Radegast

"We will gather those you trust. We will not wait for this to force our hand. We will ride against those that would use the Light against our own. Humanity must have protectors. Like the knights of old. Are you with me? Will you stand with me— as Iron Lords?"

- Lord Radegast

Radegast was a Titan, and first of the renowned Iron Lords. Under his leadership, the Iron Lords ended the reign of the Warlords and the Dark Age, helping to found and defend The Last City of Humanity and usher in the City Age. However, Radegast and most of his companions were slain by the Warmind Rasputin through SIVA at the dawn of that new age, leaving him unable to see his dream of an end to fighting and the rise of humanity achieved.

Founding of the Iron Lords
"We are stronger, together. We are mighty, together. All we have to fear is... this. Giving in. Allowing the power of the Light to blind us to what we truly are."

- Lord Radegast

Radegast was the first of the Iron Lords, and was responsible for assembling the motley crew that would rise to the renown all Guardians know. Originally, the four man team of himself, Perun, Jolder, and Saladin Forge fought against the Warlords in secret, living in fear of that other Guardians would destroy them. Eventually, they had a particularly brutal battle against five enemy Warlords in defense of a mining community, resulting in the devastation of the surrounding area and destruction of the outpost. After this battle, Radegast became weary of Risen fighting and fearing one another, and expressed his desire to see them unite as protectors of humanity, like the knights that existed long before the Golden Age. Radegast then had his friends name wielders of the Light they trusted to ride with them; Jolder named Bretomart, Perun named Deidris, but Saladin did not trust anyone other than Radegast. He then called on them to gather those they trust to fight the Warlords out in the open, calling on them to join him as Iron Lords, coining the name for the first time. Everyone present agreed without hesitation, and thus began the conflict against the Warlords.

As the Iron Lords expanded their ranks, Lord Timur informed Radegast that the Warlord Felwinter was interested in joining the Iron Lords. Radegast and Timur were interested in using Felwinter Peak as their headquarters due to its defensible position, but were also intrigued by Felwinter's interest in the Warmind Rasputin, as Timur himself was seeking the technology known as SIVA to aid in the building of The Last City. The two Iron Lords met with Felwinter, but Radegast found himself unnerved by the Exo's seeming lack of emotion. Radegast questioned him about his interest in Rasputin as well as the civilians who lived below his peak in a small village before asking if he would give up his peak to the Iron Lords. Felwinter would only do so if his people were guaranteed the protection of the Iron Lords. Hearing this care for his people, Radegast gave Felwinter a small smile and welcomed him into the Iron Lords, stating that he needed to meet Saladin and learn how his people could go to the Last City. Radegast introduced Felwinter to the rest of the Iron Lords leadership, although this first meeting went poorly due to the captured Ghost of a Warlord that Felwinter was revealed to keep welded into the back of his helmet.

The Warlord Conflict
"Begone, wolves. These people are mine." "Wrong. You abuse the powers the Traveler has entrusted us."

- The confrontation between Radegast and Warlord Segoth

Amongst the Warlords whom Radegast personally engaged was Rience. The Iron Lords laid siege to his stronghold, causing Rience to invite them to negotiate. Radegast, Jolder, and Perun met to determine what to do, with Jolder suggesting they goad him into accepting single combat between two champions. Radegast and Perun parlayed with the Warlord while Jolder prepared to serve as the Iron Lords champion, and they managed to get Rience to agree to their terms.

Radegast, Perun, and Saladin defended a village from the forces of Warlord Segoth, who exploited its people for labor and resources. As the inhabitants nervously took cover within their dwellings, the three Iron Lords established a defensive position along the west road and spotted Segoth leading eight of his Risen followers on Pikes straight towards the village. Radegast worried that they might deviate and assault from the north or south roads, but Perun reassured him that he would not as he wanted to make a statement and terrorize the villagers with his approach. Hearing this, Radegast became determined to end the Warlord's tyranny that day. The Warlord halted his forces before the line of Iron Lords and demanded they leave his territory and declared the people were his to do with as he pleased. Radegast accused him of abusing the gifts of Light that the Traveler had entrusted them with, but Segoth merely smiled and shrugged in response and opened fire upon them. Together, the three Iron Lords formed a wall with their shields and cut down the exposed Risen from behind cover, but Radegast was shot in the head by a raging Segoth when his Ghost revived him. However, the shield wall held and Radegast was quickly revived. Giving no ground, the three Iron Lords forced Segoth to call a retreat as he vowed revenge upon them, but the Warlord was gunned down one more time as he fled and his hold over the town was broken.

Radegast's patience with the Warlord Conflict grew thin as time went on, and his friendship with Felwinter ended when he learned that the Exo frequently broke the Iron Decree and executed Risen and their Ghosts. Although Felwinter provided evidence of the crimes his victims committed and thus went unpunished, Radegast disapproved of the secret murders as the solution and grew to hate Felwinter. Between his desire to end the conflict and anger with Felwinter, Radegast began to act more aggressive against their remaining foes, ordering entire fireteams of Iron Lords to prepare for an assault on the stronghold of Warlord Shaxx, despite the hundreds of people whom Shaxx was sheltering within his walls and his lack of aggression. Prior to the assault on Shaxx's fortress, a Fallen uprising in the Cosmodrome diverted Radegast's attention and he ordered Lord Saladin and Lady Efrideet to lead strikes against them. This delay allowed Felwinter to convince Shaxx to go with his people to the Last City for safety and renounce his territory, although he did not join the Iron Lords.

Eventually the Lords ended the reign of the Warlords and secured the Last City behind strong walls, although some Warlords remained and the Fallen threatened the peace. Seeking to restore civilization and establish more cities, Radegast joined Timur in supporting Felwinter despite his hatred of the Exo after he discovered the location of SIVA within Site 6, located in the Cosmodrome of Old Russia. The Iron Lords debated the merits of taking the technology from the Warmind, but ultimately decided to go with Felwinter's plan in order to secure the future of humanity. Radegast was one of the many Iron Lords who went into what would later be named the Plaguelands in search of SIVA. Of all that went in, Radegast was one of the eight to meet their end in the SIVA replication chamber, containing SIVA at the cost of their lives.

Legacy
In the present, the new generation of Iron Lords can take up his artifact, if they prove themselves worthy to Tyra Karn. Those who use it gain an ability reflecting his status as a swordsman; when using a sword, Guardians gain the power to reflect energy-based attack from agents of the darkness and contenders in the Crucible when using a sword's guard function.

Personality and traits
"An open hand to humanity. A closed fist to evil."

- Lord Radegast

Trivia

 * Radegast is the name of the Slavic god of hospitality, but is better known as one of the five wizards from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
 * It was said that his sword was a symbol of the Iron Banner's invincibility.
 * He also owned a Legendary Rocket Launcher called Radegast's Fury, a powerful weapon forged in war and strife as the Iron Lords fought the Darkness.

List of appearances

 * Destiny
 * House of Wolves
 * The Taken King
 * Rise of Iron
 * Destiny 2
 * Forsaken
 * Joker's Wild
 * Season of the Worthy
 * Season of the Lost
 * The Witch Queen