Ahamkara: Difference between revisions

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In the course of their dealings with Ahamkara, the Awoken learned that mirrors and other reflective surfaces can be used to see through an Ahamkara's illusions, leading them to strategically place polished, reflective geodes as countermeasures in certain areas of the Dreaming City<ref>[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/transcripts/pilgrimage-harbingers-seclude-shiny-geode?highlight=pilgrimage Pilgrimage: Harbinger's Seclude, Shiny Geode]</ref>.
In the course of their dealings with Ahamkara, the Awoken learned that mirrors and other reflective surfaces can be used to see through an Ahamkara's illusions, leading them to strategically place polished, reflective geodes as countermeasures in certain areas of the Dreaming City<ref>[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/transcripts/pilgrimage-harbingers-seclude-shiny-geode?highlight=pilgrimage Pilgrimage: Harbinger's Seclude, Shiny Geode]</ref>.
==History==
{{quote|Most of those who [bargain] with me do not win. O murderer mine.|[[Riven]]<ref name = "Bond of the Great Hunt">'''Bungie (2018/9/19)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Item description]]: [[Lore:Great Hunt Suit#Bond of the Great Hunt|Bond of the Great Hunt]]''</ref>}}
The [[Awoken]] have had extensive experience with the Ahamkara, with some rumors claiming that the Awoken discovered them living within the rocky planetoid that was used to build the foundations of the [[Dreaming City]]<ref>[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/transcripts/pilgrimage-harbingers-seclude-shiny-geode?highlight=pilgrimage Pilgrimage: Harbinger's Seclude, Shiny Geode]</ref>. The [[Techeun]] [[Shuro Chi]], however, suspected that the Ahamkara originally were sent by the [[Nine]]<ref>[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/transcripts/pilgrimage-harbingers-seclude-shiny-geode?highlight=pilgrimage Pilgrimage: Harbinger's Seclude, Shiny Geode]</ref>. However, it is suspected by [[Ikora Rey]] that after the Great Hunt, the Nine sought to utilize Guardians for the same purpose as the Ahamkara.
During the City Age, the Ahamkara were sought after by many Guardians for the paracausal gifts they granted. After much debate among the Last City's Consensus and Vanguard members, it was decided that the bargains made with these creatures came at too high a price,<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, [http://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/salicin-fen-ii]''</ref><ref name="Knuckles">'''Bungie (2017/28/3)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[Age of Triumph]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, [[Knuckles of Eao]]''</ref> beginning a [[Great Ahamkara Hunt|Great Hunt]] in which the Ahamkara were made all but extinct.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Allies/Legends_%26_Mysteries#Ghost_Fragment:_Legends_3|Ghost Fragment: Legends 3]]''</ref><ref name="Warlock"/> Survivors are rumored to have been spotted as far out as [[Jupiter]] and [[Io]]<ref name="Long Tomorrow"/>
Currently, the only known survivor is [[Riven]], raised by [[Mara Sov]] as a secret weapon for the nascent Awoken society in the Sol System. Shortly after the battle of Saturn, [[Oryx]] invaded the Dreaming City and [[Taken|took]] Riven. The Nine debated about what to do regarding Oryx's incursion, for he threatened all life. During this time they would debate whether or not to destroy the Ahamkara, and if they did "Done cannot be undone! Everything is lost!" Although their wording is ambiguous, the Reextinction lore entry suggests communications between the Nine during this time indicate that they knew of surviving Ahamkara other than Riven and that they killed them in order to prevent them from falling into Oryx's grasp.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Dreaming_City#Reextinction|Reextinction]]''</ref> After the Taken King's death, the Ahamkhara's reins were taken up by [[Savathûn]] to serve her own purposes within the Dreaming City.


==History==
==History==
===Origins===
===Origins===
The origins of the Ahamkara remain a mystery. However, according to the [[Darkness]], in the primordial state before time or the universe began, entities existed which derived sustenance from the gradient between "what was and what might be." This may hint at the origins of beings such as the Ahamkara, which continue to base their existence on the difference between actual and possible realities.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Lore:Unveiling#Gardener and Winnower|Unveiling - Gardener and Winnower]]''</ref>
The origins of the Ahamkara remain a mystery. According to the [[Darkness]], in the primordial state before time or the universe began, entities existed which derived sustenance from the gradient between "what was and what might be." This may hint at the origins of beings such as the Ahamkara, which continue to base their existence on the difference between actual and possible realities.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Lore:Unveiling#Gardener and Winnower|Unveiling - Gardener and Winnower]]''</ref>


===The Ancient Past===
===The Ancient Past===
{{quote|THE DRAGONS. Our gods should be ours alone. Their smug freedom is an insult to me. I'd shut them all in cells. Bring them to me! |[[Xivu Arath]]}}
{{quote|THE DRAGONS. Our gods should be ours alone. Their smug freedom is an insult to me. I'd shut them all in cells. Bring them to me! |[[Xivu Arath]]}}


Possible references to the Ahamkara are found in the Hive's [[Books of Sorrow]]; the [[Harmony]] are described as having "wishful bishops" that make use of "dragon-wishes." [[Xivu Arath]] noted the Harmony's relationship with "the dragons" with outrage, and demanded their imprisonment. Notably, the Harmony had previously been visited by the Traveler.  
References to the Ahamkara are found in the Hive's [[Books of Sorrow]]; the [[Harmony]] are described as having "wishful bishops" that make use of "dragon-wishes." [[Xivu Arath]] noted the Harmony's relationship with "the dragons" with outrage, and demanded their imprisonment. Notably, the Harmony had previously been visited by the Traveler.  


These "dragons" were confirmed by [[Empress Caiatl]] to have been Ahamkara during her recounting of her upbringing on [[Torobatl]]; her father, [[Emperor Calus]], kept an Ahamkara bone that originated from the Harmony's system.
These "dragons" were confirmed by [[Empress Caiatl]] to have been Ahamkara during her recounting of her upbringing on [[Torobatl]]; her father, [[Emperor Calus]], kept an Ahamkara bone that originated from the Harmony's system.


===Arrival in the Solar System===
===Arrival in the Solar System===
The Ahamkara first appeared in the Sol System following the Traveler's arrival; several sources describe them as being part of the "neolife" that was generated by the Traveler's actions, but their exact origins are unclear. [[Cayde's Treasure Island Book]] indicates they were studied by the Ishtar Academy during the Golden Age; the Awoken claim they were first to discover the Ahamkara after the Collapse, well before they ever came to Guardian attention.
The Ahamkara first appeared in the Sol System following the Traveler's arrival; several sources describe them as being part of the "neolife" that was generated by the Traveler's actions, but their exact origins are unclear. Whilst [[Cayde's Treasure Island Book]] indicates they were studied by the Ishtar Academy during the Golden Age; the Awoken claim they were first to discover the Ahamkara after the Collapse, well before they ever came to Guardian attention.
 
The [[Awoken]] have had extensive experience with the Ahamkara, with some rumors claiming that the Awoken discovered them living within the rocky planetoid that was used to build the foundations of the [[Dreaming City]]<ref>[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/transcripts/pilgrimage-harbingers-seclude-shiny-geode?highlight=pilgrimage Pilgrimage: Harbinger's Seclude, Shiny Geode]</ref>. The [[Techeun]] [[Shuro Chi]], however, suspected that the Ahamkara originally were sent by the [[Nine]]<ref>[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/transcripts/pilgrimage-harbingers-seclude-shiny-geode?highlight=pilgrimage Pilgrimage: Harbinger's Seclude, Shiny Geode]</ref>.


===The Reef===
===The Reef===
The first Ahamkara to be found by the Awoken was a young [[Riven]], brought to the Queen by her brother, in search of a power that would allow them to build an Awoken city in the Reef.<ref name = "Telic I"/> Riven's wish-granting abilities, along with those of other Ahamkara, played an integral role in the construction of the Dreaming City.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Titan)#Gauntlets_of_the_Great_Hunt|Gauntlets of the Great Hunt]]''</ref> While most of the Ahamkara preferred the worlds of the inner system, they passed freely through the Dreaming City, coexisting with the Awoken. Riven was the city's only permanently residing Ahamkara.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Riven]]''</ref> Though the Awoken and the Ahamkara enjoyed a constructive relationship, the former soon learned to be wary and careful when dealing with the latter -- all Ahamkara were tricksters, and fundamentally self-interested.
The first Ahamkara to be found by the Awoken was a young [[Riven]], brought to the Queen by her brother, in search of a power that would secure the safety of the nascent Awoken society in the Sol System.<ref name = "Telic I"/> Riven's wish-granting abilities, along with those of other Ahamkara, played an integral role in the construction of the Dreaming City.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Titan)#Gauntlets_of_the_Great_Hunt|Gauntlets of the Great Hunt]]''</ref> While most of the Ahamkara preferred the worlds of the inner system, they passed freely through the Dreaming City, coexisting with the Awoken. Riven was the city's only permanently residing Ahamkara.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Riven]]''</ref> Though the Awoken and the Ahamkara enjoyed a constructive relationship, the former soon learned to be wary and careful when dealing with the latter -- all Ahamkara were tricksters, and fundamentally self-interested.


===City Age===
===City Age===
The Ahamkara were known to the Guardians during the City Age, and many Guardians made bargains with the creatures in order to reach greater power and fulfill other desires. It was ultimately decided that the prices of these bargains were too great, and the Vanguard ordered that the Ahamkara be exterminated in an event that became known as the [[Great Ahamkara Hunt]].
The Ahamkara were known to the Guardians during the City Age, and many made bargains with the creatures in order to reach greater power and fulfil other desires. It was ultimately decided that the price of these bargains were too great, and after much debate among the City's Consensus and Vanguard members, they ordered that the Ahamkara be exterminated in an event that came to be known as the [[Great Ahamkara Hunt]].<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, [http://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/salicin-fen-ii]''</ref><ref name="Knuckles">'''Bungie (2017/28/3)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[Age of Triumph]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, [[Knuckles of Eao]]''</ref>


During this time, the Ahamkara had congregated on Venus, where they appeared to be engaged in some form of terraforming endeavor. According to [[Eris Morn]], no two eyewitnesses could agree on what the nature of this terraforming project was, or in what order the relevant events had occurred. A paracausal phenomenon was observed to have manifested over the site of the Ishtar Academy, and induced suicidal actions in at least one observing Guardian.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Hunter)#Mask_of_the_Great_Hunt|Mask of the Great Hunt]]''</ref><ref name = "Plate">'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Titan)#Plate_of_the_Great_Hunt|Plate of the Great Hunt]]''</ref>
During this time, the Ahamkara had congregated on Venus, where they appeared to be engaged in some form of terraforming endeavor. According to [[Eris Morn]], no two eyewitnesses could agree on what the nature of this terraforming project was, or in what order the relevant events had occurred. A paracausal phenomenon was observed to have manifested over the site of the Ishtar Academy, and induced suicidal actions in at least one observing Guardian.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Hunter)#Mask_of_the_Great_Hunt|Mask of the Great Hunt]]''</ref><ref name = "Plate">'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Titan)#Plate_of_the_Great_Hunt|Plate of the Great Hunt]]''</ref>


In response to the growing chaos, the City asked the Reef for assistance, and received a great deal of weaponry on loan. Mara Sov's generosity had ulterior motives: she had trapped Riven in the Dreaming City,<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Warlock)#Hood_of_the_Great_Hunt|Hood of the Great Hunt]]''</ref> and saw advantage in possessing the only living Ahamkara.<ref name = "Greaves">'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Titan)#Greaves_of_the_Great_Hunt|Greaves of the Great Hunt]]''</ref><ref name = "Plate"/>
In response to the growing chaos, the City asked the Reef for assistance, and received a great deal of weaponry on loan. Mara Sov's generosity had ulterior motives: having trapped Riven in the Dreaming City,<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Warlock)#Hood_of_the_Great_Hunt|Hood of the Great Hunt]]''</ref> she saw a powerful advantage in possessing the only living Ahamkara.<ref name = "Greaves">'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Titan)#Greaves_of_the_Great_Hunt|Greaves of the Great Hunt]]''</ref><ref name = "Plate"/>
 
Eventually, the Ahamkara were hunted down and seemingly rendered extinct in the Sol system. Whilst Riven is the only confirmed survivor, rumors have been spread of more Ahamkhara spotted as far out as [[Jupiter]] and [[Io]]<ref name="Long Tomorrow"/>


Eventually, the Ahamkara were hunted down and seemingly rendered extinct in the Sol system. Riven was the only known survivor.
===Arrival of the Taken King===
===Arrival of the Taken King===
{{Quote|No!}}{{Quote|W E M U S T B E F O R E [[Oryx, the Taken King|H E]] T A K E S T H E M A L L}}{{Quote|imagine his power}}{{Quote|REACH TOGETHER NOW}}{{Quote|No, no, no!}}{{Quote|that our touch be lethal}}{{Quote|[[Riven]]!}}{{Quote|w e w i l l i t s o}}{{Quote|THE DREAMER IS LOST CULL THE REST}}{{Quote|that our judgment be true}}{{Quote|W E W I L L I T S O|The [[Nine]]<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Dreaming_City#Reextinction|Reextinction]]''</ref>}}
{{Quote|No!}}{{Quote|W E M U S T B E F O R E [[Oryx, the Taken King|H E]] T A K E S T H E M A L L}}{{Quote|imagine his power}}{{Quote|REACH TOGETHER NOW}}{{Quote|No, no, no!}}{{Quote|that our touch be lethal}}{{Quote|[[Riven]]!}}{{Quote|w e w i l l i t s o}}{{Quote|THE DREAMER IS LOST CULL THE REST}}{{Quote|that our judgment be true}}{{Quote|W E W I L L I T S O|The [[Nine]]<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Dreaming_City#Reextinction|Reextinction]]''</ref>}}
At the onset of the [[Taken War]], [[Oryx, the Taken King]] invaded the Dreaming City, [[Taken|Taking]] Riven in the process. This event drove the [[Nine]] into a frenzy, as they feared that Oryx's power would become too great to face with an Ahamkara to serve him. Communications between the Nine during this time seem to suggest that the Nine knew of additional Ahamkara within the Sol System, and that they killed them in order to prevent them from falling into Oryx's hands as well.
At the onset of the [[Taken War]], [[Oryx, the Taken King]] invaded the Dreaming City, [[Taken|Taking]] Riven in the process. This event drove the [[Nine]] into a frenzy, as they feared that Oryx's power would become too great to face with an Ahamkara to serve him. Communications between the Nine during this time seem to suggest that the Nine knew of additional Ahamkara within the Sol System, and that they killed them in order to prevent them from falling into Oryx's hands as well.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Dreaming_City#Reextinction|Reextinction]]''</ref>


After Oryx's death, Riven was left directionless, until she was visited by [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen]], who took control of her.
After Oryx's death, Riven was left directionless, until she was visited by [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen]], who took up her Taken reins as her brother had done.


===Forsaken===
===Forsaken===
Riven, desiring to escape from the Dreaming City, manipulated [[Uldren Sov]] into unsealing the only known gateway to the Dreaming City from the [[Tangled Shore]], from which Riven sent a Taken [[Voice of Riven|Chimera]]. However, the abomination was soon slain by [[the Guardian]], denying Riven any chance of leaving the Dreaming City. After the Guardian entered the Dreaming City, Mara Sov ordered the Guardian to slay Riven and tear out her heart.
Riven, desiring to escape from the Dreaming City, manipulated [[Uldren Sov]] into unsealing the only known gateway to the Dreaming City from the [[Tangled Shore]]. The Ahamkhara sent a Taken [[Voice of Riven|Chimera]] through this gateway to finally kill the Awoken Prince and force upon the portal. Instead, the abomination was slain by the [[Young Wolf]], denying Riven any chance of leaving the Dreaming City. Entering the Dreaming City themselves, the Young Wolf was greeted by the orders of Mara Sov who demanded they slay Riven and tear out her heart.


Six Guardians would launch a [[Last Wish|raid]] into the [[Keep of Voices]] at the heart of the Dreaming City, where Riven was trapped. Throughout the incursion, Riven's siren would whisper to the Guardians in different voices of familiar characters throughout the game, including [[Mara Sov]], [[Ikora]], and [[Zavala]]. After a fierce battle, Riven was slain and her heart cleansed of Taken essence by the Techeuns [[Kalli]] and [[Shuro Chi]]. However, feeding off of the power from granting a wish to 6 elite guardians, Riven was able to grant one last wish, manipulating the laws of Ascendancy and causing the Dreaming City to be cursed in an endless 3-week time loop.
Six Guardians would launch a [[Last Wish|raid]] into the [[Keep of Voices]] at the heart of the Dreaming City, where Riven was trapped. Throughout the incursion, Riven's siren would whisper to the Guardians in different familiar voices, including [[Mara Sov]], [[Ikora]], [[Uldren]] and [[Zavala]]. After a fierce battle, Riven was slain and her heart cleansed of Taken essence by the Techeuns [[Kalli]] and [[Shuro Chi]]. Feeding off of the power of a powerful wish granted to six elite guardians, Riven was able to grant one last wish, manipulating the laws of Ascendancy and causing the Dreaming City to be cursed in an endless three-week time loop.


With the defeat of Riven, Ahamkara are no longer present in the Sol system. Whether they are truly extinct or not remains to be seen.
With the defeat of Riven, there are no known Ahamkara present in the Sol system. Whether they are truly extinct or not remains to be seen.


===The Witch Queen===
===The Witch Queen===
As part of the Vanguard's efforts to determine how Savathûn "stole" the Light to create her Lucent Brood, the [[Young Wolf]] broke into the Temple of the Cunning within Savathûn's Throne World. There they encountered an [[Ahamkara Illusion|illusion]] of an Ahamkara strongly resembling Riven, or at least the form she adopted as a Taken.
As part of the Vanguard's efforts to determine how Savathûn "stole" the Light to create her Lucent Brood, the [[Young Wolf]] broke into the Temple of the Cunning within Savathûn's Throne World. There they encountered an [[Ahamkara Illusion|illusion]] of an Ahamkara strongly resembling Riven, or at least the form she adopted during the events of The Last Wish raid as a Taken.


==Biology==
==Biology==
<!--Based on their remains, the Ahamkara were believed to be avian or draconic in appearance, possessing scales, feathers and sharp beaks.<ref name="Activision"/> Various armor pieces adorned with supposed Ahamkara bones suggest that they had skulls with fanged jaws, with the lower jawbone being split down the middle, not unlike a pair of arthropod mandibles. Notable differences in bone structure can be observed between the skulls of young and Dire Ahamkara, suggesting significant developmental changes throughout their lifecycle. [[Lord Shaxx]] has a gigantic skull hanging above his station in the Tower following the Red War, which has the split jaw and reptilian characteristics associated with other Ahamkara skulls, but otherwise looks quite different again.-->
<!--Based on their remains, the Ahamkara were believed to be avian or draconic in appearance, possessing scales, feathers and sharp beaks.<ref name="Activision"/> Various armor pieces adorned with supposed Ahamkara bones suggest that they had skulls with fanged jaws, with the lower jawbone being split down the middle, not unlike a pair of arthropod mandibles. Notable differences in bone structure can be observed between the skulls of young and Dire Ahamkara, suggesting significant developmental changes throughout their lifecycle. [[Lord Shaxx]] has a gigantic skull hanging above his station in the Tower following the Red War, which has the split jaw and reptilian characteristics associated with other Ahamkara skulls, but otherwise looks quite different again.-->
Ahamkara are shape-shifters, seemingly capable of taking on any form they desire<ref>[[One Thousand Voices]]</ref>. Most often, they seem to prefer dragon-like  or serpentine forms, hence the name "wish-dragons". They are known to alter their forms in response to the expectations of their viewers; when [[Riven]] encountered the [[Guardian]] [[Savin]], for example, she responded to his preconceptions by shifting into a more monstrous form<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Ghost_Stories#Savin|Savin]]''</ref>. At various points, Riven was also known to adopt the shapes of a winged and crested beast, a "needle-nosed basilisk," or an antlered creature with tiger's paws. After her [[Taken|Taking]] and corruption of the Dreaming City, Riven manifested to the Guardian as an enormous serpentine, clawed and tentacled creature, with a fanged head covered in numerous eyes and protected by folding bone plates. Other Ahamkara are recorded as having adopted the forms of other species, such as humans or Vex, in the course of fulfilling various Guardians' wishes.  
Ahamkara are shape-shifters, seemingly capable of taking on any form they desire<ref>[[One Thousand Voices]]</ref>. Most often, they seem to prefer dragon-like  or serpentine forms, hence the name "wish-dragons". Other Ahamkara are recorded as having adopted the forms of other species, such as humans or Vex, in the course of fulfilling various Guardians' wishes. They are known to alter their forms in response to the expectations of their viewers; when [[Riven]] encountered the [[Guardian]] [[Savin]], for example, she responded to his preconceptions by shifting into a more monstrous form<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Ghost_Stories#Savin|Savin]]''</ref>. At various points, Riven was also known to adopt the shapes of a winged and crested beast, a "needle-nosed basilisk," or an "antlered creature with tiger's paws". After her [[Taken|Taking]] and corruption of the Dreaming City, Riven manifested to the Young Wolf as an enormous serpentine, clawed and tentacled creature, with a fanged head covered in numerous eyes and protected by folding bone plates.


Ahamkara vary greatly in size, an effect caused both by growth and their shapeshifting nature. When Riven was young, she was small enough to fit in one of Uldren's hands;<ref name = "Telic I"/> as time passed, she grew so large her head alone was sometimes the size of a [[Pike]].<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Riven]]''</ref> The Ahamkara [[Azirim]] grew in size after influencing and leading a large number of Awoken to their deaths, perhaps a result of having fed upon their desires.
Ahamkara vary greatly in size, an effect caused both by growth and their shapeshifting nature. When Riven was young, she was small enough to fit in one of Uldren's hands;<ref name = "Telic I"/> as time passed, she grew so large her head alone was sometimes the size of a [[Pike]].<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Riven]]''</ref> The Ahamkara [[Azirim]] grew in size after influencing and leading a large number of Awoken to their deaths, perhaps a result of having fed upon their desires.

Revision as of 05:50, August 24, 2023

Ahamkara
Ahamkarapic.jpeg
Overview

Other name(s):

"Dragons"
"Wish-Dragons"

Focal world(s):

Earth
Venus
Jupiter[1]
Reef
Ascendant Realm

Goals:

Prey upon and gain power through granting wishes to other beings

Average height:

Variable

Average weight:

Variable

Distinctions:

Draconic
Idiosyncratic speech patterns
Shapeshifting abilities

Average lifespan:

Indefinite

Notable individual(s):

Eao
Azirim
Riven
Huginn
Muninn
Madadh

 

"And thus the Ahamkara were made extinct, their call silenced, their solipsistic flatteries erased, their great design - if it ever existed - broken. Of this you can be assured, oh reader mine. "
— Grimoire description[2]

The Ahamkara are a mysterious and powerful species of shapeshifting, wish-granting creatures that first appeared in the Sol System after the Traveler arrived.[3][4]

Overview

"Behold, Sister, the lie that makes itself true."
— Uldren Sov[5]

Ahamkara are powerful, shape-shifting paracausal creatures capable of granting the wishes of other intelligent beings. They can appear in any form they wish, but they frequently choose shapes that exhibit draconic or reptilian attributes, hence their alternative name "wish-dragons".

The Ahamkara draw upon their wish-granting magics from the Anthem Anatheme, to transform desire into reality to suit one's purposes. To do this they use a characteristic phrase when addressing other beings, taking the form of "O/Oh (subject) mine". This phrase is apparently a curse, invoking paracausal powers of ownership over the addressee. The Worm Gods, the Cabal Emperor Calus and the Witch Queen Savathûn have also been recorded as using this phrase, suggesting either a relationship between them or a universal applicability of this phrase.

According to Ikora Rey, she once wished to know more about Ahamkara and had her wish granted. The Warlock Vanguard learnt the primary desire of the Ahamkara is to become "more real," or to transcend their current reality in some way. They refer to this path by which they seek to attain their goal, as the Anathematic Arc. Ikora speculates that this goal may entail escaping their universe into one that is either subordinate or superordinate [i.e. a universe that exists within theirs (such as the distributary) or the universe that the Destiny Universe exists inside of (such as our universe)]. By granting the wishes of Guardians and other beings, they apparently move closer to this objective[6].

Ahamkara bones are often incorporated into charms and new varieties of armor. These were known to cause auditory hallucinations in their bearers, as if the bones were speaking to them.[7]

In the course of their dealings with Ahamkara, the Awoken learned that mirrors and other reflective surfaces can be used to see through an Ahamkara's illusions, leading them to strategically place polished, reflective geodes as countermeasures in certain areas of the Dreaming City[8].

History

Origins

The origins of the Ahamkara remain a mystery. According to the Darkness, in the primordial state before time or the universe began, entities existed which derived sustenance from the gradient between "what was and what might be." This may hint at the origins of beings such as the Ahamkara, which continue to base their existence on the difference between actual and possible realities.[9]

The Ancient Past

"THE DRAGONS. Our gods should be ours alone. Their smug freedom is an insult to me. I'd shut them all in cells. Bring them to me! "
— Xivu Arath

References to the Ahamkara are found in the Hive's Books of Sorrow; the Harmony are described as having "wishful bishops" that make use of "dragon-wishes." Xivu Arath noted the Harmony's relationship with "the dragons" with outrage, and demanded their imprisonment. Notably, the Harmony had previously been visited by the Traveler.

These "dragons" were confirmed by Empress Caiatl to have been Ahamkara during her recounting of her upbringing on Torobatl; her father, Emperor Calus, kept an Ahamkara bone that originated from the Harmony's system.

Arrival in the Solar System

The Ahamkara first appeared in the Sol System following the Traveler's arrival; several sources describe them as being part of the "neolife" that was generated by the Traveler's actions, but their exact origins are unclear. Whilst Cayde's Treasure Island Book indicates they were studied by the Ishtar Academy during the Golden Age; the Awoken claim they were first to discover the Ahamkara after the Collapse, well before they ever came to Guardian attention.

The Awoken have had extensive experience with the Ahamkara, with some rumors claiming that the Awoken discovered them living within the rocky planetoid that was used to build the foundations of the Dreaming City[10]. The Techeun Shuro Chi, however, suspected that the Ahamkara originally were sent by the Nine[11].

The Reef

The first Ahamkara to be found by the Awoken was a young Riven, brought to the Queen by her brother, in search of a power that would secure the safety of the nascent Awoken society in the Sol System.[5] Riven's wish-granting abilities, along with those of other Ahamkara, played an integral role in the construction of the Dreaming City.[12] While most of the Ahamkara preferred the worlds of the inner system, they passed freely through the Dreaming City, coexisting with the Awoken. Riven was the city's only permanently residing Ahamkara.[13] Though the Awoken and the Ahamkara enjoyed a constructive relationship, the former soon learned to be wary and careful when dealing with the latter -- all Ahamkara were tricksters, and fundamentally self-interested.

City Age

The Ahamkara were known to the Guardians during the City Age, and many made bargains with the creatures in order to reach greater power and fulfil other desires. It was ultimately decided that the price of these bargains were too great, and after much debate among the City's Consensus and Vanguard members, they ordered that the Ahamkara be exterminated in an event that came to be known as the Great Ahamkara Hunt.[14][15]

During this time, the Ahamkara had congregated on Venus, where they appeared to be engaged in some form of terraforming endeavor. According to Eris Morn, no two eyewitnesses could agree on what the nature of this terraforming project was, or in what order the relevant events had occurred. A paracausal phenomenon was observed to have manifested over the site of the Ishtar Academy, and induced suicidal actions in at least one observing Guardian.[16][17]

In response to the growing chaos, the City asked the Reef for assistance, and received a great deal of weaponry on loan. Mara Sov's generosity had ulterior motives: having trapped Riven in the Dreaming City,[18] she saw a powerful advantage in possessing the only living Ahamkara.[19][17]

Eventually, the Ahamkara were hunted down and seemingly rendered extinct in the Sol system. Whilst Riven is the only confirmed survivor, rumors have been spread of more Ahamkhara spotted as far out as Jupiter and Io[1]

Arrival of the Taken King

"No!"
"W E M U S T B E F O R E H E T A K E S T H E M A L L"
"imagine his power"
"REACH TOGETHER NOW"
"No, no, no!"
"that our touch be lethal"
"Riven!"
"w e w i l l i t s o"
"THE DREAMER IS LOST CULL THE REST"
"that our judgment be true"
"W E W I L L I T S O"
— The Nine[20]

At the onset of the Taken War, Oryx, the Taken King invaded the Dreaming City, Taking Riven in the process. This event drove the Nine into a frenzy, as they feared that Oryx's power would become too great to face with an Ahamkara to serve him. Communications between the Nine during this time seem to suggest that the Nine knew of additional Ahamkara within the Sol System, and that they killed them in order to prevent them from falling into Oryx's hands as well.[21]

After Oryx's death, Riven was left directionless, until she was visited by Savathûn, the Witch Queen, who took up her Taken reins as her brother had done.

Forsaken

Riven, desiring to escape from the Dreaming City, manipulated Uldren Sov into unsealing the only known gateway to the Dreaming City from the Tangled Shore. The Ahamkhara sent a Taken Chimera through this gateway to finally kill the Awoken Prince and force upon the portal. Instead, the abomination was slain by the Young Wolf, denying Riven any chance of leaving the Dreaming City. Entering the Dreaming City themselves, the Young Wolf was greeted by the orders of Mara Sov who demanded they slay Riven and tear out her heart.

Six Guardians would launch a raid into the Keep of Voices at the heart of the Dreaming City, where Riven was trapped. Throughout the incursion, Riven's siren would whisper to the Guardians in different familiar voices, including Mara Sov, Ikora, Uldren and Zavala. After a fierce battle, Riven was slain and her heart cleansed of Taken essence by the Techeuns Kalli and Shuro Chi. Feeding off of the power of a powerful wish granted to six elite guardians, Riven was able to grant one last wish, manipulating the laws of Ascendancy and causing the Dreaming City to be cursed in an endless three-week time loop.

With the defeat of Riven, there are no known Ahamkara present in the Sol system. Whether they are truly extinct or not remains to be seen.

The Witch Queen

As part of the Vanguard's efforts to determine how Savathûn "stole" the Light to create her Lucent Brood, the Young Wolf broke into the Temple of the Cunning within Savathûn's Throne World. There they encountered an illusion of an Ahamkara strongly resembling Riven, or at least the form she adopted during the events of The Last Wish raid as a Taken.

Biology

Ahamkara are shape-shifters, seemingly capable of taking on any form they desire[22]. Most often, they seem to prefer dragon-like or serpentine forms, hence the name "wish-dragons". Other Ahamkara are recorded as having adopted the forms of other species, such as humans or Vex, in the course of fulfilling various Guardians' wishes. They are known to alter their forms in response to the expectations of their viewers; when Riven encountered the Guardian Savin, for example, she responded to his preconceptions by shifting into a more monstrous form[23]. At various points, Riven was also known to adopt the shapes of a winged and crested beast, a "needle-nosed basilisk," or an "antlered creature with tiger's paws". After her Taking and corruption of the Dreaming City, Riven manifested to the Young Wolf as an enormous serpentine, clawed and tentacled creature, with a fanged head covered in numerous eyes and protected by folding bone plates.

Ahamkara vary greatly in size, an effect caused both by growth and their shapeshifting nature. When Riven was young, she was small enough to fit in one of Uldren's hands;[5] as time passed, she grew so large her head alone was sometimes the size of a Pike.[24] The Ahamkara Azirim grew in size after influencing and leading a large number of Awoken to their deaths, perhaps a result of having fed upon their desires.

Perhaps as a result of their shapeshifting abilities, Ahamkara skeletal remains display great diversity in size and form. Ahamkara skulls, for example, may feature two, four or no eye sockets, may or may not have horns, and exhibit a range of different tooth shapes. A consistent feature appears to be a split lower jaw, not unlike a pair of arthropod mandibles.

Ahamkara appear to have a central core, referred to as their "heart", that may be extracted upon their death. In the case of Riven, this heart took the form of a spherical "bubble" enclosing a compressed pocket of space, which can be entered by Guardians. During the process of extracting Riven's heart, a Guardian within the heart may observe a pair of massive hands in the distance, presumably belonging to the Guardian who is holding the heart. The existence of this "heart" curiously parallels the "ravenous heart" of Oryx, the Taken King, which persisted beyond his death and lives on within the weapon Touch of Malice, and that of Nokris, Herald of Xol, who bequeathed his heart to Xol in exchange for forbidden knowledge.

Ahamkara were studied on Venus by the Ishtar Academy because of their unique genome, which contained unknown new proteins.[4] They were apparently parasitic in some sense, one of several pieces of evidence which may indicate some relationship to the Worms. [4]

Known Ahamkara

Gameplay

"Reality is the finest flesh,oh bearer mine.And are you not...hungry?"
— Skull of Dire Ahamkara

The fossilized remains of the Ahamkara are of continued interest to Warlocks, who adorn their armor with them and thereby acquire unique powers. Some Hunters and certain Titans also wear armor with Ahamkara bones, but have less of an understanding of the risks involved. The bones seem to retain a will of their own, flattering and urging their owners to recklessness.[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][15]

Gallery

  • Concept art depicting Guardians hunting an Ahamkara.

    Concept art depicting Guardians hunting an Ahamkara.

Trivia

  • The name "Ahamkara" comes from the Sanskrit term for attachment to one's ego.
  • Lord Gheleon possessed many Ahamkara bone fragments.[32]
  • Some players believed that the winged, flying creatures seen in the skies above Venus may have been living Ahamkara. According to Bungie, these creatures are "batadactyls". They got their informal name during an argument between members of Bungie's environment team over what animal the creatures most resembled.[33]
  • It is implied in several lore entries that the Ahamkara are aware of Destiny being a video game. In Destiny 2, the lore tab for Skull of Dire Ahamkara suggests that it speaks directly to the player of the game, and the Claws of Ahamkara suggest that they are trapped in a prison behind a screen.
    • An intentionally unused lore entry strongly suggests that Ahamkara can view the actual development of Destiny through concepts relating to the Anthem Anatheme, and tell when the player of the game finds things that are not intended to be available in-game. However, its canonicity cannot be verified.
  • It has been speculated that Ahamkara are closely related to, if not the same species as, the Worm Gods, given their similar attributes and use of the phrase "O___mine". This was later suggested not to be the case by the craftmind Medusa (who may in fact be Eris Morn) in a lore entry, who hypothesized that This is due to the both species separately evolved to harness the underlying power within the phrase.[34] Given that this lore series continually changes the stated identity of the person delivering the information, the validity of this information may be suspect.
    • The "Unveiling" Lore Book mentions two groups of entities that escaped the primordial "garden" that gave rise to the universe, the "insects" and the "worms". This would seem to further suggest that the Worms and Ahamkara are distinct, albeit fundamentally similar, creatures.

List of appearances

References

  1. ^ a b Bungie (2014/5/19), Destiny: House of Wolves Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, Long Tomorrow 9G Helm
  2. ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Grimoire: GHost Fragment: Legends 3
  3. ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Grimoire: Ghost Fragment: Warlock
  4. ^ a b c Cayde's Treasure Island Book Cayde's Treasure Island Book
  5. ^ a b c Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Lore: Telic I
  6. ^ https://www.bungie.net/en/explore/detail/news/51148?fbclid=IwAR0VpyHyrvhUYr6_-PGbaWGvvRj3O9NeSox6cG6Ln1wRk3YEHb5nXqfWMg8
  7. ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard
  8. ^ Pilgrimage: Harbinger's Seclude, Shiny Geode
  9. ^ Bungie (2019/10/1), Destiny 2: Shadowkeep, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Unveiling - Gardener and Winnower
  10. ^ Pilgrimage: Harbinger's Seclude, Shiny Geode
  11. ^ Pilgrimage: Harbinger's Seclude, Shiny Geode
  12. ^ Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Gauntlets of the Great Hunt
  13. ^ Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Riven
  14. ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, [1]
  15. ^ a b Bungie (2017/28/3), Destiny: Age of Triumph Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, Knuckles of Eao
  16. ^ Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Mask of the Great Hunt
  17. ^ a b Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Plate of the Great Hunt
  18. ^ Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Hood of the Great Hunt
  19. ^ Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Greaves of the Great Hunt
  20. ^ Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Lore: Reextinction
  21. ^ Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Lore: Reextinction
  22. ^ One Thousand Voices
  23. ^ Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Lore: Savin
  24. ^ Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Riven
  25. ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, Sealed Ahamkara Grasps
  26. ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, Bones of Eao
  27. ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, Claws of Ahamkara
  28. ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, Scales of Eao
  29. ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, Ahamkara Scale
  30. ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, Skull of Dire Ahamkara
  31. ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description, Young Ahamkara's Spine
  32. ^ Bungie (2016/20/9), Destiny: Rise of Iron Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Grimoire: Lord Gheleon
  33. ^ Ride Along - Venus - Bungie Commentary
  34. ^ Bungie (2018/9/4), Destiny 2: Forsaken, Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Lore: asudeM

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