Taurun

Taurun
Biographical information
Species:	Cabal
Gender:	Female
Political and military information
Affiliation:	Cabal Empire Imperial Cabal
Rank:	Councilor

“

Yes, My Empress. It's my duty to mention that this decision will not be universally welcomed.

”

Councilor Taurun was a senior advisor of Empress Caiatl and a member of her War Council. Following the loss of the Cabal capital Torobatl to the Hive god Xivu Arath, Taurun helped Caiatl ascend to the rank of Empress and forge an alliance with Humanity after travelling with the remnants of the Cabal Empire to the Sol System.

Biography

Fall of Torobatl

"In the square. I've never seen anything like it."

— Taurun warning Caiatl of Umun'arath's ritual

Some time after the Red War and Caiatl ascended to replace Dominus Ghaul as the ruler of the Cabal Empire, Taurun became one of the Princess-Imperial's senior advisors. Taurun witnessed the former Evocate-General Umun'arath performing a gruesome Hive ritual in Torobatl's weaponsmith district's central plaza. She rushed with concern to inform Caiatl, who executed the insane warrior, an act which inadvertently completed the ritual and allowed Xivu Arath, God of War to invade Torobatl. The Cabal's legions were quickly overwhelmed as Hive poured through portals and innumerable warships and war moons joined the invasion. Taurun joined Caiatl and many of her other senior advisors aboard the flagship Eligos Lex V to discuss strategy. Studying a hologram of the battle, Taurun bemoaned that the war moons were too powerful to combat. As the other advisors fell to arguing and casting blame for the state of empire, Caiatl interrupted and declared herself empress before ordering a full evacuation and retreat from their homeworld to the Sol System to retrieve the remnants of the Red Legion. Prior to the evacuation being completed, Taurun convinced Caiatl to install the ornate throne of the Empire's ruler on the bridge of the Eligos Lex V as a reminder to all Cabal of their history and customs to reassure them in uncertain times, especially after being forced to retreat in defiance of tradition.

Arrival in the Sol System

"You'll have to make a gesture for them. A nod to our legacy as conquerors. If they see it as a true, equal negotiation…"
"They'll call it weakness."

— Taurun and Caiatl discuss how to approach humanity while appeasing the other Cabal

As the fleet traveled to the Sol System, Taurun met with Caiatl in her private quarters and informed the Empress that the other advisors wished to know if she had made a decision about what to do when the arrived in the Sol System regarding Humanity. Caiatl stated she had not and invited Taurun to sit with her, causing some discomfort in the councilor due to her adherence to formality. The need to follow a direct order won out, and she awkwardly sat with the Empress, who noted that the Guardians of Humanity had slain Dominus Ghaul and other great foes. Taurun recalled that the Hive god Oryx and the great Worm Xol numbered among those slain, and both agreed that the potential costs of a war against Humanity outweighed the potential gains. The Empress wondered if they needed to make war to secure the loyalty of the Red Legion's survivors. Sensing a possible weakness and hesitancy in Caiatl, Taurun carefully questioned if the Empress did not think they would win. Caiatl noted that they would after a long campaign that would leave them weakened to be finished off by the Hive. The two came to the conclusion that they must negotiate with the Vanguard, but Taurun worried that the other councilors would not like doing so. She suggested that they must find some way to make it clear to them that they were honoring their past as conquerors and not treating Humanity as equals so they would not view Caiatl as weak, with the Empress wearily deciding that she must demand the Guardians kneel to her.

After arriving in the Sol System, the Vanguard refused Caiatl's terms and a small-scale conflict began between the two sides as each sought to avoid open war. Taurun assisted Caiatl in dealing with other powers within the system, including The Spider, a Eliksni criminal who operated a massive smuggling operation out of the Tangled Shore. During the first communication between the two, Taurun made introductions, but was quickly cut off by Caiatl, who noted the scribes could add the formalities to the official record later. Listening to the conversation, Taurun quickly grew infuriated with the Spider's tone and insults. When she attempted to reprimand the arrogant crime lord, Caiatl halted her once more and continued negotiations with him.

After weeks of losses to the Guardians as they interrupted the Rites of Proving that Taurun had suggested as a means to select new members of Caiatl's War Council, Commander Zavala sent a message requesting one final Rite between a chosen champion of the Cabal Empire versus the Vanguard's champion, with the winners dictating the terms of an armistice. Caiatl informed her that they would accept and chose her fleet commander Ignovun as their champion, with the Rite to take place in the Imperial Land Tank Halphas Electus on Nessus. Taurun noted it was her duty to warn her that not all of the Cabal would approve of this decision, and carefully warned that some of the commanders believed that they would win the conflict and that by leaving it up to a single Rite they would be denied the chance to win honor. The Empress dismissed those commanders as vain fools who would sacrifice needed strength against Xivu Arath against a foe they did not need to fight. Although she agreed with Caital, Taurun respectfully noted it seemed as though the Empress valued conclusion over victory. She had to swiftly take a nervous step backward as the Empress raised her tusks and angrily declared that in this case, tradition was more important than victory and that they would win or lose the Rite as Cabal.

Alliance with humanity

"A voluntary prisoner. This smells of Hive trickery."
"It does, my empress. However, Mara Sov is powerful, and no stranger to subterfuge. It's fair to assume that she has a plan in place."
"So does Savathûn."

— Caiatl and Taurun discuss Savathûn's presence in the Dreaming City

Several months after the armistice was established with humanity, Lord Saladin Forge came to the Cabal on behalf of the Vanguard with the news that the Hive goddess Savathûn, the Witch Queen was in the Dreaming City, the capital of the Awoken species. The Cabal had already suspected this and were considering an invasion to kill her. Taurun brought this news to Caiatl, who was ruminating on what a waste it would be to destroy the Dreaming City. Taurun suggested it might be necessary and informed the Empress of Savathûn's presence there, causing the Empress to question if the Hive leader was a captive. Noting that there seemed to be a hint of hopefulness to the Empress's voice, Taurun reported that it was unclear and their agents reported the Witch Queen was confined, but that the Psions believed she submitted voluntarily to capture to avoid her sister Xivu Arath. Both agreed that this was likely a trick on Savathûn's part although Taurun suggested that the Awoken Queen Mara Sov was also powerful and cunning and likely had a plan to counter her. Her Empress worried that Savathûn had accounted for that as well, and Taurun watched in silence as Caiatl weighed their options. Upon seeing the weight of the decision lift from the Empress's face, Taurun was ordered to give Lord Saladin a message to take back to Zavala.

Personality and traits

"The connection is made. Let the imperial record show that, on this day, the great Empress Caiatl, ascendant of Calus, slayer of Umun'arath, convened via radio message with the Spider of the Tangled Shore, formerly of the House of—"
"Enough, Taurun. The scribes can add whatever flourishes they wish after the fact."

— Taurun's formality often clashed with Empress Caiatl's bluntness

A strict believer in formality and tradition, Taurun even hesitated to sit with Empress Caiatl in non-formal situations. She was a thoughtful individual who often paused in conversation to carefully consider her words, particularly with Caiatl. Taurun faithfully served the Empress, helping her figure out how to placate the more war hungry members of the Imperial Cabal when seeking to negotiate with Humanity. She was very attentive to the moods of her Empress and would alter her body language when needed, such as lowering her brow in deference when Caiatl was frustrated or angry.

List of appearances

• Destiny 2
  • Season of the Chosen (First mentioned)
  • Season of the Lost (Mentioned only)