Editing Taurun

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|affiliation=Cabal Empire<br>[[Imperial Cabal]]
|rank=Councilor
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{{Article quote|Yes, My Empress. It's my duty to mention that this decision will not be universally welcomed.}}
'''Councilor Taurun''' is a senior advisor of [[Empress Caiatl]] and a member of her [[War Council]]. Following the [[Fall of Torobatl|loss]] of the [[Cabal]] capital [[Torobatl]] to the [[Hive]] god [[Xivu Arath, God of War|Xivu Arath]], Taurun helped Caiatl ascend to the rank of Empress and forge an alliance with [[Humanity]] after travelling with the remnants of the Cabal Empire to the [[Sol System]].

==Biography==
===Fall of Torobatl===
{{Quote|In the square. I've never seen anything like it.|Taurun warning Caiatl of Umun'arath's ritual}}
Some time after the [[Red War]] and [[Empress Caiatl|Caiatl]] ascended to replace [[Dominus Ghaul]] as the ruler of the [[Cabal]] Empire, Taurun became one of the Princess-Imperial's senior advisors. Taurun witnessed the former Evocate-General [[Umun'arath]] performing a gruesome [[Hive]] ritual in [[Torobatl]]'s weaponsmith district's central plaza. She rushed with concern to inform Caiatl, who executed the insane warrior, an act which inadvertently completed the ritual and allowed [[Xivu Arath, God of War]] to [[Fall of Torobatl|invade]] Torobatl.<ref>'''Bungie (2021/2/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Chosen]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Empress#CHAPTER_5:_NEW_GODS|Empress CHAPTER 5: NEW GODS]]''</ref> The Cabal's legions were quickly overwhelmed as Hive poured through portals and innumerable warships and [[War moon|war moons]] joined the invasion. Taurun joined Caiatl and many of her other senior advisors aboard the flagship ''[[Eligos Lex V]]'' to discuss strategy. Studying a hologram of the battle, Taurun bemoaned that the war moons were too powerful to combat. As the other advisors fell to arguing and casting blame for the state of empire, Caiatl interrupted and declared herself empress before ordering a full evacuation and retreat from their homeworld to the [[Sol System]] to retrieve the remnants of the [[Red Legion]].<ref>'''Bungie (2021/2/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Chosen]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Empress#CHAPTER_7:_CORONATION|Empress CHAPTER 7: CORONATION]]''</ref> Prior to the evacuation being completed, Taurun convinced Caiatl to install the ornate throne of the Empire's ruler on the bridge of the ''Eligos Lex V'' as a reminder to all Cabal of their history and customs to reassure them in uncertain times, especially after being forced to retreat in defiance of tradition.<ref name="VII">'''Bungie (2021/2/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Chosen]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:From_the_Front#VII._The_Imperial_Throne|From the Front VII: The Imperial Throne]]''</ref>

===Arrival in the Sol System===
{{Quote|You'll have to make a gesture for them. A nod to our legacy as conquerors. If they see it as a true, equal negotiation…"<br>"They'll call it weakness.|Taurun and Caiatl discuss how to approach humanity while appeasing the other Cabal}}
As the fleet traveled to the Sol System, Taurun met with Caiatl in her private quarters and informed the Empress that the other advisors wished to know if she had made a decision about what to do when the arrived in the Sol System regarding [[Humanity]]. Caiatl stated she had not and invited Taurun to sit with her, causing some discomfort in the councilor due to her adherence to formality. The need to follow a direct order won out, and she awkwardly sat with the Empress, who noted that the [[Guardian]]s of Humanity had slain [[Dominus Ghaul]] and other great foes. Taurun recalled that the Hive god [[Oryx, the Taken King|Oryx]] and the great [[Worm]] [[Xol, Will of the Thousands|Xol]] numbered among those slain, and both agreed that the potential costs of a war against Humanity outweighed the potential gains. The Empress wondered if they needed to make war to secure the loyalty of the Red Legion's survivors. Sensing a possible weakness and hesitancy in Caiatl, Taurun carefully questioned if the Empress did not think they would win. Caiatl noted that they would after a long campaign that would leave them weakened to be finished off by the Hive. The two came to the conclusion that they must negotiate with the [[Vanguard]], but Taurun worried that the other councilors would not like doing so. She suggested that they must find some way to make it clear to them that they were honoring their past as conquerors and not treating Humanity as equals so they would not view Caiatl as weak, with the Empress wearily deciding that she must demand the Guardians kneel to her.<ref name="Truce">'''Bungie (2021/2/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Chosen]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Empress#CHAPTER_9:_TRUCE|Empress CHAPTER 9: Truce]]''</ref>

After arriving in the Sol System, the Vanguard refused Caiatl's terms and a small-scale [[Clash of the Chosen|conflict]] began between the two sides as each sought to avoid open war. Taurun assisted Caiatl in dealing with other powers within the system, including [[The Spider]], a [[Eliksni]] criminal who operated a massive smuggling operation out of the [[Tangled Shore]]. During the first communication between the two, Taurun made introductions, but was quickly cut off by Caiatl, who noted the scribes could add the formalities to the official record later. Listening to the conversation, Taurun quickly grew infuriated with the Spider's tone and insults. When she attempted to reprimand the arrogant crime lord, Caiatl halted her once more and continued negotiations with him.<ref name="ER">'''Bungie (2021/2/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Chosen]] - [[Extraordinary Rendition]]''</ref>

After weeks of losses to the Guardians as they interrupted the [[Rite of Proving|Rites of Proving]] that Taurun had suggested as a means to select new members of Caiatl's [[War Council]], Commander [[Zavala]] sent a message requesting one final Rite between a chosen champion of the Cabal Empire versus the Vanguard's champion, with the winners dictating the terms of an armistice. Caiatl informed her that they would accept and chose her fleet commander [[Ignovun, Chosen of Caiatl|Ignovun]] as their champion, with the Rite to take place in the [[Imperial Land Tank]] ''[[Halphas Electus]]'' on [[Nessus]]. Taurun noted it was her duty to warn her that not all of the Cabal would approve of this decision, and carefully warned that some of the commanders believed that they would win the conflict and that by leaving it up to a single Rite they would be denied the chance to win honor. The Empress dismissed those commanders as vain fools who would sacrifice needed strength against Xivu Arath against a foe they did not need to fight. Although she agreed with Caital, Taurun respectfully noted it seemed as though the Empress valued conclusion over victory. She had to swiftly take a nervous step backward as the Empress raised her tusks and angrily declared that in this case, tradition was more important than victory and that they would win or lose the Rite as Cabal.<ref name="VII"/>

===Alliance with Humanity===
{{Quote|A voluntary prisoner. This smells of Hive trickery."<br>"It does, my empress. However, Mara Sov is powerful, and no stranger to subterfuge. It's fair to assume that she has a plan in place."<br>"So does Savathûn.|Caiatl and Taurun discuss Savathûn's presence in the Dreaming City}}
Several months after the armistice was established with humanity, Lord [[Saladin Forge]] came to the Cabal on behalf of the Vanguard with the news that the Hive goddess [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen]] was in the [[Dreaming City]], the capital of the [[Awoken]] species. The Cabal had already suspected this and were considering an invasion to kill her. Taurun brought this news to Caiatl, who was ruminating on what a waste it would be to destroy the Dreaming City. Taurun suggested it might be necessary and informed the Empress of Savathûn's presence there, causing the Empress to question if the Hive leader was a captive. Noting that there seemed to be a hint of hopefulness to the Empress's voice, Taurun reported that it was unclear and their agents reported the Witch Queen was confined, but that the [[Psion]]s believed she submitted voluntarily to capture to avoid her sister Xivu Arath. Both agreed that this was likely a trick on Savathûn's part although Taurun suggested that the Awoken [[Queen]] [[Mara Sov]] was also powerful and cunning and likely had a plan to counter her. Her Empress worried that Savathûn had accounted for that as well, and Taurun watched in silence as Caiatl weighed their options. Upon seeing the weight of the decision lift from the Empress's face, Taurun was ordered to give Lord Saladin a message to take back to Zavala.<ref name="Vulp">'''Bungie (2021/8/24)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Lost]] - [[Weapons|Weapon lore]]: [[Vulpecula (Hand cannon)|Vulpecula]]''</ref>

==Personality and traits==
{{Quote|The connection is made. Let the imperial record show that, on this day, the great Empress Caiatl, ascendant of [[Emperor Calus|Calus]], slayer of Umun'arath, convened via radio message with the Spider of the Tangled Shore, formerly of the House of—"<br>"Enough, Taurun. The scribes can add whatever flourishes they wish after the fact.|Taurun's formality often clashed with Empress Caiatl's bluntness}}<ref name="ER"/>
A strict believer in formality and tradition, Taurun even hesitated to sit with [[Empress Caiatl]] in non-formal situations. She is a thoughtful individual who often pauses in conversation to carefully consider her words, particularly with Caiatl. Taurun faithfully serves the Empress, helping her figure out how to placate the more war hungry members of the [[Imperial Cabal]] when seeking to negotiate with [[Humanity]].<ref name="Truce"/> She is very attentive to the moods of her Empress and alters her body language when needed, such as lowering her brow in deference when Caiatl was frustrated or angry.<ref name="Vulp"/>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Destiny 2]]'' 
**''[[Season of the Chosen]]'' {{Fm}}
**''[[Season of the Lost]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Season of the Haunted]]'' {{Mo}}

==References==
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[[Category:Cabal]]
[[Category:Characters]]