Forum:Operation: Hourglass

Operation: Hourglass is the opening mission of the Season of Revelation. With the mysterious return of Mercury, the Guardian is tasked with exploring the transformed landscape of the planet in an effort to recover any intelligence on the Witness's operations on the planet, whether it be through the time-twisted landscapes or the possible survivors from the Cult of Osiris.

Objectives

 * Navigate the Shifted Sands of Mercury
 * Eliminate the Vex
 * Enter the Rift
 * Deal with the Shadow Legion invaders
 * Enter the Lighthouse
 * [Objectives Updated] Overtake the Shadow Legion and enter the Infinite Forest
 * Get your bearings
 * Root out the Taken
 * WAIT
 * The Forest is collapsing in on you! Get out before you are trapped forever!

Transcript
The Guardian(s)' ship warps towards Mercury ''The Guardian lands on the same pad as they did in the The Gateway mission, but find major temporal disruptions everywhere. They progress'' ''The Guardian enters bypasses some of the temporal distortions, circumventing chunks of ground from Mercury's Golden Age and discovers a larger platform arena hosting a cadre of Vex units. On the other side, a barrier is visible.'' ''The Guardian whittles away the Vex units and eliminates the The Reclaimer Mind. As the Mind falls, a massive boom is heard in the sky as a fleet of Shadow Legion ships break the atmosphere and descend towards the Lighthouse.'' ''The Guardian bypasses the faltered gate and enters a jump gate, launching them into one of the time rifts into the past, filled with the garden world's foliage and research equipment and outposts. Shadow Legion forces slam down and arrive to intercept the Guardian. They are swiftly dispatched and enter the research outpost.'' ''After dispatching a squad of War Beasts and Gladiators, the Guardian enters a room torn apart by a rift, opening up to a drop towards the original Lighthouse area. Light Cabal defenses are seen by the gateway'' The Guardian enters the Lighthouse, only to find it ransacked and filled with scattered bodies. The Guardian accesses an active terminal in the middle of the room. The Guardian leaves the Lighthouse and finds a walled-off perimeter around the gate way. ''The Guardian weaves through the Shadow Legion defenses, even bypassing the Vex Crossroads public event arena, eliminating Shadow Legionnaires and finally reaching a reinforced gate area. After eliminating the commander, Bau'lorc, Aspirant of the Witness, the Guardians reach the Gateway.'' The Guardian approaches the doorway and, instead of being repelled out, they are, instead, brought in. ''The Guardian enters a darkened, deeper looking area of the Infinite Forest, gnarled and twisted. Taken Blight is seen suspended in the distance.'' ''After navigating the snaking halls and dispatching a group of glitched Vex, the Guardian descends into a circular arena overlooking a darkened Infinite Forest with innumerable pillars in the distance, as well as four blights varying in size. A Darkness Zone falls.'' ''Taken spawn across the arena and engage the Guardian. After dealing with most of the onslaught, a Degraded Daemon spawns somewhere in the open space.'' After eliminating the Daemon, the arena begins to shift; barriers despawn and the floor disintegrates, but a blight in the distance collapses. With the elimination of two additional Daemons and a near untraversable arena, a larger, Corrupted Daemon Hydra spawns above the arena. ''The Guardian destroys the Corrupted Daemon and the Taken begin to vanish with the massive Blight. The platforms begin to disintegrate.'' ''As the Guardian attempts to find stable ground in the center, a series of Vex beeps are heard in the distance and a portal opens up below the arena. The Guardian is teleported to the Infinite Roots'' The Guardian approaches a massive, walled off Vex gate in the distance. Only if the Guardian continues forward; they will be launched away at breakneck speeds and instant killed upon collision with the back wall. Osiris will continue regardless ''The Guardian enters another corridor on the other side of the room and further progresses down the winding corridors. At the end of them, they enter a Vex gate and fall into an overgrown arena with Blights suspended throughout. It overlooks a pale-light lit labyrinth below.'' ''A roar is heard as an armed Sol Divisive Hydra, Apophos, the Darkened Gardener rises to meet the Guardians. Vex corruption seeps into the arena as it reaches forward and enraged Relentless Variables spawn within the confines of the room.'' ''The Guardian makes a run for it, leaving the room as the simulation loses integrity. Bypassing snaking rooms and evading Supplicants and the uploaded Tormentors, the Guardian enters what appears to be a dead end. The Guardian is slowed and deprived of weapons as a Relentless Variable approaches them.'' The vex beeps are heard again and, just before the Relentless Variable grabs the Guardian, they are warped out of there. (TBC)
 * Ikora Rey: To all Vanguard units inbound towards Mercury, reconnaissance operation Hourglass is go. Guardian, you objectives are more paramount than anyone else. As you are aware, Mercury has returned, and orbital observations have confirmed that the planet is scarred with temporal disruptions the same as Mars, meaning we have to assume the Witness was searching for something on that planet. This is intelligence we cannot skip on. If there is anything we can find on that world that will lead us to the Witness, we must claim it.
 * Ikora Rey: Much our investigations on Mars, Mercury appears to have been twisted, perverted, scarred. These distortions seem to peer into the past, back into our Golden Age. What it could possibly want from our past is of great interest to us. But be careful. The terrain of Mercury's past and current state are... very much different.
 * Ikora Rey: It appears the Vex have returned to claim their world. But... this looks like some of their bulk units. Why aren't they reinforcing the gateway to the Infinite Forest. That- That hardly matters right now. Eliminate them and press on.
 * Ikora Rey: The Shadow Legion!? What are they doing here? The Witness- they must be here to intercept us. To cover its tracks. Guardian, they must be on their way to stop us. They must be-
 * Osiris: They're trying to keep you from the Infinite Forest.
 * Ikora Rey: Osiris?
 * Osiris: We haven't much time. Get to the Lighthouse and find any of my followers if you must, but we cannot allow the Shadow Legion to block our ingress.
 * Osiris: Much like the ruins on Mars. These ancient buildings look in pristine condition as they were during the Golden Age.
 * Ikora Rey: Osiris. I can't say that your assistance here isn't appreciated, especially with your expertise, but... why are you here?
 * Osiris: Answers. Solutions. Knowledge. Same as you. When I tracked Shadow Legion ships towards this place and heard of the planet's return, I couldn't turn down the opportunity to investigate what the Witness has done.
 * Ikora Rey: This is about what happened with the Veil, isn't it.
 * Osiris: Let's not discuss the whys and why-nots here. The Shadow Legion are deploying fortifications as we speak. We cannot let them reinforce the gateway. Forward.
 * Osiris: Good. Looks like we still have time. See what has become of my followers.
 * Ikora Rey: What of the Shadow Legion.
 * Osiris: They still haven't reinforced the area with heavy weapons. Besides, while the Cult were... zealots, no one should have been left to such a cruel fate, even if it was their choice. And if there are survivors, there is intelligence we could gather from them.
 * Osiris: *Sigh* As I feared.
 * Ikora Rey: They were massacred. They never stood a chance against the Witness.
 * Osiris: Hold on. I believe some of them are missing. Vance and some of the other followers aren't here.
 * Ikora Rey: Wait. I don't see any of them either. Do you think they survived?
 * Osiris: It's a possibility. They are fanatics, but they are resilient.
 * Ikora Rey: But where did they go? Guardian, see if there is anything pointing to where they ran off to.
 * Ikora Rey: We got the data. It appears that the followers... left for the Infinite Forest.
 * Osiris: What? They must have been pursuing me. Or perhaps tried to evade the Witness. Either way, it looks like we're off to the Infinite Forest.
 * Osiris: Huh.
 * Ikora Rey: Is that confoundment, Osiris?
 * Osiris: What? N-no. Maybe. It doesn't matter. It looks like there's still a path forward. Carve through them.
 * Osiris: The Infinite Forest. An infinite labyrinth of possibilities and change. One of the Vex's most guarded artifacts. No one without a means of access can simply enter. Here, I'll relay to your Ghost the access parameters... if I could find it here.
 * Ikora Rey: Wait. It appears the gate's energies are... weakened. Try walking up to it Guardian.
 * Ikora Rey: Interesting. It appears the Vex haven't updated their defensive protocols.
 * Osiris: [Distantly] I swear I had it backed up on this terminal somewhere in here. Uh, don't worry Guardian, I should have it in a bit.
 * Ikora Rey: Osiris... they're already inside. The defenses appear to be out of date.
 * Osiris: [Distantly, gets closer] What!? You're already inside the gateway?
 * Ikora Rey: It appears so. Keep moving forward Guardian. If nothing, we could pick up the trail of the Cult.
 * Osiris: What? This is the sub-layers of the Infinite Forest. The Foundation upon which it stands. How are we...
 * Ikora Rey: The Witness. Or, perhaps the followers. It doesn't matter. We must press on. Guardian, get a bearing on where you are and see what you can find.
 * Ikora Rey: Hold on. Taken incoming, Guardian! Watch yourself!
 * Osiris: A Daemon? But it appears corrupted. Somehow.
 * Ikora Rey: It looks like it's fighting with the Taken. Guardian, try to eliminate that Daemon.
 * Ikora Rey: The Daemons are linked to the Blight!
 * Osiris: They must be a sort of anchor for the Taken, to prevent them from being swept away or consumed by the permutations of the Forest.
 * Ikora Rey: Then we must not delay. Guardian, if you see more of those Daemons, eliminate them!
 * Osiris: But be careful, they are also linked to the integrity of the simulation.
 * Ikora Rey: There! That Daemon must be the one controlling the simulation! Destroy it!
 * Osiris: Ikora, wait! The simulation is starting to collapse!
 * Ikora Rey: We have no choice Osiris! The Taken are pouring through!
 * Ikora Rey: Guardian?
 * Osiris: The simulation is falling apart!
 * Ikora Rey: Guardian, find stable ground! Hurry!
 * Ikora Rey: Guardian? Guardian, do you read me? I've lost track of your position? Respond!
 * Osiris: Hold on, I'm tracking them as we speak. They're... on the lower levels. The Infinite Roots!?
 * Ikora Rey: The Infinite Roots? Osiris, talk to me.
 * Osiris: The foundation of the foundation. The most safeguarded of the Vex's simulations are run here.
 * Ikora Rey: But how did the Guardian get here?
 * Osiris: I- I don't know. Not even I got there before. Not even my infinite reflections made it to those depths.
 * Ikora Rey: Then we are entering uncharted territory. Be careful Guardian.
 * Osiris: Guardian, wait!
 * Osiris: *Sigh*
 * Osiris: That security layer will repel you away if you come equipped with your standard equipment. The Vex made sure no one with the Light or Darkness for that matter access these depths.
 * Ikora Rey: The made something that could repel paracausal powers!?
 * Osiris: Not exactly. It's a sort of prototype that monitors any access into these depths. It can sense if any intruders are armed and equipped with the "powers that they cannot simulate".
 * Ikora Rey: Interesting. So, what lies beyond it?
 * Osiris: A good question. For another time I suppose.
 * Ikora Rey: Indeed. Guardian, progress forward. Let's see what else we can find here.
 * Ikora Rey: What is this place? It's like some overlook for that labyrinth. Perhaps some control room for the axis mind that oversees the Infinite Forest.
 * Osiris: Hm. I always wondered where Panoptes was when it wasn't pursuing me. But it looks like it's still in operation.
 * Ikora Rey: But who would be-
 * Ikora Rey: That Hydra! It's collapsing the forest on you!
 * Osiris: Get out of there!
 * Ikora Rey: Guardian!

Enemies

 * Vex
 * Harpy
 * Goblin
 * Hobgoblin
 * Quantum Hobgoblin
 * Minotaur
 * Recursive Minotaur
 * The Reclaimer Mind
 * Shadow Legion
 * War Beast
 * Psion
 * Legionary
 * Shadow Guard Legionary
 * Phalanx
 * Honored Phalanx
 * Incendior
 * Gladiator
 * Honored Gladiator
 * Centurion
 * Esteemed Centurion
 * Bau'lorc, Aspirant of the Witness
 * Relentless Variable
 * Taken
 * Shadow Thrall
 * Taken Goblin
 * Ravenous Taken Goblin
 * Taken Hobgoblin
 * Taken Minotaur
 * Taken Psion
 * Taken Phalanx
 * Ravenous Taken Phalanx
 * Taken Centurion
 * Degraded Daemon
 * Corrupted Daemon
 * Sol Divisive
 * Supplicant
 * Apophos, the Darkened Gardener

Appearance

 * Destiny 2: Season of Revelation