Sacred Splicers

Sacred Splicers
Overview
Domain(s):	Last City, Earth
Type:	Light-wielding Splicers
Functions:	Utilize the Light to splice technology Study the Vex and hack into their network
Engagements:	The Endless Night Severing of the Nightmares NODE.OVRD.AVALON
Leadership:	Mithrax, Kell of Light
Affiliation:	House of Light
At war with:	The Witness Sol Collective
Allied with:	Vanguard The Coalition

"Walk in the Light"

— Mithrax, Kell of Light

The Sacred Splicers are an Eliksni group of Splicers affiliated with the House of Light and their leader Mithrax, Kell of Light, who is himself a member of. Unlike most other Splicer sects associated with the Fallen Houses, they still hold a sacred reverence for the Great Machine and its Light which they use in tandem with their technology. During the events of the Endless Night, they allied with the Vanguard and played a prominent role in training Guardians their ways to hack themselves into the Vex Network; making them into Sacred Splicers as well.

Overview

By converting trace amounts of residual Light already present in the environment, Sacred Splicers can utilize their Ether-fueled Splicer Gauntlets to interface with any latent data networks in the vicinity; allowing them access to technological mundanities as well as deeper, infinitely more protected networks including the Vex domain itself. To properly splice, the Eliksni commonly believe that a deep spiritual connection with the Great Machine is required for them to bend its Light to their every whim; which is itself a misconception according to Rahool of the Cryptarchy but remains poignant nonetheless to their traditions as explained by Scribe Eido. She would also compare their ability to manipulate data with the way the Awoken Techeuns would mentally control a person albeit dangerously. Mastering the art of splicing requires feeling the Light flowing from the planet's center and into the gauntlet to then distribute onto any machine. Maintaining the connection however takes discipline to manage, as Eido's earlier attempt causes a Shank to short circuit.

However, even the most talented of the Eliksni Sacred Splicers would find difficulty splicing into the Vex network and manipulate their data. Given the limited degree of their range within the network, it took five of them combining their efforts to erase a singular modem of data. Lightbearers, however given their paracausal nature and ability to naturally wield the Light, are an exception as Guardians can directly manifest corporeally within the network for short periods of time. They can then alter the data found therein with focused percussive energy—including gunfire.

While accessing Vex technology, some parts are considered too dangerous in the wrong hands and so are forbidden from usage by the Splicers, including Vex predictions to gaze into alternate timelines such as The Device from Future War Cult.

History

As inferred by Mithrax, the way of the Sacred Splicer could be traced back to the ancient time of the Eliksni's golden age on Riis, back when they looked to the Light in all things. However, those practices were largely abandoned by the Fallen after the events of the Whirlwind and were only rediscovered by the Kell of Light and his newly formed House.

Allies of the City

During the events of the War of Salvation, defectors of the House of Salvation had fled from Riis-Reborn after it became overran with Vex on Europa, with the aid of Variks, the Loyal ferrying them to join Mithrax and his House for shelter. Meanwhile, Sacred Splicers worked to draw the Europan Vex's activity away from them as best they could by erasing their data of them. A group of Sacred Splicers even managed to delete the Vex's knowledge regarding Eido. During one excursion, however, a wounded Splicer attempted to erase data on Mithrax's existence from the Vex only to have been met by Taken influence within the network. Eventually, the Vex caught up with Mithrax's operations and teleport a Goblin aboard his refugee-carrying Skiff, causing it to crash at Asterion Abyss and leaving Mithrax and the refugees stranded. They are then greeted by the unwanted presence of the Guardian, whom the Vanguard sent seeking the former's aid in ridding a Vex simulation that overtook the city in darkness. With the aid of the Guardian, Mithrax helped spliced their way into the Outer Nexus where they claimed vital Vex data and then pulled them out to safety before Vex countermeasures could delete them. Ikora Rey would then invite Mithrax and his House to seek refuge at the City.

After his House were safely settled in the ruins of the Botza District of the Last City, Mithrax began teaching the Guardian the way of the Splicer, giving them their own non-Eliksni gauntlet that uses Ether from defeated foes to override Vex signals and access their network. Soon, the Guardian began leading their own incursions into the network and extracted data for Mithrax and his Splicers to decode. Meanwhile, Mithrax analyzed the data from the recovered Paradrome Cube only to discover the contents within to be nothing but lies.

Having mastered the Splicer Gauntlet, the Guardian successfully expunged the Oppressive Minds that administrated the domains maintaining the Endless Night and causing them to collapse. Despite the Taken influence of the Witch Queen's forces infecting the network, they were able to destroy Quria, Blade Transform and end the Vex simulation plaguing the city. Once the Vanguard thwarted a plot to eliminate the Fallen from Lakshmi-2, Mithrax and his Splicers secured a place in the City as permanent allies. Other Guardians such as the Warlock Jolur would also learn how to splice with the Light, though with the latter having great misunderstanding.

Coalition Operations

Over time, the Sacred Splicers remained staunch allies of the newly formed Coalition and their technology served a role in their fight against the forces of the Witness. Ana Bray and the Psion would even incorporate their Splicer tech partially into a self-made interface designed to commune with a Pillory Engram containing the remains of the Warmind Rasputin.

During the Severing of the Nightmares, a couple of Splicers ran covert operations alongside Siegfried, an unnamed Praxic Order Sunsinger and four Imperial Cabal Legionarries as they attempt to discern the former Emperor Calus's location aboard the derelict Leviathan. While attempting to splice into a broken automaton of Calus, the machine construct whirled to life and knocked one of them unconsciousness while the other ran to cover behind a Legionary. Concentrating fire upon the mechanical Calus's internal machinery with their Shock Pistol, the automaton was swiftly finished off by a Burning Maul delivered by Siegfried who advised his team to continue down into the underbelly of the ship.

Although their role was largely kept at a minimal, the Splicers' influence would continue to last with the Guardians using their splicing techniques during their fight against the Vex and the invading Shadow Legion at Neomuna as both parties attempt to hijack their way into the city's CloudArk system. The Guardian would also thwart the Vex from creating a security bypass at the Thrilladrome, accessing backdoor Partition simulations once programmed by the Cloud Strider Bluejay, and even stop a Taken invasion from within the Vex network.

Around when the Shadow Legion invaded Earth at the same time, Mithrax became aware of a Vex signal emitting from a node deep within the network. This familiar signal would guide the Guardian through the deepest levels of the Vex's virtual space while Mithrax provided tactical support through his Splicer understanding. After defeating an old foe and retrieving a gift that granted authorization into different securities of the node, Mithrax and the Guardian retrieved the signal's simulated research on the Veil and the Darkness before it dissipated into data.

Members

• Mithrax, Kell of Light (Leader)
• Chroniclekel
• Grainslayer
• Collide
• Corrosion
• Anomaly
• Guardians
  • The Young Wolf
  • Jolur

List of appearances

• Destiny 2: Season of the Splicer (First appearance)
  • Season of the Haunted (Mentioned only)
  • Season of Defiance