Liminality

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Liminality
Game:	Destiny 2
Player(s):	1-3
Location:	The Pale Heart, The Traveler
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Liminality is a Destiny 2 Strike introduced in the Final Shape Expansion, located in the Pale Heart. It follows a Guardian Fireteam guided by Zavala, Ikora Rey, and Cayde-6 as they search for pathways to get them closer to the Witness. Hidden away deep within a mountain, they discover a town of the Precursor civilization manifested by the Witness's memories.

Objectives

• Advance Through the Pass
• Push Forward
• Defeat Lucent Hive
• Drain the Purulence
• Break Lucent Seals
  • X of 3
• Activate the Ahamkara Skulls with Taken Energy
  • X of 2
  • X of 1
• Investigate the Veiled Statue
• Survive
• Defeat the Tormentor
• Stand Triumphant

Dialogue

(Mission Begins)

• Zavala: Guardian. Cayde and Crow scouted a number of potential paths to get us closer to the Witness
• Zavala: They sighted a Tormentor guarding this pass. Take it out, and the way should be clear.
• Zavala: Show no restraint. I want our enemy to know exactly what you're capable of.

Traversing through a cave, the Fireteam eventually emerge and engage with forces of the Lucent Brood

• Ghost: Lucent Hive? This must be the brood Luzaku left. Trapped in the Pale Heart with no way back.
• Zavala: Enjoying the chaos, no doubt.

Discovering another cave, the Guardians continue their journey until they emerge in a cavern with Ahamkara skulls, covered in lava and guarded by a Ravenous Taken Wizard.

• Ghost: Taken Wizard, up ahead!
• Ghost: It's… not attacking us. But I think it's the source of the sludge blocking our way.
• Zavala: Hmm, a guard left by the Witness. We're on the right track.
• Ghost: We can't even scratch that Wizard's shields! We need something stronger. Something like-
• Ghost: Like that Ahamkara skull resonating with Taken energy.
• Ikora: Even the memory of an Ahamkara may have power. Tread carefully.
• Zavala: No. Use it, Guardian. If it moves us forward, it's worth it.

Acquiring Taken energy from an Ahamkara skull, the Guardians use it to activate an other skull at the center, killing the Taken Wizard, and draining the purulence, thus allowing them to traverse further.

• Ghost: It worked! The wizard's down, and the way is clear.
• Zavala: Good work. If those Ahamkara prove to be helpful, you should look for opportunities to use them.
• Ikora: It's not like you to encourage recklessness, Zavala.
• Zavala: It's not like you, Ikora, to lecture on recklessness.
• Ikora: There were other routes we could have taken, but you chose the most dangerous. Why?
• Zavala: Isn't this the sort of risk you've always demanded I take?

The fireteam arrives within another lava filled cavarn invested with Lucent Hive. They break the seals by defeating two Seal-Keepers and the Seal-Engraver. With the pathway open, the Guardians travel further into the cave.

• Ikora: We should have taken a different path. One that's more direct, with fewer enemies.
• Ikora: I know that you're angry, that you've lost faith in the Traveler, but don't let it cloud your judgement…
• Zavala: This isn't about the Traveler. It's about hitting back. Hard.

Eventually the Guardians arrive into an underground structure with Pyramid architecture.

• Ghost: Ikora, should we be worried about the pulsing Ahamkara guts in the walls?
• Ikora: You should always be worried when there are guts in the walls.

Upon entering another room, the fireteam are confronted by Kataxiia, Tormentor of the Ahamkara.

• Ghost: Tormentor! Ahead!
• Zavala: You already know what to do.

Activating two Ahamkara skulls using Taken energy, causing Kataxiia to retreat and the lava to drain, revealing a pathway.

• Ghost: It's on the run, but we've wounded it. It won't get far.
• Cayde-6: Guardian, between you and me… I like Zavala's moxie, but this? This ain't him.
• Cayde-6: Ikora's right to be worried; I got a bad feeling, too.

The fireteam enter into another Pyramid structure and are confronted by Dread units within, including Mhakt, Subjugator of the Forgotten before it quickly vanishes.

• Ghost: Enemy signature incoming!
• Ghost: It's gone. For now, at least.

Shortly after defeating the Dread units, they enter a portal, taking them to the ancient home of the Witness's Precursors.

• Ghost: This doesn't look like any place I've ever seen.
• Ghost: Taken signatures! They're everywhere!

The Guardians are ambushed by hordes of Taken. Eventually lava begins to spill into the city, as further forces of the Witness arrive, including Mhakt. After forcing Mhakt to retreat once again, the lava around the city begins to drain.

• Ghost: Ikora, Zavala… there's a whole town here. The architecture looks pyramidal, but it's different… older.
• Zavala: Something from the Witness's past? Buried and abandoned in this mountain. Find out what it's hiding.
• Ikora: But be careful. We still don't know enough about its origins.

Within the center, the Guardians commune with the Veiled Statue.

• Veiled Statue: [wails unintelligible]
• Veiled Statue: Give yourself to Darkness…
• Veiled Statue: Only there, will you find the answers you seek.
• Veiled Statue: [wails unintelligible]
• Zavala: Did you hear that?
• Zavala: It spoke to us. It wants to help, just as I told you before.
• Ikora: Or it could be a trap! Listen to yourself, Zavala.
• Ikora: I've known you for hundreds of years, but right now… I don't even recognize you.
• Zavala: You just don't like it when people change.
• Ikora: I don't like change that can cost lives!
• Zavala: That isn't your decision to make! When we faced Savathûn, you took unimaginable risks-
• Cayde-6: That's enough.
• Cayde-6: Focus on the mission. Get your eyes off each other's throats and put 'em back on that Tormentor

The fireteam abandons the city and continues their pursuit of Kataxiia, eventually arriving in a cave with a large Ahamkara skull, where the Tormentor jumps down to confront them once more.

• Ghost: There's the Tormentor!
• Zavala: Rend it apart.

After wounding the Tormentor, Kataxiia becomes immune and teleports themselves into the large Ahamkara skull. Entering into Ahamkara mouths, the Guardians receive Taken Essence's from within and use it to activate two small Ahamkara skulls, causing Kataxiia to re-emerge. As the Guardians continue to damage Kataxiia, it would become immune and teleport onto the large Ahamkara skull once more. However the forces of the Witness were not the only threat, as the fireteam would be ambushed by Lucent Hive led by Sardul, Acting Expedition Commander

• Ghost: Looks like the Hive finally caught up to us.

Shortly after defeating the Lucent Hive, Kataxiia summons reinforcements led by Mhakt. Upon slaying Mhakt, the Guardians receive another Taken essence and use it to activate an Ahamkara skull. Breaking Kataxiia's shield once again, it jumps down to confront the fireteam one last time. Despite its power, the Guardians prevail, slaying Kataxiia in a ferocious battle.

• Ghost: We did it! The way is clear.
• Zavala: "Give yourself to Darkness. Only there will you find the answers you seek."
• Zavala: This is the first concrete, actionable lead we've had since we arrived.
• Ikora: What about Cayde's vision?
• Ikora: We should follow the path the Traveler has laid for us-
• Zavala: How are we supposed to do that, when all it gives us is more riddles? Devotion, bravery, sacrifice-what does that even mean?
• Ikora: I don't know, but the Traveler wants you alive!
• Zavala: No, you do! That's what you want, Ikora!
• Zavala: You once told me that "to do nothing is cowardice." And now, you'd rather lose everything than to risk making the wrong move. But you aren't even thinking about that!
• Zavala: You're just afraid to lose me like we lost Cayde.
• Cayde-6: Commander, you're out of line!
• Zavala: Stay out of this. You weren't there. You don't know what happened when you died on us.
• Ikora: You're right. I can't lose you, Zavala.
• Zavala: Someday you will. And you'll have to learn to live with that.

(Mission Ends)

Enemies

Hive - Lucent Brood

• Thrall
  • Cursed Thrall
• Acolyte
  • Revenant Acolyte
• Knight
  • Revenant Knight
  • Seal-Keeper
• Wizard

Taken

• Taken Thrall
  • Shadow Thrall
• Taken Acolyte
• Taken Knight
• Ravenous Taken Wizard
• Taken Centurion
  • Ravenous Taken Centurion

The Dread

• Bound Weaver
• Grim

Bosses

• Seal-Engraver
• Kerr-ath, Expedition Commander (Nightfall)
• Mhakt, Subjugator of the Forgotten
• Sardul, Acting Expedition Commander
• Kataxiia, Tormentor of the Ahamkara

Trivia

• The word “liminality” is defined as the current state of a rite of passage something is in the process of undertaking.

• According to Bungie, this strike is inspired by Pulp Novels and adventure media from the 1930s.

Appearance

• Destiny 2: The Final Shape (First appearance)