#destiny lore

[xelastarkly]

Am I okay? No. I just read the Still Hunt lore.

[pigeon-ponders]

thinking again about the tragedy of the hive. something is changing the tides of your world and it is a god wave that will destroy your civilization. you search to stop it and discover the power to save your species from extinction. but your species never would have been extinct -- the god wave was a lie and the force causing it was a god coming to save your kind, uplift them, extend their lives and bestow knowledge for a golden age. the deal you made was from that god's opposing force. you've doomed your entire race to an endless cycle of violence to survive. you trade ten fragile years of life for immortallity at the cost of killing endlessly. you never learn the truth, not until milleniums later, and far too late.

thinking about the tragedy of the osmium siblings. their desparations turned against them like a knife which they used to carve away anything in existence that challenged them -- because it is a threat against their life, and this all started to save their lives. how ironic it is, then, that at the cost of immortality, they worship death.

thinking of xivu's stubborness, her steel chitin and flaming heart, twisted into a blinding hatred of anything that goes against her beliefs -- her brother's will. "I’ll beat the world until it changes! I’ll kill anything in the way!"

thinking of oryx's thirst for knowledge, for answers, because what you know can't harm you. of his love for his sisters, which he would do anything for. "Let us go down, down, where we may discover truth, some power to avenge ourselves upon our betrayers, some hope of survival."

thinking of how love is violence is love is violence to the hive. it is a circle. "I love mighty Xivu more than a moon loves the tide. I'll kill her for this. Over and over, forever and ever."

thinking.

[fishuus]

an excerpt from the background dialogue in prophecy (full transcript here)

[guardians-are-people-too]

[crow-posting]

Since Destiny lore is inaccessible (I've seen the question, "Do Guardians need to eat?" cross my dash several times and it's Driving Me Nuts™), here are some users and resources I use when searching for lore/grimoire:

@thefirstknife on Tumblr

My Name Is Byf on YouTube

Destiny Lore Vault on YouTube

www.Ishtar-Collective.net

Destinypedia.com

Destiny Dialogue Archive

Destiny Definitions [flavor text] Archive

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Destiny 1 Grimoire lore (PDFs)

Destiny Collector's Edition lore (Reddit links)

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Destiny 1 beta archive & cutscene archive

Destiny 2 Cutscene Archive [Seasons 13-20]

[wastedpotentialsblog]

Look, I was willing to give the Veil a shot. I was. I was willing to let Bungie cook. But they made the Veil the Travelers opposite, and I couldn't figure out why I didn't like that. Until a random ass reddit comment and it clicked.

The visual storytelling between the Pyramids and The Traveler is such a beautiful way of portraying two opposing forces without explicitly saying what those forces represent. It's all in their design.

Angular/Spherical

Many/One

Black/White

They have "We are opposites" written on their forehead and the Veil kind of fucked it up.

While I'm on the subject, I've been revisiting my favorite lore book "Unveiling" and MAN, that shit was awesome.

I really really really liked when the overarching conflict was about two Gods giving themselves physical form in the universe to win a cosmic argument on whether the conplexity of life made it worth living. I also really liked its interpretation of the Vex: the manifestation of the perfect pattern. Microorganisms that always came out on top before a new rule were forced upon the game. And yeah, i get it, "Unveiling had no reason to be truthful. The Witness had every reason to lie to us to make us fight each other. Untrustworthy narrator." Blah blah blah.

But, I think it would've been way cooler and scarier if it wasn't lying. It would show that The Winnower truly believes what it's saying. It's simply acting in its nature. It doesn't even know if it's 100% correct, but chooses to follow its path anyway.

This part altered my brain chemistry fundamentally. I am NOT normal about this section and I never will be.

Ok. I'm done. You can tear me a new one or pick my apart. You can tell me the new story is better in every conceivable way. But the Unveiling lorebook was P E A K to me

[sheythegayy]

This fight scene with these two hunters made my puthy quiver~

Crow honestly doesn't deserve the hate that so many in the fanbase give him, HE'S COME SO FAR SINCE WE MET HIM! LOOK AT HIM GO!!

[ryuhumble]

It is done, and I’m half sorry for this

[ikoraswife]

my honest reaction to the veiled threats lore:

when can ghost get a break bungo it’s not fair </3

it’s like that part in the hidden dossier all over again i’m sobbing

the fact that the witness’s invasion of ghost was so traumatic that he wouldn’t even wish it on the vex, the basically unfeeling robots who have hunted humanity for centuries. also the shivering :(

i think osiris and ghost really could have a good talk about it. ghost obviously doesn’t want to burden the guardian (even though it wouldn’t), and osiris’s trauma is similar (although not the exact same of course) and he’s good at giving advice people need to hear.

saint being a sweetheart and comforting him of course, the reminder that he’s safe <3

hey ghost :)) what do you mean by that :)) that you wish that your guardian had done what :))

another gut-wrenching lore tab by bungie! thanks, i had almost stopped crying from the excision mission

[unpickled-olive]

Realizing that, while I like Destiny lore, what I love is Seth Dickinson's writing.

The Final Shape was a lovely story and the characters' archs were all emotional and satisfying. Maybe a nostalgic tear was shed for Cayde bonding with his reformed, resurrected killer.

But the things that have kept me coming back for 9 years were missing. I thought there'd be concrete answers about the Traveler, or some more thorough insights into the Witness, or even good lore on the Dread. I was hoping for another great lore book to join the ranks of Books of Sorrow, Unveiling, Mysterious Logbook, Marasenna, Last Days of Kraken Mare, etc. Some philosophy and horror, a genesis or exegesis or thorough backstory on a yet unexamined character/species.

Sadly, I didn't find those. The Dread's origin is that the Witness made them. Do they think and feel? TBD. The Traveler's conclusion was something like "you just have to have faith <3." Fine for the characters, but not for the readers/players of a 10-year-old mystery.

There's some nice things. The Micah-10 Traveler interpretations are cool, as is her origin story. And the foreshadowing still has me excited for the Dreadnaught, a yet unseen Disciple, etc. But I think key parts of what made Destiny lore so alluring for me are diminished.

Maybe it's the layoffs at Bungie. Maybe it's new writers going in a different direction. Either way, the aspects of sci-fi/space fantasy—ancient mysteries, metaphysical warfare, _____—have taken the back seat to personal drama that frankly isn't that interesting or fleshed out.

Maya could be an interesting antagonist, but she needed more backstory than "this simulation was evil or something" and more nuance than "the Vanguard are coercive, so I will coerce all of humanity." Why not explore what her presence means for the Vex, or the other simulations helping Praedyth escape the Vault?

The Witness trying to sway various characters was fine, but that has been covered so many times, especially in Beyond Light.

All that said, back to Seth: their absence in TFS made me realize how huge their presence in the lore was for my love of Destiny. I finally went and read their original works. What an incredible writer.

First, I read Exordia, the first/only entry into a dark mindfuck of a space opera. Its horrific in abstract ways: mysterious alien monoliths that poison reality around them. It's horrific in grounded ways, too: the alien invasion plays off of parallels with the Anfal campaign and the US involvement in Iraq. It's campy at times (with a villain who shouts "I love genocide!") but also profound. There's souls and date, but also math. There's also my favorite trope: mysterious, ancient architects.

After that, I read Baru Cormorant—all three books in a month. It's tragic and inspiring and genius. Originally I couldn't get through the first chapter because of the "fantasy" label. I've already read Earthsea and wasn't in the mood for wizards on boats. But I had the wrong impression. Understandable, because there is just no succinct way to label it.

Is it even fantasy? Honestly, I still don't know.

What it is is its own world. One that the inhabitants haven't fully mapped. One whose past is a must and whose future is uncertain. It's about hegemony. It's about purpose, obsession, and revenge. It's about revolution and community.

The colonizer culture is a kaleidoscope of different influences. Seafaring. Peri-industrial. Eugenic. It strikes me as something like 17th century Britain with a 20th century grasp of science. They don't have guns, but they do have both Greek fire and lobotomies. The story plays with different cultural views on indigenous rights, race, sexuality, and gender in ways that commentary real life while serving as interesting world building.

This story also weaves an insane amount of intellectual concepts into it. But rather than bog it down, they lift it up. The fate of the republic hinges on a myriad of different questions: is evolution Lamarckian or Darwinian? Can mathematical proofs usurp cultural hegemony? How do economics influence history? Most importantly, can you destroy the enemy from within before it destroys you?

It is not just cerebral, but tragic and heartbreaking. I saw the end of the first book coming, and yet I was devastated by the last chapter. Crushed like no ending has ever really crushed me. I didn't want it to happen.

There will likely be some time before the final book comes out, which is understandable. So much research goes into these. So many plot threads need to be woven together. So many mysteries not yet confronted.

This is all to say: if you like what I like about Destiny–thorough examinations of ancient mysteries, sci-fi takes on souls and magic, fantasy takes on science and technology, obsessive characters and vividly fucked up monsters, cancer and math as motifs, metaphors manifesting, and genius characters written by genius authors–give Seth Dickinson a chance.

[infinitewarden]

Just want to address something really quick: I've been seeing a weird increase in people who think Guardians age.

This is. Factually not the case and is indeed a very important plot point of Zavala's past.

Some other notable lore entries that talk imply it or outright state it:

A small band of humans emerge from the woods at Osiris's flank. Some carry rust-laden firearms. The one who leads them jaunts forward. "Stand up, old man." The words are slung over his shoulder, wet and heavy. "No." (5: Moths to Flame Part II)

Saladin Circa Dark Ages vs. Saladin at Present

Osiris (and Ikora!) Early City Era (~200 years ago) Vs. Osiris at Present

And, if you haven't set aside time to rewatch Zavala's story then there's this: He has remained the same through hundreds of generations.

It's not "headcanon" if you think otherwise it is directly in opposition to why guardians are the way they are and how they function. Genuinely I have no idea where this idea of Guardians aging came from but it completely defeats the purpose of many tragedies and driving forces Guardians face because of their unaging immortality.

[xelastarkly]

"Cute cat." 😭

[scottishexo]

Currently obsessed with this lore card

[datmoongamer]

o14 enjoyers are being fed well this season

As far as I can tell, there are *four* loretabs ft. o14 this season.

Speleologist: Eido asks Saint-14 and Osiris if she can go to Nessus to augment Failsafe. They refuse, but Osiris says she can help at the HELM. Osiris touches Saint's shoulder and changes his mind when Eido can't.

The Call: Saint-14 works on the Gray Pigeon. He and Osiris promise to never leave each other again. They make vows to each other, hold hands, touch each other, look into each other's eyes, and kiss.

Semitone Shift: For the first time, Saint-14 tells Osiris that he loves him. Both of them have feelings about this. More handholding. Osiris hasn't said it back because his love language is acts of service.

Ronin Shell: Osiris is down bad for Saint-14 and he gets pissy when Tallulah Fairwind points it out to him. The most fanficcy shit you'll ever see. Bro is in denial. Tallulah is, and I quote, "third-wheeling." Look at this shit:

Tallulah raised her hand, a single finger extended. "You notice every detail about him," she said.

She raised a second finger. "He distracts you," she continued.

A third finger raised. "Yet you can't make yourself avoid or ignore him."

She rolled her wrist, letting the thought continue unsaid. Osiris stared at her.

"And?" he said, crossing his arms over his chest. The Hunter laughed.

"Be serious."

Osiris blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I need to make it clearer? Okay. You two should—"

Osiris raised a hand sharply, palm out. Tallulah raised her eyebrows.

"Whatever you're implying," Osiris interrupted, waving away the thought, "you could not be further from the truth."

Tallulah gave a tight-lipped, knowing smile.

"Just… figure this out. Every single meeting is an hour longer because of you two. Third-wheeling is wasting my time."

Osiris narrowed his eyes at her. She stood and clapped him on the shoulder. The gesture only deepened his look of disdain.

"Good luck," she said, and left the room.

[crow-posting]

There used to be a Jolyon Till Lore master post floating around, but I've lost track of it so I'm making my own. Tagging @purplegalaxy99 ✨

Edit: master post has been found! Thank you @thefirstknife

- - -

Jolyon Till was the friend and partner of Uldren Sov, and a current acquaintance of Crow. He is described as tall, with "narrow intelligent eyes" and blue skin, and was perceived as "happy-go-lucky" before Uldren's downfall. He is known for his skills as a Crow (Awoken intelligence) and a sniper, though he also works as a scout.

Note: though the nature of his relationship with Uldren isn't explicitly stated, it is generally interpreted as romantic, the same way Osiris and Saint-14's relationship was interpreted before being officially confirmed.

Jolyon is mostly known for breaching the Black Garden alongside Uldren [The Forsaken Prince], but he also created the Lord of Wolves shotgun. His signature weapon is the Supremacy, a rapid-fire sniper rifle; his secondary weapon, like all other scouts, is a Vestian Dynasty sidearm.

Not much is known about Jolyon's personal life, though Uldren knew "everything about him." He knew someone named Laviska [1] and attended the same combat academy as Uldren [2], and is known to be rational, but it is unknown whether he is a Distributary Awoken or has any family or loved ones besides the Sovs.

Like Petra and the Techeuns, he can travel to / from / around the Dreaming City but is not tied to its curse. Whether this is because he didn't die during the curse's activation (like Amrita did), or simply due to the inconsistencies within the curse lore, is currently unknown.

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Edit:

Jolyon has been mentioned twice in-game: first in this memory from Haunted, then in this radio message from Wish.

(Thanks @theforsakenprince for the addition!)

Editing this for future readers, link to better version is also in the comments.