Katabasis

Katabasis was a Hunter and one of Emperor Calus’ operatives. He was revived by a Ghost named Gilgamesh at an unspecified time after the Collapse. His last mission saw him aboard the Glykon Volatus, in a ritual to help Emperor Calus commune with the Darkness using the Scorn. However, after the ritual Calus was nowhere to be found, and the surviving crew was slowly killed off by one of their experiments, the Locus of Communion. Katabasis’ last message was a distress signal, offering his rifle in exchange for escape.

After the Young Wolf collected all pages of the Captain’s Log lorebook, they discovered that Katabasis’ Ghost Gilgamesh was corrupted by the Darkness and began reviving Katabasis over and over again to be killed by the Scorn while marooned on the Glykon. Katabasis was forced to kill his own Ghost, which is what Gilgamesh planned, as disconnecting his Light allowed the Anomaly (see Darkness) to infect and kill Katabasis through the Sarcophilic Egregore Spores.

Calus, The Glykon Volatus, and Death
Katabasis arrived on the Leviathan and was welcomed by Emperor Calus and his Loyalist Legionaries. Katabasis had arrived on the vessel to accept a personal job, he would assist Calus in communicating with the Darkness again after he believed it had abandoned him despite promising to return to him. The Emperor tasked Katabasis to reappropriate the Glykon Volatus, situated on Nessus, from the Red Legion. Calus sent some of his Loyalists alongside Katabasis to assist with this measure, including a Psion named Qinziq and a Centurion named Bahr'Toran. Katabasis and Qinziq entered the ship through a service chute, while Bahr'Toran would disrupt the signal receiver to hide it from the Red Legion until they removed their locational anchor. Katabasis spotted a Psion on the bow, but Qinziq stopped him before he could shoot her. She introduced her as Yirix and explained to Katabasis that Psions are not loyal to just one flag. After that, she dropped from the chute to communicate with her, after which Yirix left her post. The fireteam started the engines of the Glykon Volatus and Bahr'Toran materialised to their location. He said that the charges were set on the signal receiver and the Glykon Volatus was launched into the atmosphere.

After an unknown amount of time, Katabasis and Bahr'Toran began capturing Scorn from the Tangled Shore under Qinziq's directions. He was unaware of the purpose of this, only that he and Bahr'Toran were to capture as many as they can for two days straight. Bahr'Toran believed Calus would use the Darkness to reclaim Torobatl. Katabasis arrived at Qinziq's lab and inquired about the reasoning behind the procurement of Scorn, she elaborated that they had a natural connection to the Darkness which Calus would use a vessel for communing when they arrived at the Anomaly. . After six weeks of capturing Scorn and fending off Hive, Katabasis and the crew anchored the Glykon off the gravity of Phobos, close to the gaping maw where Mars once was. He offered to clear the base of Taken, but realised that they were docile and left them be. Calus arrived on the ship with his scribe, Amsot, and picked out one of the captured for communion with the Darkness. They also brought the Crown of Sorrow aboard the ship, which riled the rest of the cargo hold. Gilgamesh eyed the Crown as it was brought aboard and began whispering strange incantations from there. Calus viewed Katabasis as 'an extra morsel of bait' as he began to commune with the Darkness. The Glykon strains as it moved closer to the Anomaly.

Katabasis began to experience persistent nightmares. He dreamed about the Red War and the Cabal completely decimating the Tower, he fled for a long while before being revived by Gilgamesh and they survived alone together.

Trivia

 * Katabasis is of Ancient Greek origin and means a descent of some type i.e. a military retreat or a descent into the underworld.

List of appearances

 * Destiny 2: Season of the Chosen