Felwinter

Felwinter
Biographical information
Other name(s):	Darkhorse of Iron SIDDARTHA GOLEM
Species:	Exo
Gender:	Male
Political and military information
Affiliation:	Guardians Iron Lords Warlords (formerly) Rasputin (formerly)
Class:	Warlock
Notable info:	Former Warlord

"Radegast is scattered. Perun is indecisive. Silimar wants to build a tower and hide. But they’re going to change the world; no one can stop them. Will it be for the better? I don’t know. But they mean to end the fighting, so I don’t have to sleep with my back to the wall every night, Light in my hand. And that’s not nothing."

— Lord Felwinter

Felwinter was a Warlock of the Iron Lords. A Warlord and master Voidwalker who gave up his power in pursuit of peace alongside the Iron Lords, he was a true believer in his companions' goal, and more merciless toward enemy Warlords than any of them.

Biography

The Tyrant's Son

"SIDDHARTHA GOLEM detected in SECTOR OR41-S.

Reactivation conditions unknown. SIDDHARTHA GOLEM identified with [O] energy signature.

Automated remote asset seizure failed.

Automated remote injection of wetware payload HELMINTH failed.

Automated remote injection of hardware payload CATACOMB failed.

I am invoking ABSALOM KNIFE. Upon execution, all affected assets resume long hold at MIDNIGHT EXIGENT.

"And weep the more, because I weep in vain."

STOP STOP STOP V150NLK652CLS001"

— Rasputin

During the Golden Age, the Warmind Rasputin executed a protocol designated SIDDARTHA GOLEM for the purpose of gathering information. Under this protocol, an Exo - aforementioned named after the protocol - was created and sent out into the world to interact with humans and relay information about things like behavior, literature, and culture. However, the Exo was destroyed during the Collapse. As Rasputin went dormant to evade the overwhelming might of the Pyramids, the Exo's remains were abandoned in a ruined library for generations.

During the Dark Age, the SIDDARTHA GOLEM Exo was revived as a Risen by a Ghost. Initially distrustful of the small glowing drone, he ignored its urging to move to safety until the building when the library they were in came under fire. With no options, he followed the Ghost, who gave him the name "Felwinter" since he had forgotten his original name. They escape to another building and looked back to see a falling Warsat crush the library.

Felwinter and his Ghost, which he later named Felspring, learned to survive while addressing hostile aliens, but unlike other Risen, they also dealt with assault frames and Warsats sent after them for reasons they didn't know. Eventually, a chance meeting with a wandering Exo Risen pointed them toward Rasputin. To find out more about the Warmind, Felwinter tracked down a Seraph Bunker, which responds to his presence and activates. Fed up with running from frames and falling Warsats, Felwinter decided to create a home base instead of always moving. Using a map he found in a Seraph Bunker, he climbed a mountain and found an old observatory. Unfortunately, a Warlord named Castor already controlled the mountain. The Exo was undeterred, so he threw Castor off the mountain and claimed it as his own.

The Lie of Lord Felwinter

"So we can't. We can't tell anyone. You're something… totally new. Part Guardian, part Warmind. There's no one else like you. … I think that's why the Traveler sent me to you. But other people won't understand it. And Rasputin will never, ever stop coming after you. After us. Ever. So it's just us, Felwinter. Just you and me.""

— Felspring

A month after claiming his mountain, Felwinter ran into a woman named Aarthi, who offered protection payment from the town at the mountain's base. Though he insisted he wasn't a Warlord, Aarthi kept bringing monthly offerings. During one such meeting, Aarthi told Felwinter that his knowledge of Golden Age tech could help humanity. She never came again after that, but her words stuck with him. Felwinter was motivated to find technology that could help humanity rebuild. He then began exploring every Seraph Bunker he could find, looking for weapons to help humanity defend itself, until Felspring gave him a better idea. She theorized that the technology that allowed for the unprecedented expansion the Golden Age saw was fueled by technology they could find and use now. During this time, he also tried to communicate with Rasputin, but he never answered. Felwinter's search turned up nothing useful, until one expedition into a Seraph Bunker bore unexpected fruit. Felspring finds records of SIDDARTHA GOLEM protocol and its transfer to the Deep Stone Crypt in the past. Through the records, they realize that he is the Exo the protocol was transferred to. Felspring admonishes him to keep the truth a secret, knowing that telling everyone would make his life more dangerous.

Life as an Iron Lord

"As I recall, you used to have a throne on that Light-forsaken peak, ‘til you joined up with the wolves. You’re the only Warlord I know who held an entire mountain."
"Felwinter Peak."
"No one ever calls it that."
"The Iron Lords do. Though they did ask me to take that throne down."

— Warlord Citan and Lord Felwinter

One day, while patrolling in the Mothyards, Felwinter encountered the Iron Lord Timur. Rather than fight, Timur tells him of the existence of SIVA and its potential. Intrigued by their plans for the world and their search for SIVA, he joined their cause, donating his stronghold on Felwinter Peak to serve as their headquarters. After the Iron Lords arrived, Felwinter removed his throne from the base as a sign of his new loyalty. Believing that the Iron Lords, though flawed, would change the world, Felwinter was glad to join them in the effort to end the constant warfare so he would no longer have to sleep with his back against the wall and his Light at the ready. He also learned about the The Last City they were helping to create. Felwinter and the Iron Lords helped establish the the City under the Traveler. At some point, Felwinter and Lord Nirwen took on a young Warlock named Osiris as their apprentice, although he did not join the Iron Lords.

At some point, a Risen named Wu Ming, climbed Felwinter Peak to speak to the Iron Lord. During the conversation, Wu Ming had concern over an Iron Lord known as Dryden, as he had witnessed his actions in the village of Eaton, in which he supplied the village with food in exchange to use their location as an ambush point for a group of Warlords. The battle between the Iron Lords and Warlords that followed ended in bloodshed on all sides, with civilian villagers killed, all of Dryden's fellow Iron Lords under his command killed and their Ghosts destroyed. In an act of vengeance, Dryden had done the same to the Warlords' Ghosts, breaking the Iron Decree. Though not visibly showing it, Felwinter was convinced by Wu Ming to take action against Lord Dryden, who referred to the former Warlord's ferocity and record of permanently killing other Risen. After dismissing Wu Ming from the peak, the Iron Lord requested his Ghost to call forth Lord Dryden to his presence, and to prepare his Iron Banner arsenal.

Felwinter was more brutal with Warlords than his allies: not completely devoid of mercy but less inclined to show it. One such Warlord, a Titan by the name of Citan, learned that the hard way when Felwinter went to his domain to give him a chance to surrender peacefully and join the Lords as he had. Citan refused, and before he could get one hit in, Felwinter used the Void combined with combat training from Jolder to best him. Aware that Citan would never surrender, Felwinter used the Void one final time to break Citan's neck. While monologuing to his enemy's dead body, Felwinter expressed that despite their flaws, no one would stop the Iron Lords from creating peace in the world. Despite his desire to offer him a life with the Lords, and knowing they would consider sparing him, Felwinter knew Citan better, and refused to leave him standing. The moment his Ghost came out of hiding and revived him, Felwinter pulled out his shotgun and fired two shots, one to kill Citan a second time, the other to destroy his Ghost.

The Fall and Rise of Iron

Rasputin’s reveals his secret

"After everything, why would he do this? Why would he just drop this in your lap?"
"He didn't. We found it."
"He let us find it, Felwinter. I'm almost positive."
"No. We found it. If anybody can get Rasputin to cooperate with the Iron Lords, it's us. We know him better than anyone. I know him better than anyone. This is it, Felspring. This could change everything."

— Felspring and Felwinter

Eventually the Lords ended the reign of the Warlords and established peace in the world. After that, Timur threw himself into the search for SIVA, spearheading the Lords' efforts. In support, Felwinter would occasionally travel with him in his search for leads, but he preferred to search alone to keep his connection to Rasputin secret. Eventually, their search bore fruit and they found the coordinates to Site 6 in a Seraph Bunker. Though both he and Felspring doubted the intel - believing Rasputin gave it to them - they reported their findings to the rest of the Iron Lords. After getting the group on his side, he and many Iron Lords who went into the what would later be named the Plaguelands. When Rasputin responded, Felwinter attempted to communicate their peaceful intent to Rasputin but was rebuffed by him using all his defenses against them. Felwinter was one of the eight to make it to the SIVA replication chamber, but was destroyed with the rest, containing SIVA at the cost of his life.

When Saladin sends the Guardian in to finish the job of halting the flow of SIVA, Felwinter, along with Jolder and Gheleon, had his armor and remains warped by SIVA as a defensive measure. The Guardian, using a discarded Battleaxe, destroyed the remnants and the Replication Chamber, putting the fallen Lords to a peaceful rest.

Those who seek to honor Felwinter can follow in his enigmatic footsteps with an artifact of his. Those who carry his Memory gain a drastic ability: while they lose their super ability, Guardians gain an extra melee and grenade charge, a small boost to all stats, and orbs of light regenerate melee and grenade abilities.

Trivia

• Felwinter Peak was the mountain named after Felwinter himself, who controlled it during his former life as a Warlord. The mountain became a base for the Iron Lords to use during their crusade.
• It is said that Felwinter was one of the few Warlords ever to control an entire mountain.
• A Legendary Shotgun, Felwinter's Lie, is named after the signature Shotgun Felwinter wielded.
• According to Saladin, Felwinter was considered a cynic despite his devotion to the Iron Lords' cause.
• Despite several instances that describe Felwinter as a Voidwalker, the statue for this Iron Lord is adorned with Hunter gear, whilst the Remnant of Felwinter uses the default model of Titan armor.
• Though Felwinter was an Exo, his name doesn't possess a number in it, unlike the majority of Exos. This is likely due to the fact that Felwinter was created as an Exo by Rasputin, rather than being a human who then became an Exo.

List of appearances

• Destiny: House of Wolves (First mentioned)
  • Rise of Iron (Mentioned only)
  • Age of Triumph (Mentioned only)
• Destiny 2 (Mentioned only)
  • Curse of Osiris (Mentioned only)
  • Joker's Wild (Mentioned only)
  • Shadowkeep (Mentioned only)
    • Season of Dawn (Mentioned only)
    • Season of the Worthy (Mentioned only)