Editing Hive

|othernames=Krill {{C|formerly}}<ref name="KrillHive1"/><ref name="KrillHive2"/>

|image=[[File:Grimoire The Hive.jpg|300px]]

|focalworld(s)=[[Ascendant Realm]] <br> [[Earth]] <br> [[Moon]] <br> [[Dreadnaught]] <br> [[Titan (moon)|Titan]] <br> [[Mars]] <br> [[Reef]] <br> [[Savathûn's Throne World]] <br> [[The Pale Heart]]

|goals=Serve the Hive pantheon by consuming all [[Light]] <br> Live forever by being synonymous with death <br> Extinguish all uses of the [[Darkness]] incompatible with the beliefs of [[The Witness]] <br> Bring about their interpretation of the [[Final Shape]]

|notable-group= [[Hidden Swarm]] <br> [[Grasp of Nokris]] <br> [[Savathûn's Brood]] <br> [[Blood of Oryx]] <br> [[Spawn of Crota]] <br> [[The Silent Brood]] <br> [[Xivu Arath's Horde]] <br> [[Lucent Brood]]

|notable-person= [[Oryx, the Taken King]] <br> [[Savathûn, the Witch-Queen]] <br> [[Xivu Arath, God of War]] <br> [[Crota, Son of Oryx]] <br> [[Omnigul, Will of Crota]] <br> [[Dûl Incaru, the Eternal Return]] <br> [[Phogoth, the Untamed]] <br> [[Nokris, Herald of Xol]] <br> [[In Anânh, Brood Queen]] <br> [[Ecthar, Sword of Oryx]] <br> [[Alak-Hul, the Darkblade]] <br> [[Warpriest]] <br> [[Golgoroth]] <br> [[Ir Yût, the Deathsinger]] <br> [[Hashladûn, Daughter of Crota]] <br> [[Zulmak, Instrument of Torment]] <br> [[Kelgorath, Risen from Bones]] <br> [[Leviathan-Eater, Bane of the Ammonites]]

The '''Hive''', originally known as the '''Krill''',<ref name="KrillHive1">'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qi28JcOtFQ Preservation {{!}} Rhulk: "Puppets, All of Them. Every Last Krill. Every Last Hive"]''</ref><ref name="KrillHive2">'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Lore:Lucent Tales]]: [[Lore:Lucent Tales#Krill|Krill]]''</ref> are a macabre, incredibly ancient species of arthropod-like aliens hailing from the world of [[Fundament]] and aligned with [[The Witness|the Witness]] and the [[Black Fleet]]. Their entire culture is based around the [[Sword Logic]]: a supernatural, thanatological philosophy of competitive survivalism, which dictates that they must destroy other civilizations in order to accrue [[Paracausality|paracausal]] power and feed the [[Worm|Worms]] that live within their bodies. Along with the Witness, they are led by a pantheon of dark gods, who derive power and sustenance from the destruction wrought by the Hive.

In [[Sol]], they have a significant presence on the [[Moon]], where they have built the [[Hellmouth]] and [[Scarlet Keep]], as well as in certain regions of [[Earth]],<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Activities/Crucible Arenas#The Rusted Lands|The Rusted Lands]]''</ref> around [[Saturn]], where the massive [[Dreadnaught]] orbits, <ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Hive_Arsenal#Dreadnaught|Dreadnaught]]''</ref> the icy regions of [[Mars]] and on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], where they infest the ruined arcologies. They are also present in certain regions within the [[Reef]], such as the [[Tangled Shore]] and the [[Dreaming City]].  

The Hive are an "impossibly ancient" race born from a pact with the [[Worm|Worm Gods]]. Hive structures delve deep into wherever they lay claim to, unheeding of the damage done in the process, crafting linked caverns and gothic-like columns. These underground spaces resemble a dungeon recently pulled up after an extended period underwater.<ref name = "GIJ2014">[http://www.gameinformer.com/games/destiny/b/playstation4/archive/2014/04/04/a-player-39-s-journey.aspx?PostPageIndex=4 '''Game Informer January 2014''', ''page 55'']</ref> The Hive are able to manipulate the physical world in ways humanity can only begin to imagine,<ref>[http://www.destinythegame.com/au/en/game/enemies/hive '''Bungie''': ''Hive'']</ref> and have witnessed the [[Darkness]] consume countless worlds in the past.<ref name = "Destiny">'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]''</ref>

The Hive are not an enemy military so much as a rising force.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/6/12)''', ''[[Destiny]]: Alpha, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies#Acolyte|Acolyte]]''</ref> They base their entire existence around the extermination of other forms of life, especially those that follow the way of Light and the Traveler, and approach their task with religious fervor. To the Hive, killing and conquest are not merely acts of war, but of worship.

By the time of the first ''Destiny''  game, they have burrowed deep into the [[Moon]], residing there for centuries while growing stronger.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eAbpZfqE8r4 '''YouTube''': ''Official Destiny Gameplay Trailer: The Moon'']</ref> The [[Guardian|Guardian's]] [[Ghost]] states that he believes the Hive to be contained on the Moon for centuries, but the player first encounters them in [[Old Russia]], underneath the [[Skywatch]], where the [[Fallen]] have attempted to seal them away.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvIZUrB92fI '''Youtube''': ''Destiny Gameplay Walkthrough - Alpha Part 1'']</ref> The Guardians eventually discover that this is just the beginning; that the Hive have been building an army and intend to invade Earth en masse.<ref name = "Beta">'''Bungie (2014-7-17)''', ''[[Destiny]]: Beta''</ref>

{{quote|The Fundament is very large. We are the smallest things in it. If you don't understand something, it will probably kill you. My teacher [[Taox]] says this is why we have such short lives. So we can breed and adapt quickly.|[[Xivu Arath|Xi Ro]]<ref name="Predators">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#I: Predators|I: Predators]]''</ref>}}

Long ago, the Krill crashed their [[Krill homeworld|homeworld]] into [[Fundament]], ostensibly to hide from something unknown. The shards of this homeworld eventually formed a number of continents that floated upon a sea called the Fundament Ocean within a layer of the gas giant's atmosphere, and the Krill eventually built a meager civilization upon them, and forgot their old history. Cohabiting Fundament with the Krill were hundreds of other intelligent species, and Fundament's fifty-two moons were inhabited by a space-faring species called the [[Ammonite]]s, who were watched over by [[The Traveler|the Traveler]].<ref name="Curiosity">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Calcified Fragments: Curiosity|Calcified Fragments: Curiosity]]''</ref><ref name="Syzgy">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#IV: Syzygy|IV: Syzgy]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XIV: 52 and One|XIV: 52 and One]]''</ref>

Life was short and harsh for the krill. Their natural lifespan rarely exceeded ten Fundament years, though females who ate "mother jelly" developed the ability to spawn and live longer. In terms of environmental hazards, Fundament was very inhospitable. The Fundament Ocean was toxic, the skies eternally stormy, the rain poisonous and sometimes corrosive. Lightning had enough power to vaporize anyone it struck; "living clouds" called [[Stormjoy|Stormjoys]] would prey on the populace, and the Krill frequently warred with each other.<ref name="Curiosity"/><ref name="Predators"/>

The progenitors of the contemporary Hive were [[Xi Ro]], [[Sathona]], and [[Aurash]], the three daughters of the [[Osmium King]] who ruled the continent called the Osmium Court.<ref name="Predators"/> When the Osmium King was ten years old, he fell into madness, fearing an event called the Syzygy, wherein Fundament's fifty-two moons would align and create a massive tidal wave, the God-Wave, which would destroy Fundament's civilizations.<ref name="Syzgy"/> [[Taox]], a sterile mother who served as the teacher to the King's daughters, feared the King's daughters were too weak to succeed the King, and invited a rival kingdom, the [[Helium Drinkers]] of the Helium Court, to invade the Osmium Court, kill the royal family, and allow Taox to rule the Osmium Court as their regent.<ref name="Hate">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#II: The Hateful Verse|II: The Hateful Verse]]''</ref> The Helium Drinkers invaded and slew the Osmium King, but the three sisters, two years old at the time, escaped on a ship and vowed revenge against the Helium King and Taox.<ref name="Oath">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#III: The Oath|III: The Oath]]''</ref>

After a year of traveling the sea, the sisters salvaged an ancient, high-tech ship they called "[[Needle|the needle]]" from the Shvubi Maelstrom. Xi Ro wanted to sell it at the ''Kaharn Atoll'', a gathering place of Fundament's many species, in order to raise enough money to hire a mercenary army, but Aurash wanted to take command of the ship. Sathona sided with Aurash, goaded on by a Worm that their father had kept. The Worm had washed up on the Osmium Court's shores and was seemingly dead, but Sathona could hear it speak to her.<ref name="Needle Worm">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#V: Needle and Worm|V: Needle and Worm]]''</ref> Unbeknownst to Sathona, the voice she was hearing was in fact that of the [[The Witness|the Witness]], a paracausal entity who sought to keep the Krill away from the Traveler. In truth, there was no imminent danger from a "god-wave" nor the syzygy that would supposedly cause it.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - Armor lore: [[Resonant Fury Suit (Titan)#Resonant Fury Plate|Resonant Fury Plate]]''</ref>

 

As they descended, the sisters encountered a vast creature called the [[Leviathan (Fundament)|Leviathan]], a disciple of the Traveler. The Leviathan warned the sisters against proceeding further, telling them that they faced a choice between the Sky and the Deep, the Light and the Darkness, the way of life and the way of death, but the sisters rejected the Leviathan, unable to accept that allowing their people to suffer was the better way, and instead decided to follow the worm Sathona had saved, which urged them to continue diving.<ref name="Dive">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#VII: The Dive|VII: The Dive]]''</ref><ref name="Leviathan">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#VIII: Leviathan|VIII: Leviathan]]''</ref>

{{quote|We want to help you, Princes. We offer to each of you a bargain... a symbiosis.|[[Yul, the Honest Worm]]<ref name="Bargain">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#IX: The Bargain|IX: The Bargain]]''</ref>}}

Deep within the Fundament Ocean, the sisters encountered the imprisoned [[Worm|Worm Gods]], who drew their power from the [[Darkness]] itself: [[Yul, the Honest Worm]], [[Eir, the Keeper of Order]], [[Xol, Will of the Thousands]], [[Ur, the Ever-Hunger]], and [[Akka, the Worm of Secrets]]. These Worm Gods claimed that they had lived and grown in Fundament's depths for millions of years, trapped by the Leviathan and the Traveler. They had called many species to Fundament, hoping one would be tenacious enough to find them. Now they offered Xi Ro, Sathona, and Aurash immortality in exchange for allowing themselves to be hosts for the Worms' larvae, with the caveat that if the sisters ceased to obey their natures (Xi Ro's desire to test her strength, Sathona's cunning, Aurash's curiosity), their Worms would consume them. Furthermore, the stronger the sisters became, the greater their Worms' appetites would be.<ref name="Bargain"/>

The sisters accepted the pact.<ref name="Immortals">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#X: Immortals|X: Immortals]]''</ref> Xi Ro took the knight morph and became Xivu Arath, the God of War;<ref name="Out Deep">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XII: Out of the Deep|XII: Out of the Deep]]''</ref> Sathona took the mother morph and became Savathûn, the Witch Queen;<ref name="Conquer">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XI: Conquerors|XI: Conquerors]]''</ref> and Aurash took the king morph and became Auryx, the King of the Hive.<ref name="Immortals"/> Over the following years, the siblings returned to their people and spread the Worms' larvae among them, re-creating the Krill as the Hive, and enabling them to liberate the Osmium Court from the Helium Drinkers, then drive Taox and the other species of Fundament to Kaharn Atoll, and finally to build the spaceships needed to break free of Fundament.<ref name="Out Deep"/><ref name="Conquer"/>  

Since then they have waged war upon the rest of the universe's inhabitants, having exterminated other races such as the [[Ammonite]]s, the [[Ecumene]], the [[Dakaua]], the [[Harmony]], the [[Qugu]], and the [[Taishibethi]].

{{quote|We need champions. Crusaders. Help us save the universe. Help us exterminate that which would destroy all hope. You are oathbound to this task, by the covenant of the worm.|Worm Gods<ref name="Crusaders">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XIX: Crusaders|XIX: Crusaders]]''</ref>}}

As the newborn Hive forced an ultimatum on the remaining Krill either to accept the worms or perish, Auryx turned his attention to Fundament's moons and the [[Ammonite]]s there who had allied with the Traveler and given asylum to Taox.<ref name="One">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XIV: 52 and One|XIV: 52 and One]]''</ref> Initially he was willing to negotiate with the Ammonites. His sister Savathûn, under pressure from the Worms, killed Auryx as punishment for not destroying them.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XV: Born As Prey|XV: Born As Prey]]''</ref> Rather than dying, Auryx's soul instead passed to the [[Ascendant Realm]], where it resided until he returned to the mortal realm.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XVII: The Weakness Verse|XVII: The Weakness Verse]]''</ref> Rebuked, Auryx purged what sympathy and goodwill he had left, becoming a merciless tyrant. They overwhelmed the Ammonites, slew the Leviathan, and forced Taox and the Traveler to flee.<ref name="Crusaders"/>

 

 

During the [[Hive-Ecumene war|Hive's war]] with the [[Ecumene]], Auryx came to realize that the Worm Gods had deceived him and his sisters: their worms' appetites were growing past the abilities of their hosts to feed them with death.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXIV: THE SCREAM|XXIV: THE SCREAM]]''</ref> Meeting with his sisters in his Ascendant Realm, surrounded by their servants (some of which despised them for showing weakness) they despaired over this dilemma. When his sisters offered their power to help Auryx find a way to save them, Auryx killed them, then used that power to confront his patron Worm god [[Akka, the Worm of Secrets]].<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXVI: star by star by star|XXVI: star by star by star]]''</ref> He killed Akka so that he might steal its ability to call upon [[Darkness|the Deep]], and created the Tablets of Ruin, which gave him the power to [[Taken|Take]]. His transformation complete, Auryx was now Oryx, the Taken King.<ref name="King of Shapes">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]:, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXVIII: King of Shapes|XXVIII: King of Shapes]]''</ref> During the subsequent war with the Ecumene, Oryx revived Xivu Arath in an act of war, and revived Savathûn in an act of cunning. He then decreed the tithe system: each Hive would kill their enemies, take some power to feed their own worm and tithe the rest to their superior. Thralls would tithe power to Acolytes, Acolytes would tithe power to Knights or Wizards, the Knights and Wizards would tithe power to the [[Ascendant Hive]], who commanded legions of warriors and earned the right to enter the Hive gods' respective throne worlds. All of this violence would eventually reach Oryx, Savathûn, and Xivu Arath, allowing their worms to feed on violence while continuing to invoke their inner natures.<ref name="Carved in Ruin">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXIX: Carved in Ruin|XXIX: Carved in Ruin]]''</ref>

Fearing that he was becoming a nihilist, Oryx eventually decided to sire his own spawn. The result of this was [[Crota, Son of Oryx]], and the Deathsinger twins, [[Ir Anûk, Deathsinger|Ir Anûk]] and [[Ir Halak, Deathsinger|Ir Halak]]. One day, the Deathsingers were refining their [[Deathsong]]s and came up with the idea of the [[Oversoul]]. Intrigued, Oryx commanded Crota to watch his sisters, so that he might learn something. But while Oryx was off studying the Deep, Crota was deceived by Savathûn into using his [[Cleaver]] to cut a portal in the High War, allowing the [[Vex]] to enter.<ref name=Partition>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXXVIII: The partition of death|XXXVII: The partition of death]]''</ref> For one hundred years the children of Oryx waged war with the Vex, who quickly deduced that worshipping the Sword Logic and the Deep was key to attaining power in the High War. However, while the Hive were able to overpower the Vex, they were unable to expel them, as they lost too much power whenever they entered the Vex conflux. The situation become so severe that the Worm God [[Eir]] itself demanded that Oryx return and end the war.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXXIX: open your eye : go into it|XXXIX: open your eye : go into it]]''</ref> Quickly returning to the High War, Oryx used his powers to Take the Vex and cleanse his throne world. Angered at his son's imperfection, Oryx threw Crota into the Vex gate network, decreeing that he "''return victorious or die forgotten''". At first, Crota resented his father for his apparent abandonment, but after time, he came to understand his father, and built temples to Oryx and the Deep, eventually becoming a vital link in Oryx's tithe of death and achieving godhood himself.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XL: An Emperor For All Outcomes|XL: An Emperor For All Outcomes]]''</ref> However, Oryx recognized that the threat of the Vex invading his throne world could not happen again, so he moved the High War into a mighty [[Dreadnaught]] scrimshawed from the remains of Akka.<ref name="Dreadnaught">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XLI: Dreadnaught|XLI: Dreadnaught]]''</ref>

During the [[Hive-Harmony war|Hive's campaign]] against the [[Harmony]] and the Vex, [[Quria, Blade Transform]] presented Oryx with a simulation of his former self, Aurash. Oryx looked upon the simulation with amusement, while Aurash looked upon Oryx in horror, demanding to know what he had done to her sisters and her people.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XLII: <>.7C<>.7C<>|XLII: XLII: <>|<>|<>]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XLIII: End of Failed Timeline|XLIII: End of Failed Timeline]]''</ref> In the end, Oryx Took Quria and presented the Vex to Savathûn as a gift. When she asked him what proof they had that their actions right, Oryx simply replied that the Hive's existence was proof enough in their convictions to live eternal by the Sword-Logic.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XLIV: strict proof eternal|XLIV: strict proof eternal]]''</ref> Following the war with the Harmony, Savathûn decided that her fleets would enter the black hole that the Harmony lived around, claiming that they would become stronger for it, while Xivu Arath detached her fleets from Oryx's, as she felt he constrained her too much.<ref>Bungie (2015/9/15), [[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XLVI: The Gift Mast|XLVI: The Gift Mast]]</ref>Meanwhile, Oryx continued his crusade alone<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XLVII: Apocalypse Refrains|XLVII: Apocalypse Refrains]]''</ref> while ruminating on the future.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XLIX: Forever And A Blade|XLIX: Forever And A Blade]]''</ref>

{{Quote|For millennia, humanity gazed at the Moon and envisioned visiting it. Yet, no one dreamed it a trespass. The Hive is not a welcoming host, as you well know.|[[Toland, the Shattered]].}}

At some point before the dawn of [[Human|humanity]] on [[Earth]], the Hive had secretly seeded themselves deep below the depths of Luna.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]], [[Patrol]]: [https://youtu.be/fBQiXy50qsM?si=c2tCRLhJNY7HrWiB Toland Patrols]''</ref> It is there that they would completely terraform the entire interior of the moon from the bottom up into an impregnable fortress called the [[Hellmouth]].<ref name= "Hellmouth">'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], Grimoire: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Hive#Ghost Fragment: Hive|Ghost Fragment: Hive]]''</ref> Traces of their presence were first uncovered by human scientists sometime during the [[Golden Age]], when they uncovered an [[Anomaly (artifact)|artifact]] that established contact with the [[The Witness|Witness]].<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]], Lore:[[Lore:Revelation|Revelation]] - [[Lore:Revelation#The Discovery|The Discovery]]''</ref> The Hive would emerge during the [[Collapse]], whereupon they slaughtered the inhabitants of the [[First Light Lunar Installation]] and the [[K1]] [[The Anomaly|Project site]].<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]], Lore:[[Lore:Revelation|Revelation]] - [[Lore:Revelation#Downfall|Downfall]]''</ref> <ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], Grimoire: [[Grimoire:Places/Moon#Ghost Fragment: The Ocean of Storms 2|Ghost Fragment: The Ocean of Storms 2]]''</ref> After reclaiming their stake on the moon, they continued to lie dormant and recover their strength for centuries, until finally the threat of their existence faded to myth by the time of the City Age.<ref name="Moon">'''Bungie (2016/4/15)''', ''Destiny, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Allies/Legends & Mysteries#Rezyl Azzir - Before These Walls|Rezyl Azzir - Before These Walls]]''</ref>  

During the early [[City Age]], [[Rezyl Azzir]] became the first [[Guardian]] to reach the Moon. Pursuing ancient mysteries regarding the existence of the Hive, Rezyl made first contact with [[Xyor, the Unwed|Xyor, the Blessed]] and her betrothed [[Knight]].<ref name="Xyor">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Allies/Legends & Mysteries#Legends and Mysteries: Rezyl Azzir|Legends and Mysteries: Rezyl Azzir]]''</ref> After facing off with Xyor's consort and the witch's magic, Rezyl emerged victorious, and escaped to warn the [[Last City|City]] of the imposing threat.<ref name="Fall">'''Bungie (2017/28/3)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[Age of Triumph]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Allies/Legends & Mysteries#Legend: Rezyl Azzir - The Triumphant Fall|Legend: Rezyl Azzir - The Triumphant Fall]]''</ref> However, the magic that affected Rezyl during the battle with Xyor and her Knight would slowly corrupt him into the hated Guardian killer, [[Dredgen Yor]], and create the most infamous [[Weapons of Sorrow|Weapon of Sorrow]]: [[Thorn]].

As the Hive launched their [[Seeder Ship]]s towards [[Earth]], a fireteam encountered elements of the Hive at the [[Grimoire:Activities/Crucible Arenas#The Rusted Lands|Rusted Lands]] in the ''Eastern Flooded Zone''; only one surviving [[Hunter]] returned to warn the City of the initial Hive invasion of Earth. Against overwhelming odds, the Guardians succeeded, barely, in repelling the Hive's offense at the [[Battle of Burning Lake]]. Not realizing the true threat the Hive posed, they planned a counterattack on the moon. Lord [[Shaxx]], a veteran of Burning Lake, opposed this, and eventually busted in on a [[Consensus]] meeting, calling the idea of a counterattack 'madness' and saying that the Guardians needed to learn about the Hive's swords and find a way to defend against them, first.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Inventory/Heavy Weapons#Raze-Lighter|Raze-Lighter]]''</ref> The Consensus ignored Shaxx's warnings, however, and the failed attack that followed was later called the [[Great Disaster]]. The Sword Logic proved to be too much for the Guardians, as countless heroes fell before Crota's [[Blades of Crota|Blades]], rendering the entire battle a mere slaughter. In particular, the legendary [[Titan (class)|Titan]] [[Wei Ning]] was slain personally by the God-Knight, who cracked the surface of the Moon with his sword, forcing the Guardians to retreat completely from the battle. The Vanguard and Consensus then declared the Moon off-limits, and allowed only the most elite Guardians enter.

As revenge for the slain, the [[Warlock]] [[Eriana-3]] led five other Guardians there in an attempt to kill Crota, only for the team to have their Light suppressed in the depths of the Hellmouth, leaving the Hive to pick them off one by one.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Activities#Crota's End|Crota's End]]''</ref><ref name="Crota">'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies#Crota, Son of Oryx|Crota, Son of Oryx]]''</ref>  Only one of the Guardians, [[Eris Morn]], survived. Trapped in the Hellmouth for years, only having recently escaped as a light-less Guardian, forever changed, scarred and seeking vengeance upon Crota and the Hive.

Crota's end would be met by [[The Guardian]] leading a fireteam of six to raid upon the [[Oversoul Throne]], entered from the deepest pit of the [[Hellmouth]]. The Guardians would summon Crota from his crystal to engage at his own throne world. When conventional means failed before the Hope-Eater, the Guardians turned Crota's own Sword Logic against him with the [[Cleaver]]s of his fallen Blades, permanently killing him.<ref name = "Dark Below">'''Bungie (2014/12/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Dark Below]]''</ref> This would mark the Hive's first true defeat, the loss of one of their gods and their race's heir to the Osmium Throne.

{{quote|Their leaders belong to you. The rest await extermination." <br> "No. Gather them. I will take them all…|[[Ecthar, Sword of Oryx|Ecthar]] and Oryx}}

The exact nature of Oryx was once unknown to the Guardians, but the name Oryx appeared often enough in Hive rituals that it could not be ignored. [[Shrine of Oryx|Shrines]] dedicated to Oryx, used by the Hive to communicate with Oryx across the universe, were known to exist throughout the Solar System. [[Osiris]] studied the Hive extensively and foretold that the [[Spawn of Crota]] would one day pave the way for Oryx's coming by "snuffing out the worlds of [[Light]]".<ref>'''Bungie (2015-2-26)''', ''[[Destiny]]'', [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies#Spawn of Crota|Spawn of Crota]]</ref> Members of the [[Blood of Oryx]] Hive sect are thought to be the direct servants of Oryx himself, though it is speculated that he is the master of all other Hive sects as well.<ref name="Grimoire">'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies#Blood of Oryx|Blood of Oryx]]''</ref><ref name = "PD">[http://planetdestiny.com/taken-king-analysis/ '''Planet Destiny''': The Taken King Trailer Analysis]</ref>

After learning of the death of his son, [[Crota]], Oryx personally traveled to the Solar System aboard his [[Dreadnaught]], accompanied by a Hive fleet and his [[Taken]] army.<ref name = "KotakuKing">[http://kotaku.com/leak-destinys-new-expansion-is-the-taken-king-out-sep-1709972043 '''Kotaku''' - ''Leak: Destiny's New Expansion Is The Taken King, Out September 15'']</ref><ref name = "PD">[http://planetdestiny.com/taken-king-analysis/ '''Planet Destiny''': The Taken King Trailer Analysis]</ref> They were met with opposition by Queen [[Mara Sov]] and her [[Reef]]born [[Awoken]] armadas at the [[Battle of Saturn]], which ended in a pyrrhic victory for the king who wiped out the Queen's forces with his [[Dreadnaught]]'s [[Oversoul|superweapon]]. With his fleet decimated after the battle, Oryx's Taken forces attacked [[Cabal]] bases on [[Phobos]] and [[Mars]] to rebuild his numbers and regain his advantage. Cabal detachments were devastated within hours, with the [[Sand Eaters]] suffering a catastrophic 58% casualties, while the [[Blind Legion]] and the [[Dust Giants]] lost 35% and 39% of their numbers respectively. The [[Vanguard]] discovered Oryx's presence after sending a [[The Guardian|Guardian]] to Phobos to investigate a Cabal distress signal, by which time Taken covens began appearing on multiple worlds, ushering in the Taken War.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[The Coming War]]''</ref>

Oryx was nearly beaten when the Guardian breached his sanctum and attacked him, but like all Hive Gods, this was only a temporary setback. Using his Taken powers, he escaped into the Ascendant realm to recuperate from his injuries. Meanwhile, his Taken, led by his [[Echo of Oryx|Echoes]], continued to harass the system. Once the blights had been removed, the Guardians turned their attention on Oryx and his champions. By overthrowing the [[Court of Oryx]] and killing his minions, they were able to breach deeper into the Dreadnaught. After his closest allies—the [[Warpriest]] and [[Golgoroth]], including his own daughters—were killed, Oryx returns to fight the Guardian once more, this time as a gigantic version of his physical body. Here he attempted to pull the Guardian Raid team into the Darkness multiple times and Take them, but they were able to use Oryx's own captured Light against him. By slaying his Light-Eater Ogres and Knights, and then detonating the Light they left behind to wound him, the Guardians were able to strike at the God-King's Heart directly, slaying Oryx for good.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[King's Fall]]''</ref>

{{Quote|The Taken King is dead. Yet his armies writhe and claw at our worlds.|Eris Morn<ref>'''Bungie (2015-9-15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Blighted Chalice]]''</ref>}}

Following a year after the Taken War and the death of their God-King, the Hive on Earth still appear to be organized but hunkered down in their nests, and have recently gone into conflict with the [[SIVA]]-augmented Fallen [[Devil Splicers]] in the [[Plaguelands]].<ref>'''Bungie (2016/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]''</ref> Soon enough, the ambitions of the Splicers, led by [[Kovik, Splicer Priest]], extend to experiment on not only themselves but the Hive as well, whether to control them as a slave army or to weaponize their mysterious biology. Furious, the Hive begin an all-out war with the Splicers. Through the efforts of the Guardians (not out of pity), the Fallen's efforts to control or weaponize the Hive were thwarted and Kovik was killed.<ref>'''Bungie (2016/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Wretched Eye]]''</ref>

The Hive remained active by the events of [[Dominus Ghaul]]'s invasion. They have somehow managed to infest Saturn's moon [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], engaging [[Guardian]] and [[Fallen]] forces on the moon. The Hive found on Titan were noted to have undergone a physical change in regards to their eyes by the time of the war. <ref>'''Bungie (2017/8/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]], [[Riptide]]''</ref> After the Red Legion succeeded in attacking the Last City and sealed away the Traveler's Light, the Lightless Guardians of the Vanguard led by Commander Zavala took what remained of the Vanguard fleet to Titan to set up a base to plan their counterattack. Unfortunately, Zavala was unaware of the Hive's infestation of Titan and when a force of Lightless Guardians attempted to drive the Hive out, they were defeated. To make matters worse, the Fallen [[House of Dusk]] followed the Vanguard. Upon their arrival, the Fallen began to pillage the Golden Age facilities while also engaging the Hive and the Lightless Vanguard. Despite this, a Guardian was able to regain their light and traveled to Titan to aid Zavala, clearing out enough of the Hive and reactivating the facilities for the Vanguard to set up a base. After Zavala moved to [[The Farm]] on Earth, the Vanguards forces on Titan were under the command of [[Sloane]]. Under her supervision, the Guardians began to make progress in driving the Hive away from their base while also powering the facilities.

{{Quote|The markings suggest this is a Hive god, but I don't recognize the symbol. Nothing in the World's Grave file either. The name is… Nokris.|[[The Ghost]]<ref name="GhostScan">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Ghost]]: [http://www.ishtar-collective.net/transcripts/ghost-scan-nokris Ishtar Collective - Ghost Scan: Nokris]''</ref>}}

The leaderless Grasp of Nokris remained an active threat on Mars that Guardians continue to face while also dealing with remnants of the Red Legion but find that its members are sending messages beyond the system, aimed towards Savathûn, pleading her to arrive and assume control. Xol himself would cheat death and transcend physical form by drawing power from the Sword Logic and using the Taken on Io, taking the shape of former enemies of humanity, for the Guardians to face and kill. Once the Guardian proved themselves worthy of a host to feed upon, Xol invoked the [[Anthem Anatheme]] and transformed into the [[Whisper of the Worm]] weapon as a conduit to feed off of the Guardian's kills.

The rogue prince managed to open the way but instead of his sister appearing as he believed it was her in directing his actions, only a grotesque Taken creature of Riven's, the [[Voice of Riven]], appeared in her place. However, once again due to the Guardian's actions,  the Taken Chimera was slain and the Hunter Vanguard avenged, but Riven remained a threat to the Reef and the whole Solar System. Nonetheless, finally gaining the Vanguard's support, aided by their Awoken allies and freeing the [[Techeun]]s from Taken corruption, the Guardians managed to kill the corrupted Riven and purge her heart of Taken essence.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], [[Nothing Left to Say]]''</ref><ref name = "Last Wish">'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], [[Last Wish]]''</ref>

In the [[Lost Sector]] of [[Methane Flush]] on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], a servant of [[Xyor, the Unwed]] was found by a Guardian, sent out by the [[Drifter]], performing a strange ritual. The servant was defeated by the Guardian and dropped a helmet with a strange bullet hole through the front. The Drifter instructed the Guardian to sully their Light and then defeat the weapon master creating new [[Weapons of Sorrow]].

Though Savathûn continued in her schemes in breaching the Distributary and undermining the Guardians, the Witch-Queen soon found a competitor in the form of the exiled Cabal [[Emperor Calus]]. Forming a trap for the emperor, Savathûn created an artifact called the [[Crown of Sorrow]], planting the rumor that the crown could mimic Oryx's ability to Take but in reality, it would drive the wearer mad with voices and bring them under the Witch Queen's control. Calus soon learned of the artifact's existence and as expected, the emperor desired it to further his goals. Invading one of the Hive's War Moons, Calus acquired the Crown but instead of wearing the crown himself as Savathûn predicted, the emperor granted it to one of his [[Shadows|Shadow]] agents, [[Gahlran]]. The emperor specifically bred Gahlran for the purpose of bearing the Crown and its powers, hoping that the artifact would allow Gahlran to command the Hive, thereby furthering Calus's goals. Unfortunately, the Crown, as it was designed, drove Gahlran completely mad, who then brought a large infestation of the Hive upon Calus's personal ship, [[The Leviathan]].

During their trek into the Court of Savathûn, the Guardian learns that Oryx's disowned son, [[Nokris]], has returned and is now in service to his aunt and her goals. It is soon discovered that the former Herald of Xol was abandoned by his god after finding more worth in the Worm God's killers and, looking for a new purpose, used trickery to enter the Ascendant Realm, encountering the Witch Queen doing so. Both wishing to be free from the Darkness, Nokris agreed to a bargain with his scheming aunt. In exchange for teaching his aunt the secrets of Necromancy and interfering with the Pyramid's attempts to communicate with the Guardians, Nokris would take part in Savathûn's plans and learn the power to Take from the "[[Quria, Blade Transform|Dreaming Mind]]".

Meanwhile, Guardians of new and old Light alike would investigate the appearance of the Hive wizard [[Navôta, Eir Spawn]], who had taken over the old Hive nest in the [[Cosmodrome]] after Omnigul's death.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[The Disgraced]]''</ref> After killing Guardians [[Caster-3]] and [[Maeve]], Navôta would attempt to finish their remaining member [[Shaw Han]] only to be driven off by a newly-Risen Guardian. With her position threatened by brood [[Ak-Baral, Rival of Navôta|rival]]s suspicious of her weakness, the disgraced Navôta was forced to make a final confrontation with the Guardians at the [[Terrestrial Complex|Terrestrial]] and [[Jovian Complex]]es. Despite attempting to rally the brood in a trap, she was defeated and the Hive in the Cosmodrome were left scattered and deprived of leadership.

{{Quote|Tell me oh honored guest… How did you do it? How did you find the strength to destroy something so like yourself? To look in a mirror and kill what looks back...|[[Savathûn]].}}

Sometime later, Mars suddenly reappeared, albeit exhibiting temporal distortions, which has the Vanguard have Guardian fireteams deployed to survey the planet. They discovered several Darkness-related structures, including the Enclave, and a forge-like device called the Relic within. Research teams led by the Hidden began studying both the structures and the temporal anomalies and documenting their findings. In addition, [[Cabal]] forces began deploying across the planet, reclaiming old territory and setting up anti-air defenses. This was in response to Savathûn's flagship decloaking over the Martian Cradle and began engaging with Cabal forces. A Guardian, however, managed to board the flagship and reported a terrifying finding; Hive soldiers wielding the Light and with some even having their own Ghosts. These Light-imbued Hive would become known as the [[Lucent Brood]]. Horrified to see the Hive, one of humanity's greatest enemies, wielding the Light, the Guardians managed to reenter [[Savathûn's Throne World]] to search how the Witch Queen managed to steal the Light but encounter a renegade Hive Ghost named [[Fynch]], who explains that Savathûn tricked several guardian-less ghosts to raise her Hive as Lightbearers, claiming they were more deserving of the Light than humanity. Fynch, however, began to have doubts about Savathûn's intentions, leading him to hide out and ultimately refuse to revive the Hive Knight he originally raised.

Despite being suspicious, the Guardians listen to Fynch, who directs them to a temple Savathûn had made in honor of her sister, Xivu Arath, the [[Temple of the Wrathful]], and what they found inside was, to their surprise, Sagira's shell, collected by Savathûn after her light was taken by Xivu Arath. Traversing the dark temple and battling organized Scorn forces, the Guardians were able to retrieve Sagira but, in doing so, they hear Savathûn's voice telling them of a being called "the Witness". Uncertain of what the Witness is, the Guardians learn they heard was a memory of Savathûn and to fully see the memory, they delve deeper into the Throne World, passing various Darkness-related illusions, before entering a portal that leads them to a strange area called the [[Altar of Reflection]]. There, placing Sagira's shell at the altar, the Guardian see Savathûn's memory where she impersonated Osiris and from his friends, learned secrets of the Light. Believing that those secrets involve how the Witch Queen stole the Light, Ikora has the Guardian continue working with Fynch in discerning more from Savathûn's memory. However, to fully do so, Ikora allowed the Guardian to enter the Pyramid on [[Europa]] to directly commune with the Darkness, heightening their [[Deepsight]] abilities to see through the illusions in Savathûn's Throne World.

Returning to Fynch, the Hive Ghost informs them of another temple that Savathûn had made in honor of her brother, Oryx, the [[Temple of the Navigator]], claiming there is a secret within. The Guardians enter the Temple and battle with to their surprise, [[Alak-Hul]], now raised as a Lightbearer called the Lightblade. Though the Guardian managed to slay Alak-Hul, his Ghost managed to escape before they could destroy it. Nonetheless, at the center of the Temple, the Guardian found a piece of the [[Tablets of Ruin]], the artifact that taught Oryx how to Take. Bringing the tablet piece to the Altar of Reflection, they see Savathûn's memory where she refused to become the Taken Queen but learn to their shock, that Savathûn intends to bring the Traveler to her Throne World and seal it away, as a way to "protect" it from the Witness. However, such an act would cut the Guardians off from the Light and leave the Last City vulnerable.

Admitting that she anticipated this and needing every advantage they can get before the Witch Queen enacts her plan, Ikora has the Guardian follow another tip from Fynch, believing that there is another important artifact hidden within Savathûn's Throne World. Fynch informs the Guardian that deep beneath the tunnels of the [[Quagmire]] lies a temple dedicated to Sathona, the Witch Queen's former identity before becoming a Hive God, and within lies an artifact next to a statue of Sathona. Despite heavily entrenched Scorn forces and many illusionary securities impeding them, the Guardian manages to locate the [[Temple of the Cunning]] and enter it. There, they find the statue of Sathona and after slaying the Scorn Warden and moving past Savathûn's illusionary tricks, they collect a separate piece of the statue: a calcified Worm Familiar, the same one Sathona had kept by her side that whispered to her about Fundament's end. However, taking the familiar activates a powerful illusion of an Ahamkara and a suffocating haze that nearly kills the Guardian. Despite this, the Guardian manages to escape with the Worm Familiar and attempts to take the familiar to the Altar of Reflection but the portal entrance rejects them, forcing Ikora to call upon Eris Morn for guidance. Eris tells them that from a trusted source, Mara Sov, a memento from Savathûn before her conversion to the Light is located deep in her fortress, a possible answer to how the Witch Queen gained of the Light. Guiding them to the Apothecary Wing of the Fortress, Eris claims that the item is a crystal that was once a part of Savathûn's prison during her time with the Awoken. Using their gift to pierce through illusions, the Guardian is able to traverse Savathûn's fortress and breach the [[Apothecary]], the grounds from which the Lucent Brood conduct their wretched experiments with the Light.

Within the Apothecary, the Guardian search for the Crystal but encounter the keeper of the Apothecary, [[Savathûn's Right Hand]], a Lightbearer Wizard. Chasing the wizard throughout the Apothecary, the Guardian manages to corner the wizard at the crystal's location and slay her. Grabbing the crystal allows the Guardian to hear a piece of Savathûn's memory but to fully see the memory, they return to the Altar of Reflection. Bringing the crystal to the altar, the Guardians witness that after Savathûn escaped from her crystal prison in the Reef, she came to Earth, to a mountain range overlooking the Traveler and the Last City. There, she came to the Traveler as a "supplicant" but at that point, the wounds from her escape became too much and died. However, to their shock and horror, the Traveler willingly has a Ghost, [[Immaru]], revive Savathûn as a Lightbearer the same way as a Guardian. At the memory's end, Savathûn herself enters and "thanks" the Guardian for helping her remember her memories, proving that the Witch Queen never stole the Light but was ''granted'' it. Before Savathûn could attack the Guardian, they managed to escape and report back to the Last City, telling the Vanguard of the awful truth they had witnessed.

The Vanguard is left completely shocked and rattled to the core that the Traveler would raise Savathûn, one of humanity's most devious adversaries, and grant her the Light. Zavala himself is left incredulous and in near denial but Eris Morn points out the Traveler's behavior of uplifting countless civilizations and then abandoning them in the [[Books of Sorrow]]. Zavala attempts to denounce this as mere Hive propaganda but Eris further details that the Fallen themselves tell a similar story, the moment the Witness and its Black Fleet arrived, the Traveler left, leaving them to the [[Whirlwind]], and eventually making it's way to the Sol System. However, Zavala angrily reminds everyone present that when the Black Fleet arrived in the Sol System, the Traveler sacrificed itself to save humanity. Yet, the Vanguard Commander cannot comprehend that after everything the Hive had done, the Traveler would give Savathûn the Light. Ikora merely states that it doesn't matter, regardless of the Traveler's reasons, only concerned that if the Witch Queen takes the Traveler and seals it away, humanity would lose any hope of surviving the Witness.

Theorizing that the calcified Worm Familiar found in Savathûn's temple may hold the key to stopping the Witch Queen, Ikora takes the Worm to the Enclave, believing that the Relic within may be able to slice into its past. With Eris helping her prepare, Ikora, after a struggle, can see into a memory of the Worm Familiar and discovers a shocking revelation: the Worm Familiar whispered that a cataclysm would come and destroy their home of Fundament but in truth, it was the Witness who spoke and it lied to Sathona. There was no cataclysm coming. The Hive were lied to. The Witness was aware that the Krill would soon encounter the Traveler and so, to claim them first, the Witness deceived Sathona into guiding her siblings into the Deep, thereby leading them to release the Worm Gods and forge the pact that would create the Hive species and rebirthing Sathona and her siblings into the Hive Gods, Oryx, Xivu Arath and Savathûn.

Armed with this knowledge and with Savathûn's ritual already beginning, Ikora has the Guardian take the familiar so when they confront the Witch Queen, the truth would destabilize the Hive God of Lies, breaking her hold over the ritual. With no time to lose, the Guardian enters Savathûn's Throne World but finds that the Traveler is already within her domain, forcing the Guardian to fight through Hive and Scorn forces to reach the portal to the ritual's location. Fortunately, Ikora herself arrives to help open the way after the Guardian held off Hive reinforcements, allowing the Guardian to enter the [[Court of Thorns]] and fight their way up to the top of Savathûn's fortress. Despite Lightbearer Hive barring the way and the Witch Queen's taunts, the Guardian was able to reach Savathûn's inner chamber and the ritual's location, the [[Sanctum of the Brood Queen]]. Confronting Savathûn, the Guardian battles her and her Lightbearer Hive and managed to defeat her, but before they could destroy her ghost, she traps them in a thread-bound spell, allowing herself the time to revive and retreat to her ritual's center point. Pursuing, the Guardian battles with Savathûn once more but proves too powerful for them.  

Knowing the truth won't likely stop her but aware they need to try, the Guardian gains access to a portal that leads them to a memory altar but also see that Savathûn is casting a spell that is weaving a web around the Traveler. Heading to two of the towers, the Guardian can slay the spell's [[Threadweaver]]s, undoing the spell before showing Savathûn the memory of the Witness' lie. At first, the memory surprises and confuses Savathûn, she ultimately becomes infuriated that the Guardian is using her own tricks against her, sending the Witch Queen into a fury, as they disrupt her ritual and undo her spell. With the last of the Threadweavers slain and her spell broken, the enraged Savathûn forces the Guardian back to her Sanctum and battles them. Despite the full force of her light and the support of her Lucent Brood, the Guardian nonetheless defeats the Witch Queen. Before dying, Savathûn admits she miscalculated and gives the warning to the Guardian that the Witness is coming and the "game" is theirs to play now. However, before the Guardian is able to destroy her ghost, the Traveler returns to the Last City in a flash of light, allowing Immaru to flee. Taking it nonetheless as a victory, Ikora sends her Hidden to collect Savathûn's remains with the Guardian believing that their next plan is to prepare for the Witness' return and prevent another Collapse.

Despite the loss of their queen, the Lucent Brood continued to operate under Immaru, plotting his return as the Hive and Scorn struggled for supremacy over Savathûn's Throne World. This forces the Vanguard to conduct operations within the Throne World to prevent either faction from gaining any ground.

Following Savathûn's death, Ikora knows that the Witness is likely returning to finish what it started and understanding they need the support, she summons the Guardian to the Enclave on Mars to meet with Mara Sov who requested them for a special task. At the Relic, the Guardian finds the Witch's Queen's dying worm, brought by Mara Sov who believes the worm holds secrets that they could learn from involving humanity's collapse. The Awoken Queen states she plans to give the worm strength and host to keep it alive, thereby allowing them to glean the secrets they require. Though the Guardian believes this to be a death sentence, Mara believes for her, it will be worth the risk.

Knowing where they can find the means to breathe life into the worm, Mara Sov guides the Guardian to a city shrouded in Darkness near the caverns of Savathûn's Throne World. Taking the worm with them, the Guardian can locate the doorway to the Dark City, finding it to be similar to what they found inside a Pyramid. Mara Sov explains that a disciple of the Witness created the Dark City with the purpose to grow and facilitate beings similar to the worm itself and what they are looking for is akin to a Cryptoglyph, a Darkness incubator that will provide life for the worm. The Guardian locates the Dark City but finds only a resonance of a Cryptglyph that the Scorn gave their lives to protect. Mara Sov suspects that the resonance is but a trick and advises the Guardian to clear it, doing so opens a portal that allows the Guardian to traverse deeper into the Dark City and locate the Cryptoglyph, claiming it from the Scorn thieves. Traversing further, the Guardian can locate the Incubation Chamber they need, forcing them to confront the Scorn leader, [[Heimiks, Warden of the Harvest]]. Despite the Scorn's strength, the Guardian can clear them out, allowing them to access the incubator. Placing [[Savathûn's Worm]] at the altar, the Darkness energy breaths life into it, allowing it to speak for only a moment but its vitals remain low. Mara Sov believes this to be a partial success and knowing that there are more incubators hidden in the Throne World, she tasks the Guardian to keep the worm safe and refill the Cryptoglyph with energy, while she locates more incubators.

To refill the Cryptoglyph with energy, the Guardian meets with Fynch, who believes to know what they need; a Cryptoglyph rune and they are located within the Temple of the Cunning. Returning to the Temple, the Guardian can find the rune but had to slay a large number of Scorn forces to energize it. Fynch then directs them to a Lost Sector called the Sepulcher, a hive tomb and after slaying its keepers, they find another incubator that allows the worm to regain some it its strength and speak again. The Awoken then strikes a bargain with the worm, offering a  new host in exchange for secrets regarding humanity's collapse. Savathûn's Worm grudgingly accepts to keep itself alive. Despite their concerns that she is offering herself as the host, Mara Sov has the Guardian continue onward in finding more incubators within the Lost Sectors of the Throne World as well as keeping a location called the Wellspring secure from the Hive and Scorn. During this time, Savathûn's Worm repeatedly attempts to sow distrust between Mara and the Guardian but despite its words, they continue with Fynch aiding them in locating more runes and incubators.

After finding enough incubators for Savathûn's Worm to regain its strength, Mara Sov demands the information they seek first before gaining its host. Just when it was about to speak of Savathûn's part in the Collapse, the Worm begins to writhe in pain, as a dormant curse the Witch Queen placed on it activated in the event Savathûn's Worm attempted to speak her secrets. Unsure of what to do, Mara Sov leaves but the Guardian quickly takes to the only other being they know who has information on Hive worms: Fynch. The renegade Hive ghost gives them a casing that temporarily prevents the worm from dying and now have to carry the Worm through springs of Hive energy to give it strength again. Despite Lucent Brood's forces attempting to stop them, the Guardian reaches through enough springs for the worm to stop dying. Mara Sov returns after this, apologizing, and directs the Guardian to fill the Cryptoglyph with Hive Light for the Worms ritual. Returning to the Apothecary, the Guardian manages to steal the Hive Light they need and reach the Temple of the Wrathful, where Mara Sov lays the groundwork for the ritual. Though the Guardian and their Ghost believe the Awoken Queen is about to become the Worm's new host, she instead turns the Worm into a weapon called [[Parasite]], much to the Worm's shock and dismay. Mara clarifies that she fulfilled her end of the bargain by providing a vessel for the worm, thereby allowing it to continue living, but its new host is now more like a prison, to which the Worm objects. The Scorn react to the Worm's presence in the ritual and, to prevent the worm from escaping, Mara Sov has the Guardian hold them off with their new weapon as she completes the ritual.  

The weapon proves useful against the Scorn as Mara Sov finishes the ritual and now demands Savathûn's Worm deliver its end of the deal. Though angered at being deceived, it nonetheless agrees. Savathûn's Worm tells them in the wake of Humanity's Collapse, Savathûn rode along in the apocalypse but deceived the Witness when it turned a violent gaze upon the Traveler, weaving tricks and lies that ultimately turned the tides and forced the Witness to return to the stars. Though this information leads Mara and the Guardian to believe that Savathûn tricked the Witness to save humanity, Savathûn's Worm corrects them stating that she did so to protect the Traveler. With his part of the deal complete, Savathûn's Worm refuses to speak anymore but Mara Sov is nonetheless satisfied with the information they now have. The Awoken Queen then gives the Guardian another task: to keep the weapon so the information the Worm has does not fall into the wrong hands and hopefully it will speak more of its secrets.

At the Tower Hanger where the meeting was taking place, the Guardian arrived as Empress Caiatl expressed her anger that the Vanguard's Guardians opened fire on her troops, who were responding to an unexpected threat, towards Zavala, Lord Saladin and Crow. After offering their condolences, Zavala suggests they put that act behind them and work together to combat the threat of the Lightbearer Hive, which pose a threat to both humanity and the Cabal. Caiatl, despite her anger, agrees to form an alliance against the Lucent Brood, as she is pleased that the Vanguard needs them to hit the Hive hard. Thus, operations in the Vanguard [[H.E.L.M.]] are set up and [[Lord Saladin]] works with Caiatl in combating the Lucent Hive. Caiatl explains that the Synaptic Spear is a weapon made from Light-suppressing technology, refined and weaponized. The Cabal Empress then instructs the Guardian to locate a Hive Lieutenant brimming with Savathûn's influence, then her Psions will force it into their mindscape, connect the Guardian's Light with the weakened Hive's. Doing so will force the Guardian to face the embodiment of the Hive's belief in their god, an [[Aspect of Savathûn]]. At that point, the Guardian will use the Spear to destroy the aspect, rendering the Hive Lightless. Without a worm or the Light, the Hive will die but Caiatl informs the Guardian that with her Psions keeping them alive, they can bring it to the Vanguard's H.E.L.M. and have [[Psion (Psisorium)|Caiatl's Psion]] shift through the Hive's mind to discover any secrets.

The Guardians and Cabals unified efforts in capturing Lightbearing Hive Lieutenants would force the Lucent Brood to redouble their efforts, increasing their hostilities on all fronts, leading Lord Saladin to believe that they are getting close to whatever it is they are hiding. Ultimately, the Guardians' efforts led to the Hive falling into disarray. Lord Saladin then spoke to Empress Caiatl's most trusted Psion, who runs the Psisorium, telling the Iron Lord that within the minds of the Lucent Hive, he saw "[[Moon|flashes of grey and red]]", leading Saladin to believe they will soon know where to strike next. Saladin's suspicions would be confirmed after the Psion was able to deduce the Hive ritual's location: the Scarlet Keep on the Moon. Further, the Lucent Brood intends to claim the Keep for their own, seizing it from Xivu Arath's forces and, using the Light they stole from the Guardians, they plan on manifesting Savathûn's Throne World. With this, the Lucent Brood would be able to launch an invasion of Earth.

The Hive are a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusociality eusocial] species, similar to Earth colonial insects. Several castes or "morphs" of Hive exist, each representing different stages of growth.

Female Krill would consume a substance called "mother jelly", similar to Earth bees, in order to reproduce, between the age of four and five Fundament years.<ref name="Predators"/><ref name="Sisters"/> Additionally, female Krill who consumed this jelly were capable of flight. Hive Wizards are the only fertile females, and are capable of either self-fertilization or being with a mate,<ref name="Hive">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XX: Hive|XX: Hive]]''</ref> likely a holdover from their Krill past.

Hive gestate as eggs or cocoons.<ref name="Heart"/> Upon hatching, newborn Hive swallow a Worm larva whole, becoming symbiotic and dependent on it.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''' m ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Hive#Ghost_Fragment:_Hive_2|Ghost Fragment: Hive 2]]''</ref> These newborn Hive grow into Thrall, and Thrall that survive into maturity become Acolytes. Acolytes who have proven themselves can become Knights, who in turn may become Princes leading their own broods.<ref name="Hive"/>  

Hive are capable of [[wikipedia:sequential hermaphroditism|sequential hermaphroditism]]; Oryx, born the female Aurash, became the male Auryx after assuming the unique "king morph"<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XV: Born As Prey|XV: Born As Prey]]''</ref>. While Knights are commonly seen as male and Wizards as female, they are not completely locked to specific genders as evidenced by Xivu Arath remaining female despite being a Knight<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XII: Out of the Deep|XII: Out of the Deep]]''</ref> and Nokris remaining male despite being a Wizard.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Ghost]]: [http://www.ishtar-collective.net/transcripts/ghost-scan-nokris Ishtar Collective - Ghost Scan: Nokris]''</ref> Meanwhile, Ogres appear to be not a stage of growth in the Hive life cycle, but a mutation brought upon Thrall by Wizard rituals.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Hive#Ogre|Ogre]]''</ref>

Grown members of the Hive are pale, sinewy, and vaguely humanoid, with varying levels of musculature and armor. Acolytes and Knights have three eyes, whereas Thrall appear to be eyeless, with the exception of the Thralls encountered at the beginning of the [[Crota's End]] raid who all have three glowing eyes. Wizards would seem to be eyeless as well, but their eyes are really concealed behind the helmets they wear. The ancient armor many of the Hive wear has fused with their skin, becoming part of it.<ref>[http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2013/12/16/the-enemies-of-destiny.aspx?PostPageIndex=2 '''Game Informer''': ''The Enemies of Destiny'']</ref> When most Hive are killed by a body shot from a typical weapon, they disintegrate into ash, while suffering a headshot causes them to burst into [[Soulfire|green flames and embers]] before disintegrating into nothing, in both cases leaving parts of their armor behind. When killed by a [[fusion rifle]], [[trace rifle]] or similar disintegrating weapon or ability, most Hive will be disintegrated completely without leaving any ash or armor fragments behind.<ref name = "GIJ2014"/>

The Light is both a food source to the Hive and a cause of pain.<ref name="Heart">'''Bungie (2015/1/23)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Exalted Hive#Heart of Crota|Heart of Crota]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2015/1/23)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Guardian#Ghost Fragment: Warlock 2|Ghost Fragment: Warlock 2]]''</ref> The Hive life cycle is so deeply entwined with that of their parasitic Worm that not even the Light can fully restore them. While trickling Light can keep their Worm sated without the need for bloodshed or other forms of tithing,<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Lore:Lucent_Tales#Specter|Lucent Tales: Specter]]''</ref>, if a Lightbearing Hive is deprived of their Ghost, they will quickly die unless special measures are enacted.<ref name="PsiOpsBattlegrounds">'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Risen]] - [[PsiOps Battlegrounds]]''</ref>

The Hive may also differ in appearance and form according to the individuals that spawned them; the Hive Sect belonging to [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen]] appear different from the broods of both [[Oryx, the Taken King]], and [[Crota, Son of Oryx]], sporting a more muscular, bulkier and organic appearance.

The Hive are known to constantly adapt and evolve, generating new mutations as effortlessly as breathing, which is considered of great interest to the Vex.<ref>[https://commons.ishtar-collective.net/t/adventure-bug-in-the-system/1618 Bug in the System]</ref> They also described to be rather like their own living-component-containing [[Hive Warship|Warships]]; a terrifying amalgam of predator genetics, arcane bio-energetics, and what is considered as Darkness incarnate.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Activities/Crucible Arenas#The Dungeons|The Dungeons]]''</ref> Their biology is so reactive that, when exposed to overwhelming amounts of beneficial Light, it causes the cysts used to contain it to become a [[Lucent Moth|rudimentary lifeform]] of its own.<ref>'''Bungie (2021/5/11)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Lucent Tales#Krill|Lucent Tales: Krill]]''</ref>

Hive fangs grow in rows, with grooves on their roots, and are continually shed, much like those of Earth sharks; when one fang is lost, another moves forward to replace it.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]], Grimoire: [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/dark-heirlooms Dark Heirlooms]''</ref>

{{Quote|Crota's spawn will snuff out the worlds of Light, and Oryx's coming shall be unfettered.|[[Osiris]]<ref name = "Spawn Crota">'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies#Spawn_of_Crota|Spawn of Crota]]''</ref>}}

The Hive Prince Crota is introduced as one of the youngest Hive deities. Known as the God-Knight and the Hope-Eater, he and his broods precede the coming of Oryx when they invade worlds touched by [[the Traveler]] and its [[Light]].<ref name = "Spawn Crota"/> Oryx is Crota's father and the central figure of their religion as well as the God-King of the Hive;<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies#Blood of Oryx|Blood of Oryx]]''</ref> through his shrines he maintains contact with his force spread across the universe.<ref name = "Destiny"/> Other deities include Oryx's own sisters Savathûn and Xivu Arath, and the greater Worm Gods Eir, Ur, Xol, and Yul. Like Crota and Oryx, they have disciples named after them.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies#Ghost Fragment: Hive 4|Ghost Fragment: Hive 4]]''</ref> A fifth god, named Akka, is recorded in the Books of Sorrow and it is from his remains that the Dreadnaught is built.<ref name="Dreadnaught"/>

The Hive use a unique writing system,<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Silken Codex]]''</ref> based on runes and glyphs which they describe as a "viral language". Hive runes draw their power from a [[Ascendant Realm|different dimension]], where there's no difference between a word and its meaning. According to Ikora, the Hive's runes are not letters but rather logograms representing a word or idea etched into them. Their patterns draw power from their meaning, and their orientation casts a spell.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/8/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Witch]] - [[Ikora Rey]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYrN3aCP7rA "Hive runes aren't letters. They're logograms. Each one represents a word or idea. Their patterns draw power from their meaning, and their orientation casts a spell. Eris uses them in her rituals... and we can use them now."]''</ref>  When the Hive erode the barrier between our dimension and theirs, the rune for 'death' brings literal death. They also employ it for their forbidden Hive rituals, including the use of [[Shadowrift]]s and the [[Weapons of Sorrow]]. The same glyphs are also found on sealings used to lock doors and contain their [[Phogoth, the Untamed|monsters]].

The Hive have great hatred for the [[Light]], and to them, the eternal struggle between light and dark is not only a war, it is a crusade; all Light must be devoured so Darkness can reclaim the universe.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/6/12)''', ''Destiny: Alpha, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies#The Hive|The Hive]]''</ref> They have even attempted to attack the [[Traveler]] directly, through a ritual in which they drained its light through a fragment that they captured in the [[Chamber of Night]].<ref name = "Destiny"/>

===Sword Logic===

{{quote|Ah, Oryx, how do we explain it to them? The world is not built on the laws they love ''[…]'' but in the cold hard self-verifying truth of that one ultimate arbiter, the only judge, the power that is its own metric and its own source—existence, at any cost. Strip away the lies and truces and delaying tactics they call 'civilization' and this is what remains, this beautiful shape.|The Darkness<ref name="Majestic">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXXII: Majestic. Majestic.|XXXII: Majestic. Majestic]]''</ref>}}

The Hive religion is not based on any sort of conventional morality; in fact, they see morality and the "false hope of comfort" as an abomination. Instead, a metaphysical principle known as the "[[Sword Logic]]" forms the basis of the Hive's belief system. According to the Sword Logic, it is the ultimate goal of intelligent beings to challenge one another for the right to continue existing, and a being may acquire paracausal power by defeating another being.<ref name="Darkness 3">'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Ghost Fragment: Darkness 3|Ghost Fragment: Darkness 3]]''</ref>  All such power must necessarily be taken by force, not received as a gift.<ref name="King of Shapes"/> This is why Hive swords are so deadly to Guardians; they create a bridge in which the wielder saps the power of the victim.  

This also extends to sacrifice, as Hive become Ascendant by consuming the souls of lesser Hive. The Hive's lust for power is a direct reflection of their Worm Gods' insatiable hunger for Light, and that the Hive must always be powerful, or else they themselves will be consumed. Even if they wanted to, the Hive can't stop killing or else they will perish. The Sword-Logic determines the right to rule, as anyone who can depose the current King is rightfully the new King of the Hive. Anyone who cannot defend themselves, whether it be a person or a civilization, does not deserve to live and is fit to be obliterated.<ref name="Weakness Verse">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XVII: The Weakness Verse|XVII: The Weakness Verse]]''</ref><ref name="General Battuta">'''reddit''', ''[https://www.reddit.com/r/DestinyLore/comments/5ag9ne/the_sword_logic_and_its_implications/d9gfxnb/ The Sword Logic and its implications - GeneralBattuta (Seth Dickinson), Books of Sorrow Grimoire writer]''</ref> This is how the Hive intend to "liberate" the universe from its false hope, and the existence of the Hive themselves is proof enough in their belief.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XLIV: strict proof eternal|XLIV: strict proof eternal]]''</ref>

The Ascendant Realm is ruled in totality by the Sword Logic; when Crota accidentally allowed the [[Vex]] into his father's realm,<ref name="partition">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXXVIII: The partition of death|XXXVIII: The partition of death]]''</ref> they learned the Sword Logic from him and adapted it to their own functions,<ref name="open eye">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXXIX: open your eye : go into it|XXXIX: open your eye : go into it]]''</ref> learning to worship and bootstrap themselves into divinity, striving to become the most powerful beings in the universe.<ref name="Emperor">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XL: An Emperor For All Outcomes|XL: An Emperor For All Outcomes]]''</ref> At the time however, they were unable to fully comprehend the role that the worms and the acausal Darkness played. While the Sword Logic helped the Guardians in defeating Crota when they stole his sword and used it against him,<ref name="Ascendant Sword">'''Bungie (2014/12/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Activities/Raids#Ascendant Sword|Ascendant Sword]]''</ref> they broke the Sword Logic when they recovered and uncorrupted the Light found in the Dreadnaught's cellar, and used it against Oryx, then refusing to take up the mantle as the new Taken King.<ref name="King's Fall">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Activities/Raids#King's Fall|King's Fall]]''</ref>

{{Quote|Death is only and forever an ending. All else is sacrilege.|Kuldax<ref name="Heretic">'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]], Item Description: [[Heretic]]''</ref>}}

[[Resurrection]], in general, is seen as heretical by the Hive who follow the Sword Logic. To the Hive, death is the principle of the Sword Logic to attaining apotheosis; to take and grow stronger after defeating an opponent. If the slain were resurrected, it would be contradicting the logic it violated. As such, Nokris, who learned the secrets of necromancy from Xol, was branded a heretic, exiled from his kind and condemned to obscurity as his father removed nearly all traces of his name.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/8/5)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Warmind (expansion)|Warmind]], [[Wormgod Caress]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2018/8/5)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Warmind (expansion)|Warmind]], [[Verity's Brow]]''</ref>

The rules of death are somewhat different to the Hive than what they are to humans. This is most notably exemplified by the concept of Ascendance: those Hive individuals who have grown powerful enough through the Sword Logic can move between the physical dimension and the [[Ascendant Plane]] and carve a "throne world" there so that when they are killed in the real world, they retreat to their throne world and can return after a time. Only death occurring in their own throne world is a true, final death in terms of the Hive. It appears that dying in another's throne world is reversible, as illustrated in the Books of Sorrow, where Oryx resurrects his sisters having killed them both within his throne world.<ref name="Carved in Ruin"/> It is likely this was possible because the sisters had already established their own throne worlds.<ref name="The High War" /> Furthermore, the manner in which Oryx brings his sisters back is very particular - he does it by defining their nature through acts of war and cunning. At another point Xivu Arath calls him back from the Deep (where she and Savathûn have trapped him) in a similar manner, through describing him,<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXXV: This Love Is War|XXXV: This Love Is War]]''</ref> and millennia later Savathûn summons Xivu Arath to [[Torobatl]] through an act of "war and blood".<ref>'''Bungie (2021/2/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Chosen]]'', [[Lore:Empress#CHAPTER 5: NEW GODS|Empress]]</ref> Another example of a Hive dying in another's throne world and then coming back is [[Ir Yût, the Deathsinger]]; being one of the bosses of the [[raid]] [[Crota's End]], she dies in [[Oversoul Throne|his throne world]] but can be later seen attending Crota's ritual of passing in the mission [[Last Rites]]. Crota's mate Omnigul is also notable for returning after having been killed by Guardians, but it can be a hint towards her being an Ascendant Hive.

{{Quote|I am Yul, the Honest Worm. […] Behold Eir, and Xol, and Ur and Akka. The Virtuous Worms. Look upon us, and know that We are go[o]d.|Yul, the Honest Worm}}

Gods like Oryx and Crota are capable of being killed in physical reality without truly dying; even under certain circumstances, Ascendant Hive gods can be reborn even if killed in the Ascendant Plane. So long as their souls are preserved, they can reemerge in corporeal form at a later time. If they are killed in their respective throne world, however, their death will be permanent.<ref name="Carved in Ruin"/> According to [[the Spider]], two other methods of permanently killing Hive gods exist but remain currently unknown. One of them possibly is to sever their connection to their throne world with enough strength from blood tithes, rendering them mortal. Another is for their Worm to fully consume their whole being if they are left starving of blood tithes. In addition, separation from the host’s Worm also causes certain death due to the separation of their power with it.

In descending order of importance, the current hierarchy of the Hive’s religious figures are as follows:

'''[[The Witness]]''', the First Knife, original master and creator of the [[Taken]], and the entity controlling the Hive and Worm Gods through the deeds of [[Rhulk, Disciple of the Witness|Rhulk]].<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Armor|Armor lore]]: [[Resonant Fury Suit (Titan)#Resonant Fury Helm|Resonant Fury Helm]]''</ref>

 

'''Worm Gods'''

*'''[[Xita, the Nurturing Worm]]''', Mother of the [[Worm God]]s whose larvae gave the Hive their immortality in exchange for a tithe of Light.

:*'''[[Akka, the Worm of Secrets]]'''

:*'''[[Eir, the Keeper of Order]]'''

:*'''[[Ur, the Ever-Hunger]]'''

 

**'''[[Nokris, Supplicant to Savathûn]]''', former High Priest of Xol; estranged Son of Oryx

*'''[[Savathûn, the Witch-Queen]]''', Hive God of Cunning, former [[Disciples of the Witness|Disciple]] candidate, and first Hive [[Lightbearer]].

**'''[[Dûl Incaru, the Eternal Return]]''', Ascendant Witch to the High Coven; Daughter of Savathûn

 

==Broods and Sects==

| <center>[[File:CelebrantSummon.png|200px]]</center> || '''[[Xivu Arath's Horde]]''' || The servants of [[Xivu Arath, God of War]] and one of the major Hive broods. Primarily found in the [[Dreaming City]].

| <center>[[File:WQLucent4.jpg|200px]]</center> || '''[[Lucent Brood]]''' || The servants of [[Savathûn]] and gifted with the [[Light]]. Primarily found in the [[Court of Savathûn]].

| <center>[[File:Hive1.jpg|200px]]</center> || '''[[Savathûn's Brood]]''' || The servants of [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen]] and [[Dûl Incaru, the Eternal Return]] and one of the major Hive broods. Primarily found in the [[Dreaming City]], however some have either joined the ranks of the Lucent Brood or of Xivu Arath's Horde following Savathun's betrayal of the Witness.

| <center>[[File:HiddenSwarm.jpg|200px]]</center> || '''[[Hidden Swarm]]''' || Formerly the vanguard for Crota's invasion of Earth, now the brood in control of the Moon and allied with Xivu Arath's Horde.

| <center>[[File:Ecthar.jpg|200px]]</center> || '''[[Blood of Oryx]]''' || The servants of [[Oryx, the Taken King]], and one of the major Hive broods. They were once encountered on the [[Dreadnaught]].

| <center>[[File:SoC4.jpg|200px]]</center> || '''[[Spawn of Crota]]''' || The servants of [[Crota, Son of Oryx]]. They were once encountered on the [[Moon]] before they joined the ranks of the [[Hidden Swarm]].

| <center>[[File:Grasp of Nokris.jpg|200px]]</center> || '''[[Grasp of Nokris]]''' || The servants of [[Nokris]] and the Worm God [[Xol]]. They were once encountered on [[Mars]] before they joined the ranks of the Lucent Brood.  

| <center>[[File:Hiraks1.jpg|200px]]</center> || '''[[Hiraks, the Mindbender#Mindbent Gallery|The Mindbent]]''' || A small sect of mind controlled Hive under the [[Scorn|Scorned Baron]] [[Hiraks, the Mindbender]]. They were once encountered on the [[Tangled Shore]].

*'''[[Oryx, the Taken King]]''' – <small>God-King and Hive God of Navigation</small>

**'''[[Nokris|Nokris, Son of Oryx]]''' – <small>Former Hive Prince and Son of Oryx</small>

*'''[[Xivu Arath, God of War]]''' – <small>Hive God of War</small>

**'''[[An Ragaar, Son of Xivu Arath|An Ragaar]]''' - <small>Taken Son of Xivu Arath</small>

*'''[[Savathûn, the Witch-Queen]]''' – <small>Hive God of Cunning</small>

*'''[[Eris Morn]]''' – <small>Hive God of Vengeance</small>

*[[Thanatologist Ir'handi]]

*[[Soulfire Hierarch]]

*[[Viraak, Cruelty of Xivu Arath]]

*[[Rakthrin, War-Council]]

Hive "technology" is esoteric and often bio-mechanical, constructed or grown from organic materials like bone or chitin. Through signs and incantations, the Hive are able to channel the Darkness, and through this magic, they can contend with the conventional technology of other species on equal or greater footing. According to [[Fynch]], old Hive structures decay into literal skeletons; everything the Hive use, from their weapons, ships and buildings, were all once things the Hive enslaved and twisted into a useful shape.<ref name=EMT>'''Destiny Lore Vault''' - ''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF-MqXXDKzU&list=PLS2hBTtCDufTQo_DnbAwJlew8zBWXqo-a&index=1&ab_channel=DestinyLoreVault Eight Million Tales - dialogue playlist]''</ref> This fact is also supported by Eris, who mentions that Oryx has prisoners tortured and then renders them down into chitin for his Dreadnaught,<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[The Sunless Cell]]''</ref> as well as by Toland, who theorised that the giant creatures, whose bones can be found on the Moon, were used by the Hive to burrow into the lunar rock to create the Hellmouth.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Ghost scan]]: [[Ghost_scan#Ocean_of_Storms.2C_the_Moon|MN-CON-3]]''</ref>

 

Hive tend to use physical chains with Runes to lock doors, and recently energy barriers powered by Soulfire crystals. Hive Runes have various meanings that the Hive can use to tap into different dimensions either as a doorway to another location or as a source of power. These dimensions hold no distinction between a word and its meaning, and in cases where the Hive erode the barrier between these dimensions and our own, the Hive rune for "death" can bring literal death to others.<ref>'''Bungie (2017/8/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]], [[Ghost scan]]s: [[Ghost scan#New_Pacific_Arcology.2C_Titan|TM-FH-2]]''</ref> Chains with these Runes cannot be broken physically. Runes can be "hacked" and cause the chains to disintegrate, though it is considered incredibly difficult to do so; a triptych of Runes is said to be "uncrackable". Ghosts are able to hack Hive Runes, but it takes them time.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[The Summoning Pits]]''</ref> Some Rune-locked doors, however, can only be broken using a Hive item known as a [[Tomb Husk]]. Hive crystals are structures powered by, or made of, Soulfire, an energy implied to be emitted by souls themselves. Hive crystals are used as power sources either for rituals or, more commonly, for maintaining barriers, whether to guard entrances or to shield a particular Hive from attack. Although the exact mechanism behind the barriers and crystals is unknown, a cutoff comment by [[Clovis Bray I]] has him believe that the barriers are some form of emitted [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir_effect Casimir field], though Ana mutes his communications link before he can bloviate further.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/12/06)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Seraph]] - Mission - [[Operation: Diocles]]''</ref>

Hive have access to several forms of teleportation, from simple materialising and de-materialising from seemingly dust, to climbing out of shallow pools of water. The most iconic of them are "Ruptures";<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''Destiny: [[The Taken King]] - [[Lost to Light]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''Destiny: [[The Taken King]] - [[Ghost scan#Dreadnaught.2C_Rings_of_Saturn|DNT-TAS-2]]''</ref> dimensional portals to different parts of space, or even new "spaces" in other dimensions such as the [[Ascendant Realm]] or the [[Vex Network]],<ref name=Partition/> caused by cutting a wound into the flesh of space itself,<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Hive Arsenal#Tomb Ship|Tomb Ship]]''</ref> which they use for interstellar travel. These wounds can be performed either by use of the Sword Logic,<ref name=Incision/><ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XIII: Into the Sky|XIII: Into The Sky]]''</ref> through Soulfire rifts,<ref>'''Bungie (2022/12/06)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Seraph]], [[Disparity#Lore|Disparity]]''</ref> whatever method is employed by Tombships, or through Hive statues that are used to both activate and navigate through Ruptures. According to Eris Morn, however, only an Ascendant is able will a Rupture to open,<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Enemy of My Enemy]]''</ref> and only Ascendant Hive can move through them;<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Lost to Light]]''</ref> a Rupture can sense if a being holds an Ascendant's soul<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Regicide]]''</ref> and will repulse any who do not possess one. There exists another method: a turbine known as a "Dimensional Lock", which allows Oryx to move between dimensions. Crota also appears to have one in his Throne World. According to scans, the place the lock is kept along with everything in said place only exists in one realm as long as the turbine is stationary.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Ghost scan]]: [[Ghost scan#Ocean_of_Storms.2C_the_Moon|MN-OST-1]]''</ref>

Some known Hive materials include [[Hadium Flake|Hadium]], which is a reactive crystal that stores any energy it is exposed to, [[Wormspore]], a concentrated transmutation catalyst that reacts to both the Light and the Darkness, and [[Moldering Shard]]s. [[Osmium]] holds a certain significance to the Hive due to their early years on [[Fundament]], seemingly a precious component for certain rituals, and a variant found scattered within Savathun's Throne World known as [[Fundamental Osmium]] is described as a super-dense transition metal with paracausal traces made from supernovae and dead stars that was taken from Fundament.<ref>''[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/interactions/evidence-board-hard-evidence| Evidence Board - Hard Evidence]''</ref><ref>''[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/hard-evidence-step-4| Evidence Board - Hard Evidence Step 4]''</ref> There also exists a filament that's said by Fynch to be a metamaterial capable of soaking up everything from vibration to EM radiation; an "all in one" passive scanner. Other examples of Hive inventions mentioned by Fynch include a Hive torch that may be used to broadcast signals by pulsing exotic radiation in a cycle, a "boson impactor" that can be used as a bomb, and a difficult-to-make adhesive mixed with a "morta-toxin" - an exotic poison that affects Hive.<ref name=EMT/> An unknown type of stone is used in the construction of Hive [[Tombship]]s,<ref>[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/fused-tomb-stone Fused Tomb-Stone]</ref> along with their structures like their combat arenas; [[Toland]] questions if the stones have a strengthening function or are merely used as a legacy of a forgotten time.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Ghost scan]]: [[Ghost scan#Ocean_of_Storms.2C_the_Moon|MN-CON-2]]''</ref>

The Hive have taken an interest in fusing their own dark understanding with humanity's mastery of war. The most well-known of these are the [[Weapons of Sorrow]], created by either the Hive themselves or Humans who studied Hive arcana.

{{Col-3}}

*[[Books of Sorrow]]

*[[Crown of Sorrow]]

*[[Acolyte Grenade]] {{Icon|Solar}}

*[[Boomer]] {{Icon|Arc}}

*[[Cleaver]] {{Icon|Kinetic}}

*[[Hive Shield]]  

*[[Shredder]] {{Icon|Void}}

*[[Soulfire Rifle]] {{Icon|Void}}

*[[Splinter]] {{Icon|Solar}}

*[[Weapons of Sorrow]]

 

**[[Dreadnaught]]

*The Hive and the Taken are the first races to work together within the ''Destiny'' series.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[The Dreadnaught]]''</ref>

*Artwork showing the Krill sisters depict them as having four fingers, while all current Hive possess only three. This could be the result of mutations performed across millions of years of evolution, or potentially due to the corruption of the Darkness alongside their pact with the worms.

*In early concept art of the Hive, the orientation of their eyes were flipped, with one eye in the center of their head accompanied with two eyes diagonally above it.

***The Dredge Exploder was later used during the [[Ecthar, Sword of Oryx]] encounter in [[The Taken King]], being a high durability [[Cursed Thrall]],<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v-ctrb350s</ref>, the [[Oversoul]] became a mechanic in the [[Crota's End]] [[Raid]] and a construct ascendant Hive create to cheat death, and [[The Veil]] went on to become something entirely independent of the Hive in [[Lightfall]].

*"Nycor, Reborn" and "Moluk, Wormkeeper" were unreleased enemies from ''[[The Dark Below]]'', however [[Bounty|Bounties]] were placed bearing their names were released shortly before the [[House of Wolves (expansion)|House of Wolves]] expansion through the [[Petra Venj|Queen's Emissary]].<ref>[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/nycor-reborn-3?highlight=Nycor Nycor, Reborn]</ref><ref>[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/moluk-wormwaker-3?highlight=Moluk+ Moluk, Wormwaker]</ref>

 

{{Species}}