Author's Note: This is a sequel to Gospel of a New Genesis. I would highly recommend you read...
Destiny 2: Acts of an Old Exodus [Evangelion/Destiny] [Sequel Thread]
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The Prologue, in which someone dies.
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
Author's Note: This is a sequel to Gospel of a New Genesis. I would highly recommend you read that first, or else you'll probably be lost.
xxxx
xxxx
Grimoire: Book - The Governor of Earth
"I - An Introduction"
It's been over twenty years since the Battle of Saturn, where the Second Cataclysm came to an end, and old enemies were no longer so.
Less than two years after the War of Unification, where Umun'arath and her Separatists tried to crush us, yet failed; where bonds between former foes became as iron from the forge.
We Guardians have always aspired to an ideal, to protect something precious. For myself, for the longest time, it was the Last City.
Now, the City is but the First of a new Golden Age, an Age of Triumph. Yet we did not reach this stage alone.
Our long-separated kin of the Reef? Expected allies, I would have said, given that we stem from the same world.
Yet not in my strangest nightmares or wildest dreams would I have looked at the Fallen, and counted them as future comrades.
Nor the Cabal, after the Threefold Invasion, or Ghaul's devastation. Nor the Vex, after the carnage they wrought during the Second Cataclysm, or their cold machinations with Ayanami.
Yet here I stand, in a world far stranger than I would have ever dared to hope for: a world where we stand alongside the Reefborn, the Eliksni, two separate factions of Cabal, and Vex that have been empowered by the Light.
It is also messy, and tense, and complicated. As Lady Katsuragi would often say, life was a lot simpler when it was just us - mankind - against a hostile universe. And indeed it was.
I would not go back to those days for anything. Even with the pain and headaches my position comes with, a mere glance at a City grown beyond its formidable walls is enough to make it all worth it.
I am not foolish or naive enough to believe that there will be no conflict in the future amongst our Sixfold Alliance. We are too different for there not to be, and our shared history comes with too much bitterness for it to be otherwise.
Yet we have come this far in spite of our differences, in spite of our bloody history. Or, perhaps, because of them.
So long as I draw breath, I will protect this new world from whatever may threaten it.
That is my ideal.
-Zavala
xxxx
/~22 ABS (Approximately 22 Years after the Battle of Saturn/
/The Tower of the Consensus, the Reborn City/
"So...mind telling us how it happened?" asked Cayde-7, blue eyes narrowed out of anxiety and undeniable curiosity.
There was a weary sigh from the subject of this wretched meeting. "Well, it's why I'm here, isn't it?" said Shin Malphur.
xxxx
/Two Weeks Ago/
/The Fatherworld of the Cabal Empire/
"Shin? Shin?!"
The Light washed over the Hunter, bringing him back to life with a gasp. That was always the hardest part, in his mind; Jaren Ward had never adequately explained the overall intricacies, about how you tended to fade away too quickly for the death to stick, but it was upon rising again that the mind seemed to catch up with the fact that you did die...
"Focus Shin!"
Shin Malphur, the vaunted Gunslinger, slowly looked up at his Ghost, blinking wearily. "Susan...?" He had tracked down a group of Separatists, preparing to attack a diplomatic meeting, and then...there had been a flash, and heat, and then death. "What happened?"
His Ghost, bearing a crimson-colored Frontier Shell, briefly scanned the devastation around them. "Well, judging by the overall energy profile, it was a Javelin Strike."
"...that...that can't be right." It was one of the signature weapons of the Warminds. "Was there a declaration of war?" After everything-?
"I don't think so. I've not received any messages confirming that. Judging by the overall comms chatter I'm picking up, no one saw this coming. Otherwise, the Psion Shield System in the upper atmosphere would have activated."
"Then...why...?" Was it sabotage? Had the MAGI controlling the local Warmind gone rogue? Was it a plot Too many questions and possibilities, not enough concrete answers. Just focus on getting yourself together. Thus did the Gunslinger rise, looking around as the wind kicked up at his dusty clothes and cloak; what had once been a military processing station upon the Cabal's free-roaming homeworld had been reduced to a blasted husk. Everything for miles around had been obliterated. He trudged towards the main complex, trudging past the corpses of the Separatists he had been tailing. "Well...mission accomplished," he muttered, bitterly kicking the leg of one of the Separatist Legionnaires. Its leg crumbled into ash. "Guess they got what they wanted."
"We don't know that yet," cautioned Susan. "We can't afford to jump to conclusions."
"Pissed and ornery after getting their tails whipped, without the decency to handle defeat and let bygones be bygones." He was simply venting now; little wonder, given the VIPs that had been using this processing station for an important meeting. He walked past the dead security detail, and gazed upon the bodies of the representatives from the Cabal Empire and the Reef. He didn't know why they had been having this meeting to begin with, but the fact that it was occurring at all had been enough to catch his attention as a possible Separatist target.
Little wonder, given that the leading rep from the Reef was none other than Prince Uldren Sov.
A Prince who was now very very dead. Burnt to a crisp, more like. "...well. Shit."
"That's putting it mildly." Susan gazed at the clear horizon, muttering to herself as various vessels of Cabal make began making their way to their general location. "We're about to have company."
"Think they'll shoot first and ask questions later?"
"Let's not tempt our former enemies, please."
Fortunately, it seemed they had a brief stretch of good luck; for running towards them from the direction of Torobatl, the Imperial capital of the Cabal homeworld, was a red Giant, moving with far more grace and agility than anything that size had any business doing. "...the hell is Unit-02 doing here?" For an Evangelion to be on the Fatherworld would mean that its Pilot had to be here as well. Why would the Crimson Exo be here-?
Susan interrupted his thoughts. "Don't you remember? The Fourfold Classic Tournament was having a bunch of matches held today. She was there to serve as the...guest motivational speaker, on behalf of the Eliksni competing today. I think I can find a video on the solarnet if you'd like."
"You know I don't much keep up with that stuff." Not anymore, at least. Not since Palamon. "Well, at least we'll have an eighty-meter meat shield if the shooting starts."
"You know, if Jaren were still alive, he'd give you a knuckle sandwich for jinxing us."
"Yeah, well he ain't here." Hard to be anywhere but six feet under, when you were permanently dead.
The four-eyed Evangelion slowed about a kilometer away, going from a run to a measured stride; with poise and control, the titanic Giant knelt down, allowing the voice of Asuka-3 to echo out of its external speakers. "...why in the world are you here?" No nonsense, straight to the point.
"Was chasing a rumor. Tracked down some Seps to this installation...and then apparently got blasted by a Warmind." He pointed towards the corpse of the Awoken Prince. "Uldren didn't come off as well. Neither did anyone else for that matter."
Asuka-3's response was fitting. "...well. Scheiße."
Yeah, that about summed it up.
xxxx
"Okay, time out."
Shin Malphur blinked at the interruption. "What is it, Cayde?"
The Hunter Vanguard huffed, gesturing at the other members of the Consensus gathered at the circular table. "I kinda get that you're trying to do a proper Hunter story and all, but we were kinda hoping for you to actually start a little further back."
"We've already established that the MAGI MELCHIOR initiated an attack on the Fatherworld, though we've yet to ascertain why," said Ikora Rey, the Warlock Vanguard. She rubbed the dark skin on the bridge of her nose, adding, "The point of this debriefing is to try and obtain additional information about the events prior."
"The future has been somewhat...murky, as of late," remarked Lakshmi-2, a horned Exo bearing the scarlet, white, yellow, and ultramarine colors of the Future War Cult. "We must understand the immediate past if we are to gain answers."
"And let's be quick about it," grumbled Suraya Hawthorne, Representative of the Concordat. Her face - indicating a Persian heritage, with a fair complexion - was narrowed down into a fierce scowl. "I've got a bunch of people to try and reassure, because they're thinking we might be headed for another war. I'd rather not have communities living beyond the City's borders take matters into their own hands." After all, the Cabal Empire still maintained a sizable military regiment on Earth, years after the Second Cataclysm had concluded; it wouldn't do them any good to have some hothead make a scene.
"Patience," cautioned a gray-skinned Awoken with dark hair and red eyes, clad in dark clothes with his Faction's symbol - an upside-down white triangle with seven eyes - embroidered over his chest. "Let's not intimidate Mr. Malphur before he can finish his story," said Kaworu Nagisa, Representative of Seele.
Hawthorne huffed. "I'm sure he's seen scarier things than a mortal woman."
"Ha!" barked the Titan Vanguard, bearing a distinctive color scheme of white and orange, with brown fur over his pauldrons. A golden horn, evoking the image of a bull, curved out of his helmet's right side; the left one was missing. Embedded into his breastplate was a bronze token that seemed to burn with an inner fire, bearing the distinctive sigils of the Iron Lords. "After the shots I've seen you make? You sell yourself short, Suraya!" boasted Lord Shaxx, the Vanguard Commander.
There was the clearing of a man's throat, cutting through all of the chatter. "Focus." At the other end of the table, an Awoken man - bald, clad in sim, silvery armor with a design that seemed a compromise between the wishes of a warrior and the practical demands that came with being head of state - leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands. "Start with what brought you to the Fatherworld to begin with," said Lord Zavala, Governor of Earth.
"...all right then," said the Gunslinger, inhaling deeply. "It all started with a helpful tip..."
xxxx
Long ago, the discovery of the Traveler changed mankind forever. But our Golden Age was cut short, by the First Cataclysm, and the Collapse that followed.
Yet, through the Dark Age that came after, humanity managed to get back on its feet. Throughout the City Age, we endured against threats without and within, even as the Darkness seemed ready to swallow us whole.
The Fallen. The Vex. The Cabal. The Hive. The Nine. The Taken. And more.
So many forces, that it once seemed impossible that we would ever see a night sky without the threat of extinction hanging over our heads.
During the Second Cataclysm, our doom seemed assured.
Then, at the Battle of Saturn, all of destiny turned; Dominus Ghaul was vanquished; Oryx, the Taken King, was felled; and Rei Ayanami's apocalyptic machinations were thwarted.
A humble Guardian named Shinji Ikari, armed with Evangelion Unit-01, performed a great sacrifice, bringing that war to an end. Some say that he is still fighting for our sake in the far reaches of space.
But for those left behind, they had to pick up the pieces, and live on.
For every step forward we make, the memories and hatreds of times past still threaten to rear their ugly heads.
This is the story of a Past that has yet to have its say.
We shall see what Future it will entail.
D E S T I N Y
2
ACTS OF AN OLD EXODUS
The Sequel to an Evangelion/Destiny Fusion
Yet, through the Dark Age that came after, humanity managed to get back on its feet. Throughout the City Age, we endured against threats without and within, even as the Darkness seemed ready to swallow us whole.
The Fallen. The Vex. The Cabal. The Hive. The Nine. The Taken. And more.
So many forces, that it once seemed impossible that we would ever see a night sky without the threat of extinction hanging over our heads.
During the Second Cataclysm, our doom seemed assured.
Then, at the Battle of Saturn, all of destiny turned; Dominus Ghaul was vanquished; Oryx, the Taken King, was felled; and Rei Ayanami's apocalyptic machinations were thwarted.
A humble Guardian named Shinji Ikari, armed with Evangelion Unit-01, performed a great sacrifice, bringing that war to an end. Some say that he is still fighting for our sake in the far reaches of space.
But for those left behind, they had to pick up the pieces, and live on.
For every step forward we make, the memories and hatreds of times past still threaten to rear their ugly heads.
This is the story of a Past that has yet to have its say.
We shall see what Future it will entail.
D E S T I N Y
2
ACTS OF AN OLD EXODUS
The Sequel to an Evangelion/Destiny Fusion
xxxx
Author's Note: Here it is. If you're confused, than that means you didn't read Gospel of a New Genesis first. This world is...quite different from canon (Destiny and Evangelion), at this point (as you already can tell).
And what better way to demonstrate than by plunging feet first into the brink?
Now, that being said, for older readers: the overall pace of this story will be much slower than GONG was, due to my desire to have a tighter plot overall. I will strive to at least have an update everyone one to two weeks.
For newer readers, I will be providing brief snippets as we move forward (on top of the Grimoire we normally get to flesh out the world), to sort of summarize the overall major characters so that we can have a reference point of where the 'canon' characters are relative to how they've developed throughout GONG to the start of AOE.
Let's do this.
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StatelessGem
Bane of the Iron Lords
MY BODY IS READY!
- Location
- USA
I said it when you started theepilogue, I'll say it again, LET THE GAMES RESUME.
Cayde's Guide to the Galaxy: Preface
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
As I thought about how to best accomplish the above, an idea came to me...
xxxx
Grimoire: Book - Cayde's Guide to the Galaxy
"Preface"
I will start by saying that I have no idea how Buck got me into this one. If anyone asks, I plead the Fifth...damn it, that's another catchphrase I'll need to research. I don't have the time!
But all joking aside, there are a lot of responsibilities that come with being on the Vanguard. And I do mean a lot. Too much, in my most humble of opinions. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and all that...gah! That's another one! And who the hell is Jack?!
And yes, I am actually writing down my pauses and random outbursts. It's called a stream of consciousness. It fits the overall theme of this little work.
Namely, helping you. That's right, the one who actually decided to pick up this book and read it. Probably because you saw my name on the cover and thought, there's a paragon of wisdom, what better way to spend my downtime? I'm flattered, but the truth is, there's a lot of new Guardians out there. You'd think the Ghosts would have found them all by now, but time has a weird way of working when it comes to us. Early on, almost all of them ended up choosing people they knew from before the Collapse, what with being human souls stuck in tiny little drones. Well, for the most part; I have no idea how to explain Katsuragi's Ghost.
And honestly, I don't want to, because one of the great parts of life is the mystery: it makes you think, entices you. If everything were explainable, everything would be...well, boring. There'd be no new horizon to seek, no new adventure to go on, no reason to wake up and do the same thing over and over and over again, if there wasn't something more meaningful to make it all worth it.
...that was unexpectedly deep. My apologies, let's backtrack.
Bottom line: you newbies make for some prime entertainment material. But there are certain things that are helpful to know, in this strange little universe of ours. And ol' Cayde-7 is here to shoot you straight.
Figuratively speaking, that is. I don't think they'll sell a book that's actually capable of shooting the reader. That'd make for kind of a neat little trap though, wouldn't it? Food for thought later...ah pickles. There's another one. How does that one even make sense? What kind of food would thoughts even eat?
Shut up Buck, I wasn't asking you.
And if the person reading this is actually named Buck, then don't worry, I'm not talking about you. Unless you're my Ghost, reading a copy for some reason. In which case I'm totally talking about you, you punk.
...I'm going to stop sidetracking myself. Let's begin, shall we?
xxxx
...and this is what I came up with.
/happy new year
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Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
I apparently have a thing for snarky dialogue (glances at any Gendo I've ever written), and Cayde is pretty much Snark Central when he's not being daring.
/or adorkable
//or manfully emotional
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Cayde's Guide to the Galaxy: The Traveler
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
Grimoire: Book - Cayde's Guide to the Galaxy
"The Traveler"
So, first of all, big question is: given how big our universe is, why in the world is our little Solar System so gosh-darn interesting? I mean, not only does it have us, but it's got time-traveling robots, various aliens, and even people with technicolor skin. And robots that can't time-travel. Which is probably a good thing, because man, the stuff I'd be able to do...but seriously, why?
Why, you ask? Well, it might have something to do with the big white ball you might have heard of by now called the Traveler. It's kind of a big deal.
Who made it? Nobody knows. Variks - he's a cool guy, we'll get to him later - once said that the Traveler actually doesn't remember how it got its start, only that it's been around for a long time. Maybe since the beginning of the universe. Maybe even forever. But that's not the important thing. More importantly, why is it here?
Well, there's a reason it's called the Traveler: it travels from place to place, gifting various species and civilizations the power to wield the Light. That's the stuff that allows you to resurrect after a headshot, a Sparrow accident, or an eating contest gone horribly wrong, by the way. And that's kind of been its gig. Now, for some reason, there's some metaphysical-slash-paracausal-slash-something force called the Darkness - original, I know, but I'm not the one in charge of naming things - that's got a bit of a bone to pick with the Traveler. Wherever it sets up shop, the Darkness inevitably comes after it, breaking its stuff. And by stuff, I mean the countless peoples that the Traveler decided to give a hand to during its long cosmic voyage. Kind of a jerk thing to do, if you ask me; it's like the really annoying sibling that sees his brother making something out of Legos, something cool, and decides to go ahead and break it just because.
Why no Buck, I'm not being bitter. I've matured since those dark and terrible days...oh, you want to play it that way? Fine, Buchanan, but if you call me by my first name one more time, we will have words. Serious and unpleasant words.
Anyhow, eventually, the Traveler must have gotten fed up at one point, because it decided that Earth was gonna be the place where it all went down. The story was a bit more complicated than that, but needless to say, we discovered the Traveler underneath Antarctica in the year 1999, going by the old calendar. And of course, the Traveler started doing its thing: healing the planet, fixing our mistakes, making the other Inner Planets habitable, and generally being a cool dude. So of course, the Darkness has to muck it up in various ways.
On the one hand, you had wish-granting dragons called Ahamkara, which turned out to be the children of a Hive goddess called Nokris. They were a bunch of assholes, and I'm glad they're all dead. On the other hand, you had the Nine, who were a bunch of dicks and a bunch of assholes, who tried to take the power of the Traveler for themselves. I'm glad they're all dead, too. But unfortunately, that whole mess resulted in the MAGI using some cryptic mumbo-jumbo to basically shut down the Traveler for the sake of saving us all. I'm told that the Traveler knew this was going to happen, so I guess that makes it okay? I don't know, I've never had my soul crippled, but I imagine it hurts somethin' fierce.
But if you happen to be a Guardian, that whole chain of events is why your Ghost exists.
So the Traveler was essentially in a centuries-long coma. And in that time, while we tried to pick up the pieces, we got visited by the Hive, who wanted to destroy and maybe eat the Traveler; we got visited by the Eliksni - or the Fallen, as we used to call them - who wanted the Traveler back, and rudely accused us of stealing it from them; we got visited by the Vex, who wanted to study and then do something with the Traveler that involved taking over everything; and we also got visited by the Cabal, who were thankfully more conventional and just wanted the Traveler to make their Empire more powerful. But yeah, a lot of people wanted the Traveler.
Then it woke up, thanks to the MAGI. Still not sure how they pulled that off. But the Traveler apparently saw everything around it - including Oryx's Taken, who are a whole other story - and promptly nope'd out of Earth's atmosphere toward Mercury.
Sure, a lot of people called that a bit of a dick move, but in all honesty, at the time, we were kinda in a bad spot. In all honesty, I think it more than made up for it, what with how it stormed into battle alongside the Eliksni and Unit-01 at the Battle of Saturn, which was something that no one could have seen coming. And if anyone says they saw it coming, they're a filthy liar and should be shunned.
If you ever have time, watch the video pulled from an Awoken Ketch showcasing the Traveler ramming into Oryx's Dreadnaught. And if anyone asks why, it's a small moon ramming into something as big as our Moon. You don't need another reason.
These days, the Traveler is basically chilling on Venus, which has sort of become neutral ground among all the various groups in our ragtag alliance. If you ever get a chance, drop by sometime, just to see it up close. Some people with a strong connection to the Light say that it whispers to them, even now. But to my knowledge, only Variks has actually been inside...if you don't count Shinji Ikari or the Speaker, but we'll get to those two later.
Just promise me that if you do go to visit the Traveler, try to avoid any of the Psion Flayers that have set up shop on Venus. Not that there's anything wrong with em' (depending on what faction they ended up with, of course), but they can spot an easy mark from a mile away. Oh they'll come up, talk about conducting an experiment with the Light, provide you some innocuous and official-looking waivers, and then bam, you'll find yourself running on a treadmill powered by your own Arc energy for hours.
Friggin' Kargen.
Long story short: the Traveler's all right. And it doesn't look like it's going anywhere anytime soon.
"The Traveler"
So, first of all, big question is: given how big our universe is, why in the world is our little Solar System so gosh-darn interesting? I mean, not only does it have us, but it's got time-traveling robots, various aliens, and even people with technicolor skin. And robots that can't time-travel. Which is probably a good thing, because man, the stuff I'd be able to do...but seriously, why?
Why, you ask? Well, it might have something to do with the big white ball you might have heard of by now called the Traveler. It's kind of a big deal.
Who made it? Nobody knows. Variks - he's a cool guy, we'll get to him later - once said that the Traveler actually doesn't remember how it got its start, only that it's been around for a long time. Maybe since the beginning of the universe. Maybe even forever. But that's not the important thing. More importantly, why is it here?
Well, there's a reason it's called the Traveler: it travels from place to place, gifting various species and civilizations the power to wield the Light. That's the stuff that allows you to resurrect after a headshot, a Sparrow accident, or an eating contest gone horribly wrong, by the way. And that's kind of been its gig. Now, for some reason, there's some metaphysical-slash-paracausal-slash-something force called the Darkness - original, I know, but I'm not the one in charge of naming things - that's got a bit of a bone to pick with the Traveler. Wherever it sets up shop, the Darkness inevitably comes after it, breaking its stuff. And by stuff, I mean the countless peoples that the Traveler decided to give a hand to during its long cosmic voyage. Kind of a jerk thing to do, if you ask me; it's like the really annoying sibling that sees his brother making something out of Legos, something cool, and decides to go ahead and break it just because.
Why no Buck, I'm not being bitter. I've matured since those dark and terrible days...oh, you want to play it that way? Fine, Buchanan, but if you call me by my first name one more time, we will have words. Serious and unpleasant words.
Anyhow, eventually, the Traveler must have gotten fed up at one point, because it decided that Earth was gonna be the place where it all went down. The story was a bit more complicated than that, but needless to say, we discovered the Traveler underneath Antarctica in the year 1999, going by the old calendar. And of course, the Traveler started doing its thing: healing the planet, fixing our mistakes, making the other Inner Planets habitable, and generally being a cool dude. So of course, the Darkness has to muck it up in various ways.
On the one hand, you had wish-granting dragons called Ahamkara, which turned out to be the children of a Hive goddess called Nokris. They were a bunch of assholes, and I'm glad they're all dead. On the other hand, you had the Nine, who were a bunch of dicks and a bunch of assholes, who tried to take the power of the Traveler for themselves. I'm glad they're all dead, too. But unfortunately, that whole mess resulted in the MAGI using some cryptic mumbo-jumbo to basically shut down the Traveler for the sake of saving us all. I'm told that the Traveler knew this was going to happen, so I guess that makes it okay? I don't know, I've never had my soul crippled, but I imagine it hurts somethin' fierce.
But if you happen to be a Guardian, that whole chain of events is why your Ghost exists.
So the Traveler was essentially in a centuries-long coma. And in that time, while we tried to pick up the pieces, we got visited by the Hive, who wanted to destroy and maybe eat the Traveler; we got visited by the Eliksni - or the Fallen, as we used to call them - who wanted the Traveler back, and rudely accused us of stealing it from them; we got visited by the Vex, who wanted to study and then do something with the Traveler that involved taking over everything; and we also got visited by the Cabal, who were thankfully more conventional and just wanted the Traveler to make their Empire more powerful. But yeah, a lot of people wanted the Traveler.
Then it woke up, thanks to the MAGI. Still not sure how they pulled that off. But the Traveler apparently saw everything around it - including Oryx's Taken, who are a whole other story - and promptly nope'd out of Earth's atmosphere toward Mercury.
Sure, a lot of people called that a bit of a dick move, but in all honesty, at the time, we were kinda in a bad spot. In all honesty, I think it more than made up for it, what with how it stormed into battle alongside the Eliksni and Unit-01 at the Battle of Saturn, which was something that no one could have seen coming. And if anyone says they saw it coming, they're a filthy liar and should be shunned.
If you ever have time, watch the video pulled from an Awoken Ketch showcasing the Traveler ramming into Oryx's Dreadnaught. And if anyone asks why, it's a small moon ramming into something as big as our Moon. You don't need another reason.
These days, the Traveler is basically chilling on Venus, which has sort of become neutral ground among all the various groups in our ragtag alliance. If you ever get a chance, drop by sometime, just to see it up close. Some people with a strong connection to the Light say that it whispers to them, even now. But to my knowledge, only Variks has actually been inside...if you don't count Shinji Ikari or the Speaker, but we'll get to those two later.
Just promise me that if you do go to visit the Traveler, try to avoid any of the Psion Flayers that have set up shop on Venus. Not that there's anything wrong with em' (depending on what faction they ended up with, of course), but they can spot an easy mark from a mile away. Oh they'll come up, talk about conducting an experiment with the Light, provide you some innocuous and official-looking waivers, and then bam, you'll find yourself running on a treadmill powered by your own Arc energy for hours.
Friggin' Kargen.
Long story short: the Traveler's all right. And it doesn't look like it's going anywhere anytime soon.
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Timerider
That guy who really should get out more.
- Location
- The End of the World.
- Location
- Norfolk, England
Guess he did end up teaching Cayde a thing or two. In a roundabout way.
The Prologue II, in which Shin does a lot of talking.
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
Shin Malphur began to speak.
"I've been in a real bad place since the War of Unification...since the Stomp. If I could control an Evangelion myself, I would've unleashed hell for what they did to Palamon. Were it not for my Ghost...well, I'm sure you've seen plenty of Guardians in your time who've gone overboard, who've lost themselves. The Shadows of Yor come to mind...though Vale came back to himself by the end, at least. Point is, I've made no secret about my enmity for the Separatists. I know it's not something you like, and I get that. Vanguard has a purpose and an image of its own, and it's a good one. But that gray in-between is a place for renegades and lone wolves.
"Besides, the Empress and her father appreciate me. They hate the Seps even more than I do.
"See, ever since the War ended, the Cabal Empire under Caiatl and the Loyalists under Calus have been trying to hash things out. They both have quite a bit of ego between them, and with Umun'arath dead, the issue regarding the Cabal's extended territory throughout the galaxy is an open question in terms of management. They both want it to be all under their own thumb, but they also know they can't just blast their way to victory like usual. Or Caital, at least. Calus was smart, like that; his Champions include members of every single faction within this grand Alliance of ours, so he's got an in with everyone. However, Caiatl has the advantage in terms of manpower, so he can't simply ignore her, either. It's been real strange, seeing two Cabal factions trying to be...reasonably diplomatic.
"And of course, the Separatists that survived the war, that went to ground instead of surrendering or fleeing for the Frontier? They would love the opportunity to muck things up between the two. That's what really gets me about them; they took their shot. It was a hell of a shot, too; yet a shot it was, and it wasn't enough to take us down. Instead of accepting their defeat, instead of trying to make the best of things, they've settled for trying to make the whole system burn. It's petty.
"So if I've volunteered to take care of any lingering Separatists, neither the Empire nor the Loyalists will complain. And to be honest, I don't think you care either.
"I get your concerns. Truly. There's been too many legends of heroes lost to unpleasant pursuits, who've fallen to a murky path. It's not one I tread lightly. But even though I've not been a Guardian for as long as anyone else in this room, even if my 'rise' was a bit...unorthodox..."
"That's putting it mildly," muttered Cayde-7.
Shin ignored him. "...even in spite of all that, I've come to the conclusion that some beasts don't need to be indulged or entertained or locked away; they just need to be killed, for the good of everyone else. I doubt Jaren would have disagreed."
"There were some who had their own disagreements with the way Jaren Ward behaved in his later years, but that's neither here nor there," reminded Governor Zavala. "Please, continue: what transpired to get you on the Fatherworld that day?"
"Well, I'd been trying to track down a Centurion by the name of Kuskan. Former Red Legion, outstanding bounty on his head, wanted for sabotage. Surprisingly slippery, for a Cabal. So I decided to see if the Pax had any information for me."
xxxx
A few weeks ago, within Old Nevada, in what had once been the North American Anomalous Zone, Shin Malphur found himself visiting the site of what used to be the Black Garden.
Now, it was the homeland - if such a thing even applied to machines like the Vex - of the machine collective governed by Panoptes, formerly known as the Infinite Mind. After becoming empowered by the Light in the years following the Second Cataclysm, the Axis Mind had been more...personable, so to speak, taking on the demeanor of a nervous little girl.
It was downright bizarre and disarming, but it certainly did the trick. Her aid had been very timely during the War of Unification; by the end of it, Panoptes and her subunit had officially adopted the moniker of the Pax, to differentiate themselves from their former brethren that had long since abandoned the Solar System in the wake of the Second Cataclysm...and when it came to information, their manner of looking at the universe was very useful.
"Given the parameters you have provided, our simulations place Kuskan's most likely position to be within a thirty-kilometer radius of Torobatl," helpfully explained a Light-empowered Goblin, its tool interfacing with the glowing lines of a conflux. "Additional data will be required for greater precision."
"That's enough for me. Thank you."
"Please be sure to support the Pax in our upcoming Crucible debut. We intend to-"
Shin Malphur had already left.
xxxx
"After sending out a couple of feelers through Owl Sector and your Hidden..." Ikora Rey briefly scowled, which Shin ignored. "...I realized why Torobatl got so much weight in those simulations. Apparently, they'd somehow caught wind that the Reef and the Empire were going to settle certain matters regarding the Psion Rebellion."
"I've been in a real bad place since the War of Unification...since the Stomp. If I could control an Evangelion myself, I would've unleashed hell for what they did to Palamon. Were it not for my Ghost...well, I'm sure you've seen plenty of Guardians in your time who've gone overboard, who've lost themselves. The Shadows of Yor come to mind...though Vale came back to himself by the end, at least. Point is, I've made no secret about my enmity for the Separatists. I know it's not something you like, and I get that. Vanguard has a purpose and an image of its own, and it's a good one. But that gray in-between is a place for renegades and lone wolves.
"Besides, the Empress and her father appreciate me. They hate the Seps even more than I do.
"See, ever since the War ended, the Cabal Empire under Caiatl and the Loyalists under Calus have been trying to hash things out. They both have quite a bit of ego between them, and with Umun'arath dead, the issue regarding the Cabal's extended territory throughout the galaxy is an open question in terms of management. They both want it to be all under their own thumb, but they also know they can't just blast their way to victory like usual. Or Caital, at least. Calus was smart, like that; his Champions include members of every single faction within this grand Alliance of ours, so he's got an in with everyone. However, Caiatl has the advantage in terms of manpower, so he can't simply ignore her, either. It's been real strange, seeing two Cabal factions trying to be...reasonably diplomatic.
"And of course, the Separatists that survived the war, that went to ground instead of surrendering or fleeing for the Frontier? They would love the opportunity to muck things up between the two. That's what really gets me about them; they took their shot. It was a hell of a shot, too; yet a shot it was, and it wasn't enough to take us down. Instead of accepting their defeat, instead of trying to make the best of things, they've settled for trying to make the whole system burn. It's petty.
"So if I've volunteered to take care of any lingering Separatists, neither the Empire nor the Loyalists will complain. And to be honest, I don't think you care either.
"I get your concerns. Truly. There's been too many legends of heroes lost to unpleasant pursuits, who've fallen to a murky path. It's not one I tread lightly. But even though I've not been a Guardian for as long as anyone else in this room, even if my 'rise' was a bit...unorthodox..."
"That's putting it mildly," muttered Cayde-7.
Shin ignored him. "...even in spite of all that, I've come to the conclusion that some beasts don't need to be indulged or entertained or locked away; they just need to be killed, for the good of everyone else. I doubt Jaren would have disagreed."
"There were some who had their own disagreements with the way Jaren Ward behaved in his later years, but that's neither here nor there," reminded Governor Zavala. "Please, continue: what transpired to get you on the Fatherworld that day?"
"Well, I'd been trying to track down a Centurion by the name of Kuskan. Former Red Legion, outstanding bounty on his head, wanted for sabotage. Surprisingly slippery, for a Cabal. So I decided to see if the Pax had any information for me."
xxxx
A few weeks ago, within Old Nevada, in what had once been the North American Anomalous Zone, Shin Malphur found himself visiting the site of what used to be the Black Garden.
Now, it was the homeland - if such a thing even applied to machines like the Vex - of the machine collective governed by Panoptes, formerly known as the Infinite Mind. After becoming empowered by the Light in the years following the Second Cataclysm, the Axis Mind had been more...personable, so to speak, taking on the demeanor of a nervous little girl.
It was downright bizarre and disarming, but it certainly did the trick. Her aid had been very timely during the War of Unification; by the end of it, Panoptes and her subunit had officially adopted the moniker of the Pax, to differentiate themselves from their former brethren that had long since abandoned the Solar System in the wake of the Second Cataclysm...and when it came to information, their manner of looking at the universe was very useful.
"Given the parameters you have provided, our simulations place Kuskan's most likely position to be within a thirty-kilometer radius of Torobatl," helpfully explained a Light-empowered Goblin, its tool interfacing with the glowing lines of a conflux. "Additional data will be required for greater precision."
"That's enough for me. Thank you."
"Please be sure to support the Pax in our upcoming Crucible debut. We intend to-"
Shin Malphur had already left.
xxxx
"After sending out a couple of feelers through Owl Sector and your Hidden..." Ikora Rey briefly scowled, which Shin ignored. "...I realized why Torobatl got so much weight in those simulations. Apparently, they'd somehow caught wind that the Reef and the Empire were going to settle certain matters regarding the Psion Rebellion."
Timerider
That guy who really should get out more.
- Location
- The End of the World.
In the Age of Triumph bits in the last tread, mention was made of a small group of troublemakers (including an old-school Eliksni) planing shenanigans that would upset basically everything our heroes had built. I sense puppet strings being pulled in the background here.
- Location
- USA
So no rebuilding of America yet? This saddens my patriotic heart...
But Panoptes chan is cute, so I can wait.
But Panoptes chan is cute, so I can wait.
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
In all honesty, I'm not quite sure if America can be reconstructed to its former glory, given the passage of time and the overall immense change in culture and governance in the centuries since the Collapse. Any vestige of it would likely only manifest if a sufficient number of like-minded nomads converge to form a Fallout or Far Cry-style conclave (especially given that almost all of North America was Vex-ified until the end of the Second Cataclysm, which was less than 25 years ago in-story).
Besides, the overall culture and mythos of the Last City would absolutely overwhelm any sense of 'America' by this point anyway. I imagine that any straight-faced mention of the word 'USA' would only pass the lips of a Cryptarch/historian/curious Warlock these days, much like we would speak of the Roman Empire in our time.
- Location
- USA
I figured there would at least be some push to reclaim the old cities of cultural significance. New York, London, Paris, maybe Rio de Janeiro.
Plus, since the Golden age was only a few decades after the modern day, all the old superpowers would've been fighting the Ahamkara during the first collapse, and that means there are probably quite a few Guardians who are former US Military.
Edit: I do realize that the Last City will be the heart of human government and culture for the foreseeable future. But I doubt hummanity will just let its past fade away like that.
Last edited:
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
Well, just off the top of my head, only the coastlines of the Americas were non-Vexified by the time of GONG's story, and they were dominated by the Fallen of House Iruel (as we saw from certain Grimoire, like Cayde recounting a story from Charleston, SC). As far as New York goes, a bit of a pseudo-flashback in chapter 31 (when Skolas was making his declaration of war) showed that it was classified as the Manhattan Nuclear Zone, "reduced to rubble and atomic fallout" during the First Cataclysm. As for Tokyo, well, we saw plenty of Old Japan in GONG; with the exception of Hokkaido (controlled by House Israfel at the time), all of Old Japan was a mishmash of Hive Seeder Ships, tunnels, and shrines that are still being removed (because that sort of arcane work needs a delicate touch).
By the time the Collapse actually began, the entire world had been reduced to various city-states trying to survive against the Ahamkara and the Taken of the Nine.
Let's also not forget just how catastrophic the Second Cataclysm was, what with the gravitational flux caused by the presence of Xivu Arath's war-moons. Given the volcanic and tectonic activity that occurred as a result, there are some portions of Earth that would literally look unrecognizable to us if mapped out. For example, the Caspian Sea now reaches the border of the City (which is over 150 miles west of the eastern shores of modern-day Azerbaijan; in GONG, I decided that the City was essentially built in the approximate location of the modern-day city of Ganja), due to a broken war-moon falling into its depths and displacing a bunch of water. Were it not for the trenches and moats and holes that Unit-02 had dug immediately following that particular battle, it's very likely that the City would have been flooded.
And then there was the whole War of Unification right afterwards, which included this 'Stomp'. Details to come, but it was not pretty for Europe.
So...Earth is still a bit of a mess.
- Location
- USA
Sounds to me like there's a chance Boston and Philly may have made it then, maybe even DC.
Shame about Europe though, that's a lot of history gone regardless oh what happens. Italy might have survived if 'Stomp' implies what I think it does meaning Rome might still be there and as intact as centuries of neglect and Fallen scavenging could leave it.
Cayde's Guide to the Galaxy: The Cabal
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
Grimoire: Book - Cayde's Guide to the Galaxy
"The Cabal"
Ha! Bet you thought I'd talk about Guardians or Ghosts or the Darkness, since I just mentioned the Traveler. Nope, we're going to talk about the Cabal now. Why? Well, I have no idea if the person reading this is going to read stuff in a "logical" order, rather than going to the stuff that interests them. So I'm thinking, why not do the same? I want to talk about the Cabal, so now we're talking about the Cabal.
So. Who are they?
Well, aside from being gigantic space pachyderms in pressurized power armor, there's quite a bit to tell. See, they just showed up in our Solar System out of the blue following the Collapse, well after the Fallen and the Hive and the Vex had come around. Apparently, they were actually investigating the presence of the Vex, only to get distracted by the Traveler. Which is fair, because the Traveler's very distracting.
Had to do a bit of reading (the horror), but apparently the Cabal had been enemies of the Vex for...a very long time. Like, stupid long, before the Empire was even a thing. The Vex just showed up one day, and started destroying everything. With some daring work by a guy named Acrius, they repelled the Vex with a mythical weapon called the Exalted, gifted to them by their sun, Kalos. I know, sounds crazy, but if it was a sentient star, I could see it happening. Don't know if Kalos actually was sentient, but I'm just saying.
You've probably seen weirder things, let's be honest. I certainly have.
Acrius started the whole Emperor gig, along with the Praetorate that founded the whole system of Legions that the Cabal use to this day. Many Emperors later, a guy by the name of Calus got the job, and he was...very unorthodox, by Cabal standards. We're talking about a guy who waxed about beauty and food and hedonism galore...oh, and he also liked gold. Still does, but we'll get to that later.
Not a hit with the military, but he had a good approval rating with his people, so he felt safe to do a lot of crazy things. I mean, the guy somehow managed to trap their sun inside a series of planet-sized rings that rotate around their homeworld, so it could freely roam the cosmos. Do you know what kind of crazy engineering you need to do in order to pull that off? Dr. Akagi (she'll get her own bit, don't worry) does, and she nearly had another reset once she grasped it! Also, that's the reason why their planet, the Fatherworld, currently shares Mars' orbit.
Let's be honest, when you as a species can technically call your own planet a warship, you've hit the big time.
Unfortunately, given the religious connotations involving Kalos, it...wasn't received that well. That's when a guy by the name of Ghaul came in.
Somehow, he got the Exalted, and used it to overthrow Calus. Crushed him like a grape, I hear. Then he became Emperor (though he also went by Dominus as well, for some reason; maybe he just wanted his own title? I mean, think about it: Dominus Cayde. I bet you just peed yourself right now, out of pure terror!), and decided to really ramp up the militarism, complete with extinction events for his vanquished enemies. Pretty brutal, oddly charismatic for a giant warlord...and yet he idolized the Traveler.
I know, weird, right? See, this Exalted was powered by the Light. Through that, the Cabal learned about the Traveler. And once Ghaul learned that the Traveler was in our system...well, he brought the proverbial cavalry. His homeworld and a bunch of Legions made the warp to our Solar System, which helped kick-start the Second Cataclysm. Now that was a raw deal for us.
But the Cabal ended up getting a rawer deal...man, that's a weird word. "Rawer." I feel like I'm playing at being some kind of big cat. Rawr.
Anyhow...their entire history, their entire mythos involving the Exalted? It was a lie. Total fabrication.
See, the Exalted was actually an Evangelion that got lost during the Collapse; this Evangelion got picked up by the Vex, and they gave it to the Cabal. Why? So the Cabal would then act against someone that, at the time, the Vex considered an even greater threat.
Take a deep breath and think about that. Really think. The history of your whole people going back millennia, the lore wrapped around this mythical weapon that you believed was your savior from a race of rampaging machines...was merely a well-crafted lie, so those same machines could essentially turn you against someone else. All the agency you thought you had as a species, all of the glories you boasted of...were built on something fake.
The Cabal didn't take it well.
After Ghaul got killed during the Battle of Saturn, the whole Empire splintered. Umun'arath, the Primus of All Legions, went about trying to sway the various worlds within the Empire to her side. Calus, who somehow survived being killed, kind of took credit for killing Ghaul (even though Shinji and Unit-01 totally did all the work. Freakin' kill-stealer), which sort of started a weird kind of cult around him. To be fair, if you're basically a free-floating mind living on as a mass of psionic energy that can take over other people, you probably deserve to have your own cult. And of course, you have various Cabal warlords of ignoble status all throughout the galaxy who thought to try and stake their own claim.
This was the mess that Empress Caiatl - Ghaul's wife and Calus's daughter, just to add even more drama - inherited.
All told, I think she did pretty well for herself. She's actually sensible and pragmatic. When faced with the upheaval of her people's entire culture, she decided to narrow down to the essentials of what it means to be Cabal: for them, it's the whole idea of making an oath and keeping it. They were big on that well before the Empire was a thing, so it was a good choice. Granted, it means they have less than favorable views of rebels and renegades of any kind, but you can't win em' all. Calus is still a bit of a thorn in her side, but he's kind of a thorn in everyone's side, if that thorn came with magnificent buffets and a fantastic wardrobe.
Anyhow, bottom line when interacting with the Cabal: they expect you to keep your word, and have no tolerance for lying. So keep your promises, honor your contracts, and tell the truth, and you'll probably be okay when dealing with them. If you're someone who likes tall tales and exaggeration, try to avoid setting up any deals if you're ever subject to their jurisdiction (and not the shared legal code we've somehow managed to haphazardly cobble together; that's another entry all its own), because you can actually be executed if you're caught breaking any kind of oath. Even if it's something as innocuous as overstating at how many points you got in your last Crucible match.
Also, unless you've mastered your A.T. Field (or you're a particularly ballsy Titan), I wouldn't recommend arm wrestling or playing rugby with them.
"The Cabal"
Ha! Bet you thought I'd talk about Guardians or Ghosts or the Darkness, since I just mentioned the Traveler. Nope, we're going to talk about the Cabal now. Why? Well, I have no idea if the person reading this is going to read stuff in a "logical" order, rather than going to the stuff that interests them. So I'm thinking, why not do the same? I want to talk about the Cabal, so now we're talking about the Cabal.
So. Who are they?
Well, aside from being gigantic space pachyderms in pressurized power armor, there's quite a bit to tell. See, they just showed up in our Solar System out of the blue following the Collapse, well after the Fallen and the Hive and the Vex had come around. Apparently, they were actually investigating the presence of the Vex, only to get distracted by the Traveler. Which is fair, because the Traveler's very distracting.
Had to do a bit of reading (the horror), but apparently the Cabal had been enemies of the Vex for...a very long time. Like, stupid long, before the Empire was even a thing. The Vex just showed up one day, and started destroying everything. With some daring work by a guy named Acrius, they repelled the Vex with a mythical weapon called the Exalted, gifted to them by their sun, Kalos. I know, sounds crazy, but if it was a sentient star, I could see it happening. Don't know if Kalos actually was sentient, but I'm just saying.
You've probably seen weirder things, let's be honest. I certainly have.
Acrius started the whole Emperor gig, along with the Praetorate that founded the whole system of Legions that the Cabal use to this day. Many Emperors later, a guy by the name of Calus got the job, and he was...very unorthodox, by Cabal standards. We're talking about a guy who waxed about beauty and food and hedonism galore...oh, and he also liked gold. Still does, but we'll get to that later.
Not a hit with the military, but he had a good approval rating with his people, so he felt safe to do a lot of crazy things. I mean, the guy somehow managed to trap their sun inside a series of planet-sized rings that rotate around their homeworld, so it could freely roam the cosmos. Do you know what kind of crazy engineering you need to do in order to pull that off? Dr. Akagi (she'll get her own bit, don't worry) does, and she nearly had another reset once she grasped it! Also, that's the reason why their planet, the Fatherworld, currently shares Mars' orbit.
Let's be honest, when you as a species can technically call your own planet a warship, you've hit the big time.
Unfortunately, given the religious connotations involving Kalos, it...wasn't received that well. That's when a guy by the name of Ghaul came in.
Somehow, he got the Exalted, and used it to overthrow Calus. Crushed him like a grape, I hear. Then he became Emperor (though he also went by Dominus as well, for some reason; maybe he just wanted his own title? I mean, think about it: Dominus Cayde. I bet you just peed yourself right now, out of pure terror!), and decided to really ramp up the militarism, complete with extinction events for his vanquished enemies. Pretty brutal, oddly charismatic for a giant warlord...and yet he idolized the Traveler.
I know, weird, right? See, this Exalted was powered by the Light. Through that, the Cabal learned about the Traveler. And once Ghaul learned that the Traveler was in our system...well, he brought the proverbial cavalry. His homeworld and a bunch of Legions made the warp to our Solar System, which helped kick-start the Second Cataclysm. Now that was a raw deal for us.
But the Cabal ended up getting a rawer deal...man, that's a weird word. "Rawer." I feel like I'm playing at being some kind of big cat. Rawr.
Anyhow...their entire history, their entire mythos involving the Exalted? It was a lie. Total fabrication.
See, the Exalted was actually an Evangelion that got lost during the Collapse; this Evangelion got picked up by the Vex, and they gave it to the Cabal. Why? So the Cabal would then act against someone that, at the time, the Vex considered an even greater threat.
Take a deep breath and think about that. Really think. The history of your whole people going back millennia, the lore wrapped around this mythical weapon that you believed was your savior from a race of rampaging machines...was merely a well-crafted lie, so those same machines could essentially turn you against someone else. All the agency you thought you had as a species, all of the glories you boasted of...were built on something fake.
The Cabal didn't take it well.
After Ghaul got killed during the Battle of Saturn, the whole Empire splintered. Umun'arath, the Primus of All Legions, went about trying to sway the various worlds within the Empire to her side. Calus, who somehow survived being killed, kind of took credit for killing Ghaul (even though Shinji and Unit-01 totally did all the work. Freakin' kill-stealer), which sort of started a weird kind of cult around him. To be fair, if you're basically a free-floating mind living on as a mass of psionic energy that can take over other people, you probably deserve to have your own cult. And of course, you have various Cabal warlords of ignoble status all throughout the galaxy who thought to try and stake their own claim.
This was the mess that Empress Caiatl - Ghaul's wife and Calus's daughter, just to add even more drama - inherited.
All told, I think she did pretty well for herself. She's actually sensible and pragmatic. When faced with the upheaval of her people's entire culture, she decided to narrow down to the essentials of what it means to be Cabal: for them, it's the whole idea of making an oath and keeping it. They were big on that well before the Empire was a thing, so it was a good choice. Granted, it means they have less than favorable views of rebels and renegades of any kind, but you can't win em' all. Calus is still a bit of a thorn in her side, but he's kind of a thorn in everyone's side, if that thorn came with magnificent buffets and a fantastic wardrobe.
Anyhow, bottom line when interacting with the Cabal: they expect you to keep your word, and have no tolerance for lying. So keep your promises, honor your contracts, and tell the truth, and you'll probably be okay when dealing with them. If you're someone who likes tall tales and exaggeration, try to avoid setting up any deals if you're ever subject to their jurisdiction (and not the shared legal code we've somehow managed to haphazardly cobble together; that's another entry all its own), because you can actually be executed if you're caught breaking any kind of oath. Even if it's something as innocuous as overstating at how many points you got in your last Crucible match.
Also, unless you've mastered your A.T. Field (or you're a particularly ballsy Titan), I wouldn't recommend arm wrestling or playing rugby with them.
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Timerider
That guy who really should get out more.
- Location
- The End of the World.
So basically, Cayde is legally required to keep his mouth shut around the Cabal?
How did they even get him to do that? Hack his vocal processes?
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
To be under their jurisdiction means you're in areas where Cabal law is the only law that holds. In other words, most of the Fatherworld (save for touristy areas), parts of Mars, and any military installation that they solely command.
And there is some gray area; the Cabal recognize that there is such a thing as 'shooting the breeze'. However, if you're trying to do something in a legal capacity and stretch the truth in any form (no matter how small or seemingly lighthearted) to get it accomplished? Well, if you're found out, you can be held liable.
Cayde: Also, I can control myself, thank you for very much. I'm not an idiot.
Random Legionnaire: He's said he's not an idiot! Kill the liar!
Cayde: Oh come on, that stopped being funny ten years ago!
- Location
- USA
So how does that apply to guardians who can rez themselves after death?
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
Well, the execution was handed out, so the crime was technically punished, as the City's rules lawyers pointed out so strenuously when certain Guardians became repeat...'offenders'. After all, it's not like the Ghost is the one who committed the 'crime', so you can't execute them, can you?
The Empire's particular laws dealing with this particular cultural nicety were not crafted to deal with those who could come back from the dead, mind you. However, by this point, trying to get them changed in order make the punishment more permanent would only invite more trouble than it's worth. You could say that Caiatl is relying on the Vanguard to keep their Guardians in check when visiting imperial territory.
Cayde: If you don't cause a diplomatic incident, you get free Vanguard tokens.
Random Guardian: ...how many tokens?
Cayde: It depends on how much of a good boy you are.
- Location
- USA
So basically there are just a bunch of random Guardians sitting around cabal territory playing games on their smartphone equivalent and pointedly not causing incidents for free stuff?
Cayde's Guide to the Galaxy: The Psions
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
Grimoire: Book - Cayde's Guide to the Galaxy
"The Psions"
While I'm thinking about the Cabal, lemme give you a little insight into the Psions. Who were also part of the Cabal Empire, yet...not Cabal. I know, it's kind of confusing.
From my understanding, the Psions were enslaved untold centuries ago before the reign of Calus, becoming a client race of sorts. They claim to be clairvoyant, but I've beaten way too many of them in games of poker to believe that...maybe they were just too drunk to read my mind properly. Yeah, let's go with that. Pro-tip: if you ever want to get on a Psion's good side, go with any kind of alcohol with a fruity flavor. Especially peaches. But make sure you avoid cherry flavors, because they apparently associate that with you trying to come on to them.
Which may be what you're trying to angle for, if you're into the whole 'xenophilia' thing, so you do you, stranger! I bet Fenchurch would give you a thumbs-up. We'll get to him later.
Anyway. What they apparently lack in clairvoyance, the make up for with mental powers that are not quite physical, not quite spiritual, but still pack a punch. Also, the control they have over their A.T. Fields is mesmerizing. Seriously, you get enough Psions together, and they can make anything move. Take the Behemoth, for example: a gigantic mech cobbled together from starship parts, able to actively counter Unit-02 with only thousands of Psions controlling it. If you know anything about Evangelion, you should know that that's a big deal.
So, if these little guys are so powerful, why exactly did they end up losing to the Cabal?
It's a serious question, cause I wasn't there. Maybe they just lacked the numbers, compared to the imperial Legions. Maybe their metaphysical advantages weren't enough; I mean, every single Cabal soldier is capable of using their A.T. Field as well (which is seriously unfair). However it happened, they ended up becoming slaves. There were a few Psions of note that maintained some semblance of authority, like this Freeborn gal...Otzel? Ozzy? Ozark? It's something with an 'oh' and a 'zee'. Eh, I'll look it up later. Heck, there was at least one Legion that was pretty much comprised entirely of Psions, called the Ice Reapers. They actually invented the Juggernaut, by the way. If you don't know what that is, look it up on your own time. Trust me, it's worth it, but think of a Behemoth that's only Evangelion-sized, and made out of tanks and gunships instead of space-faring vessels.
But in the end, despite whatever autonomy they may have had, the Cabal were the ones who called the shots. So, several years after the Second Cataclysm...there was a revolt.
Nobody really knows if there was one mastermind, or many; however, in light of the Separatists' actions throughout the Empire's extrasolar territory before the War of Unification, enough of the Psions felt plucky enough to start a Rebellion. Which I get, to be honest; wanting to take control over your own fate, to seize your destiny, I totally get that.
Unfortunately, that Rebellion happened in our backyard, so a lot of them ended up fleeing to Earth, or to Mercury, or to the Reef, seeking asylum. And that involves...uncomfortable questions. And a lot of em'.
For example, why specifically were they fleeing? Did they commit any crimes on the way out? Were they of a particular character that would cause problems? Stuff like that, in the face of creatures with really powerful minds that may or may not be capable of mental suggestions. Just saying.
Agh, writing this part is difficult. It was a real crappy deal, but I certainly couldn't blame those who simply felt like the Psions were taking advantage of our generosity in a time where we couldn't afford to do otherwise. That's the thing about competing factions that have mutual parity: you can't afford to act with impunity. Diplomacy's messy, like that. Then came the War of Unification.
And...well, I've often heard some ancient songs play at the Antique Saloon in the City's Wei Ning District (seriously, go there if you want to have good food, good drinks, and a good time. Especially on Taco Tuesdays!), and one of them has lyrics asking what war is good for. Now, the song answers 'absolutely nothing'...which is a nice message. An ideal one.
But practically speaking, a war for survival against a shared enemy does wonders for glossing over some mutual tensions. Umun'arath and her Separatists were that shared enemy.
It sucks, but that's our universe for you.
Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say the Psions have completely integrated. I mean, it all differs depending on where they ended up, be it on Earth, or in the Reef, or on Mercury with the Eliksni. Or with Calus's Loyalists. Heck, a significant portion of Psions remained loyal to Caiatl's Empire, so it's actually something that it'll have to be addressed by them at some point or another. That's one of the difficulties of being a diaspora, with no true homeland to call your own.
Well, they had one, but it got blown up by the Cabal after their defeat all those years ago. So...yeah. Awkward.
Then again, life is a whole series of awkward moments. We'll just have to play it by ear.
In the meantime, if you want to try your luck with the Psions, I would recommend not playing blackjack. They will be better than you at counting cards.
Yes, even if you're an Exo with a robotic mind. Trust me on that one.
"The Psions"
While I'm thinking about the Cabal, lemme give you a little insight into the Psions. Who were also part of the Cabal Empire, yet...not Cabal. I know, it's kind of confusing.
From my understanding, the Psions were enslaved untold centuries ago before the reign of Calus, becoming a client race of sorts. They claim to be clairvoyant, but I've beaten way too many of them in games of poker to believe that...maybe they were just too drunk to read my mind properly. Yeah, let's go with that. Pro-tip: if you ever want to get on a Psion's good side, go with any kind of alcohol with a fruity flavor. Especially peaches. But make sure you avoid cherry flavors, because they apparently associate that with you trying to come on to them.
Which may be what you're trying to angle for, if you're into the whole 'xenophilia' thing, so you do you, stranger! I bet Fenchurch would give you a thumbs-up. We'll get to him later.
Anyway. What they apparently lack in clairvoyance, the make up for with mental powers that are not quite physical, not quite spiritual, but still pack a punch. Also, the control they have over their A.T. Fields is mesmerizing. Seriously, you get enough Psions together, and they can make anything move. Take the Behemoth, for example: a gigantic mech cobbled together from starship parts, able to actively counter Unit-02 with only thousands of Psions controlling it. If you know anything about Evangelion, you should know that that's a big deal.
So, if these little guys are so powerful, why exactly did they end up losing to the Cabal?
It's a serious question, cause I wasn't there. Maybe they just lacked the numbers, compared to the imperial Legions. Maybe their metaphysical advantages weren't enough; I mean, every single Cabal soldier is capable of using their A.T. Field as well (which is seriously unfair). However it happened, they ended up becoming slaves. There were a few Psions of note that maintained some semblance of authority, like this Freeborn gal...Otzel? Ozzy? Ozark? It's something with an 'oh' and a 'zee'. Eh, I'll look it up later. Heck, there was at least one Legion that was pretty much comprised entirely of Psions, called the Ice Reapers. They actually invented the Juggernaut, by the way. If you don't know what that is, look it up on your own time. Trust me, it's worth it, but think of a Behemoth that's only Evangelion-sized, and made out of tanks and gunships instead of space-faring vessels.
But in the end, despite whatever autonomy they may have had, the Cabal were the ones who called the shots. So, several years after the Second Cataclysm...there was a revolt.
Nobody really knows if there was one mastermind, or many; however, in light of the Separatists' actions throughout the Empire's extrasolar territory before the War of Unification, enough of the Psions felt plucky enough to start a Rebellion. Which I get, to be honest; wanting to take control over your own fate, to seize your destiny, I totally get that.
Unfortunately, that Rebellion happened in our backyard, so a lot of them ended up fleeing to Earth, or to Mercury, or to the Reef, seeking asylum. And that involves...uncomfortable questions. And a lot of em'.
For example, why specifically were they fleeing? Did they commit any crimes on the way out? Were they of a particular character that would cause problems? Stuff like that, in the face of creatures with really powerful minds that may or may not be capable of mental suggestions. Just saying.
Agh, writing this part is difficult. It was a real crappy deal, but I certainly couldn't blame those who simply felt like the Psions were taking advantage of our generosity in a time where we couldn't afford to do otherwise. That's the thing about competing factions that have mutual parity: you can't afford to act with impunity. Diplomacy's messy, like that. Then came the War of Unification.
And...well, I've often heard some ancient songs play at the Antique Saloon in the City's Wei Ning District (seriously, go there if you want to have good food, good drinks, and a good time. Especially on Taco Tuesdays!), and one of them has lyrics asking what war is good for. Now, the song answers 'absolutely nothing'...which is a nice message. An ideal one.
But practically speaking, a war for survival against a shared enemy does wonders for glossing over some mutual tensions. Umun'arath and her Separatists were that shared enemy.
It sucks, but that's our universe for you.
Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say the Psions have completely integrated. I mean, it all differs depending on where they ended up, be it on Earth, or in the Reef, or on Mercury with the Eliksni. Or with Calus's Loyalists. Heck, a significant portion of Psions remained loyal to Caiatl's Empire, so it's actually something that it'll have to be addressed by them at some point or another. That's one of the difficulties of being a diaspora, with no true homeland to call your own.
Well, they had one, but it got blown up by the Cabal after their defeat all those years ago. So...yeah. Awkward.
Then again, life is a whole series of awkward moments. We'll just have to play it by ear.
In the meantime, if you want to try your luck with the Psions, I would recommend not playing blackjack. They will be better than you at counting cards.
Yes, even if you're an Exo with a robotic mind. Trust me on that one.
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