Darkness: Difference between revisions

The precursor species that gave rise to the Witness is the oldest known species to have encountered and wielded the Darkness. Eons after discovering the Traveler, the precursors found the Veil in a distant star system, and sought to use its Darkness in combination with the Traveler's Light to bring about a "[[Final Shape]]" for the universe. Afterward, they used the Darkness of the Veil to merge the consciousnesses of their entire species into the [[the Witness|Witness]]<ref name="Origins"/>.

With certain modifications, [[Ghosts]] can access the Darkness as well as the Light; the [[Drifter's Ghost]] became attuned to the Darkness after being modified with parts scavenged from other Ghosts{{citation needed}}. The [[The Witness|Witness]] was also capable of overriding Ghosts and using them as conduits for communication, although it is unclear whether this ability stemmed from its use of the Darkness or the Light, or some other power at its disposal.{{citation needed}}

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>  

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>

The [[Scorn]] are a horde of undead [[Fallen]] created through the use of [[Dark Ether|Ether infused with Darkness]]. Originally born from a distorted wish granted to [[Uldren Sov]] by the [[Taken]] [[Ahamkara]] [[Riven]], the Scorn display the ability to resurrect, even multiple times, though their minds seemingly degrade with each return. They were originally led by [[Fikrul, the Fanatic]], a heretical [[Archon]] and first in their number, but since his disappearance, they have been seen under the control of other powerful Darkness entities, like the [[Disciples of the Witness]] and [[Xivu Arath, God of War]]. The Witness itself seems capable of resurrecting dead Eliksni into more Scorn, which has been used as punishment for Eramis's repeated failures.

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>

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.

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.

Calus alongside his new army the [[Shadow Legion]] would arrive in Sol alongside [[The Witness]]. The Shadow Legion have access to powerful [[Pyramid]] technology and are assisted by [[Tormentor]]s among their ranks. They are said to be filled with emptiness and follow orders without question. The Shadow Legion are described by [[Empress Caiatl]] as not knowing what it is like to be [[Cabal]] when their attempt to recreate the [[Rite of Proving]] failed.

 

 

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"/>

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]] - [[Nothing Left to Say]]''</ref>

As demonstrated by the [[the Witness|Witness]] and [[Oryx, the Taken King]] the Darkness can be used to take direct possession of other beings, transforming them into [[Taken]]. When a being is Taken, they are warped into the Ascendant Plane, where they are reshaped into spectral ghost-like versions of their former selves, with new paracausal abilities and a single-minded dedication to the one that Took them.