Forum:Taniks, the Scorned
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Taniks, the Scarred |
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House of Scar (formerly) |
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Mercenary (formerly) |
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| Taniks, the Scorned | |
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Male |
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(TBA) |
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High Durability |
| “ | There is evidence of Fallen giving themselves to technology... The mercenary Taniks is one example—more machine than Fallen now, an abomination in the eyes of traditional Fallen belief. | ” |
Taniks, the Scorned (formerly Taniks, the Scarred) is an infamous Fallen mercenary unaffiliated with any House, loyal only to those who pay him. He gained notoriety within the Last City for murdering Guardians, including the Hunter Vanguard Andal Brask, and became infamous for cheating death on numerous occasions, due in part to his cyborg physiology.
Taniks has been fought and defeated by the Guardian no less than three times during present day. He was first seen working with the House of Wolves during the Wolf Rebellion before being killed by a Guardian Strike team, only to be resurrected using SIVA as Taniks Perfected by the Devil Splicers during the SIVA Crisis. After being defeated a second time, his body was retrieved and rebuilt by the House of Salvation inside the Deep Stone Crypt on Europa, where he was revived as Taniks, Reborn and set loose by Atraks-1. He followed the Guardians aboard the Morning Star space station orbiting Europa, and survived its subsequent crash into the surface by grafting his torso onto a Heavy Shank and becoming Taniks, the Abomination.
After his presumed final death at the Crypt, he would be resurrected as a Scorn by Shin'ra, the Sorrow-Maker and be infused with the powers of Stasis, serving as the Hive God's Scorn general.
Biography[edit]
Early history[edit]
- "A Kell cut off his arms. He built himself new ones. Then he killed the Kell with them."
- — Does Not Bow
Taniks was once loyal to an unknown House, but docked into subservience by his Kell. He then built himself new prosthetic arms and killed his former Kell out of revenge.[1] Taniks later renounced his pledge to any House and refused to adhere to their arbitrary customs and traditions.[2]
Inspired by Sekris, Baron of Shanks, who prolonged his lifespan through cybernetics, Taniks was among a new generation of Fallen mercenaries who modelled their brutality and cybernetics after Sekris.[3] Becoming a cyborg, he built a reputation among the Eliksni as an undying huntsman and infused his physical body with mixtures of technologies pilfered from legendary treasure troves. This continued to the extent where he was considered more machine than Fallen.[4][5]
Battles with the City[edit]
- "Taniks didn't announce himself. Didn't say a word. Just laughed a few times and tried like hell to kill us all...
Which meant the boogeyman had a face—the boogeyman was REAL." - — Cayde-6.[6]
During the early City Age and at least before Twilight Gap, the Fallen Houses placed large bounties of Glimmer and Ether on an infamous crew of Hunters, which included Andal Brask, Shiro-4, and Cayde-6.[7] At the time, Taniks was widely regarded as a boogeyman amongst the Guardians who heard stories of the bannerless, Fallen mercenary killing off Lightbearers but were widely regarded as tall tales. Taniks, having sought to claim their bounties on the crew, would ambush Cayde, Shiro, Nian Ruo, and Lush during a cache run on the outskirts of the City. In a split second he quickly murdered Nian and destroyed Lush's Ghost before the outgunned Hunters could escape him and his Fallen crew. Andal was later informed of the incident by Cayde and Shiro and sought to kill Taniks out of revenge.[7] Since then, Taniks would ambush the crew on several other occasions, arriving unannounced and laughed a few times before he tried to kill them. However, his attempts would backfire as the Hunters had fully prepared for him. One night, Andal and Cayde stayed up late drinking and decided to make a Vanguard Dare. They joked that whoever failed to kill Taniks would become the new Hunter Vanguard, while the winner lived the life of a free Hunter.[6]
Cayde had the good luck of finding and killing Taniks first, forcing Andal kept his word. However, Taniks would not stay dead for long as his return prompted Cayde to seek out the mercenary yet again. The Exo Hunter would successfully kill Taniks a second time, unleashing lead into his chest, neck, gut and head. However, his crew would instead intervene and hauled him off before Cayde could finish the job.[8]
At that point, Taniks' continued presence became a pain to the Last City, where Osiris and the Speaker appointed Saint-14, who was infamous amongst the Fallen, to find and kill the mercenary himself. Despite Andal becoming the new Hunter Vanguard, Cayde tried talking him out of his new position as the Dare was made in a compromised state but to no avail.[8]
At the Battle of the Twilight Gap, Taniks became involved in the united front of Fallen Houses of Devils, Kings and Winter against the forces of the Last City. His presence was met with ridicule by Draksis the Kell of House Winter, whom called him self-serving scum and spat at his banner-less armor.[2] However, he would become acquainted with the infamous Devil Baroness, Eramis, the Shipstealer, and formed a crew featuring them alongside Kridis and Phylaks as they followed her assault against the Guardians. Taniks fired thunderous blasts from his Scorch Cannon and created explosions of blood around him while laughing maniacally.[9] However, the alliance ultimately failed their "Final Attempt" attack and retreated in defeat. Taniks had also took part in the Reef Wars, which Variks remembered many Awoken murdered at the mercenary's hands.
Taniks would eventually claim Andal's bounty by murdering the Hunter Vanguard in cold blood, forcing Cayde to replace his old friend in memory of him.[10] Cayde would also kill Taniks a third time, avenging Andal in commemoration of his new position as Hunter Vanguard.[11]
Prison breakout[edit]
- "And still you wonder why I refuse my house-pledge. You could conquer the system, but you'd rather adhere to these arbitrary customs. Aksor belongs to Winter, and Eramis does not."
- — Taniks, the Scarred.[2]
At some point, Draksis, Winter Kell would reluctantly hire Taniks to break Aksor, Archon Priest free from the Prison of Elders, who was captured during the Reef Wars.[12] Taniks at first recollected how the Winter Kell once scoffed at him but had to refrain himself from ripping out his arms and legs as he believed Draksis would seek his services later on.
While Taniks held payment above pride, he also sought payment in blood and battle that was worthy of his time. He took the job, but charged twice his usual price out of anger that he will miss the opportunity to free the fiercest of the Eliksni warriors such as Eramis, Pirsis and Calzar. He criticized Draksis for wanting to free the impotent Archon and insulted his Winter troops for being pathetic. He would clarify his reasons for remaining Houseless as he despised the Fallen Houses that were guided by arbitrary customs and argued that they could conquer the entire Solar System if they were to organize itself with the greatest of Fallen generals. [2]
The Shadow Thief[edit]
- "I remember Taniks from the Reef Wars. Many Awoken dead. Clever, clever creature."
- — Variks, the Loyal
Hired by the House of Wolves to steal from the Hive, Taniks would lead the Wolf Fallen to plunder the Hellmouth. Variks, having tracked Taniks' movements during the Wolf Rebellion, would enlist the Guardian and his fireteam to kill him. Variks also warned them of the threat that Taniks posed as he did not see them as an enemy, but rather as “trophies” to collect their spoils from.
Taniks, relishing at the challenge of the Lightbearers, would briefly engage them at Dusk Warren before retreating via lift field into his Ketch. He then issued a challenge to them in the ways of the old and calls the fireteam out. Once aboard his Ketch in pursuit, the fireteam would find that Taniks had jammed their comms and called upon the Wolves aboard the Ketch in a frenzy to eliminate them. The Fallen could only impede the fireteam as they gave chase to the fleeing mercenary, pursuing him through mobs of enemies including a Walker in the hanger bay.
With tremendous effort, the Guardians destroyed the Fallen Walker and cornered Taniks as he insults them in his Eliksni language. He is killed much to Variks' delight and rewards the team treasures from the Queen.[13]
SIVA Perfected[edit]
- "He talks. How is that possible?"
"Maybe Taniks was more machine than we thought. He's not alive: perhaps he never was." - — Commander Zavala and Ikora Rey
During the aftermath of the SIVA Crisis, the leaderless Devil Splicers allied with Taniks' Crew and rebuilt the Fallen mercenary. Enhanced with SIVA, Taniks becomes Taniks Perfected and leads the Splicers and his crew with the attention to reclaim his old territory from the Hive.[14] Variks quickly informs Ikora and Zavala of his return and the Vanguard enlist the Guardians who fought with Saladin to hunt him down.
On arrival, Zavala notes how the Splicers are experimenting on nearby Hive and asks the Guardians to end this quickly before another SIVA outbreak occurs. As they approach the Dusk Warrens, Taniks encounters them near the lift to his Ketch but is forced to retreat. Zavala is shocked that Taniks can talk since they believed the Splicers were only reanimating his body with SIVA. Ikora comments how Taniks may be more machine than Fallen and perhaps he was never alive to begin with. With his Ketch still intact, a jamming field disrupts the Vanguard communications.
After fighting through the Splicers, Hive and a Perfected Walker, the Guardians manage to corner Taniks by his command bridge. Taniks is armed with his signature Scorch Cannon which is modified to allow Shock and Void blasts. His SIVA abilities also generate an immunity shield where nearby SIVA crystals need to be destroyed to disable the shield. The Guardians prevent SIVA from restarting Taniks' mercenary operations and slew him.
Nightmare of Taniks[edit]
- "Years ago, Taniks tore the Vanguard apart over a mere bounty. Andal Brask was murdered in cold blood, and the Hunter Vanguard was left without a leader. Taniks would ultimately die on the orders of Cayde-6."
- — Eris Morn
Taniks would continue to haunt the Guardians as a Nightmare recreated by the Pyramids. Eris Morn would send the Guardians to hunt down the Nightmare of Taniks as its Essence of Isolation was essential to forge armor to suppress the Nightmares and breach the Pyramid. The Nightmare would be defeated by the Dusk Warrens after the Guardians breached into the Temple of Crota. However, his Nightmare would continue to plague the Guardians as it reappears in the Altars of Sorrow and Nightmare Hunts.
The Abomination[edit]
- "There is evidence of Fallen giving themselves to technology... The mercenary Taniks is one example—more machine than Fallen now, an abomination in the eyes of traditional Fallen belief."
- — A Blind Eye Towards Tomorrow.[5]
Following the failed heist to steal the SIVA-infused Outbreak Perfected, Eramis would relive a dream of the Twilight Gap. She remembered how Taniks aided her crusade against the City but awakens when she sees her fellow allies evaporate into ash.[9] She later forms the House of Salvation and at some point, they recover and rebuilt Taniks' body.
Her House established a stronghold on Europa and they secretly rebuilt Taniks in the Deep Stone Crypt, the secret birthplace of the Exo. Weeks after the defeat of Eramis, the Exo Stranger enlists a fireteam of Guardians to secure the Crypt from her followers before they could unleash a new army of Darkness-powered Fallen. After bypassing the Crypt Security, the Crypt AI notes that Clarity Control was breached by a single unregistered Exo and a single life form of unknown biology and were detected by the Crypt laboratory. There Atraks-1, Fallen Exo reawakens Taniks from his cryo suspension, who is immediately enraged at the sight of the Guardians. He begins bashing at the laboratory glass to no avail, so he crawls up the glass and leaves the lab.
Following the destruction of Atraks-1, the Crypt AI initiates its nuclear descent protocol to confine both parties aboard the Morning Star platform and deorbit it in an attempt to destroy the Crypt. Taniks (now known as Taniks, Reborn) is found hacking control of the Nuclear Contingency Chamber where they would commence a battle, which became further complicated by Taniks causing the nuclear cores to charge prematurely. As the station descended towards the Crypt, the Fallen engaged the Guardians as they attempted to dispose the charging cores and deactivate the nuclear protocol threatening to destroy Europa. Taniks himself would also fight the fireteam during the descent, to which he found himself temporarily stun locked by a Braytech augment on more than one occasion.
Having deactivated the nuclear protocol merely moments before orbital re-entry, the Guardians quickly retreated to shelter in the lower deck of the station. Taniks mercilessly pursues them while firing his Molten Welder only to be locked out of the blast doors seconds before collusion. He seemingly perished when the station collided onto the surface, but was found to have survived the impact near the entrance of the Crypt.
He re-emerges as Taniks, the Abomination; having grafted his lower body onto a Heavy Shank built out of the station's debris and nuclear cores. Facing the Guardians once more, Taniks goes on the offensive with his newfound Void abilities as well as raining down station debris from the atmosphere like meteors. However, the fireteam staggers the abominable Taniks long enough for them to collect and disarm his cores piece by piece to prevent his nuclear-powered armaments from wiping them in an instant. Enraged, the mercenary creates a massive Arc-fueled barrier to protect himself in, forcing the Guardians to enter as he was now vulnerable to their attacks. In his last moments, Taniks teleports around the crash site as he prepares for a final attack to wipe the fireteam, but would finally perish instead as he dies in a fiery nuclear blast, ending him seemingly for good.[15]
The Scorned[edit]
- "Taniks is no more a general than he is Scorn now. He now defies the lawlessness that made him the notorious mercenary. A stone cold killer in a dead husk."
- — Variks
Several years following his demise on Europa, his body would be exhumed by the Hive God of Forge, Shin'ra. Resurrected as a Scorn Captain under the Weavers of Sorrow, he serves as Shin'ra's Scorn general.
Gameplay[edit]
Trivia[edit]
Gallery[edit]
List of appearances[edit]
- Destiny: House of Wolves (First appearance)
- The Taken King (Mentioned only)
- Rise of Iron
- Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris (Mentioned only)
- Forsaken (Mentioned only)
- Shadowkeep (Nightmare)
- Beyond Light
- Season of the Lost (Mentioned only)
- Season of Defiance (Mentioned only)
- Into the Light (First appearance)
References[edit]
- ^ Bungie (2015/05/19), Destiny: House of Wolves, Item Description: Does Not Bow
- ^ a b c d Bungie (2020/11/10), Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Lore:The Once-Shipstealer - XIV. The Scarred
- ^ Bungie (2017/5/12), Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris, Mask of Sekris
- ^ Bungie (2015/5/19), Destiny: House of Wolves, Grimoire: Taniks, the Scarred
- ^ a b Bungie (2018/08/29), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Lore: The Lawless Frontier - A Blind Eye Towards Tomorrow
- ^ a b Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Lore:The Man They Call Cayde - Turn
- ^ a b Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Lore: Raise
- ^ a b Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Lore:The Man They Call Cayde - Winner Take All
- ^ a b Bungie (2020/11/10), Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Lore:The Once-Shipstealer - XIV. The Nightmare
- ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny, Grimoire: Hunter Vanguard
- ^ Bungie (2020/11/10), Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Playstation 4, Lore: The Dark Future - Chapter 9: The Return
- ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny, Grimoire: Aksor, Archon Priest
- ^ Bungie (2014/5/19), Destiny: House of Wolves, The Shadow Thief
- ^ Bungie (2016/20/9), Destiny: Rise of Iron, Grimoire: The Shadow Thief: Revisited
- ^ Bungie (2020/11/10), Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Deep Stone Crypt