Editing Egregore

{{Quote|I've seen it before. On the Glykon. On the Leviathan. On my own ship, too. An organism that's all about forming psychic connections.|[[Drifter|The Drifter]]}}

Egregore resembles [[Earth]] fungi in many respects, but while fungi feed on dead or decomposing matter, egregore is drawn to the unique psychological phenomena associated with the deaths of sentient beings. The fungus is capable of entering the brains of sentient beings through the use of skull-penetrating tendrils, which enable the egregore to suspend the victim's mind in a state of near-brain death, allowing it to feed on the drawn-out death process of the victim.  

According to Eris, egregore is a manifestation of Darkness, similar to [[Stasis]], but "impure" in some way.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/5/24)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Haunted]] - [[Eidolon Shell#Lore|Eidolon Shell]]''</ref> Egregore spores can open one's mind to the Darkness, and also permit affected individuals to pass through energy barriers generated by the fungus. The fungus' mycelial network forms psychic connections between Darkness-associated entities located across space and even in different dimensions, creating links between artifacts of the [[Black Fleet]] such as the [[Pyramids]] and the [[Ziggurat]], powerful Darkness-aligned beings such as [[Rhulk]] and [[Calus]], and [[the Witness]] itself.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/5/24)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Haunted]] - [[Armor|Armor lore]]: [[Eidolon Pursuant Suit (Titan)#Eidolon Pursuant Mark|Eidolon Pursuant Mark]]''</ref> Eris Morn and the Drifter discovered this by experimentally burning egregore stalks near Pyramid technology, which opened up visions of the network formed by the egregore.

Egregore appears to exist in multiple distinct forms, perhaps depending on the environment in which it is found. The egregore aboard the Derelict mostly takes the form of either thin blackish-green tendrils with glowing petal-like tips or amorphous swirling masses, whereas the egregore aboard the Leviathan is gray in color and grows in thick, lumpy stalks. A third variety of egregore has been found growing in the depths of Titan's methane ocean, where it takes on a more coral-like appearance.

===Discovery by Calus===

According to Calus, he first discovered egregore on a distant world, where it grew in great "forests".<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl0sRvKCU2s</ref>.

===Discovery by the Drifter===

The infestation of egregore aboard the [[Drifter]]'s [[Derelict]] was claimed to have been found on a distant icy world by the Drifter himself.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/5/24)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Haunted]] - [[Armor|Armor lore]]: [[Eidolon Pursuant Suit#Eidolon Pursuant Plate / Tunic / Robe|Eidolon Pursuant Plate / Tunic / Robe]]''</ref>.  

===[[Arrival of the Black Fleet]]===

{{Quote|In my haste to find a suitable bearer for the Crown of Sorrow, I failed to see a more elegant solution. The Hive were not those who could most elegantly bear the Crown. My Shadow, Katabasis, found the alternative. Mindless corpses of Fallen, risen through an Ahamkara's wish magic, fuelled by Darkness-infused Ether... the Scorn. The only component that was missing was a connective tissue, and this, the Egregore spores would provide.|Emperor Calus.}}

When the [[Black Fleet]] arrived in the [[Sol System]], Calus wished to commune with the [[The Witness|Witness]]. At the suggestion of his [[Shadow]] [[Guardian]] [[Katabasis]] and collaborator [[Qinziq]], he elected to connect the [[Crown of Sorrow]] to the minds of [[Scorn]], using Egregore to form a connection. His repeated communion attempts took place upon the carrier [[Glykon Volatus]], which became increasingly overrun with egregore.<ref>'''Bungie (2021/2/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Chosen]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Captain's Log#ENTRY 8 - Acheron's Wall|Captain's Log: ENTRY 8 - Acheron's Wall]]''</ref>. After the vessel plunged into the nothingness over [[Mars]] and resurfaced weeks later near the [[Reef]], the fungus had grown exponentially, festering within the corpses scattered in the ship and forming psychic barriers impenetrable to those that haven't breathed its spores.

{{Quote|This ship was once so full of a specific kind of life, vascular and wet: flesh, meat, bone. Now, new life flourishes in the dark.|Emperor Calus, speaking about the Egregore infestation aboard the Leviathan.}}

After returning from the Darkness anomaly located where [[Mercury]] once was, [[Calus]]' Leviathan reappeared in orbit around the Moon, heavily overgrown with egregore and overrun with [[Nightmares]]. The [[Loyalists]] and [[Scorn]] residing in the vessel were also infested with the fungus, which allowed the Emperor to control most of them directly. Calus intended use the egregore aboard the vessel to form a psychic link between himself and the derelict [[The Lunar Pyramid|Pyramid]] located underneath the [[Scarlet Keep]], and succeeded despite [[The Coalition]]'s efforts.

===[[Invasion of Earth]]===

The [[Warlock]] [[Druis]] encountered egregore within the [[Ascendant Realm]] while attempting to rescue civilian prisoners from a [[Shadow Legion]] outpost.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Defiance]] - [[Armor|Armor lore]]: [[Unyielding Favor Suit#Unyielding Favor Greaves / Strides / Boots|Unyielding Favor Greaves / Strides / Boots]]''</ref>

===[[Skirmish of Titan]]===

Following Titan's reappearance after having been taken by the Witness, the Drifter discovered egregore growing in the depths of the moon's methane ocean, in the form of coral. He managed to retrofit a number of his [[Gambit]] related equipment to extract and consume the corals. These would be used by [[Sloane]] to strenghen the psychic connection she formed with [[Ahsa]], a fugitive proto-[[Worm]] that wished to bestow great insight about the Witness to the [[Vanguard]].

 

===''[[Season of the Wish]]''===

{{Quote|The egregore festers where the Veil touches, as if it projects a field across Sol.|Eris Morn in a communication to Osiris}}

 

While the Guardian worked to secure Riven's cooperation in helping them follow the Witness into the Pale Heart, Eris noted in a message to Osiris that she had detected infestations of Egregore throughout the Sol System wherever the Veil's influence was present<ref>'''Bungie (2023/11/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Wish]] - [[Armor|Armor Lore]]: [[Wyrmguard Suit#Wyrmguard Greaves|Wyrmguard Greaves]]''</ref>.

During the Vanguard's explorations of the Pale Heart as they pursued the Witness, they discovered growths of Egregore within several of the "incisions" made by the Witness where its Darkness held sway against the Traveler's Light.

*Egregore refers to a concept in Occultism wherein an expressly believed thought manifests amongst a group of like-minded thinkers. The definition of this has changed over time, from manifesting an actual physical being that assists the group, in the form of a guardian angel or other being, to just the ability for the thought to grow in strength within the group, becoming evermore influential in the groups actions. Therefore, egregore is parasitic in its relationship to its host group. This can be said to be represented in Destiny, as egregore has so far appeared to grow within regions of lifeforms with a strong like-minded thought process and purpose; Loyalists and their dedication to Calus, Scorn and their dedication to finding meaning to their existence. Drifter's ownership of some egregore may indicate his singular strength of will to survive, with the egregore feeding on this.