Forum:The Coming War

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The Coming War
Game:	D&Destiny: Fractures
Campaign:	Wrath of the Hive
Player(s):	3 (minimum)
Location:	Fleetbase Sillis, Sillis, Shrouded Moon

"Investigate the Shrouded Moon"

— Mission blurb

The Coming War is the nineteenth story mission of the Wrath of the Hive campaign.

Objectives

• Infiltrate the Base
• Investigate the Base
• Survive the Attack
• Escape the Base
• Get to your Ship

Transcript

Pre-Mission Cutscene

A drawing of the Binary System fades in, briefly panning across a few planets, before drawing the Traveler and the signature graphing lines associated with it.

• Iris: I was born the moment the Traveler died. As everything collapsed around us. Before that day, there had never been a Ghost. There had never been a Risen or a Guardian if you would prefer.

The Traveler's drawing enters the System.

• Iris: I don't know much about the Traveler. But I know it made me to bring you back. And I spent a really, really long time searching for you.

The Traveler's drawing reaches Aloria, and positions itself above it.

• Iris: Your mother's Throne? Not the first place I looked.

A minimalist depiction of the Traveler releasing the Ghosts begins to draw itself. Many drawings of Ghosts are seen surrounding Earth, with the player's Ghost descending towards the center.

• Iris: As I saw the other Ghosts find their Guardians, and the centuries went by, I wondered if I'd ever find you. And then... I did.

The drawing of Aloria fades out entirely and the camera transitions to the edge of the system, tilting from the top down. twelve Hive warships can be seen in the planet's rings with the Dreadnaught looming among them.

• Merlina: I remember everything about the day I was born.

Several massive vessels approach the Hive Fleet, all bearing the coalition mark, in particular Mirror's symbol.

• Merlina: I still bear the scars.

The camera zooms in on Vega's Galliot until it cuts to the inside. It then cuts again to a group of Galliots rushing the Hive fleet.

• Merlina: The Elves of Aloria are my family now. And I am their Queen.

An enormous battle begins, as the Hive and the Awoken fight amongst the rings of Saturn. The Galliots smash into orderly lines of Tombships, firing at the bigger Hive warships and causing massive damage to their armored bodies. The camera tilts and pans about as the Awoken play havoc among the Hive, Solar blasts flying from the enemy. Suddenly Uldren notices the Dreadnaught in the center, and prepares to fire with two others. The missiles launched fail to even scratch the hull. Uldren looks back in dismay as his wing retreats.

• Merlina: We fought to keep our beautiful creation safe, and people safe.

The camera cuts to a view of the Mirror's ship, and then inside. Three Knightmares are at computers while the Emperor stands upon the central platform, looking through the viewport at the distant battle. Several Hex-Weavers can be seen coming up behind him.

• Merlina: And now this beast has come, claiming to be King.

The Emperor looks away from the Dreadnaught and back at the Hex-Weavers, and nods.

• Merlina: The Coalition bows to no one.

As the four of them stand in position Mirror's eyes begin to glow a bright White, and they flicker until he closes them. Several blue-white wisps of bright energy appear between the Hex-Weavers' outstretched hands, while outside a much larger line of energy forms outside the Mirror's ship in parallel with his own outstretched hands.

Seven spheres of brilliant blue light coalesce out of the line as a result of the Coven's channeling energy to the Emperor; the line of energy dissipates and the Harbingers rush forward. They arc up into the asteroid ring and begin dragging with them hundreds of rocks ranging from dust mites to Tombship-sized boulders, along with several Tombships themselves, pulling them inexorably onward.

Mirror opens his eyes and watches the assault. The Harbingers tear through multiple Hive ships on the way to their true target: the Dreadnaught. Upon slamming into the sides of the flagship, however, the Dreadnaught remains completely undamaged, repelling rocks and Tombships flung into it. The camera fades away as Hive ships drift towards the Dreadnaught.

The camera cuts to the Emperor, who steps forward to see what has happened, as if in disbelief; his eyes slowly begin to lose their glow. The camera cuts to the side of the Dreadnaught, the massive parabolic dish of the ship's cannon looming in the midground.

• Merlina: You and I know how this ends.

Oryx, the Taken King stands on an exposed balcony of his ship. An immense sword sits by his side. He steps up to a small, circular platform, glowing green-white with an unknown energy.

• Merlina: We've known since you've escaped from that... pit.

Oryx slowly raises his sword over his head, then slams it down into the podium, a shockwave spreading through the observation room followed by fog-like tendrils of an etheric pale blue-white. The parabolic dish begins to charge outside quickly; and fires. A massive spherical shockwave erupts outward in a massive radius, obliterating the clustered asteroids, Oryx's own fleet, and the Awoken armada—twelve Ketches—in an instant.

Mirror, witnessing her impending doom, stares on in sorrow before closing his eyes in resignation. The shockwave effortlessly destroys all of the lead ships. Several dozen Galliots desperately try to turn about and flee as Hive warships dissolve around them, but are caught too in the shockwave, and disintegrate. The camera cuts to the inside of Vega's cockpit, his face a grimace of effort as he tries to regain control of his ship. As it shakes violently, he starts to scream—and the camera cuts to black, his scream echoing.

• Merlina: Mirror and his forces have played their part.

The camera fades into the aftermath—the battlefield has been reduced to a junkyard. Pieces of Hive and Awoken ships are everywhere. Only a single vessel still stands: the Dreadnaught. The camera zooms in on the King, standing on a balcony. He growls, and floats back inside.

• Merlina: This... was all part of the plan.

The camera cuts to the massive hole blown in belt of asteroids by the Dreadnaught's superweapon.

• Merlina: I will guide them on your behalf.

Mission

The Guardian's ship approaches Sillis—and zooms along canyons and cliffs in an attempt to find Fleetbase Sillis, the command center of the Skyburners.

• Rikia Belcira: Guardian, this is Rikia. The Cabal base on Sillis is blasting a signal on all channels. If they're willing to break transmission silence, this could be a prelude to a full scale assault. Empress Caiatl would like to investigate as her ships are recieving distress signals from across the system this base is the source.

The ship starts to descend, finding a landing zone for the Guardian. As it flies across the surface, a Cabal Imperial Land Tank is seen, burning and half destroyed, with two more seemingly lying abandoned.

• Iris: We're setting down on Sillis now.
• Rikia: I'll be monitoring your feed, Iris. Good luck to Fireteam.

The fireteam's ship drops them off at a cliffside in front of Sillis.

{Gameplay}

The fireteam walks up the cliff. Several Legionary corpses can be seen. A Harvester rises up as the Guardian nears a cliffside, pans its searchlight over the Guardian, and flies off to join a fleet. Several more Harvesters and even a few Cabal warships can be seen disappearing into the night.

As the team nears Fleetbase Sillis a Legionary crawls out of a crevice, wailing in agony. It dies shortly after. Several Cabal soldiers are seen running out of the front of the base. A large explosion rocks the foundation, killing them all. Another Harvester lifts off. It leaves behind several more Cabal which wave after it in a desperate plea for help. They either continue searching for another ship, or spot the Guardian and attack.

• Iris: Rikia, the Cabal are evacuating with extreme prejudice. They're getting torn up down here.

The area near the launchpad is demolished and burning while another Harvester lies in ruins. Ghost scans this:

• Iris: The Cabal detonated this ship after it crashed. Standard procedure when they are under attack. I think the last directive received was an evacuation order. But the Cabal have no word for "evacuation". All ships and personnel were directed to focus attack on enemies beyond Martian orbit.

Another wailing Legionary crawls out of some debris, and dies. Toward the entrance of the base Ghost scans another dead Legionary's corpse.

• Iris: Skyburners regiment. Dead, obviously. There are no other Guardians down here. I wonder what put them down?

As the team enters the doors blown open by the explosion, Eris' voice is heard on the comms:

• Merlina: Something has drawn us here. I can feel it.
• Rikia: Guardian, I have asked Merlina to monitor the channel.

The team continues inside. Most of the base is in ruins. Dead Skyburners line the corridors, the aftermath of an apparently one sided battle.

• Merlina: I hear... whispers in the dark.

As the team navigates deeper inside the seemingly deserted base, a small white light floats in front of an open door. The Guardian approaches it, but it makes a loud screeching noise and flees down the hallway.

• Rikia: What the hell was that? This is unlike anything I have seen before.
• Merlina: Fingertips, on the surface of my mind.
• Rikia: Yes... thank you for your input, Merlina.

Upon turning the corner, an eerie sight falls upon the team: several voids of nothingness appear in parts of the base, seemingly appearing as black holes, or windows into empty space itself. Some even swallow up the bodies of dead Cabal. A member of team sends their Ghost to investigate:

• {[Member Name]'s Ghost/Ghost Name}: This membrane is attempting to form a bridge between dimensions, but I think it requires a living host.

The team reaches a staircase, wrapped around an elevator shaft. Suddenly an elevator car comes crashing down, and slams onto a ledge, getting stuck between the beams. A lone Legionary is inside, desperately scrambling to escape, jumpjets fully engaged. It scrambles onto a hole in the top only to be crushed by falling debris, which knocks the elevator car loose and sends the Legionary to its death. As the team continues walking up the ramps, a Centurion is seen frantically trying to run from something, but a white tether is holding him in place. He is eventually sucked into nothingness, leaving his weapon on the floor. More ruptures appear, scattered throughout the area.

• Merlina: Whispers are louder, I will endure.

Another Centurion is seen running for his life futilely before he is snatched up as well. The Guardian continues forward.

• Merlina: They speak a word... a name.

The team walks into a large, circular room. Suddenly, the room fills with fog, and takes shape.

• Merlina: (fearfully) He... is here!

The fog forms the shape of Oryx, staring directly at the team.

• Oryx: Light! Give your will to me!

A black orb, swarming with energy, appears before the image of Oryx, gradually swelling, until it explodes. Unfamiliar life forms rise from out of the orbs, physically taking the shape of Cabal and Psions, but horribly mutated, twitching, and with strange abilities. The Taken surround the Guardian, and a deformed Knight, Syrok, Word of Oryx, rises and attacks. The team takes them all out.

• Merlina: You have seen His face. It was His hand that transformed the Cabal.
• rikia: This mission is scrubbed—fireteam, get to your ship and get out of there!

A door on the far side of the room opens, and the team finds themselves face to face with a Taken Phalanx. They continue eliminating more Taken Phalanx and Knights, encountering Cabal and Taken fighting each other along the way with the Cabal clearly being outmatched. A hologram of the Dreadnaught on the floor grabs the team's attention:

• Iris: This matches an image I collected from the World's Grave... a Dreadnaught. They don't exist in our system. I'll mark it for transmat to the Vanguard and hope we get a signal.

After the team eliminates all the threats in the area, they find a monitor. A Ghost scans it:

• Ghost: There's a notification from three days ago. A "Primus Ta'aun" suspended all Sillis mining operations and recon pending investigation of a trans-system edge threat.

The team comes across another moniter, an energy reading machine. A Ghost scans the monitor:

• Ghost: They sent teams to investigate anomalous energy fluctuations across the base... (whispers) None of the units reported back...

Heading further down a hallway, the team finds another machine, with a hologram of Sillis on the screen. A Ghost checks it out:

• Ghost: Cabal mining sites across the system have been hit. Losses to all legions is 44%. What is this?
• Rikia: The base is a loss! We have reports of Taken in force across the system! Go! Get out!

The team hastily makes their way outside. A large battle is taking place. Ruptures tear the sky apart. A massive rupture opens in the distance, smashing a Cabal communication tower. Cabal anti aircraft turrets fire frantically into the sky. A Harvester crashes into a building near the team and explodes. The team's own ship flies overhead, turning near their position, and hovering to a ledge at a safe distance.

• Iris: Our ship's landing across the airfield—Hurry!

The team runs across into the neighboring building, either eliminating Taken and Cabal or ignoring them. The team emerges on the other side, near their ship. Taken and Cabal are fighting each other throughout.

• Iris: We're almost there!

The team fights their way through and eventually makes it to their ship.

[{Cutscene}]

The team runs toward their ship, and warps in. The ship immediately turns around and takes off.

• Iris: Rikia, we made it to our ship, and are heading home.

The ship spins as it flees Sillis. The moon is backdropped by the bulk of Shrouded World. The camera fades to black.

Mission ends.

Post-Mission Cutscene

[{Cinematic}]

The camera fades in and pans down to the Aerodrome, where the team previously escaped. The area is completely silent, and now overrun with Taken. Dead Cabal blanket the field. A perspective view shows the members of the Taken—former Centurions, Knights, Psions, and Acolytes—all twitching uncontrollably, against their will. Large black wings hove into view. An Echo of Oryx floats over the disfigured victims, surveying the scene. All of them kneel to the floor in reverence. The Echo sneers down at the newly Taken life forms. A Taken Psion demonstrates its ability by splitting into two copies of itself, still kneeling. A Taken Centurion lowers its head. Satisfied, the Echo disappears with a screech.

The camera cuts to Oryx himself, standing on a balcony outside the Dreadnaught. With his hands resting on his sword, he takes a deep breath. Ecthar, Sword of Oryx walks up behind him and places the tip of his sword on the ground.

• Echtar: Their leaders belong to you... ...the rest await extermination.
• Oryx: No... Gather them. I will take them all.

The camera cuts to a sweeping view of the Dreadnaught from a distance.

• Ridwan: My contacts near the system edge say the weapon fired only once.

The scene transitions to a hologram of the ship, now surrounded by the Verdant Conclave, and several other Coalition leaders. The interior of Command is nearly dark, save for the orange light of the hologram.

• Rikia: It's not like Mirror to attack a superior force...
• Ridwan: How could he have known? ...How can anyone? We need a Guardian inside the Dreadnaught.
• Kilkiton: (derisively) Here we go...
• Rikia: Our first priority must be to protect Aloria! Our fireteam got a good look on Sillis. Whatever it was, it turned Cabal against Cabal, wiped out their base in minutes. How long would we last?
• Ridwan: Until we understand what we're dealing with—

A violet blur whips through the room and lands squarely on the Dreadnaught hologram, interrupting its projection. The object is revealed to be Merlina's orb. The leaders stop arguing and face her.

• Merlina: They are Taken. Servants of Darkness.

Merlina walks—or prowls—toward the trio, and Cayde points at her orb.

• Kilkiton: Merlina... get your rock. Off my map.

Merlina continues toward the leaders, ignoring Kilkiton.

• Merlina: It hasn't spoken since Crota fell.

She reaches her hand out toward the orb, which flickers at her actions.

• Merlina: It speaks now, because Oryx has arrived... come to fill the final covenant of his son.

Ridwan looks at Merlina, confused.

• Ridwan: But... why fight the Cabal?
• Merlina: Not fighting... Taking. Controlling their will--

The room glows orange again, and Merlina turns to find Kilkiton nonchalantly lifting the orb off the hologram and glaring at her. She sneers angrily at him. Kilkiton simply ignores her and plays with her orb like a ball.

• Rikia: So we focus on his army... kill these Taken until he's all that's left?
• Merlina: Whatever you kill... Oryx will replace.
• Ridwan: The Dreadnaught, then. How do we get past that weapon?
• Rikia: Without ending up like Mirror and his forces?

Kilkiton stops rolling the orb around in his hands, and looks towards the rest of the leaders, as if just now paying attention.

• Kilkiton: I gotta go, uh.... see about a ship.

He throws the orb towards Merlina, who catches it psychically in her hand. As he walks away, Rikia turns towards him angrily.

• Rikia: Kilkiton! Our discussion is not yet concluded!
• Kilkiton: (causally) Oh, I know. That's why I'm leaving.

The other members of the leaders look on. Merlina holds her orb close to her, staring at a undecinerable image inside. Cut to black.

Enemies

Cabal - Skyburners

• Legionary
  • Honored Legionary
• Phalanx
• Honored Phalanx
• Centurion
  • Honored Centurion
• Colossus
• Psion

Taken

• Taken Psion
  • Ravenous Taken Psion
• Taken Phalanx
  • Ravenous Taken Phalanx
• Taken Knight
  • Ravenous Taken Knight

Boss

• Syrok, Word of Oryx