High Plains Blues

High Plains Blues is the thirty-first story mission in Destiny 2, and the second mission of the Forsaken expansion. Guardians must begin their quest to avenge the murder of Cayde-6 by travelling to the Tangled Shore to meet Petra Venj and a new ally, The Spider, to start the hunt for Uldren Sov and the Scorn Barons.

Transcript
{Cutscene} The scene begins by showing the Scorn emblem. It then expands slightly before fading away to show Uldren Sov sitting on his sister Mara's throne, holding the Ace of Spades. He looks at the hand cannon before looking upward.

Uldren Sov: Yes... I am humbled by your gracious acceptance. Mara Sov, my sister, your Queen... may be gone. But she is with us now and always.

The camera then changes to show the Scorn Barons as Uldren continues.

Uldren Sov: As for you, my friends, my Barons... you embraced me when I was cast out. And for that I gift to you the bounty of the Tangled Shore. Go! Unleash upon the Fallen... chaos.

The Scorn Barons let out snarls as they all turn to leave, and Fikrul, the Fanatic bows to Uldren.

The Fanatic: By your grace, Father.

Uldren nods, and the Fanatic turns, leaving the throne room.

Uldren Sov: You would be proud. The Reefborn's love for their Queen remains... undiminished.

Mara Sov's hand reaches down and touches Uldren's chest.

Mara Sov: Love is fleeting. But devotion...

The camera changes to display Mara next to Uldren.

Mara Sov: now that is forever. Not one of them has ever shown more strength of devotion than you, my dear brother. The Awoken cannot be trusted. You and I know that better than anyone. Together we can bestow upon our people the fortune they so richly deserve... Extinction.

Uldren steps down from the throne and grabs a torch. He looks at the torch for a moment before Mara comes up to him and whispers.

Mara Sov: Free me.

Uldren then tosses the torch toward the throne, setting it ablaze.

Mara Sov: Come, Brother. Let us see what dreams may come.

Uldren exits the throne room as it catches fire. The Scorn emblem fades in before the screen fades to black.

{Cutscene}

The screen fades in to display the Reef. Before changing to various spots around the Tangled Shore

Ghost: The Tangled Shore. A lawless frontier of outlaws, scavengers, and pirates. Murderers like Uldren and his Fallen would fit right in. We need to search the Shore - from the Fallen camps in Quitter's Well to that ancient Awoken Watchtower on the horizon. Leave no stone unturned. Uldren can't hide from us.

The screen fades to black.

{Gameplay}

The Guardian is now standing in the High Plains of the Tangled Shore. They begin making their way across the plains.

Ghost: Ikora told us Cayde's killers are skulking about the Tangled Shore. It's not much of a lead, but it's all we've got. Let's get to searching. Uldren and his gang of Fallen can't hide from us.

The Guardian searches the plains before coming upon a ravaged Fallen camp with dead Fallen bodies scattered about.

Ghost: I've marked a suspicious energy signature on your display. Might be worth checking out.

The Guardian locates a terminal and sends their Ghost to hack it. Suddenly, a section of the cliffside near them fades away, revealing a cave.

Ghost: Huh. Well, that's gotta be something.

The Guardian proceeds into the tunnel, finding shelves with various objects stocked on them.

Ghost: This is some kind of smuggler's tunnel.

The Guardian finds another terminal and sends Ghost to hack it. Another wall disappears, revealing a path further in. There, the Guardian finds Scorn skulking about and quickly defeats them, heading further onward and making it outside.

Ghost: Those were the creatures we fought in the Prison of Elders. They're spreading.

On a nearby ridge, the Fanatic and the other Barons transmat in.

Ghost: There! On the ridge!

The other Barons disappear, and the Fanatic remains.

The Fanatic: Perhaps you will give my children a better fight than your friend CAYDE.

The Fanatic summons more Scorn to battle the Guardian before he disappears. The Guardian defeats the Scorn. They then send their Ghost to investigate a corrupted Servitor.

Ghost: They're sucking the Ether out of this Servitor. Corrupting it.

More Scorn appear, but the Guardian fights and defeats them.

Ghost: Someone's hacking our comms.

Petra Venj: You're late. Here I was thinking I'd be hunting Uldren alone.

Ghost: Petra Venj!

Petra Venj: We need to talk. Face-to-face. I'm on my way to see an old acquaintance. Word is he wants Uldren and his Barons dead as much as we do. Problem is, the feeling is mutual, so my acquaintance is laying low in a hidden bunker. If we want him to open the door, we can't leave any witnesses - clear the area.

Ahead is a doorway with a barrier blocking it. The Guardian defeats all the Scorn in the area, and the barrier drops. The Guardian heads through the tunnel, going further in.

Petra Venj: I'm sending you some backup. Please - don't shoot the backup.

The Guardian encounters a Stalker fighting a Fallen with a spiky cloak who kills the Stalker. Another spiky-cloaked Fallen drops down, and the two chatter before the first one goes to a Grav-Lift. The other one turns to look at the Guardian, gesturing them to the Grav-Lift.

Ghost: Our backup... are Fallen.

Petra Venj: Oh, did I forget to mention that?

The Guardian enters the Grav-Lift, heading down towards a battle going on between Fallen and Scorn. The Guardian defeats the Scorn in the first area.

Ghost: Not that I'm complaining, but why are Fallen fighting against other Fallen?

Petra Venj: The Scorn aren't Fallen. Not anymore.

The Guardian moves to the second area and defeats the Scorn there.

Petra Venj: The Barons' leader, the Fanatic, has the power to resurrect dead Fallen as frenzied, bloodthirsty puppets. And he believes Uldren gave him that power.

The Guardian moves to the third area and defeats more Scorn.

Ghost: So Uldren and the Barons murder Cayde... and then come here. What's so special about the Tangled Shore?

Petra Venj: That's not my secret to tell, Guardian. It's the Reef's. I'll say this: Uldren sent the Barons here for a reason. I just need to confirm my suspicions.

The Guardian fights the final wave of Scorn in the fourth area, defeating them.

Ghost: All clear out here, Petra.

Petra Venj: Great. Now get over here.

The Guardian heads towards another wall where the two spiky-cloaked Fallen they met earlier are. The wall disappears, revealing a cave. The Guardian enters the cave and encounters Petra Venj.

Petra Venj: Shine your shoes, Guardian. You're about to meet... the Spider.

{Cutscene}

Petra leads the Guardian into the Spider's lair. There, they meet a large Fallen toying with a Ghost shell guarded by two Fallen with Arc staffs.

The Spider: Ah! [laughter] Well, if it isn't Petra Venj, the worst jailer in the solar system! What brings you to my home away from home away from home? On the run, are we?

Petra Venj: I heard you lost the Shore...

The Spider: Gah! YOU lost my Shore.

Petra Venj: Thought you might want some help getting it back.

Petra gestures to the Guardian, who steps up next to her.

The Spider: A Guardian! And where oh where, pray tell, is its Ghost?

Petra Venj: Never mind the Ghost. There were two Guardians at the Prison of Elders when it fell: Cayde-6... and this one. The three of us want the same thing, Spider. Uldren and his Barons. Dead.

The Spider: What it is you're... Oh ho ho, I see! Haha. Despite our clear, mutually aligned interests, I'm sorry, but I can't help but feel like it is I who will come up short.

Petra slowly reaches for her knife, gripping the handle.

The Spider: It's true. I know where Uldren and his "Barons" scheme. You go, scratch your itch. Then we can just say... you owe me. Do we have a deal?

Petra releases her grip on her knife as the Guardian steps forward.

The Guardian: Deal.

The Spider: [menacing laughter]

The screen pans out to show the Guardian, Petra Venj, the Spider, and his two guards before fading to black.

{End Cutscene}

{End Mission: High Plains Blues}

List of appearances

 * Destiny 2
 * Forsaken