Ascendant Realm

"Whispered lore and fragmentary theories suggest that Crota represents a distinct class of Hive entities, not resident in our material world. My latest synthesis of this scattered esoterica suggests that Crota's 'home' is a universe created or remade by his power and occupied by Hive organisms of immense age."

— Ikora Rey

Crota's throne world.

An Ascendant realm (also known as a throne, throne world, sword world, or netherworld) is an alternate dimension ruled by the gods of the Hive. Each Hive deity—Oryx, Savathûn, Xivu Arath, and Crota—rules their own Throne world within the Ascendant realm, where they have absolute power over it through the Sword-Logic. The Worm Gods, a higher group in the Hive pantheon, also dwell in a deeper part of the Ascendant realm, much closer to The Deep.

Characteristics

The development of a personal throne world is the natural result of reaching a certain level of power under the sword logic. All laws within these realms obey that logic, even other paracausal forces, such as the Light. They are completely immune to the effects of paracausal weaponry, such as the Harbingers of the Awoken, being miniature universes created from the mind of their resident god. If the god is killed, they persist still as all Ascendant realms are located and connected on the "ascendant plane". This labyrinthine space is also called the "Overworld", and the "Sea of Screams", in which the Hive thrones reside in, with green-black "suns" mentioned as a source of light or reference point.

Ascendant realms have a connection to the Deep, the Worm Gods naturally living close to that connection while Oryx built a pathway and altar to communicate. If one of the Hive Gods is slain in the material world, or in another god's Ascendant realm, their soul will pass to their throne where they will regain their strength until they can re-enter the material world; this can potentially be accelerated by the sacrifice of lesser Hive. If they are killed within their own throne, they will die permanently. The lesser Hive may enter the Ascendant realm at will, but only if they are Ascendant Hive, those Hive warriors who command legions of lesser soldiers and can pay a tithe of death and destruction to the Hive god who rules them.

Other beings can apparently and independently enter the Ascendant plane separate from the Darkness, as evidenced when the Harmony wishful bishops "wrestled" with Xivu Arath near her throne.

History

The Ascendant plane was first discovered by Auryx when Savathûn killed him for negotiating with the Ammonites, and the innate power it held when the Worm Gods told him to slay his Hive and observe the effects. These realms would prove to be a boon in the Hive's quest for immortality as they warred amongst themselves to deepen their power and understanding and during the war with the Ecumene giving them a place in which to recover.

During the war with the Ecumene, Auryx and his sisters were on the verge of defeat, and so met in his throne to find a way; Auryx killed them after discussion to gain the necessary strength. He then traveled the Ascendant plane in search of the Worm God Akka, to take the power needed to save himself and the Hive. Oryx would later return to explore the Ascendant plane more, trying to unlock the secrets of The Deep. He would later move his throne world "outside" of the Ascendant realm when he built his Dreadnaught, turning it inside out and pouring it into the material plane.

Only five times have been recorded in which these realms were breached: the Vex; the Harmony wishful bishops; and twice by the Guardians of Earth. The Vex were let into the High War by Savathûn tricking her nephew and proved difficult to dislodge. Later the Harmony wishful bishops stalemated with Xivu Arath until her sister came to her aid. Finally, many years later, Crota's own realm was breached and the God-Prince killed; and Oryx's invaded twice by Guardians, who first killed his material form and later hunted his true self to extinction. The sole exception is Toland, the Shattered; instead of breaching it, Toland was allowed to enter the Ascendant plane by Ir Yût, who did so by killing him with her Deathsong. This gave him greater insight into the Hive, but his true purpose was to search for Osiris.

Despite Oryx's defeat, a number of worrying reports during the Red War indicate that something is trying to communicate from the Ascendant realm to scattered Hive forces on Io.

Known Throne Worlds

• The High War—The Ascendant realm of Oryx. Later merged with the Dreadnaught.
• The Oversoul Throne—Ascendant realm of Crota.

List of appearances

• Destiny
  • The Dark Below (First appearance)
  • The Taken King
• Destiny 2 (Mentioned)