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|affiliation= [[Champions]] <br> [[Hive]] {{C|[[Worm Gods]]}} <br> [[Vex]] {{C|[[Black Heart]], [[Sol Divisive]], [[Sol Progeny]]}} <br>[[Taken]] {{C|[[Ascendant Realm]]}}<br>[[Scorn]] {{C|[[Dark Ether]]}} <br> [[The Witness]] {{C|[[The Dread]], [[Nightmares]], [[The Veil]], [[Black Fleet]]}} <br> [[Fallen]] {{C|[[Splinter of Darkness]], [[House of Salvation]]}} <br> [[Cabal]] {{C|[[Loyalists]], [[Red Legion]], [[Shadow Legion]]}} <br> [[Humanity]] {{C|[[Stasis]], [[Strand]], [[Clovis Bray (corporation)|Clovis Bray]], [[Neomuna]]}} | |affiliation= [[Champions]] <br> [[Hive]] {{C|[[Worm Gods]]}} <br> [[Vex]] {{C|[[Black Heart]], [[Sol Divisive]], [[Sol Progeny]]}} <br>[[Taken]] {{C|[[Ascendant Realm]]}}<br>[[Scorn]] {{C|[[Dark Ether]]}} <br> [[The Witness]] {{C|[[Precursors (Species)|Precursors]], [[The Dread]], [[Nightmares]], [[The Veil]], [[Black Fleet]]}} <br> [[Fallen]] {{C|[[Splinter of Darkness]], [[House of Salvation]]}} <br> [[Cabal]] {{C|[[Loyalists]], [[Red Legion]], [[Shadow Legion]]}} <br> [[Humanity]] {{C|[[Stasis]], [[Strand]], [[Clovis Bray (corporation)|Clovis Bray]], [[Neomuna]]}} | ||
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|class= | |class= | ||
|sn= | |sn= | ||
|othernames= "The Deep" <br> "Clarity" <ref> | |othernames= "The Deep" <br> "Clarity" <ref>'''[[Mysterious Logbook]]'''</ref><br>"Luster"<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Lore:Shattered Suns|Shattered Suns]]: [[Lore:Shattered Suns#Lamented|Lamented]]''</ref> | ||
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For centuries following the Collapse, the Darkness was believed by scholars of the [[Last City]] to be an inherently evil force, with its usage inevitably corrupting the wielder. This is now known to be untrue: just as the Light can be used for constructive and benevolent purposes as well as destructive and self-serving ones, the act of wielding the Darkness has no moral valence on its own, and it can be used for good or ill. Ancient civilizations such as the [[Ecumene]] and the [[Qugu]] used the Darkness for peaceful purposes, such as communing with the memories of their ancestors.<ref name="THW">'''Bungie (2022/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]: [[Lore:Inspiral#The Habitable World|The Habitable World]]''</ref><ref name="TAoS">'''Bungie (2022/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]: [[Lore:Inspiral#The Art of Symbiosis|The Art of Symbiosis]]''</ref> In contrast, the being known as the [[The Witness|Witness]] and its [[Disciples of the Witness|Disciples]], who collectively led the armada known as the [[Black Fleet]] and exterminated countless civilizations uplifted by the [[Traveler]], wielded the Darkness as a weapon against their enemies. Most of humanity's knowledge of the Darkness has come from the Collapse and subsequent conflicts with those aligned with the Witness and its cause, such as the [[Hive]], [[Taken]], [[Scorn]] and the [[Vex]] of the [[Sol Divisive]], which has led to a prevalent but one-sided view of Darkness as a destructive force hostile to life and peaceful civilization. | For centuries following the Collapse, the Darkness was believed by scholars of the [[Last City]] to be an inherently evil force, with its usage inevitably corrupting the wielder. This is now known to be untrue: just as the Light can be used for constructive and benevolent purposes as well as destructive and self-serving ones, the act of wielding the Darkness has no moral valence on its own, and it can be used for good or ill. Ancient civilizations such as the [[Ecumene]] and the [[Qugu]] used the Darkness for peaceful purposes, such as communing with the memories of their ancestors.<ref name="THW">'''Bungie (2022/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]: [[Lore:Inspiral#The Habitable World|The Habitable World]]''</ref><ref name="TAoS">'''Bungie (2022/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]: [[Lore:Inspiral#The Art of Symbiosis|The Art of Symbiosis]]''</ref> In contrast, the being known as the [[The Witness|Witness]] and its [[Disciples of the Witness|Disciples]], who collectively led the armada known as the [[Black Fleet]] and exterminated countless civilizations uplifted by the [[Traveler]], wielded the Darkness as a weapon against their enemies. Most of humanity's knowledge of the Darkness has come from the Collapse and subsequent conflicts with those aligned with the Witness and its cause, such as the [[Hive]], [[Taken]], [[Scorn]] and the [[Vex]] of the [[Sol Divisive]], which has led to a prevalent but one-sided view of Darkness as a destructive force hostile to life and peaceful civilization. | ||
The nature of the relationship between the Light and Darkness remains somewhat ambiguous. The Witness and its followers clearly believe the Darkness to be superior to the Light and oppose all who would use it, and the Darkness itself is presented in ''[[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]'' as having opposed the Light since before the beginning of time. However, in ''[[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]'', a slightly more nuanced picture is given in the entry "Winnowing", where the Darkness is portrayed as playing a necessary and complementary role to that of the Light in helping to maintain the stability of life and civilization.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]: [[Lore:Inspiral#Winnowing|Winnowing]]''</ref> After having gained insights into the Darkness from his studies of [[Strand]], Osiris states that the Light and Darkness are not truly antagonistic forces, but merely different.{{citation needed}} | The nature of the relationship between the Light and Darkness remains somewhat ambiguous. The Witness and its followers clearly believe the Darkness to be superior to the Light and oppose all who would use it, and the Darkness itself is presented in ''[[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]'' as having opposed the Light since before the beginning of time. However, in ''[[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]'', a slightly more nuanced picture is given in the entry "Winnowing", where the Darkness is portrayed as playing a necessary and complementary role to that of the Light in helping to maintain the stability of life and civilization.<ref name="Inspiral Winnowing">'''Bungie (2022/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]: [[Lore:Inspiral#Winnowing|Winnowing]]''</ref> After having gained insights into the Darkness from his studies of [[Strand]], Osiris states that the Light and Darkness are not truly antagonistic forces, but merely different.{{citation needed}} | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
===Origins=== | ===Origins=== | ||
{{Quote|Once upon a time,* a gardener and a winnower lived** together in a garden.***<br>* It was once before a time, because time had not yet begun.<br>** We did not live. We existed as principles of ontological dynamics that emerged from mathematical structures, as bodiless and inevitable as the primes.<br>*** It was the field of possibility that prefigured existence.|[[Lore:Unveiling#Gardener and Winnower|Unveiling: Gardener and Winnower]]}} | {{Quote|Once upon a time,* a gardener and a winnower lived** together in a garden.***<br>* It was once before a time, because time had not yet begun.<br>** We did not live. We existed as principles of ontological dynamics that emerged from mathematical structures, as bodiless and inevitable as the primes.<br>*** It was the field of possibility that prefigured existence.|[[Lore:Unveiling#Gardener and Winnower|Unveiling: Gardener and Winnower]]}} | ||
According to the Lore Book "[[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]," both the [[Light]] and the Darkness have existed since before the beginning of time, and thus before the universe came into existence. Being unbound by the laws of causality, neither the Light nor Darkness can be said to have a beginning. Rather, they are emergent properties of even more fundamental "mathematical structures" that in turn underlay reality itself.<ref name="U:G&W">'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#Gardener and Winnower|Gardener and Winnower]]''</ref> | |||
In the allegorical story recounted in the Lore Book, the Darkness and the Light are referred to as the "Winnower" and "Gardener" respectively. The Winnower and Gardener occupied themselves by engaging one another in a game, analogous to a vastly more complex version of the "Game of Life" devised by Earth mathematician John Conway. This game would consistently arrive at an end-state dominated by a single, self-perpetuating pattern, which subsumed all others in the game. The Winnower found this to be a pleasing outcome, but the Gardener felt the pattern to be boring and desired that the game endlessly produce novel patterns instead.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#The Flower Game|The Flower Game]]''</ref><ref name="U:TFS">'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#The Final Shape|The Final Shape]]''</ref> To promote this novelty, the Gardener transformed itself into a new "rule" within the game; the Winnower did the same, to counteract the Gardener's efforts. These new rules were "set aside" from the other rules of the game, so that they could not be limited or influenced by them, but could manipulate the other rules to bring about their intended outcomes.<ref name="U:TFK">'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#The First Knife|The First Knife]]''</ref> | |||
In the allegorical story recounted in the Lore Book, the Darkness and the Light are referred to as the "Winnower" and "Gardener" respectively. The Winnower and Gardener occupied themselves by engaging one another in a game, analogous to a vastly more complex version of the "Game of Life" devised by Earth mathematician John Conway. This game would consistently arrive at an end-state dominated by a single, self-perpetuating pattern, which subsumed all others in the game. The Winnower found this to be a pleasing outcome, but the Gardener felt the pattern to be boring and desired that the game endlessly produce novel patterns instead. | |||
While the story above is laden with metaphor and open to interpretation, it appears to suggest that the universe is the "game" that the Light and Darkness played in the garden, that the rules of the game are the laws of physics as they are commonly understood, and that the "new rules" that the Light and Darkness became are the basis of [[paracausality]]. The narrator of the Lore Book identifies themself as the Winnower, seemingly indicating that the Darkness, in addition to being a cosmic paracausal force, is sentient and driven by its own goals and motivations. | While the story above is laden with metaphor and open to interpretation, it appears to suggest that the universe is the "game" that the Light and Darkness played in the garden, that the rules of the game are the laws of physics as they are commonly understood, and that the "new rules" that the Light and Darkness became are the basis of [[paracausality]]. The narrator of the Lore Book identifies themself as the Winnower, seemingly indicating that the Darkness, in addition to being a cosmic paracausal force, is sentient and driven by its own goals and motivations. | ||
===The Veil=== | ===The Veil=== | ||
The entity known as the Veil is a powerful source of Darkness | The entity known as the [[The Veil|Veil]] is a powerful source of Darkness and appears to act as a Darkness-affiliated counterpart to the Traveler, with which it is connected. Its origins are unknown, although it is known to have existed for billions of years, predating the Witness and the Black Fleet.<ref name="Origins">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0CKckjryVI'''YouTube''' - ''Destiny 2: Season of the Deep - The Witness's Origins Cinematic'']</ref> | ||
===The Witness=== | ===The Witness=== | ||
[[File:DarknessSeasonofArrivals.jpg|thumb|330px|A Pyramid]] | [[File:DarknessSeasonofArrivals.jpg|thumb|330px|A Pyramid]] | ||
Billions of years ago, a nomadic humanoid species discovered the Traveler lying dormant and half-buried on their homeworld. The Traveler awakened and began to terraform the planet and grant paracausal gifts to the species, uplifting them into a golden age that lasted for millions of years. Despite their prosperity, however, the civilization became dissatisfied with the Traveler's silence and refusal to impart guidance or wisdom, and sought a greater purpose in which they could find meaning; in the words of [[Ahsa]], they desired a "winnower" to shape the otherwise formless garden of their existence. In addition, they came to view the Light as a fundamentally chaotic and capricious force, equally capable of bringing life or death with no ultimate justification for either. | Billions of years ago, a nomadic humanoid species discovered the Traveler lying dormant and half-buried on their homeworld. The Traveler awakened and began to terraform the planet and grant paracausal gifts to the species, uplifting them into a golden age that lasted for millions of years. Despite their prosperity, however, the civilization became dissatisfied with the Traveler's silence and refusal to impart guidance or wisdom, and sought a greater purpose in which they could find meaning; in the words of [[Ahsa]], they desired a "winnower" to shape the otherwise formless garden of their existence. In addition, they came to view the Light as a fundamentally chaotic and capricious force, equally capable of bringing life or death with no ultimate justification for either.<ref name="Origins"/> | ||
In studying the Traveler, the civilization discovered that it was connected to another entity in a distant star system, which they named " | In studying the Traveler, the civilization discovered that it was connected to another entity in a distant star system, which they named "the Veil". They determined that the Veil was the source of a power that was the opposite of the Light, one tied to the mind and consciousness rather than the physical universe: the Darkness. Furthermore, they determined that by bringing the Veil into close proximity with the Traveler, their powers could be used together to reshape reality as they saw fit, enabling them to convert the universe into a perfected, eternal form they called the "Final Shape".<ref name="Origins"/> | ||
Seeking to achieve this outcome, the civilization traveled to the star system where the Veil was located and brought it back to their homeworld, where the Traveler had remained since its discovery. However, the Traveler responded by leaving the planet and fleeing into the far reaches of space. Unwilling to give up their quest, the civilization used the Darkness to bind their consciousnesses together into a singular, unfathomably powerful entity, which became known as the Witness. This being then left its homeworld with a fleet of pyramidal ships, seeking to find the Traveler and unite it with the Veil by force, and in so doing bring about the Final Shape.<ref name="Origins"/> | Seeking to achieve this outcome, the civilization traveled to the star system where the Veil was located and brought it back to their homeworld, where the Traveler had remained since its discovery. However, the Traveler responded by leaving the planet and fleeing into the far reaches of space. Unwilling to give up their quest, the civilization used the Darkness to bind their consciousnesses together into a singular, unfathomably powerful entity, which became known as the Witness. This being then left its homeworld with a fleet of pyramidal ships, seeking to find the Traveler and unite it with the Veil by force, and in so doing bring about the Final Shape.<ref name="Origins"/> | ||
===Rise of the Worm Gods=== | ===Rise of the Worm Gods=== | ||
Billions of years ago, a species of aquatic, paracausally-empowered serpentine creatures lived on the planet [[Fundament]], where they led a peaceful existence. However, at some point they became seduced by the philosophy of the Witness | Billions of years ago, a species of aquatic, paracausally-empowered serpentine creatures lived on the planet [[Fundament]], where they led a peaceful existence. However, at some point, they became seduced by the philosophy of the Witness and began to fight and kill each other to achieve ascendancy through the [[Sword Logic]]. As they fought, they called upon the Darkness and used it as a weapon, an act once considered unthinkable among their kind. Many of the creatures died in the planet-wide bloodbath that ensued, with at least one individual, [[Ahsa]], managing to escape and leave Fundament entirely; others transformed, becoming the powerful Darkness-aligned entities known as the [[Worm Gods]].<ref>'''Bungie (2023/5/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Deep]] - Item Description: [[Síocháin's Scuba Shell#Lore|Síocháin's Scuba Shell]]''</ref> | ||
===Lubrae's Ruin=== | ===Lubrae's Ruin=== | ||
Billions of years ago, the Witness visited the planet [[Lubrae]], where it met a young warrior named [[Rhulk]] who had become disillusioned with his family and clan following a series of perceived betrayals. The Witness granted Rhulk the use of the Darkness, which would later enable Rhulk to bring about the total annihilation of his own people by causing his homeworld's [[Sapphiric Sun]] to implode. Rhulk was subsequently taken in by the Witness and anointed the first of its Disciples. | Billions of years ago, the Witness visited the planet [[Lubrae]], where it met a young warrior named [[Rhulk]] who had become disillusioned with his family and clan following a series of perceived betrayals. The Witness granted Rhulk the use of the Darkness, which would later enable Rhulk to bring about the total annihilation of his own people by causing his homeworld's [[Sapphiric Sun]] to implode. Rhulk was subsequently taken in by the Witness and anointed the first of its [[Disciples of the Witness|Disciples]]. | ||
===The Ecumene=== | ===The Ecumene=== | ||
The civilization known as the [[Ecumene]] were attuned to the Darkness, though they did not seem to share the violent and destructive goals of the | The civilization known as the [[Ecumene]] were attuned to the Darkness, though they did not seem to share the violent and destructive goals of the Witness and its Disciples, and indeed would later come into conflict with the nascent [[Hive]].<ref name="THW"/> | ||
===The Qugu=== | ===The Qugu=== | ||
The species known as the [[Qugu]] were attuned to the Darkness, and used it to commune with the memories of their ancestors. Much like the | The species known as the [[Qugu]] were attuned to the Darkness, and used it to commune with the memories of their ancestors. Much like the Ecumene, they seemed to be a peaceful civilization, in stark contrast to the Darkness' self-proclaimed tenets.<ref name="TAoS"/> | ||
===The Birth of the Hive=== | ===The Birth of the Hive=== | ||
{{Quote|Oryx went down into his throne world. He went out into the abyss, and with each step he read one of his tablets, so that they became like stones beneath his feet.<br>He went out and he created an altar and he prepared an unborn ogre. He called on the Deep, saying:<br>I can see you in the sky. You are the waves, which are battles, and the battles are the waves. Come into this vessel I have prepared for you.<br>And it arrived, the Deep Itself.|The Books of Sorrow, XXXI: Battle made waves}} | {{Quote|Oryx went down into his throne world. He went out into the abyss, and with each step he read one of his tablets, so that they became like stones beneath his feet.<br>He went out and he created an altar and he prepared an unborn ogre. He called on the Deep, saying:<br>I can see you in the sky. You are the waves, which are battles, and the battles are the waves. Come into this vessel I have prepared for you.<br>And it arrived, the Deep Itself.|The Books of Sorrow, XXXI: Battle made waves}} | ||
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Darkness known to the Guardians comes from the [[Books of Sorrow]], a collection of records discovered aboard the Dreadnaught of [[Oryx, the Taken King]]. The books describe the origins of the Hive on the gas giant Fundament, where the three daughters of a deposed king, [[Aurash]], [[Xi Ro]], and [[Sathona]], set out to save their world from a prophesied apocalypse. In their quest, they encountered the massive being known as the [[Leviathan (Fundament)|Leviathan]], who warned them against the temptation of "The Deep," a philosophy which held that "existence is the struggle to exist," and which it claimed would lead them only to ruin and calamity. It instead told them to pursue the philosophy of "[[Light|The Sky]]," which encouraged collaboration to build a kinder, more prosperous world, even if it meant that some deaths and misfortunes must be allowed to occur. The sisters rejected the Leviathan's advice, and dove deep into the core of their world to find the five Worms: [[Eir, the Keeper of Order|Eir]], [[Ur, the Ever-Hunger|Ur]], [[Yul, the Honest Worm|Yul]], [[Xol, Will of the Thousands|Xol]], and [[Akka, the Worm of Secrets|Akka]].<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow|Books of Sorrow]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#VIII: Leviathan|VIII: Leviathan]]''</ref><ref name="Bargain">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow|Books of Sorrow]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#IX: The Bargain|IX: The Bargain]]''</ref> | |||
The Worm Gods promised to lend the sisters their paracausal powers, which they drew from the Deep, in return for the sisters becoming hosts for the Worms' larvae. The sisters agreed and became the founders and God-rulers of what would one day become known as the Hive.<ref name="Bargain"/> The Worms taught the nascent Hive Gods of the Sword Logic, which they used to become ever more powerful.{{Citation needed}} | |||
The Worm Gods promised to lend the sisters their paracausal powers, which they drew from the Deep, in return for the sisters becoming hosts for the Worms' larvae. The sisters agreed and became the founders and God-rulers of what would one day become known as the Hive. The Worms taught the nascent Hive Gods of the | |||
Much later, the Hive God Auryx (who was once Aurash) slew the Worm God Akka | Much later, the Hive God Auryx (who was once Aurash) slew the Worm God Akka to obtain enough power to learn more about the secrets of the Deep, and in doing so he obtained the power to [[Taken|Take]],<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow|Books of Sorrow]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXVIII: King of Shapes|XXVIII: King of Shapes]]''</ref> a power wielded by the Witness. He became thereafter known as Oryx, the Taken King. Sometime later, he sought to commune with the Witness directly and prepared an Ogre as a sacrifice, which the Deep inhabited and used to converse with Oryx.<ref name="BMW">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow|Books of Sorrow]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXXI: battle made waves|XXXI: battle made waves]]''</ref><ref name="M. M.">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow|Books of Sorrow]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXXII: Majestic. Majestic.|XXXII: Majestic. Majestic.]]''</ref> | ||
===The Cambrian Explosion=== | ===The Cambrian Explosion=== | ||
{{Quote|And then—one day—the fall occurred. So much earlier and so much more necessary than your myths remember. (…) This was the Cambrian Explosion, the great birth of complex life on your world. I caused it. I, the defector, the destroyer, the one who takes.|Unveiling}} | {{Quote|And then—one day—the fall occurred. So much earlier and so much more necessary than your myths remember. (…) This was the Cambrian Explosion, the great birth of complex life on your world. I caused it. I, the defector, the destroyer, the one who takes.|Unveiling}} | ||
According to ''Unveiling'', the Cambrian Explosion (i.e. the rapid appearance and diversification of complex life on Earth) was one of innumerable examples across the history of the universe where the Darkness played a role in bringing about complex life, by virtue of curtailing the existence of weaker organisms and thereby driving biological evolution.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] | According to ''Unveiling'', the Cambrian Explosion (i.e. the rapid appearance and diversification of complex life on Earth) was one of innumerable examples across the history of the universe where the Darkness played a role in bringing about complex life, by virtue of curtailing the existence of weaker organisms and thereby driving biological evolution.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#The Cambrian Explosion|The Cambrian Explosion]]''</ref> | ||
===Riis and The Whirlwind=== | |||
{{Quote|Where is the Great Machine? Where is the Great Machine?|[[Chelchis, Kell of Stone]]}} | |||
At some point during the Golden Age of the [[Fallen|Eliksni]] on [[Riis]], a young Eliksni named [[Haaksis]] stole a scout-ship and became lost, eventually finding himself on an abandoned, airless world. He discovered an ancient, abandoned city, at the center of which was a "ship like a blade". Haaksis retrieved a spherical metallic artifact from the city, which spoke to him in his mind and showed him how to find his way home<ref>'''Bungie (2024/10/8)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Episode: Revenant]] - [[Lore]]:[[Lore:The Garden-Way|The Garden-Way]]: [[Lore:The Garden-Way#Monsters|Monsters]]''</ref>. As Haaksis grew into adulthood, the voice within the artifact continued to speak to him, telling him of the pointless struggle of life, and of an impending doom that would befall the Eliksni<ref>'''Bungie (2024/10/8)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Episode: Revenant]] - [[Lore]]:[[Lore:The Garden-Way|The Garden-Way]]: [[Lore:The Garden-Way#Monsters|Monsters]]''</ref>. | |||
Years later, Haaksis became a Baron of the House of Rain, and attempted to rid himself of the artifact's visions by casting it away into a river. However, the artifact was swallowed by a local predator known as a "river-catcher," which became corrupted with Darkness and began attacking Haaksis' people. The Slayer Baron Kiiraskes was sent to slay the beast, and upon dispatching the creature, she and her apprentice [[Irrha]] discovered the artifact within its remains; upon examining Irrha's memoirs untold centuries later, the scribe [[Eido]] of [[House of Light|House Light]] inferred that the object was of the same kind as the [[Unknown Artifact|mysterious artifact]] given to the Young Wolf by the Witness during their exploration of the Lunar Pyramid<ref>'''Bungie (2024/10/8)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Episode: Revenant]] - [[Lore]]:[[Lore:The Garden-Way|The Garden-Way]]: [[Lore:The Garden-Way#Monsters|Monsters]]''</ref>. Kiiraskes later mentioned that Chelchis, Kell of Stone had recently been delivering "strange reports" to the Houses of Kings and Judgment, which Chelchis felt signaled an impending catastrophe; however, Kiiraskes stated that Chelchis believed the true danger would come from within Eliksni civilization, not from the outside<ref>'''Bungie (2024/10/8)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Episode: Revenant]] - [[Lore]]:[[Lore:The Garden-Way|The Garden-Way]]: [[Lore:The Garden-Way#Return|Return]]''</ref>. | |||
Some time after this, Riis was attacked by the Witness and its Black Fleet, as well as Oryx's Hive, resulting in a cataclysm became known in Eliksni history as the [[Whirlwind]]. As it had so many times before, the Traveler fled Riis rather than face the Black Fleet, and the Eliskni were reduced to a race of interstellar nomads. | |||
===Pre-Collapse=== | ===Pre-Collapse=== | ||
{{Quote|Heaven is invaded and its territories are afire and all its mountains have been shattered into thrones. This is the inevitable and perfect shape of the truth.<br>It is magnificent. Majestic. Majestic.|Thoughts of a K1 researcher meditating in the presence of the Anomaly}} | {{Quote|Heaven is invaded and its territories are afire and all its mountains have been shattered into thrones. This is the inevitable and perfect shape of the truth.<br>It is magnificent. Majestic. Majestic.|Thoughts of a K1 researcher meditating in the presence of the Anomaly}} | ||
Before the Collapse, a Human mining expedition on Luna was commissioned by [[Clovis Bray I]] to discover the source of a mysterious signal buried beneath the Moon's crust. Nearly twelve hundred meters deep they discovered a [[Anomaly (artifact)|black sphere]], whose emissions caused neurochemical cascades that induced intrusive thoughts, insomnia, narcolepsy, nightmares, and auditory and visual hallucinations. The sphere was studied due to an outbound signal that was believed to be connected to a second Traveler, or even the origins of the Traveler. However, the expedition team, despite their best efforts, were eventually driven to madness and perished.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Revelation|Revelation]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Kuang Xuan's Logbook]]''</ref> | |||
Clovis Bray I later communed with the artifact, which urged him to go to [[Europa]] to seek the secret of immortality. He mounted a personal expedition to the icy moon, where he discovered the source of the paracausal power he called "Clarity": an entity he named "[[Clarity Control]]".{{Citation needed}} | |||
===The Collapse=== | ===The Collapse=== | ||
[[File:Chris Bjerre Destiny 2 Vision Cinematic Concept Art Pyramid.jpg |thumb|330px|The Darkness closes in upon the [[Traveler]].]] | [[File:Chris Bjerre Destiny 2 Vision Cinematic Concept Art Pyramid.jpg |thumb|330px|The Darkness closes in upon the [[Traveler]].]] | ||
{{Quote|Something hit us. Killed our Golden Age. Nearly wiped us out. Only the Traveler saved us, and at a shattering cost.|[[Grimoire]] description.}} | {{Quote|Something hit us. Killed our Golden Age. Nearly wiped us out. Only the Traveler saved us, and at a shattering cost.|[[Grimoire]] description.}} | ||
The Collapse was long believed by the [[Vanguard]] and the people of the [[Last City]] to have been caused by the Darkness itself. In reality, it was brought about by the | The Collapse was long believed by the [[Vanguard]] and the people of the [[Last City]] to have been caused by the Darkness itself.<ref name="Darkness"/> In reality, it was brought about by the Black Fleet, led by the Witness and its Disciples, who wielded the Darkness against humanity and the [[Traveler]]. During the Collapse, the colony ship ''[[Yang Liwei]]'' (call sign [[Exodus Green]]), was ensnared by the Darkness projected by the Black Fleet as it attempted to escape the Solar System, but was "rescued" by the Traveler projecting a beam of Light to push back the Darkness, which in turn generated a kugelblitz that swallowed the ''Yang Liwei'' and transported it and its occupants to a [[Distributary|new universe]].<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] - [[Lore:Marasenna|Marasenna]]: [[Lore:Marasenna#Cosmogyre IV|Cosmogyre IV]]''</ref> | ||
===Events of Destiny=== | ===Events of Destiny=== | ||
[[File:Blackheart.jpg|thumb|330px|The Black Heart, an aspect of the Darkness.]] | [[File:Blackheart.jpg|thumb|330px|The Black Heart, an aspect of the Darkness.]] | ||
Centuries after the Collapse, a lone [[The Guardian|Guardian]] encountered the [[Exo Stranger]] on [[Venus]] | Centuries after the Collapse, a lone [[The Guardian|Guardian]] encountered the [[Exo Stranger]] on [[Venus]] and was subsequently sent on a quest to find the [[Black Garden]].<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[A Stranger's Call]]''</ref> After battling through the [[Sol Divisive]] [[Vex]] and reaching the center of the Garden, the Guardian discovered an entity, the [[Black Heart]], that the Vex seemed to revere as an object of worship. The entity could not attack the Guardian directly but attempted to defend itself by taking control of the [[Sol Progeny]], three enormous Vex Minotaurs. After a protracted battle, the Black Heart was destroyed along with its three Sol Progeny vessels. Upon the defeat of the Black Heart, the Black Garden was relocated to [[Mars]] from its prior location, and Light began to return to the dormant and damaged Traveler.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[The Black Garden]]''</ref> | ||
Following the battle in the Black Garden, Ikora Rey hypothesized that the Black Heart had been an aspect of the Darkness itself. It would not be until much later that it was revealed to in fact be an attempt by the | Following the battle in the Black Garden, Ikora Rey hypothesized that the Black Heart had been an aspect of the Darkness itself.{{Citation needed}} It would not be until much later that it was revealed to in fact be an attempt by the Sol Divisive to replicate the Veil, an equally mysterious paracausal entity associated with both the Darkness and the Traveler.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[What Remains]]''</ref> | ||
===Forsaken=== | ===Forsaken=== | ||
[[File:AwokenPyramid.jpg|thumb|330px|Mara Sov's star map of the Darkness ships.]] | [[File:AwokenPyramid.jpg|thumb|330px|Mara Sov's star map of the Darkness ships.]] | ||
The [[Scorn]], a faction of undead [[Fallen]] first encountered by the Guardians in a mass breakout from the Prison of Elders, were created through the use of [[Dark Ether|Darkness-tainted Ether]] by [[Fikrul, the Fanatic]]. This "Dark Ether" was first generated when [[Riven]] drew upon [[Uldren Sov]]'s internal Darkness and infused it into Ether, bringing Fikrul back from death. | The [[Scorn]], a faction of undead [[Fallen]] first encountered by the Guardians in a mass breakout from the Prison of Elders, were created through the use of [[Dark Ether|Darkness-tainted Ether]] by [[Fikrul, the Fanatic]]. This "Dark Ether" was first generated when [[Riven]] drew upon [[Uldren Sov]]'s internal Darkness and infused it into Ether, bringing Fikrul back from death.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] - [[Lore:The Forsaken Prince|The Forsaken Prince]]: [[Lore:The Forsaken Prince##Fanatic_.7C_Part_II|Fanatic | Part II]]''</ref> | ||
===Shadowkeep=== | ===Shadowkeep=== | ||
{{Quote| | {{Quote|Don't you recognize us? We are not your friend. We are not your enemy. We are your… '''salvation.'''|The Witness}} | ||
[[File:Ikorapyramid.gif||thumb|330px|Ikora looking at the Luna Pyramid]] | [[File:Ikorapyramid.gif||thumb|330px|Ikora looking at the Luna Pyramid]] | ||
Eris Morn, after going missing prior to the Red War, stumbled upon a derelict [[The Lunar Pyramid|Pyramid]] beneath the surface of the Moon that once belonged to [[Nezarec, Final God of Pain|Nezarec]]. She discovered that the Darkness originating from the Pyramid was triggered into unleashing phantasmal [[Nightmare]]s, and that the [[Hidden Swarm]] was harnessing them in a crimson citadel built above the ancient ship, near the [[Hellmouth]], dubbed the [[Scarlet Keep]]. With Eris Morn as their guide and having the Vanguard's approval on handling the situation, the Guardians fought the Hive and the Darkness-powered Nightmares. Using the Hive's knowledge and the essence of the most powerful of Nightmares, Eris was able to forge armor that was capable of resisting the Nightmares.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]]''</ref> | |||
Now prepared and with the Nightmares pushed back, the Young Wolf descended beneath the Scarlet Keep to the Pyramid. There, the Witness possessed the Guardian's Ghost and opened the Pyramid, drawing in the Guardian. Inside, the Guardian faces off against Nightmares of their most dangerous foes: [[Ghaul]], [[Crota]] and [[Fikrul]]. As they combat the powerful Nightmares, the Witness lectured the Guardians through their Ghost on the Light's failures and weaknesses. Despite this, the Guardian managed to overcome the Nightmares and reach the center of the Pyramid, where a veiled statue stood.<ref name="Beyond">'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Beyond (mission)|Beyond]]''</ref> | |||
The Guardian received an [[Unknown Artifact]] from the statue and was subjected to a vision, in which they stood within the Black Garden and encountered the Witness taking the form of themselves. The Witness addressed the Guardian, saying that it had heard humanity's "cries for help" and that it would soon answer, and stating that it was neither the Guardian's friend nor enemy, but instead their "salvation".<ref name="Beyond"/> | |||
The Guardian | The Guardian brought the Unknown Artifact to Eris and reported what they encountered in the Pyramid to the Vanguard, which they took as confirmation that the force that caused the Collapse was preparing to return. At the same time, Eris identified a signal emitting from the artifact that led deep within the Black Garden, to which a fireteam of Guardians was sent to [[Garden of Salvation|investigate]]. They discovered two Axis Minds that seemed to have been warped by an unknown force, the [[Consecrated Mind, Sol Inherent|Consecrated Mind]] and [[Sanctified Mind, Sol Inherent|Sanctified Mind]], and found another veiled statue identical in shape to the one on the Lunar Pyramid.<ref name="GOS">'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Garden of Salvation]]''</ref> | ||
The Guardian | The Guardian began receiving [[Lore:Unveiling|messages]] through the Unknown Artifact, seemingly from the Darkness itself; Eris dismissed the messages as attempts at manipulation, but they provided potentially valuable information into the origin of the Light, the Darkness, the [[Vex]], and the Universe itself.{{Citation needed}} | ||
When [[Osiris]] confronted [[Rasputin]] regarding his allegiance to the Light or the Darkness, the Warmind directed him to an anomalous signal located in the Kuiper Belt. Upon arriving at the coordinates, [[Sagira]] reported feeling strange, like the Guardian's Ghost when approaching the [[Pyramid]]. Osiris then entered "an anomalous Maw" and returned with a "cold metal seed" before setting his ship on a course to return to the inner Solar System.<ref name="WGMP">'''Bungie (2020/3/10)''', ''[[Weblore:Season of the Worthy]] - [[Weblore:Season of the Worthy#What Gives Me Pause|What Gives Me Pause]]''</ref> | |||
When [[Osiris]] confronted [[Rasputin]] regarding his allegiance to the Light or the Darkness, the Warmind directed him to an anomalous signal located in the Kuiper Belt. Upon arriving at the coordinates, [[Sagira]] reported feeling strange, | |||
===Season of Arrivals=== | ===Season of Arrivals=== | ||
[[File:Rasputinshutdown.gif|thumb|330px|Rasputin shuts down.]] | [[File:Rasputinshutdown.gif|thumb|330px|Rasputin shuts down.]] | ||
{{quote|The day we've been dreading has finally arrived. The Darkness is here.|[[Zavala|Commander Zavala]]}} | {{quote|The day we've been dreading has finally arrived. The Darkness is here.|[[Zavala|Commander Zavala]]}} | ||
Several days after the Almighty's destruction, the Black Fleet arrived and began to [[Arrival of the Black Fleet|push into the solar system]]. One Pyramid went to Io, the last place to be touched by the Traveler, and stationed itself over a [[Tree of Silver Wings (Io)|strange tree]] that had grown in the center of the [[Cradle (Io)|Cradle]]. Using a [[Seed of Silver Wings|seed]] retrieved from beneath the roots of the tree, Eris attempted to communicate with the Darkness, but its messages were distorted by interference from Savathûn. The Guardian managed to repeatedly fight Savathûn's forces back, allowing Eris to receive and interpret the Darkness' messages.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/6/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Arrivals]]''</ref> | |||
Several days after the Almighty's destruction, the | |||
[[File:Majesticdarkness.png|thumb|330px|A Pyramid stationed on Mercury]] | [[File:Majesticdarkness.png|thumb|330px|A Pyramid stationed on Mercury]] | ||
Almost half a year after the Pyramids returned, the worlds of Mercury, Mars, Io, and Titan all disappeared from the system, having been transported to an unknown realm by the Witness using the Darkness. | Almost half a year after the Pyramids returned, the worlds of Mercury, Mars, Io, and Titan all disappeared from the system, having been transported to an unknown realm by the Witness using the Darkness.{{Citation needed}} | ||
===Beyond Light=== | ===Beyond Light=== | ||
[[File:EuropaPyramid.jpg|thumb|330px|The Europa Pyramid silently hovering above the Europan ice fields.]] | [[File:EuropaPyramid.jpg|thumb|330px|The Europa Pyramid silently hovering above the Europan ice fields.]] | ||
{{Quote|The Light believes you thankless. Nothing more than a soldier asked again and again to do its bidding.<br>So we want to thank you. With a gift. To help you finally take control.|The [[ | {{Quote|The Light believes you thankless. Nothing more than a soldier asked again and again to do its bidding.<br>So we want to thank you. With a gift. To help you finally take control.|The [[the Witness|Witness]] to [[The Guardian|the Guardian]]}} | ||
Sometime after the initial detection of the Black Fleet by Rasputin, a [[The Europan Pyramid|sixth Pyramid]] touched down on [[Europa]]. It remained unknown to the rest of the system for a time, until [[Eramis, Kell of Darkness]] and her newly-formed [[House of Salvation]] discovered it hovering over the icy surface of the moon. Using [[Splinter of Darkness|Splinters of Darkness]] originating from the Pyramid, Eramis attempted to harness the power of [[Stasis]] to rebuild the Eliksni Empire and destroy the Traveler.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]]''</ref> | |||
Subsequently, the Guardian would also be granted the power of Stasis, initially through a Splinter of Darkness and later drawing the power from within themselves. Their Stasis abilities would be magnified by repeated communions with a [[Ziggurat]] deployed by the Europan Pyramid. | |||
===The Witch Queen=== | ===The Witch Queen=== | ||
| Line 142: | Line 142: | ||
===Lightfall=== | ===Lightfall=== | ||
Following Rasputin's sacrifice | Following Rasputin's sacrifice to prevent Eramis from using the Warsat network to fire upon the Traveler, the Witness and its Black Fleet advanced on the Traveler.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/12/6)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Seraph]] - [[ABHORRENT IMPERATIVE (mission)|ABHORRENT IMPERATIVE]]''</ref> The Pyramids destroyed any craft that attempted to attack using waves of Resonance energy, while the Witness itself used the Darkness to effortlessly slice apart incoming Jumpships and their occupants. The Traveler itself was neutralized by a ring of eight Pyramids that took up formation around it, emitting a concerted wave of Resonance that halted a beam of Light the Traveler had projected to defend itself.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [https://youtu.be/7BLYLVaZVQ0?t=109 Witness Arrival]''</ref> | ||
Following the Witness extracting the location of the [[the Veil|Veil]] from the Traveler, Osiris and the Guardian followed Calus and his Shadow Legion to Neptune, where they found the hidden city of Neomuna. Upon touching down in the city, they immediately noticed strands of green energy permeating the local environment, which they discovered to be a new elemental manifestation of Darkness known as [[Strand]]. The concentration of Strand energy in the city was a result of the presence of the Veil, itself a powerful paracausal entity seemingly associated with the Darkness. | Following the Witness extracting the location of the [[the Veil|Veil]] from the Traveler, Osiris and the Guardian followed Calus and his Shadow Legion to Neptune, where they found the hidden city of Neomuna. Upon touching down in the city, they immediately noticed strands of green energy permeating the local environment, which they discovered to be a new elemental manifestation of Darkness known as [[Strand]].<ref>'''Bungie (2023/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[First Contact]]''</ref> The concentration of Strand energy in the city was a result of the presence of the Veil, itself a powerful paracausal entity seemingly associated with the Darkness.{{Citation needed}} | ||
===Season of the Deep=== | ===Season of the Deep=== | ||
Following Titan's reappearance, the Guardian worked together with [[Sloane]] to strengthen her telepathic connection to | Following Titan's reappearance, the Guardian worked together with [[Sloane]] to strengthen her telepathic connection to Ahsa, with whom Sloane had become psychically bonded with through the Darkness. Ikora and Osiris also noted that the Veil's paracausal signature had become stronger after Titan's reappearance, and speculated that the connection between Titan and the Veil could hold a clue in following the Witness.<ref name="Origins"/> | ||
===The Fall of the Witness=== | ===The Fall of the Witness=== | ||
| Line 153: | Line 153: | ||
==The Nature of the Darkness== | ==The Nature of the Darkness== | ||
Because so few survived the Collapse, the exact nature of the Darkness had long been a mystery to most living within the [[Last City]]. For centuries, it was said that the Collapse had been brought about by "the Darkness", and that this mysterious force was the enemy of the Traveler. Recent events have clarified that the Collapse was in fact brought about by the Witness and the Black Fleet | Because so few survived the Collapse, the exact nature of the Darkness had long been a mystery to most living within the [[Last City]]. For centuries, it was said that the Collapse had been brought about by "the Darkness", and that this mysterious force was the enemy of the Traveler. Recent events have clarified that the Collapse was in fact brought about by the Witness and the Black Fleet and that the Darkness is a paracausal force wielded by them, much as the Light is distinct from the Traveler. | ||
===Theories and Speculation=== | ===Theories and Speculation=== | ||
In the centuries following the Collapse, several theories as to what the Darkness actually is were proposed by various scholars among the Guardians and other people of the City. The most well-known of these are listed below: | In the centuries following the Collapse, several theories as to what the Darkness actually is were proposed by various scholars among the Guardians and other people of the City. The most well-known of these are listed below: | ||
*[[Pujari]] claimed that the Darkness is both a physical and moral presence, evil made tangible. It was a storm of corruption emerging from the Golden Age.<ref name = "Darkness"/> | *[[Pujari]] claimed that the Darkness is both a physical and moral presence, evil made tangible. It was a storm of corruption emerging from the Golden Age.<ref name = "Darkness"/> Also known as the Pujari Position, it is one of two doctrines that was widely popular at the [[Tower]] and the City at large.<ref name = "Foreword">'''Bungie (2024/6/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Final Shape]] - [[Lore:Chirality|Chirality]]: [[Lore:Chirality#Foreword|Foreword]]''</ref> | ||
*[[Saint-14]] argued that the Darkness was an invading armada of aliens. Some suggest that these aliens had been previously rejected by the Traveler for their sins. In reality, the most likely explanation is the [[Fallen]].<ref name = "Darkness"/> | *[[Saint-14]] argued that the Darkness was an invading armada of aliens. Some suggest that these aliens had been previously rejected by the Traveler for their sins. In reality, the most likely explanation is the [[Fallen]].<ref name = "Darkness"/> His position stood as the most eminently practical of public opinions in the City.<ref name = "Foreword"/> | ||
*[[Ulan-Tan]] suggests that the Darkness is the necessary symmetry to the Traveler as part of a cosmic balance.<ref name = "Darkness"/> | *[[Ulan-Tan]] suggests that the Darkness is the necessary symmetry to the Traveler as part of a cosmic balance.<ref name = "Darkness"/> The [[Symmetry]] faction also follows in his beliefs.<ref name = "Foreword"/> | ||
*The Monists believe the Darkness is a technologically superior force, to the point of post-singularity, and that the universe is just a simulation. Such an advanced intelligence could mimic acausality by bending the rules of the universe's programming.<ref name = "Darkness"/> | *The Monists believe the Darkness is a technologically superior force, to the point of post-singularity, and that the universe is just a simulation. Such an advanced intelligence could mimic acausality by bending the rules of the universe's programming.<ref name = "Darkness"/> | ||
*The Acataleptic Clause, and the [[Praxic Order]], believe that not only is the Darkness unknowable, but that people shouldn't bother trying to understand it and instead simply fight it.<ref name = "Darkness"/> | *The Acataleptic Clause, and the [[Praxic Order]], believe that not only is the Darkness unknowable, but that people shouldn't bother trying to understand it and instead simply fight it.<ref name = "Darkness"/> It is one of two doctrines that were widely popular at the [[Tower]] and the City alongside the Pujari Position.<ref name = "Foreword"/> | ||
*A heretical position from the [[Binary Star Cult]] states that the Traveler itself triggered the collapse, and used humanity as a sacrifice/proxy army in its war against the Darkness.<ref name = "Darkness">'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] | *A heretical position from the [[Binary Star Cult]] states that the Traveler itself triggered the collapse, and used humanity as a sacrifice/proxy army in its war against the Darkness.<ref name = "Darkness">'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness|Darkness]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Darkness|Darkness]]''</ref> | ||
It is now known that most of these proposed explanations are actually true to some extent: the Darkness is a paracausal force that is the counterpart to the Light, it is closely associated with a philosophy that most would consider deeply immoral or evil, and its principal wielders and servants are the | It is now known that most of these proposed explanations are actually true to some extent: the Darkness is a paracausal force that is the counterpart to the Light, it is closely associated with a philosophy that most would consider deeply immoral or evil, and its principal wielders and servants are the Witness and its Disciples, a collective of aliens that at least in part were abandoned by the Traveler and make use of supremely advanced technology in the form of the [[Pyramids]]. | ||
===Toland's Understanding=== | ===Toland's Understanding=== | ||
[[Toland, the Shattered]] understands the Darkness as the natural evolutionary endpoint of the entire universe. Since the beginning of time, everything has | [[Toland, the Shattered]] understands the Darkness as the natural evolutionary endpoint of the entire universe. Since the beginning of time, everything has competed with everything else for no reason, other than that is the way of the universe: the law of the jungle. As atoms came into being, they defeated the "primordial broth" that preceded it. From atoms came stars, from stars came galaxies, worlds were created, and finally life arose, all due to the eternal competition. | ||
Toland envisions a future where three archetypal "nations" compete with each other: the first represents the perfect rule of law, the second represents knowledge made paramount, and the third represents sheer, total conquest. The third nation will succeed, inevitably, and in time will lead to a greater conflict between other nations which all represent the desire to conquer and dominate. The universe thus becomes a place where only the most ruthless entities succeed, to the point where they actively hunt and exterminate other life long before it can ever be a true threat. Finally, at the end of time there will be only one entity that rules the universe so absolutely that nothing will ever exist except by its consent, so it will rule forever. In essence, Toland asserts that this incontestable supremacy is the goal or driving force of the Darkness. | Toland envisions a future where three archetypal "nations" compete with each other: the first represents the perfect rule of law, the second represents knowledge made paramount, and the third represents sheer, total conquest. The third nation will succeed, inevitably, and in time will lead to a greater conflict between other nations which all represent the desire to conquer and dominate. The universe thus becomes a place where only the most ruthless entities succeed, to the point where they actively hunt and exterminate other life long before it can ever be a true threat. Finally, at the end of time, there will be only one entity that rules the universe so absolutely that nothing will ever exist except by its consent, so it will rule forever. In essence, Toland asserts that this incontestable supremacy is the goal or driving force of the Darkness. | ||
An alternative way of life, where law and knowledge | An alternative way of life, where law and knowledge might work together rather than compete, as in the case of [[human]]ity and the [[City]], is little more than "the dream of small minds", and is unlikely to succeed against an entity of pure conquest.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness|Darkness]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Ghost Fragment: Darkness 3|Ghost Fragment: Darkness 3]]''</ref> | ||
===Rasputin's Testimony=== | ===Rasputin's Testimony=== | ||
| Line 184: | Line 184: | ||
[[File:RaputinGif1.gif|thumb|330px|Rasputin monitoring the Pyramid Fleet.]] | [[File:RaputinGif1.gif|thumb|330px|Rasputin monitoring the Pyramid Fleet.]] | ||
The [[Warmind]] | The [[Warmind]] Rasputin was among the first beings in the Sol System to become aware of the arrival of the Black Fleet immediately prior to the Collapse.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness|Darkness]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Ghost Fragment: Darkness|Ghost Fragment: Darkness]]''</ref> Given the unknown nature of the threat at the time, it remains unclear to what degree Rasputin's observations apply to the Black Fleet, the Darkness itself, or both. In any case, measurements taken by Rasputin indicated that the unknown phenomenon was accompanied by sterile neutrinos and gravity waves, seemed to have a structured intelligence and purpose behind its actions, and did not fully obey the known laws of physics. Using the minimal data that he had, Rasputin concluded that the force was hostile and capable of an interplanetary extinction event, causing him to activate defensive protocols and send messages to his subminds to prepare for an imminent attack. | ||
===''Dreams of Alpha Lupi''=== | ===''Dreams of Alpha Lupi''=== | ||
The ''[[Dreams of Alpha Lupi]]'' poem contains a verse related to the Darkness and possibly representative of the Darkness's own perspective. The verse explains that the universe, despite its vastness, is beholden to simple, enduring laws that shape it and give one the impression that it is inexhaustible and eternal. Life is an affront to the universe because it refuses to accept the limitations imposed on it by the natural order.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] | The ''[[Dreams of Alpha Lupi]]'' poem contains a verse related to the Darkness and possibly representative of the Darkness's own perspective. The verse explains that the universe, despite its vastness, is beholden to simple, enduring laws that shape it and give one the impression that it is inexhaustible and eternal. Life is an affront to the universe because it refuses to accept the limitations imposed on it by the natural order.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness|Darkness]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Ghost Fragment: Darkness 2|Ghost Fragment: Darkness 2]]''</ref> | ||
===''Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4''=== | ===''Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4''=== | ||
[[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4|Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4]] contains an excerpt of unknown origin, addressing an unknown recipient. Its opening line: "[[Lakshmi-2#quotes|''This war is all there is for you.'']]" is also a line of dialog, spoken by [[Future War Cult]] representative [[Lakshmi-2]], in which she asks the player what they would do if, "on some dreadful night, the Darkness were to come creeping up" and whisper the aforementioned statement to them. This would suggest that the excerpt in ''Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4'' is the full text of that opening statement, indicating that the Darkness is addressing a Guardian, attempting to entice them into turning away from the [[Light]], or at least plant the seeds of doubt.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] | [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4|Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4]] contains an excerpt of unknown origin, addressing an unknown recipient. Its opening line: "[[Lakshmi-2#quotes|''This war is all there is for you.'']]" is also a line of dialog, spoken by [[Future War Cult]] representative [[Lakshmi-2]], in which she asks the player what they would do if, "on some dreadful night, the Darkness were to come creeping up" and whisper the aforementioned statement to them. This would suggest that the excerpt in ''Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4'' is the full text of that opening statement, indicating that the Darkness is addressing a Guardian, attempting to entice them into turning away from the [[Light]], or at least plant the seeds of doubt.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness|Darkness]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4|Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4]]''</ref> | ||
===The Books of Sorrow=== | ===The Books of Sorrow=== | ||
| Line 196: | Line 196: | ||
{{Quote|Out in the world we ask a simple, true question. A question like, can I kill you, can I rip your world apart? Tell me the truth. For if I don't ask, someone will ask it of me. <br> And they call us evil. Evil! Evil means 'socially maladaptive.' We are adaptiveness itself.|The Darkness}} | {{Quote|Out in the world we ask a simple, true question. A question like, can I kill you, can I rip your world apart? Tell me the truth. For if I don't ask, someone will ask it of me. <br> And they call us evil. Evil! Evil means 'socially maladaptive.' We are adaptiveness itself.|The Darkness}} | ||
Following the arrival of [[Oryx, the Taken King]] in the Sol System, records were discovered aboard Oryx's [[Dreadnaught]] that | Following the arrival of [[Oryx, the Taken King]] in the Sol System, a series of records known as the Books of Sorrow were discovered aboard Oryx's [[Dreadnaught]] that provided new insight into the nature of the Darkness. According to these records, on one occasion Oryx went deep into the [[Ascendant Realm]] using the [[Tablets of Ruin]] and prepared an unborn [[Ogre]], which he used as a vessel to summon and communicate with what he claimed to have been the Darkness itself.<ref name="BMW"/> | ||
In the conversation that followed, the Darkness portrayed itself as a manifestation or embodiment of the universal struggle for existence: whereas the Traveler seeks to nurture civilization by encouraging peace and mutual cooperation, the Darkness is dedicated to the annihilation of all beings and civilizations who do not possess the strength to survive in the face of conquest. Its eventual goal is to bring about a universe inhabited solely by those entities who have survived by defeating all opposition.<ref name="M. M."/> To this end, it has destroyed countless planets and civilizations, either through direct action or through its disciples, such as the [[Hive]]. | |||
===Relation to Simplicity, Emotion and Memory=== | ===Relation to Simplicity, Emotion and Memory=== | ||
Darkness | The Darkness is associated with simplification and the removal of extraneous entities; in contrast, the Light appears to be associated with the "growth and preservation of complexity".<ref name="TFK">'''Bungie (2024/06/04)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Final Shape]] - Item Description: [[The First Knife#Lore|The First Knife]]''</ref> In keeping with this, the Darkness is often associated with triangles and tetrahedrons, whereas the Light is associated with circles and spheres. | ||
[[Clovis Bray I]] studied the Darkness during the late Golden Age, having been exposed to it through the K1 Anomaly and later through the entity he called "Clarity Control." In his notes, he observed that the Darkness violated [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noether%27s_theorem Noether's theorem], and did not follow established physical rules of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetry_(physics) symmetry] and conservation. He also noted that the Darkness possessed "anti-structural" properties, and had a tendency to reduce the entropy of systems it was applied to, leading him to hypothesize that it may have been responsible for the low-entropy state of the universe preceding the Big Bang. | [[Clovis Bray I]] studied the Darkness during the late Golden Age, having been exposed to it through the K1 Anomaly and later through the entity he called "Clarity Control." In his notes, he observed that the Darkness violated [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noether%27s_theorem Noether's theorem], and did not follow established physical rules of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetry_(physics) symmetry] and conservation. He also noted that the Darkness possessed "anti-structural" properties, and had a tendency to reduce the entropy of systems it was applied to, leading him to hypothesize that it may have been responsible for the low-entropy state of the universe preceding the Big Bang. | ||
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This dichotomy was further highlighted when the Witness entered the Traveler's Pale Heart, as it attempted to use the Traveler's Light to bring its vision of the Final Shape into reality; the Final Shape existed as a concept within the Darkness, but the Witness needed the Light to enforce its ideas upon the physical universe. | This dichotomy was further highlighted when the Witness entered the Traveler's Pale Heart, as it attempted to use the Traveler's Light to bring its vision of the Final Shape into reality; the Final Shape existed as a concept within the Darkness, but the Witness needed the Light to enforce its ideas upon the physical universe. | ||
===The Winnower=== | ===The Winnower=== | ||
{{Quote|It is the nature of life to favor existence over nonexistence, and to prefer the fertile soil to the poisoned wind. Because those who open their mouths to that wind pass from the world and leave no descendant, whether of flesh or of thought. <br>But imagine the abomination of a world where nothing can end and no choice can be preferred to any other. Imagine the things that would suffer and never die. Imagine the lies that would flourish without context or corrective. Imagine a world without me.| | {{Quote|It is the nature of life to favor existence over nonexistence, and to prefer the fertile soil to the poisoned wind. Because those who open their mouths to that wind pass from the world and leave no descendant, whether of flesh or of thought. <br>But imagine the abomination of a world where nothing can end and no choice can be preferred to any other. Imagine the things that would suffer and never die. Imagine the lies that would flourish without context or corrective. Imagine a world without me.|Unveiling}}<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#Pleased to Meet You|Pleased to Meet You]]''</ref> | ||
Several obscure entries contain statements attributed to an entity referred to as "the Winnower," which appears to be either synonymous with or the source of Darkness itself; the true nature of this entity remains mysterious and contentious at present. | |||
The Witness acknowledged the Winnower as a separate entity shortly before its destruction at the hands of the Coalition, stating that it was not the Winnower, but merely "the first knife clutched in its hand | During their exploration of the Lunar Pyramid, the Guardian received an [[Unknown Artifact|unknown artifact]] from the [[The Witness|Witness]] which relayed [[Lore:Unveiling|a series of messages]] addressed to the Guardian by the Winnower, which presented itself as one of two cosmic entities or forces which gave rise to the universe, alongside its opposing counterpart the "[[Light|Gardener]]". The Witness acknowledged the Winnower as a separate entity shortly before its destruction at the hands of the Coalition, stating that it was not the Winnower, but merely ''"the first knife clutched in its hand"'' <ref name="Salvation's Edge">'''Bungie (2024/6/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Final Shape]] - [[Salvation's Edge]]''</ref>. The name "Winnower" was also used by [[Ahsa]] when she recounted the origin of the Witness to the Guardian, referring to the Veil.<ref name="Origins"/> | ||
In | In the messages received by the Guardian and translated by [[Eris Morn]], the Winnower states itself to be one of two primordial entities who predate the universe, the other being the [[Light|Gardener]].<ref name="U:G&W"/> The Winnower is presented as embodying the reduction of complexity, whereas the Gardener embodies the growth and preservation of complexity.<ref name="U:TFK"/> In the allegorical story recounted by the Winnower, these two entities struggled with one another in the state which preceded the multiverse, and upon inadvertently creating the multiverse as a by-product of this struggle, each became a [[paracausality|paracausal]] force which would serve to further their respective goals within its many universes.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#T = 0|T = 0]]''</ref> The Winnower claims to have subsequently influenced the evolution of life throughout the cosmos, stating that it was responsible for the Cambrian Explosion that gave rise to complex animal life on Earth, and thus the evolution of humanity<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#The Cambrian Explosion|The Cambrian Explosion]]''</ref>. This story not only appears to provide an origin for the Light and Darkness as they are presently known, but also implies that the Darkness is itself sentient and has its own motivations, exerting its influence on reality in various subtle ways so as to guide the universe toward an eternal, maximally simplified form known as the [[Final Shape]].<ref name="U:TFS"/> | ||
The entry "Winnowing" in the Lore Book ''[[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]'' | The unnamed narrator of the entry "Winnowing" in the Lore Book ''[[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]'' writes in a similar style and tone as the Winnower in ''Unveiling'', and the entry itself appears to reference and elaborate slightly on the information presented in the previous Lore Book.<ref name="Inspiral Winnowing"/> The narrator of the entry describes how a garden requires both a gardener to care for its plants, and a winnower to prune away excess growth and rot; if there is no winnower to do the pruning, the plants will be forced to do it themselves lest the garden deteriorate. Much as with ''Unveiling'', this description appears to be allegorical, and seems to suggest that both the Darkness and Light are necessary to maintain the stability of life and civilization within the universe; as the narrator states, ''"there can be no gardens without knives"''.<ref name="Inspiral Winnowing"/> | ||
Following the revelation that the Witness and its Black Fleet were behind the Collapse and other historical events once attributed to the Darkness itself, and the discovery that [[Stasis]] and [[Strand]] could be wielded by Guardians without inevitably leading to moral corruption, the Vanguard has for the most part come to regard the Darkness as a neutral force, without any form of guiding intent or moral connotations associated with its use <ref>'''Bungie (2024/7/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Final Shape]] - [[Lore:Chirality|Chirality]]: [[Lore:Chirality#Cacosmia|Cacosmia]]''</ref>. Similarly, various statements once ascribed to the Darkness have since been recontextualized as instead originating from the Witness, which was referred to by [[Mara Sov]] as "the Voice in the Darkness".{{citation needed}} After reading ''[[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]'', [[Ikora Rey]] stated that messages were in fact narrated by the Witness, which it had deceitfully presented itself as a "monolithic cosmic force"; however, in a later conversation with [[Mara Sov]], she wondered whether the texts were in fact a shadow of the truth, in which the Witness was merely a pawn of some other force<ref name="TFK"/>. | |||
==Aspects and Manifestations== | ==Aspects and Manifestations== | ||
Much like the [[Light]] manifests itself in varying forms such as [[Arc]], [[Void]] and [[Solar]] Light, the Darkness also manifests in a variety of ways that can be wielded by its users. | Much like the [[Light]] manifests itself in varying forms such as [[Arc]], [[Void]] and [[Solar]] Light, the Darkness also manifests in a variety of ways that can be wielded by its users. | ||
During his studies of Strand, [[Osiris]] hypothesized that the appearance and nature of "elemental" manifestations of Darkness such as Stasis and Strand may be shaped by the thoughts and preconceptions of their wielders; for example, he suggested that the string-like nature of Strand might be a result of the [[The Guardian|Guardian]] forming a subconscious association between the idea of "connection" and physical strings, and hypothesized that it might have instead appeared to the [[Neomuna|Neomuni]] as "cosmic water" had they discovered it first, as a result of their cultural beliefs regarding the "river of souls".<ref>'''Bungie (2023/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Lore:Warp and Weft|Warp and Weft]]''</ref> | |||
===Stasis=== | ===Stasis=== | ||
{{Main|Stasis}} | {{Main|Stasis}} | ||
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===Egregore=== | ===Egregore=== | ||
{{Main|Egregore}} | {{Main|Egregore}} | ||
According to [[Eris Morn]], the fungus-like lifeform known as egregore is a manifestation of Darkness in a similar manner as Stasis, but "impure" in some way.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/5/24)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Haunted]] - [[Eidolon Shell#Lore|Eidolon Shell]]''</ref> | According to [[Eris Morn]], the fungus-like lifeform known as egregore is a manifestation of Darkness in a similar manner as Stasis, but "impure" in some way.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/5/24)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Haunted]] - Item Description: [[Eidolon Shell#Lore|Eidolon Shell]]''</ref> | ||
===Darkness Fields=== | ===Darkness Fields=== | ||
Based | Based on matching descriptions from [[Emperor Calus]], the [[Hive]], [[Cayde-6]], and [[Awoken]] records, certain Darkness-related entities seem to have the ability to project a field that gives the impression of complete darkness surrounding an individual. Calus wrote that upon encountering the Black Fleet, it initially appeared as a complete void to him,<ref>'''Bungie (2019/6/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Opulence]] - [[Lore:The Chronicon|The Chronicon]]: [[Lore:The Chronicon#DLXXIX.|DLXXIX.]]''</ref> while the crew of the ''Yang Liwei'' reported being surrounded by a force that "made the stars go out" after their ship was confronted by a [[Pyramid]];<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] - [[Lore:Marasenna|Marasenna]]: [[Lore:Marasenna#Cosmogyre III|Cosmogyre III]]''</ref> Osiris similarly described a Pyramid as being surrounded by a "maw" of darkness when he sought out the Black Fleet beyond the edge of the Heliopause.<ref name="WGMP"/> During the Collapse, Cayde-6 described being enveloped by a smothering, paralyzing black cloud, however, in this case, it left his senses intact so that he could witness the destruction of his surroundings.<ref>'''[[Cayde's Treasure Island Book]]''', ''"Tendrils of pain crawl over my splayed fingers, my outstretched arms, my shoulders, my neck, my screaming mouth as it consumes. I'm being enveloped. Everything is wrong. Primordial. My systems go sideways. All but my sensors. It wants me to witness this, the world. It's world now. Suffocating in the black poison. I collapse. We all collapse."''</ref> Similar smothering miasmas of Darkness have been encountered by [[Guardians]] in areas where the Darkness is entrenched, such as the [[Disciple's Bog]] in [[Savathûn's Throne World]].{{Citation needed}} | ||
Following the Collapse, areas of planets became blasted by the Darkness so badly that it made it impossible for the Light to shine there, and for Ghosts to resurrect their Guardians.<ref>'''Bungie (2021/2/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Chosen]] - Item Description: [[Imperial Needle#Lore|Imperial Needle]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] - [[Lore:Ghost Stories|Ghost Stories]]: [[Lore:Ghost Stories#No Rez for the Weary|No Rez for the Weary]]''</ref> | |||
The Drifter also encountered [[Monolith creatures|mysterious entities]] on an unknown, distant ice world that were trapped in alien monoliths. These beings had a disturbing ability to kill [[Ghost]]s from just being near them | The Drifter also encountered [[Monolith creatures|mysterious entities]] on an unknown, distant ice world that were trapped in alien monoliths. These beings had a disturbing ability to kill [[Ghost]]s from just being near them and nullify [[Light]] itself.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] - Item Description: [[Ancient Apocalypse Armor (Warlock)#Ancient Apocalypse Gloves|Ancient Apocalypse Gloves]]''</ref> The beings were everywhere on the world, and were described as having a "Darkness field."<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] - Item Description: [[Ancient Apocalypse Armor (Warlock)#Ancient Apocalypse Robes|Ancient Apocalypse Robes]]''</ref> The [[Suppressor]] devices used by the [[Shadow Legion]] during the invasion of [[Neomuna]] were similarly able to inhibit the Light-based abilities of Guardians, as are some forms of Dread such as [[Grim]] and [[Tormentor]]s.{{Citation needed}} | ||
==Influences== | ==Influences== | ||
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According to ''Unveiling'', the Darkness desires to sway the Guardians to its philosophy, as it acknowledges them as beings powerful enough to potentially become the "final shape" it wishes to bring about. | According to ''Unveiling'', the Darkness desires to sway the Guardians to its philosophy, as it acknowledges them as beings powerful enough to potentially become the "final shape" it wishes to bring about. | ||
There are a handful of Guardians who have been corrupted by the Darkness, the most infamous being [[Dredgen Yor]].<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] | There are a handful of Guardians who have been corrupted by the Darkness, the most infamous being [[Dredgen Yor]].<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Inventory/Primary Weapons|Primary Weapons]]: [[Grimoire:Inventory/Primary Weapons#Thorn|Thorn]]''</ref> Yor came to desire taking innocent lives and sowing despair, claiming he had developed a hunger for it. [[Toland, the Shattered]] claimed to be able to communicate with the Darkness,<ref>'''Bungie (2014/12/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Dark Below]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Exalted Hive|Exalted Hive]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Exalted Hive#Might of Crota|Might of Crota]]''</ref> whereas [[Eris Morn]] was able to survive and escape the [[Hellmouth]] wielding the very power she fought against.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/12/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Dark Below]] - [[Grimoire:Allies/Tower Allies|Tower Allies]]: [[Grimoire:Allies/Tower Allies#Crota's Bane|Crota's Bane]]''</ref> Eris had one time even used the power of Darkness to rescue the Guardian from being trapped in the [[Oversoul Throne]]. | ||
As of recently, many Guardians have come to wield the Darkness in the form of [[Stasis]] and [[Strand]], and utilize its abilities such as [[Deepsight]] to reveal hidden secrets and [[Weapon Crafting|shape]] weapons from memory. According to [[Osiris]], the key to | As of recently, many Guardians have come to wield the Darkness in the form of [[Stasis]] and [[Strand]], and utilize its abilities such as [[Deepsight]] to reveal hidden secrets and [[Weapon Crafting|shape]] weapons from memory. According to [[Osiris]], the key to wielding the Darkness properly is to have the right perspective, such as a sense of self-discipline to use Stasis or a proactive, open mindset to use Strand. | ||
===Eliksni=== | ===Eliksni=== | ||
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{{quote|What others call dark which is not I know what it is but no time room calm given for an appropriate telling so I say only that what is not shadow is an ally and a wonder and I respect what I cannot steal from and you cannot take from the dark you can claim only pain from the dark and that is why the dark is worthy of love beyond all other love that astonishing ability to evade being robbed.|Ghost Fragment: Fallen 2}} | {{quote|What others call dark which is not I know what it is but no time room calm given for an appropriate telling so I say only that what is not shadow is an ally and a wonder and I respect what I cannot steal from and you cannot take from the dark you can claim only pain from the dark and that is why the dark is worthy of love beyond all other love that astonishing ability to evade being robbed.|Ghost Fragment: Fallen 2}} | ||
The Eliksni civilization was destroyed when the [[Black Fleet]] attacked [[Riis]] and the [[Traveler]] fled, an event known as the [[Whirlwind]]. A reclaimed (though corrupted) Fallen story mentions that the Fallen respect what they cannot steal from, which is "why the dark is worthy of love beyond all other love that astonishing ability to evade being robbed".<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] | The Eliksni civilization was destroyed when the [[Black Fleet]] attacked [[Riis]] and the [[Traveler]] fled, an event known as the [[Whirlwind]]. A reclaimed (though corrupted) Fallen story mentions that the Fallen respect what they cannot steal from, which is "why the dark is worthy of love beyond all other love that astonishing ability to evade being robbed".<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen|Fallen]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen#Ghost Fragment: Fallen 2|Ghost Fragment: Fallen 2]]''</ref> | ||
Sometime | Sometime around the events of [[Shadowkeep]], Guardians were introduced to Fallen [[Champion]]s who had been "touched" by the Darkness and given powerful abilities to fight back against their foes.<ref name="Stem the Dark">'''Bungie (2020/6/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Arrivals]] - Item Description: [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/stem-the-dark Stem the Dark]''</ref> Usually they are seen in high-leveled endgame content such as Nightfalls and recently Raids. | ||
Later, [[Eramis]] would proclaim herself as the [[Kell|Kell of Darkness]] of the [[House of Salvation]] and led the newly formed House to [[Europa]] to acquire the powers of the Darkness. They began utilizing the Darkness as a means to destroy the [[Guardian]]s and [[The Last City]], going against the Fallen's traditions and ideals by willingly using the very thing that [[Whirlwind|destroyed]] their [[Riis|home]]. With her newfound [[Stasis|power]], she began plotting to rebuild their Eliksni civilization and take vengeance against the [[Traveler]] for abandoning her people centuries prior.<ref>[https://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-2-beyond-light-expansion-will-let-you-wiel/1100-6478184/?ftag=NLS-04-10aaa1d '''GameSpot''' - ''Destiny 2 Beyond Light Expansion Will Let You Wield Darkness'']</ref> | Later, [[Eramis]] would proclaim herself as the [[Kell|Kell of Darkness]] of the [[House of Salvation]] and led the newly formed House to [[Europa]] to acquire the powers of the Darkness. They began utilizing the Darkness as a means to destroy the [[Guardian]]s and [[The Last City]], going against the Fallen's traditions and ideals by willingly using the very thing that [[Whirlwind|destroyed]] their [[Riis|home]]. With her newfound [[Stasis|power]], she began plotting to rebuild their Eliksni civilization and take vengeance against the [[Traveler]] for abandoning her people centuries prior.<ref>[https://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-2-beyond-light-expansion-will-let-you-wiel/1100-6478184/?ftag=NLS-04-10aaa1d '''GameSpot''' - ''Destiny 2 Beyond Light Expansion Will Let You Wield Darkness'']</ref> | ||
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===Cabal=== | ===Cabal=== | ||
The Cabal had some texts on their [[athenaeum world]]s that theorized about the Darkness, with the little concrete information the texts contained about the Darkness having been recorded from the "dreams of worms".<ref>'''Bungie (2018/8/5)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Warmind (expansion)|Warmind]] | The Cabal had some texts on their [[athenaeum world]]s that theorized about the Darkness, with the little concrete information the texts contained about the Darkness having been recorded from the "dreams of worms".<ref>'''Bungie (2018/8/5)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Warmind (expansion)|Warmind]] - Item Description: [[Equitis Shade Armor#Equitis Shade Rig|Equitis Shade Rig]]''</ref> | ||
[[File:ZavalaCabal.jpg|thumb|300px|Zavala, Osiris, and Cabal talking about the Darkness]] | [[File:ZavalaCabal.jpg|thumb|300px|Zavala, Osiris, and Cabal talking about the Darkness]] | ||
During his exile, the former emperor [[Calus]] sought the means to defeat his usurper [[Ghaul]] by exploring the secret places of the galaxy and pushing the limits of reason once he regains control of the Leviathan. He eventually crossed paths with a perfect void at the edge of the universe, being the Witness and the [[Black Fleet]], and resolved to become its herald.<ref>[[It Stared Back]] | During his exile, the former emperor [[Calus]] sought the means to defeat his usurper [[Ghaul]] by exploring the secret places of the galaxy and pushing the limits of reason once he regains control of the Leviathan. He eventually crossed paths with a perfect void at the edge of the universe, being the Witness and the [[Black Fleet]], and resolved to become its herald.<ref>'''Bungie (2017/9/8)''', ''[[Destiny 2]] - Item Description: [[It Stared Back#Lore|It Stared Back]]''</ref> He would watch them consume the light of the universe, and all among the last of the living would know his greatness.<ref>'''Bungie (2017/8/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]] - [[Calus' letter]]''</ref> Calus also knows of the pact that [[Oryx]] made with the [[Worms]], comparing it to Ghaul's takeover of the legions.<ref>'''[[Cabal Booklet]]''', "[[Cabal Booklet#Ghaul, the Dominus|Ghaul, the Dominus]]"</ref> Calus' strange powers and his claims of "''knowing the truth''" about the galaxy and his mockery of the Guardians' "''feeble light''" imply that he may have some knowledge of the Darkness. | ||
At some point, [[Red Legion]] [[Psion]]s used their psionic powers to successfully harness and infuse Taken energy into themselves and their superiors, empowering them with Taken-enhanced shielding. However, this effort was stopped by [[The Guardian]].<ref>'''Bungie (2017/9/6)''', ''[[Destiny 2]] | At some point, [[Red Legion]] [[Psion]]s used their psionic powers to successfully harness and infuse Taken energy into themselves and their superiors, empowering them with Taken-enhanced shielding. However, this effort was stopped by [[The Guardian]].<ref>'''Bungie (2017/9/6)''', ''[[Destiny 2]] - [[Dark Alliance]]''</ref> | ||
During the [[Season of Dawn]], the Guardians had faced Cabal [[Champion]]s who were "touched" by the Darkness and were given newfound abilities.<ref name="Stem the Dark" | During the [[Season of Dawn]], the Guardians had faced Cabal [[Champion]]s who were "touched" by the Darkness and were given newfound abilities.<ref name="Stem the Dark"/> Soon they were frequently encountered at high-leveled endgame content, most notably Nightfalls. | ||
During [[Season of the Haunted]], Calus would return to Sol two years later, now the newest [[Disciples of the Witness|Disciple]] of the [[The Witness|Witness]]. He would succeed in merging his consciousness with the [[The Lunar Pyramid|Lunar Pyramid]], however, he would be stopped by [[The Coalition]] who would sever his connection with the pyramid. | During [[Season of the Haunted]], Calus would return to Sol two years later, now the newest [[Disciples of the Witness|Disciple]] of the [[The Witness|Witness]]. He would succeed in merging his consciousness with the [[The Lunar Pyramid|Lunar Pyramid]], however, he would be stopped by [[The Coalition]] who would sever his connection with the pyramid. | ||
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{{Quote|In all their transformations, they retained that kernel of ultimate self-sufficiency that had made them victors in the flower game.<br>But they are not incontrovertibly destined to rule this cosmos. They were made before Light and Darkness, but the rules are different now, and even this pattern must adapt.<br>They are not all mine, not in the way that admirers such as my man Oryx are mine: utterly devoted to the practice of my principle. But some of them have, nonetheless, found their way home.|The narrator of ''Unveiling''}} | {{Quote|In all their transformations, they retained that kernel of ultimate self-sufficiency that had made them victors in the flower game.<br>But they are not incontrovertibly destined to rule this cosmos. They were made before Light and Darkness, but the rules are different now, and even this pattern must adapt.<br>They are not all mine, not in the way that admirers such as my man Oryx are mine: utterly devoted to the practice of my principle. But some of them have, nonetheless, found their way home.|The narrator of ''Unveiling''}} | ||
The majority of the Vex avoid the Darkness, due to a combination of their inability to simulate paracausality and the fact that their ultimate goal of Convergence (an end state of the universe where only the Vex exist) means that they would have to overcome the Darkness. The Vex of the [[Sol Divisive]] however, worship the [[Black Heart]], an aspect of the Darkness.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] | The majority of the Vex avoid the Darkness, due to a combination of their inability to simulate paracausality and the fact that their ultimate goal of Convergence (an end state of the universe where only the Vex exist) means that they would have to overcome the Darkness. The Vex of the [[Sol Divisive]] however, worship the [[Black Heart]], an aspect of the Darkness.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Vex Axis Minds|Vex Axis Minds]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Vex Axis Minds#Sol Progeny|Sol Progeny]]''</ref>Osiris theorized that some Vex technology is tuned to react to the presence of the Darkness.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/5/19)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[House of Wolves (expansion)|House of Wolves]] - [[Grimoire:Activities/Crucible Arenas|Crucible Arenas]]: [[Grimoire:Activities/Crucible Arenas#Timekeeper|Timekeeper]]''</ref> | ||
Through unknown means, the Sol Inherent, a powerful subdivision of the [[Sol Divisive]], appear to have been exposed to the Darkness and changed by it somehow, causing them to take on malformed, organic, visceral appearances. Upon the deactivation of the [[Sanctified Mind, Sol Inherent|Sanctified Mind]], a structure behind it opens up to reveal a statue identical to the one found on the [[Pyramid]], hidden by a geometrical platform above which floats a [[Pyramid Scale]]. The significance of this is unknown. | Through unknown means, the Sol Inherent, a powerful subdivision of the [[Sol Divisive]], appear to have been exposed to the Darkness and changed by it somehow, causing them to take on malformed, organic, visceral appearances. Upon the deactivation of the [[Sanctified Mind, Sol Inherent|Sanctified Mind]], a structure behind it opens up to reveal a statue identical to the one found on the [[Pyramid]], hidden by a geometrical platform above which floats a [[Pyramid Scale]]. The significance of this is unknown.<ref name="GOS"/> | ||
During the events of [[Shadowkeep]], Guardians faced [[Champion#List of Champions|Vex Champions]] who have been "touched" by the Darkness and were given newfound abilities to be on | During the events of [[Shadowkeep]], Guardians faced [[Champion#List of Champions|Vex Champions]] who have been "touched" by the Darkness and were given newfound abilities to be on par against their powerful adversaries.<ref name="Stem the Dark"/>They were later encountered in high-level content such as Nightfalls. | ||
===Awoken & Jovians=== | ===Awoken & Jovians=== | ||
[[File:TheNinePyramids.jpg|thumb|300px|The Emissary showing the Drifter the Darkness fleet]] | [[File:TheNinePyramids.jpg|thumb|300px|The Emissary showing the Drifter the Darkness fleet]] | ||
The [[Awoken]] were once humans but were transformed during the Collapse upon reaching the edge of the [[asteroid belt]]. Beyond the belt, "the edge of the Deep Black", the system is totally immersed in Darkness.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] | The [[Awoken]] were once humans but were transformed during the Collapse upon reaching the edge of the [[asteroid belt]]. Beyond the belt, "the edge of the Deep Black", the system is totally immersed in Darkness.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Guardian/Races|Races]]: [[Grimoire:Guardian/Races#Awoken|Awoken]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Places/Saturn|Saturn]]: [[Grimoire:Places/Saturn#Saturn|Saturn]]''</ref> The events of their transformation were further detailed in the Lore book "Marasenna", which reveals that the Awoken were captured in a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kugelblitz_(astrophysics) kugelblitz] formed by the Darkness and Light battling one another in the vicinity of the [[Yang Liwei]]. As a result of this event, the Awoken were reborn as beings containing both Light and Darkness within themselves. | ||
During his possession by the [[Taken]] [[Ahamkara]] known as [[Riven]], [[Uldren Sov]] emitted streams of Darkness from his eyes to activate the gate of the [[Dreaming City]].<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] | During his possession by the [[Taken]] [[Ahamkara]] known as [[Riven]], [[Uldren Sov]] emitted streams of Darkness from his eyes to activate the gate of the [[Dreaming City]].<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] - [[Nothing Left to Say]]''</ref> | ||
===Taken=== | ===Taken=== | ||
| Line 349: | Line 349: | ||
==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
*The Darkness bears resemblance to the [http://mythipedia.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Dark Armies of the Dark] and its [http://mythipedia.wikia.com/wiki/Leveler leader] in [[Bungie]]'s ''[[Myth]]'' series—a resurgent dark force that is the antithesis to the (forces of) Light. | *The Darkness bears resemblance to the [http://mythipedia.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Dark Armies of the Dark] and its [http://mythipedia.wikia.com/wiki/Leveler leader] in [[Bungie]]'s ''[[Wikipedia:Myth (video game series)|Myth]]'' series—a resurgent dark force that is the antithesis to the (forces of) Light. | ||
*The idea of the Darkness arising from a primordial universe bears resemblance to the origins of the [http://marathongame.wikia.com/wiki/W%27rkncacnter W'rkncacnter] from Bungie's ''[[Marathon]]'' series. | *The idea of the Darkness arising from a primordial universe bears resemblance to the origins of the [http://marathongame.wikia.com/wiki/W%27rkncacnter W'rkncacnter] from Bungie's ''[[Wikipedia:Marathon (video game)|Marathon]]'' series. | ||
*The tetrahedral shapes often seen in association with the Darkness allude to the philosophy of the Darkness, as presented in the Books of Sorrow and ''Unveiling''; tetrahedrons are the simplest possible three-dimensional shape, and the Darkness seeks to reduce the universe into a maximally simplified, eternal form. Notably, the Pyramids of the Black Fleet are themselves tetrahedrons, with each face being either a right, isosceles or regular triangle. In contrast, the Traveler is a sphere, which can be described as having infinitely many faces; this may allude to the philosophy of the Light, which encourages complexity and diversity. | *The tetrahedral shapes often seen in association with the Darkness allude to the philosophy of the Darkness, as presented in the Books of Sorrow and ''Unveiling''; tetrahedrons are the simplest possible three-dimensional shape, and the Darkness seeks to reduce the universe into a maximally simplified, eternal form. Notably, the Pyramids of the Black Fleet are themselves tetrahedrons, with each face being either a right, isosceles or regular triangle. In contrast, the Traveler is a sphere, which can be described as having infinitely many faces; this may allude to the philosophy of the Light, which encourages complexity and diversity. | ||
*A teaser released on the official Destiny 2 Twitter page on the 29th of May 2020 features a 1:13 long video that plays audio that seems to fit the nature of the Darkness. The Video also features a typical soundbar background but the bars do not move in time with the audio itself, instead, they are frozen with some of the bars forming the shape of a small pyramid and a large pyramid. At the end of Season of Arrivals, it was revealed that these sounds were the ambience for the pillar room. Many of these sounds were reused for the Europan Pyramid's interior, mixed with the pulsing from the Lunar Pyramid. | *A teaser released on the official Destiny 2 Twitter page on the 29th of May 2020 features a 1:13 long video that plays audio that seems to fit the nature of the Darkness. The Video also features a typical soundbar background but the bars do not move in time with the audio itself, instead, they are frozen with some of the bars forming the shape of a small pyramid and a large pyramid. At the end of Season of Arrivals, it was revealed that these sounds were the ambience for the pillar room. Many of these sounds were reused for the Europan Pyramid's interior, mixed with the pulsing from the Lunar Pyramid. | ||
*The theme that accompanies the Darkness and the Pyramids contains seven notes. | *The theme that accompanies the Darkness and the Pyramids contains seven notes. | ||
*The Lore entry ''[[Nacre]]'', written by an anonymous entity, uses a similar tone as that used by the speaker in ''Unveiling'' and "''Majestic. Majestic''"; the speaker in ''Nacre'' also references "my sedimentary necrolite, frozen in time," which appears to reference the Witness' failed vision of the Final Shape, whether or not the speaker is the Darkness/Winnower is | *The Lore entry of ''[[Nacre]]'', written by an anonymous entity, uses a similar tone as that used by the speaker in ''Unveiling'' and "''Majestic. Majestic''"; the speaker in ''Nacre'' also references "my sedimentary necrolite, frozen in time," which appears to reference the Witness' failed vision of the Final Shape, whether or not the speaker is the Darkness/Winnower is unconfirmed. | ||
*In various Lore entries, entities associated with the Darkness are described as giving off the smell of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrichor petrichor] or wet soil.<ref name="War">'''Bungie (2024/10/8)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Episode: Revenant]] - [[Lore]]:[[Lore:The Garden-Way|The Garden-Way]], [[Lore:The Garden-Way#War|War]]''</ref><ref>https://www.ishtar-collective.net/interactions/relic-conduit-the-hidden-shape?highlight=petrichor</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2018/12/07)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Forge]] - [[Lore]]:[[Lore:The Black Armory Papers|The Black Armory Papers]]: [[Lore:The Black Armory Papers#Entry 70, 71, 72|Entry 70, 71, 72]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2022/8/23)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Plunder]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Above All Else#II. The Whispering Dark|Above All Else: I. The Whispering Dark]]''</ref> The significance of this, if any, is unknown. | |||
==Gallery== | ==Gallery== | ||
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File:Effect.jpg|The Darkness affecting a human's form. | File:Effect.jpg|The Darkness affecting a human's form. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
==List of appearances== | |||
*''[[Destiny]]'' {{1st}} | |||
*''[[Cayde's Treasure Island Book]]'' {{Mo}} | |||
*''[[Destiny 2]]'' | |||
*''[[Destiny: Fall of Osiris]]'' {{Mo}} | |||
*''[[Destiny Grimoire Anthology, Volume I]]'' {{Mo}} | |||
*''[[Mysterious Logbook]]'' {{Mo}} | |||
*''[[Destiny Grimoire Anthology, Volume III]]'' {{Mo}} | |||
*''[[The Hidden Dossier]]'' {{Mo}} | |||
*''[[Bitter]]'' {{Mo}} | |||
*''[[Entelechy]]'' {{Mo}} | |||
*''[[Destiny Grimoire Anthology, Volume VII]]'' {{Mo}} | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||