Operation: Midas

Operation: Midas is the opening mission of Season of the Haunted. The Guardian is tasked with exploring the returned Leviathan, which has begun communicating with the Lunar Pyramid.

Objectives

 * Investigate the Leviathan's Arrival
 * Find an Alternative Route
 * Investigate the Phantoms
 * You Seek Oblivion...
 * Survive
 * RUN

Transcript

 * Zavala: Vanguard reconnaissance op "Midas" is go. Guardian. The exiled emperor Calus has anchored his ship off the Moon. Caiatl's fleet is holding a perimeter. Eris Morn, our subject expert and lunar field agent, will oversee your mission.


 * Eris Morn: Shortly after the Leviathan's arrival, it emitted a disruptive frequency.


 * Zavala: We assumed the broadcast was comms interference.


 * Eris Morn: But then, the Pyramid responded. I believe a connection has been made. Your task is to confirm that notion and assess the danger.

THE GUARDIAN TOUCHES DOWN IN THE CASTELLUM OF THE NOW DERELICT LEVIATHAN.


 * Eris Morn: The house of Calus falls to rot… and his "Loyalists" have abandoned their posts. Ikora has spoken of these fungal growths before, in reference to the derelict Cabal cruiser, Glykon Volatus. This does not bode well.

THE GUARDIAN FEELS THE LEVIATHAN SHAKE AS THEY APPROACH THE THRONE OF CALUS.


 * Eris Morn: This is not the way.

THE GUARDIAN FINDS AN ALTERNATE ROUTE THROUGH THE PLEASURE GARDENS.


 * Eris Morn: Do you see the phantoms? Strange that they have left the Moon. They were generated by the lunar Pyramid: dredged trauma, like scorch marks lifted from a ruin.

AS THE GUARDIAN ENTERS THE PLEASURE GARDENS, THEIR RADAR DETECTS ENEMIES... BUT NOTHING IS PRESENT.


 * Eris Morn: Is the entire vessel infested? More phantoms… congregating around something.

THE GUARDIAN FOLLOWS THE PHANTOMS TO A DEAD CABAL LOYALIST.


 * Eris Morn: Vines fused to spine and skull, stimulating brain activity. An experiential perpetuity, endlessly feeding the Egregore.

THE GUARDIAN FINDS AND SCANS A DEAD GHOST.


 * Eris Morn: On the Moon, phantoms and Nightmares alike were attracted to remnants of Light… Refracting them into weaponized projections of fear and doubt.

THE GUARDIAN SEES THE NIGHTMARE OF SAFIYAH.


 * Zavala: Eris, do you see her?


 * Eris Morn: Zavala?


 * Zavala: Don't let her go.

THE GUARDIAN CHASES SAFIYAH.


 * Nightmare of Safiyah: Lightbearer. I have seen your kind before. You seek oblivion.


 * Eris Morn: This could be a trap.


 * Zavala: It's not. Pursue this lead.


 * Eris Morn: All the same, proceed with caution.

A DEAD CABAL FALLS FROM ABOVE. THE GUARDIAN CONTINUES UPWARDS TO FIND AN ILLUSION OF A WAR BEAST. THEY CHASE AFTER IT.


 * Zavala: She's gone.


 * Eris Morn: Nightmares exploit a target's vulnerabilities. They do not make contact at random. But I do not believe this is the Guardian's Nightmare.

THE GUARDIAN CONTINUES ONWARD. THEY ENCOUNTER A CABAL.


 * Eris Morn: Stow your weapons! That Cabal radiates foul energy. Keep from sight!

THE CABAL SPOTS THE GUARDIAN.


 * Eris Morn: You've been seen! Move!

THE GUARDIAN FINDS A MALFUNCTIONING DOOR.


 * Eris Morn: Destroy the Arc conduit!

THE GUARDIAN DESTROYS THE CONDUIT. THE DOOR OPENS. THE NIGHTMARE OF SAFIYAH APPEARS ONCE MORE, TEMPTING THE GUARDIAN FORWARD.


 * Nightmare of Safiyah: Come and see.


 * Eris Morn: Egregore spores open one's consciousness to Darkness, allowing passage through fungal barriers. Agitate the pod and coat yourself, but take care… We do not know what else lurks in that shared abstraction.

THE GUARDIAN COATS THEMSELF IN EGREGORE AND PUSHES ONWARD.


 * Nightmare of Safiyah: When you see… you will know what must be done.

THE GUARDIAN APPROACHES THE THRONE.


 * Eris Morn: That door leads to Calus's throne. The H.E.L.M.'s instruments detect it is radiating Pyramid resonance.


 * Zavala: She's guiding us to Calus.

THE DOOR OPENS FOR THE GUARDIAN.


 * Eris Morn: One of Calus's contraptions.

THE GUARDIAN INVESTIGATES THE CALUS AUTOMATON THEY DESTROYED ON THEIR FIRST JOURNEY ABOARD THE LEVIATHAN. THE LIGHTS IN THE THRONE ROOM DIM AND MANY PHANTOMS APPEAR. THE GUARDIAN'S LIGHT IS SUPPRESSED BY NIGHTMARISH AFFLICTION.


 * Calus: [laughs ominously]


 * Eris Morn: It is time to leave. Hold fast! I will retrieve you.

ERIS BEGINS A TELEPORTATION SPELL.


 * Eris Morn: [channeling teleportation, straining]

ERIS'S EFFORTS ARE FUTILE...


 * Eris Morn: Something has placed itself between us. I cannot reach you!

THE GUARDIAN DEFEATS CABAL LOYALISTS.


 * Eris Morn: Guardian... RUN!

THE GUARDIAN ESCAPES THE THRONE ROOM.


 * Zavala: Straight ahead!


 * Eris Morn: I'm calling in your ship. Move!

THE GUARDIAN ENTERS THEIR SHIP AND RETREATS FROM THE LEVIATHAN.

Enemies

 * Cabal - Loyalists
 * Loyalist Colossus - Elite
 * Loyalist Legionary
 * Loyalist Psion
 * Loyalist War Beast


 * Nightmares
 * Unrelenting Nightmare