Felwinter

Felwinter
Biographical information
Other name(s):	Darkhorse of Iron
Species:	Exo
Gender:	Male
Political and military information
Affiliation:	Guardians Iron Lords Warlords (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 Protocol

During the Golden Age, the Warmind Rasputin executed a protocol designated SIDDARTHA GOLEM for the purpose of gathering information. Under this protocol, an Exo - 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 after failing to defeat the cause of the Collapse, the Exo's remains were abandoned for generations.

Reactivation

During the Dark Age, the SIDDARTHA GOLEM Exo was revived as a Risen by a Ghost. Initially distrustful of the small drone, he ignored its urging to move to safety until the building they were in came under attack. With no options, he followed the Ghost, who gave him the name "Felwinter" since he had forgotten his original name. Strangely, Felwinter and his Ghost, which he later named Felspring, not only had to deal with hostile aliens, but assault frames and Warsats sent after them for reasons they don'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. Tired of 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, but the Exo was undeterred, took Castor out, and claimed the mountain.

Rise of the Iron Lords

"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

Felwinter roamed his lands from the Aral Seas to Citan's Ridge, searching for insight into why Rasputin was after him. He also spent time attempting to communicate with the Warmind, although the entity never answered. He also learned of the existence of SIVA. While patrolling in the Mothyards, Felwinter encountered the Iron Lord Timur. Rather than fight, Felwinter informed him of the existence of SIVA and joined the Iron Lords, donating his stronghold on Felwinter Peak to serve as their headquarters. After the Iron Lords arrived, Felwinter removed his throne from the stronghold 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.

At some point after he had joined the Iron Lords, a man named Wu Ming, another Risen, 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.

Unlike the others though, Felwinter was more brutal towards his enemies, not having their willingness to show mercy, but not completely merciless. 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.

Eventually, Felwinter and the Iron Lords helped establish the Last 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.

The Hunt for SIVA

Eventually the Lords ended the reign of the Warlords and established peace in the world. Seeking to restore civilization, the now great organization of the Lords of Iron sought out SIVA, with Timur at the helm. Felwinter would occasionally travel with him in his search for leads. When the search bore fruit, Felwinter was one of the many Iron Lords who went into the what would later be named the Plaguelands. When Rasputin's presence was made known, Felwinter attempted to communicate their peaceful intent to Rasputin but was rebuffed by him using all his defenses to deter the Iron Lords. Of all that went in, Felwinter was one of the eight to meet their end in the SIVA replication chamber, containing SIVA at the cost of their lives.

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. The lore tab for Winter's Guile, heavily implied to belong to him, reveals that Felwinter was not his real name, but an alias given to him by his Ghost.

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)
  • Season of Dawn (Mentioned only)
  • Season of the Worthy (Mentioned only)