting, making a prayer to the Mantle before activating Omega Halo, shows that he still believes in the Mantle like most Forerunners despite having engaged in actions that appear antithetical to the belief.

Trivia[]

  • Faber is Latin for "craftsman."
  • Faber shares his name with the main character of Eye of the Needle, Henrich Faber.
  • Faber is the only named individual to bear the title of "Master Builder."
  • Faber was a political rival of the Ur-Didact.
  • He is one of three known speakers in council shown in Halo 4, the other two being The Librarian and the Ur-Didact.

Appearances[]

Sources[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Halo Waypoint: Master Builder
  2. Halo: Cryptum, page 206
  3. Halo 4, Terminal One
  4. Halo: Cryptum, page 273-274
  5. Halo: Cryptum, page 243
  6. Halo: Cryptum, page 274
  7. Halo: Cryptum, page 334
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Halo: Primordium, page 190-192
  9. Halo: Primordium, page 365
  10. Halo: Cryptum, page 275
  11. Halo: Cryptum, page 218
  12. Amazon.com: Halo: Silentium official description
  13. Halo: Cryptum, page 339
  14. Halo: Cryptum, page 250-251
  15. Halo: Cryptum, page 299
  16. Halo: Cryptum, page 284
  17. Halo: Cryptum, page 203
  18. Halo: Cryptum, page 205-206
Advertisement