description

It is a large mushroom-shaped structure estimated to be 348 kilometers in diameter. At the apex of this "mushroom" is an artificial star that simulates night and day within the city. This star doubles as a launch pad for the Forerunner Dreadnought, the ship at the center of the city. The stalk peters out to a point, with various branches leading off from it. The city is mobile, can jump through slipspace, and is almost completely powered by the engines of the decommissioned Dreadnought. The Dreadnought's engines were so powerful, that the Covenant had to keep them at partial power, yet it still powers nearly all of High Charity. [2].

[edit] Capital City
In the internal hub of High Charity lies an extremely large capital city. In its center sits the Forerunner Dreadnought, embedded within the city after the formation of the Covenant as a symbol of conviction and peace between the Sangheili and the San 'Shyuum. The Dreadnought's engines are the primary power source for much of the city, though back-up generators were rigged by the Gravemind once the vessel departed.

The city itself contains many locations sacred to the Covenant, such as the Council Chamber, the Sanctum of the Hierarchs, and the Mausoleum of the Arbiter. As a construct, High Charity is very similar to the Unyielding Hierophant, a repair & refit station, but serving as a mobile command post as well. Unlike many small Covenant vessels and their UNSC counterparts, High Charity contains many courtyards and other spaces which are an attempt to seem natural. The interior of High Charity is, of course, laced with the Covenant's unique architecture, of a lighter tone than their naval vessels. All of the structures within the city float above a methane-rich field in which the Unggoy dwell. The towers at the center are gigantic volcanic spires and are used by the San 'Shyuum as offices and private residences.

No city construct of the Covenant, with the exception of High Charity, is ever seen in any of the Halo games.

[edit] Protection
Main Article: High Charity Defense Fleet
High Charity is important and significant enough to the Covenant Empire to wield and sustain its own personal fleets, consisting of dozens if not hundreds of battleships, carriers, and cruisers. Some of the biggest fleets in the entire Covenant armada defend the city, such as the Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity, and the late Fleet of Particular Justice. Being the Covenant's major religious center and capitol, High Charity is enormously sacred to the Covenant. It is thought that true believers should visit it at least once in a lifetime, though this isn't affordable to many members of the Covenant. It is full of San 'Shyuum and Sangheili Councilors, and generally the leadership of the entire alien hegemony. Identity-wise, it can be likened to the Human view on the UNSC Hopeful, albeit a hundredfold.