Spoilers — Please keep the spoiler policy in mind while editing the wiki.

Citations — Please cite your sources when adding information to the wiki! Use our handy guide for assistance.

The Dread

From Destinypedia, the Destiny wiki

"I don't have time to explain why I don't have time to explain."
This article has new content coming soon from Episode: Heresy and may not be complete, confirmed, or correct. Please update it as soon as any relevant and accurate material is available. Editors must cite sources for all contributions to this article. Edits that do not follow this standard will be reverted without notice. For more information, see the Citation policy.
Dread
Dread Press Kit Art.jpg
Overview

Domain(s):

Earth
Neptune
The Pale Heart

Leadership:

The Witness
Disciples of the Witness
Yirix

At war with:

The Coalition
Lucent Brood
House of Salvation (partially)

Allied with:

Shadow Legion
Xivu Arath's Horde
Taken
House of Salvation (partially)
Sol Divisive
Scorn
Psion Conclave
Revenant Scorn
Dire Taken

 

"Agents of the Black Fleet. Nezarec, Rhulk, even Calus — they were just the beginning."
— Mara Sov.

The Dread[1] are an army of Darkness-wielding entities created by the Witness.

Overview

"It works in broad strokes first. Cuts away the excess. Peels back the integument and lays bare the shivering, raw meat of it. In it, the Witness sees a glimpse of the sculpture trapped inside, waiting to be freed by its hand. One assistant places the pins; another wipes away the effluvia.

-|A form to teach our enemy fear. A shadow they will dread.|-

(...)It refines the form, tearing wings of muscle away from bone, carving down, down, until exposed marrow steams in the cold air. Its tempo increases, its motions grow sharper, until it is slashing wildly at its canvas. Its assistants tremble. They do not see that its expression is frozen in absolute serenity. It is as calm and clear-eyed as it has ever been, discarding yards of still-living tripe to reveal…

-|Perfection.|-
"
Mataiodoxía

The Dread consist of beings reshaped by the Witness into their "perfected" form, with its Disciples serving as a genetic blueprint for some Dread units, and remnants of other subjugated species transfigured into its army using stolen Light from the Traveler.[2][3] When killed, coiled, branching tendrils of Darkness burst from their bodies, much as observed with the Witness and its Disciples upon their defeat.

History

Invasion of Neomuna

The Dread would first be encountered during the Invasion of Neptune, when Tormentors were seen to be serving among the ranks of the Shadow Legion, led by the newly appointed Disciple, Emperor Calus. When the Guardian infiltrated the Cabal fleet, Kavauust, Reverent of the Witness would appear and briefly taunt the Guardian before teleporting away. Later, Kavauust would confront the Guardian once more and despite its formidable strength and Void-suppressing abilities would be slain in a fierce battle.[4]

When the Guardian infiltrated the Typhon Imperator in an attempt to destroy the Radial Mast, they would deposit Resonant energy and defeat a Tormentor to venture further into the ship.[5] Later when the Guardian was sent to restore power to the CloudArk, two Tormentors would lead their forces to ambush them once they had successfully restored the power. However, thanks to warnings from Nimbus, the Guardian would be aware of their scheme and defeat them before using Strand to evacuate.[6] Later, when the Guardian was sent to stop the Shadow Legion from creating a link using the mast, they would defeat an Imprint of Nezarec to make their way closer to the location of the Radial Mast, which would ultimately be destroyed due to the heroic sacrifice of Rohan.[7]

As the Shadow Legion would begin sending Taken into the Vex Network to breach the CloudArk, Toniq, Imprint of Nezarec would be tasked with guarding the Blight. However, they would meet resistance from a fireteam of Guardians, who would slay them and enter the Vex Network to purge the Taken infestation.[8] Taking matters into his own hands, Calus would lead his forces to assault the Veil Containment site. Upon confronting the Guardian, Calus would bring forth multiple Tormentors to his aid. Despite the immense paracausal power he now possessed, the former Emperor of the Cabal would meet his end with the Guardian. However, the Witness would possess the Guardian's Ghost, and use him to create a link between the Traveler and the Veil. It would then create and enter a portal into the Pale Heart, beginning its plans for the Final Shape.[9]

Over the following year, Tormentors would be encountered many times working alongside various other forces of the Witness, including the Shadow Legion,[10] the Taken,[11] the Hive of Xivu Arath[12] and House Salvation.[13]

Serving the Final Shape

Upon entering the Pale Heart, the Witness first attempted to as the Traveler to willingly give it the Light. But when it refused, the Witness opted to take the Light by force.[14] With it, the Witness would begin to create the Dread. Its first attempt, a Subjugator named Keit'ehr, would be rendered into a catatonic state with the Witness leaving them interred within a grave with the command to later rise forth and prove themselves.[15] Over time, the Witness would perfect the process, creating Subjugators from Tormentors,[16] Husks from Fallen from the House of Salvation,[17] Attendants and Weavers from Psions from the Shadow Legion,[18][19] and Grim from its own dissenting minds within it.[20]

More than a year after the Witness entered the portal, the Guardian and the Vanguard would follow it, encountering the Dread alongside the Witness' other followers.[21] While primarily encountered within the Pale Heart, Dread units were briefly seen on Europa under the command of Korha, the Hollow.[22]

Following the Echoes

This section needs expansion. You can help Destinypedia by expanding it with information from Episode: Revenant and Episode: Heresy.

Following the death of the Witness, the remaining Dread forces would fall under the control of its various followers. One of them, a leader of the Psion Conclave named Yirix, would send an Omen and Tormentor Pledged to her to lead a mission to claim the Echo of Command from the Conductor from deep within Nessus.[23]

Months later, Fikrul, the Fanatic was able to utilise many more Dread forces through the use of his own Echo in his mission to transform living Eliksni into Scorn with its power.[24]

Sundered Doctrine

This section needs expansion. You can help Destinypedia by expanding it with information from the Sundered Doctrine dungeon.

Members

Subjugators
Tormentors
Attendants
Weavers
Mentioned Only

Command structure

Technology

Weaponry

Structures

Trivia

  • The Dread are the first faction to have flying units with wings (Grim), and to have units that use Strand abilities (Weavers and Harbingers).
  • Prior to Episode: Heresy, Dread units used the same symbol as the Shadow Legion.

Gallery

List of appearances

References

  1. ^ Bungie Press Room, Destiny 2: The Final Shape Brings Prismatic Subclass, New Enemy Faction, and More
  2. ^ Bungie (2024/6/4), Destiny 2: The Final Shape - The Ghost: Servants of the Witness! They must be remnants from a conquered species!
  3. ^ Bungie (2024/6/4), Destiny 2: The Final Shape, Temptation | Mara Sov: "The abominations you encountered are of the Witness' making."
  4. ^ Bungie (2023/2/28), Destiny 2: Lightfall - First Contact
  5. ^ Bungie (2023/2/28), Destiny 2: Lightfall - Downfall
  6. ^ Bungie (2023/2/28), Destiny 2: Lightfall - Breakneck
  7. ^ Bungie (2023/2/28), Destiny 2: Lightfall - No Time Left
  8. ^ Bungie (2023/2/28), Destiny 2: Lightfall - HyperNet Current
  9. ^ Bungie (2023/2/28), Destiny 2: Lightfall - Desperate Measures
  10. ^ Bungie (2023/2/28), Destiny 2: Season of Defiance - Mission: Jailbreak
  11. ^ Bungie (2023/8/22), Destiny 2: Season of the Witch - Altars of Summoning
  12. ^ Bungie (2023/5/22), Destiny 2: Season of the Deep - The Whetstone
  13. ^ Bungie (2024/4/9), Destiny 2: Into the Light - Onslaught
  14. ^ Bungie (2025/2/4), Destiny 2: Episode: Heresy - Item Description: Skull/Visage/Mask of the Flain
  15. ^ Bungie (2025/2/4), Destiny 2: Episode: Heresy - Item Description: Carapace/Adornment/Scales of the Flain
  16. ^ Bungie (2025/2/4), Destiny 2: Episode: Heresy - Item Description: Grips/Reach/Grasps of the Flain
  17. ^ Bungie (2025/2/4), Destiny 2: Episode: Heresy - Item Description: Husk's Cloak
  18. ^ Bungie (2025/2/4), Destiny 2: Episode: Heresy - Item Description: Attendant's Mark
  19. ^ Bungie (2025/2/4), Destiny 2: Episode: Heresy - Item Description: Weaver's Bond
  20. ^ Bungie (2025/2/4), Destiny 2: Episode: Heresy - Item Description: Claws/Talons/Hooks of the Flain
  21. ^ Bungie (2024/6/4), Destiny 2: The Final Shape
  22. ^ Bungie (2024/6/4), Destiny 2: The Final Shape - The Hollow, Part II
  23. ^ Bungie (2024/6/4), Destiny 2: Episode: Echoes - Encore
  24. ^ Bungie (2024/10/8), Destiny 2: Episode: Revenant - Onslaught: Salvation
  25. ^ Bungie (2025/2/4), Destiny 2: Episode: Heresy - Item Description: Unvoiced