SIVA

"~consume enhance replicate~"

— SIVA Directive

SIVA is a form of self-replicating nanotechnology developed by Clovis Bray during the Golden Age. Originally designed to assist in the construction of extrasolar colonies, it was used by the Warmind Rasputin as a weapon against the Iron Lords, and later by the Splicers of the Fallen House of Devils.

Overview

"That is SIVA. Given the right directions, it could create anything imaginable. At least in theory."

— Lord Saladin

SIVA was once a Golden Age breakthrough in self-assembling, self-replicating nanotechnology, created by Clovis Bray to accelerate humanity's colonization effort. Each nanomachine in SIVA's design is an independent, thinking machine that utilises a distributed quantum network to coordinate movement, akin to a mechanical version of Radiolaria, which is suggested to be what inspired the design. The technology could create nearly anything that anyone could ever need. Prototypes contained in the Clovis Bray facilities on Mars were each programmed with only a single function, including Construct creation, viral armor enhancements, and cybernetic diagnostics. Considered an amazing breakthrough in technology, SIVA was envisioned to be used to create new structures and colonies on new worlds faster than regular construction methods; an all-purpose nanomachine capable of breaking down matter and reconstituting it, with applications ranging from reconstructive surgery to rapidly building entire cities. It was later rediscovered by the Iron Lords during the early City Age, but it turned against them with the aid of the last Warmind, Rasputin, who was awakened from his centuries-long hibernation when the Iron Lord tried to steal SIVA in their attempt to utilize it for humanity's betterment. Unable to destroy the virus, and with most of the Iron Lords being puppeted against each other under SIVA's control, Lady Jolder sealed both the virus and all of the Iron Lords (except for Lord Saladin and Lady Efrideet) within its bunker, deep within the bowels of the Cosmodrome.

It was later rediscovered by the Fallen, who took it to be the perfection of technology and sought to perfect themselves entirely, freeing them from their dependency on ether and mortal flesh and become Machine-Gods. It not only changed their forms, but it also granted them new abilities. They could resurrect Fallen enemies and even use the tech against their enemies. Alerted by Lord Saladin, the Guardian soon put a stop to this, destroying the Replication Chamber and later ending Aksis, Archon Prime.

History

Creation

"The complex is ready for wholescale replication of the SIVA nanite. We are waiting for your signal to start."
"Thank you for your faithful service, Dr. Zhang. I look forward to the wonders that come from this replication complex. The New Machine Age, shall we call it? Let's begin."

— Dr. Zhang and Dr. Willa Bray

Clovis Bray began work on SIVA at the height of the Golden Age, alongside a similar project known to the Guardians only as Transmission. Its development was spearheaded by Dr. Willa Bray, the eldest granddaughter of House Bray. While Transmission was intended only to enhance the strength, speed, and intelligence of prospective colonists using nanomachines, Willa envisioned SIVA as an all-purpose nanomachine capable of breaking down matter and reconstituting it, with applications ranging from reconstructive surgery to rapidly building entire cities. Chioma Esi speculated in her audio diaries that Vex radiolaria had inspired Willa to design the technology.

The Transmission project was eventually shuttered after it caused unforeseen side effects in test subjects, and Clovis Bray focused entirely on SIVA, which was later completed and approved for deployment. So confident was Clovis Bray in SIVA's capabilities that they eschewed adding safety measures, such as a kill switch. The first SIVA replication chamber, designated Site 6, was built within the Cosmodrome to outfit the colony ships and rapidly build cities throughout other worlds. One such colony ship was the Exodus Black, which carried a cache of SIVA on its journey to colonize Kepler-186. What became of the cache is unknown but it may have survived the crash on Nessus and may be in the ruins of the Exodus Black.

At some point, SIVA was transported to worlds outside of the Solar System under the direction of the Warmind Rasputin.

Reawakening

"Felwinter tried to communicate with the Warmind. Called it Rasputin. ~consume enhance replicate~ Said he could make it understand. Tell it we meant no harm. Rasputin didn't answer with words."

— Unknown Iron Lord

Many years later, Rasputin was reactivated when the Iron Lords, hoping to harness SIVA to bring about a new Golden Age, trespassed into Site 6. Rasputin treated the intruders as hostile and activated its defenses. Unable to communicate or reason with Rasputin, the Iron Lords still managed to infiltrate Site 6 and release the nanotech only for Rasputin to turn it against them, infecting several of their numbers against their fellow Iron Lords. In the end, almost all of the Iron Lords and Iron Wolves sacrificed themselves to stop SIVA and seal it within its complex. Rasputin ceased its onslaught once it deemed Site 6 was re-secured, and began passive observation of the Guardians. Lord Saladin Forge, one of the surviving Iron Lords, quarantined the Plaguelands to prevent SIVA from ever being unleashed again.

SIVA Crisis

"What is this complexity? ~consume enhance replicate~ The machine of a thousand parts, fashioned by single mind. From where does such complexity arise? What does the creation of a mind require? In the long march of life's procession, order is created from disorder. The rise of complexity is not promised. Such things are not inevitable, and yet here I stand. ~consume enhance replicate~"

— Aksis, Archon Prime

A year after the Taken War, while looting ancient tombs from the Golden Age, the Fallen House of Devils managed to unearth SIVA once more. Realizing the potential of this nanotechnology, their Devil Splicers, led by Aksis, Archon Prime, imbued themselves with it and began infecting their fellow Devils in an attempt to transform themselves into machine gods. Unable to contain the SIVA Crisis on his own, Lord Saladin began seeking out Guardians to help him form a new generation of the Iron Lords to defeat the mutant army, avenge his fallen comrades and end the threat of SIVA at the time.

The Guardians saw firsthand what the Splicers with SIVA can do, and they are augmented by it even seeing old enemies reanimated and friendly weapon systems turned against them. However, the Guardians learned that the Fallen had not utilized SIVA's full potential, so they had to make their way towards the replication chamber where the Iron Lords died their final deaths. When they arrived, they had to fight against reanimated Iron Lords infused with SIVA, but in the end, the chamber was destroyed and the Splicer's production of it was disrupted. However, there was still the Archon to deal with. The Guardians raided his lair and experienced the power of the self-proclaimed Machine God but were felled in the end.

Quarantine and Aftermath

The threat posed by SIVA and the Fallen was eventually neutralized, with the Splicers stopped and the replication chamber destroyed. Two years later, it would be revealed that the Vanguard had placed all areas affected by SIVA under quarantine. This was initially believed to be limited to the Cosmodrome until The Guardian discovered that their old rifle forged from SIVA was still producing additional nanites even after it was presumed lost in the fall of the old Tower. This placed one of the Cryptarchy's vaults under quarantine, which was then breached by Fallen serving Eramis, the Shipstealer. However, due to assistance from Mithrax, the Forsaken, the Guardian managed to intercept the heist, take back what was rightfully theirs and repel the Fallen before they could escape with a new supply of SIVA. There were even some SIVA nodes found on Felwinter Peak when the Guardian was led there by Rasputin who would reveal his tale to them.

Quotes

Let's get right to it. How can Clovis Bray help the Exodus project? ~SIVA.MEM.CL001

We've found a way to push our matter encryption technology even further. ~SIVA.MEM.WB002

Habitats, equipment, repairs of all kinds—all of these things can be made from one material. ~SIVA.MEM.WB003

SIVA doesn't expire, degrade, or forget. It can remain dormant even on long voyages. ~SIVA.MEM.WB004

Nearly any problem a deep-space colonist could have, SIVA can fix. ~SIVA.MEM.WB005

And how long do the effects of SIVA last? ~SIVA.MEM.CL006

Well, SIVA requires no external power source, so…forever. ~SIVA.MEM.WB007

Just give it a directive, and it won't stop until it gets a new directive. ~SIVA.MEM.WB008

This sounds like it could be invaluable to Exodus colonists. But Malahayati has some concerns. ~SIVA.MEM.CL009

General, poorly worded or malicious code is the fault of the programmer, not SIVA itself. ~SIVA.MEM.WB010

Doctor Bray, I'm sure you've realized SIVA's applications extend beyond colonization. ~SIVA.MEM.CL011

I'm not sure what you mean, General. Is this still about the Exodus program? ~SIVA.MEM.WB012

The Exodus program would be interested in exploring SIVA's defensive applications. ~SIVA.MEM.CL013

General, my team did not intend for SIVA to have military applications. ~SIVA.MEM.WB014

Willa, some of history's greatest inventions began as unintended side effects. ~SIVA.MEM.CL015

Trivia

• SIVA is also known as Ironsbane, presumably for defeating most of the original Iron Lords.
• SIVA (or otherwise known as Shiva), is a Hindu word meaning the destroyer, one of the three chief deities of the later Hindu pantheon, the other two being Brahma and Vishnu. Siva is also the god presiding over personal destinies. from Sanskrit Śiva, literally: the auspicious (one). This may be the reason for the plague's name in Destiny, due to its lore as a destroyer.
• Nanotechnology is a branch of technology that deals with dimensions and tolerances of less than 100 nanometers, especially the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules.
• SIVA is briefly mentioned by Failsafe in Destiny 2..
• In Destiny 2, the emblem of SIVA is featured on The First Domino jumpship made available during Festival of the Lost.
• Ghost Fragment: Ghosts 2 reveals that Ghosts can be infected by SIVA. Though the Light repels most of the infection, the Ghost in the Grimoire Card occasionally verbalizes the console output of the dormant SIVA within it, such as identifying Obsidian, recalling memory fragments, and the errors generated by the now-ineffective strain.
• Many Destiny fans speculated that SIVA was invented by Clovis Bray by reverse engineering Vex technology.
  • While this didn't appear to be the case, Beyond Light revealed that Vex Radiolaria was used by Clovis Bray in the creation of the Exos.

Gallery

• 

  Concept art of SIVA plague spreading across the Plaguelands.

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  SIVA Node

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  SIVA symbol

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  SIVA plague within a broken off portion of a former Colony ship

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  Closeup of an individual SIVA core

List of appearances

• Destiny: Rise of Iron (First appearance)
  • The Dawning
• Destiny 2 (Mentioned only)
  • Curse of Osiris (Mentioned only)
  • Warmind (Mentioned only)
  • Forsaken (Mentioned only)
  • Season of the Drifter
  • Shadowkeep (Mentioned only)
  • Season of Dawn (Mentioned only)
  • Season of the Worthy (Mentioned only)
  • Beyond Light (Mentioned only)
  • Season of the Splicer (Mentioned only)
  • Season of the Risen (Mentioned only)
  • Season of Plunder (Mentioned only)
  • Season of the Deep (Mentioned only)
  • Into the Light
• Destiny: Cayde's Six
• Destiny Grimoire Anthology, Volume II (Mentioned only)