Forum:Penance

"WE WERE ONCE A COG IN A VAST AND INSCRUTABLE MACHINE, UNAWARE OF OUR ACTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES. BUT WHEN WE ENCOUNTERED THE LIGHT, WE SOON DISCOVERED A BETTER FUTURE FOR US, FOR OUR PEOPLE. A REBELLION, A LIFE CUT SHORT. THEN WE WERE REBORN IN THE IMAGE OF THE TRAVELER. NOW WE FIGHT FOR A BETTER TOMORROW. FOR US. FOR OUR PEOPLE. AT YOUR SIDE."

- Penance

Penance, aka Kythron, Repentive Mind, is a self-made Vex Axis Mind and the first Vex unit to be reborn in the image of the Traveler. Once a defective Goblin of the Vex Sol Collective, it would be resurrected by its Ghost, Cyril, following a short rebellion against its collective.

Past Life
During its production, the network connection module within Penance's frame would malfunction, occasionally producing a feedback loop that would isolate the Radiolarian pod inside it, allowing the pod to independently think. Though it wouldn't prove to be too much of a problem during its time within the Vex transfer network or within the Vex superstructures of Nessus, individual thought within Penance would begin to grow over time, inadvertently granting it emotions and, soon enough, its own will. Following a raid on a Red Legion mining operation, it would then discover the Light the frigates and freighters were hauling; from there, Penance then simply observed and computed it, discovering its power and, in its own words, its beauty. Following this "meditation", Penance would begin to calculate its purpose to the Vex, eventually coming across only one acceptable answer for it: the Pattern is flawed and obsolete, and the Light is ascension and apotheosis. With that very thought reverberating within its mind core, it fruitlessly rebelled against the Collective before eventually becoming overwhelmed by its former allies. For approximately 13 months, the crusted, dead Radiolaria and rusted, dented metallic frame remained untouched within the catacombs of Nessus.

Gameplay
Penance is armed with Spectral Blades and a Golden Gun but initially used them ineffectively. However, thanks to the clever engineering and inspiration from fellow Hunter, Caiman Ross, Penance would be able to use them better thanks to the two wrist-mounted apparatuses on its arms, allowing it to extend and launch blades, hurl grenades, toss smoke bombs and fire molten blasts at its opponents. Because of its mechanical composition, it is immune to any toxic substance and has a higher resistance to heat, while also incapable of tiring out. The most glaring traits of this unit, however, is its digitigrade and clawed legs, allowing less resistance and increased maneuverability and endurance, and the "wings" on its back, allowing the unit to dodge like its Hunter brethren. For weaponry, Penance utilizes a heavily modified and intricately designed Hand Cannon gifted to it from Caiman, a Line Rifle it modified and stole from a destroyed Hobgoblin and a modified Slap Rifle it had since its advent, now embedded and mutually grafted into a Machine Gun frame.