Nezarec, Final God of Pain: Difference between revisions

'''Nezarec, Final God of Pain''' is a [[Disciples of the Witness|Disciple]] of [[the Witness]]. An ancient being with powerful psychic abilities, Nezarec relishes the fear and pain experienced by other sentient beings, and is known to induce [[Nightmares]] in his victims in order to feed on their fear. Nezarec was known to several civilizations who feared and even worshipped him, including the pre-[[Cabal]] [[Psion]]s and pre-[[Golden Age]] [[Humanity]].  

Nezarec initially led the [[Black Fleet]] in its assault on [[Earth]] during the [[Collapse]], claiming [[The Veil]] on behalf of [[The Witness]]. He was betrayed by [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen]], who killed Nezarec and cursed his remains, leaving him entombed in his own [[The Lunar Pyramid|Pyramid]] on the [[Moon]]. Despite his physical death, echoes of his consciousness continued to persist across the system. His remains were later found by [[Fallen]] scavengers, who would split Nezarec's corpse into pieces that were distributed amongst them as "relics" and talismans. These pieces would be gathered centuries later by two parties: The [[Guardian]]s of the [[Last City]] and [[Eramis, Kell of Darkness]] of the [[House of Salvation]] in [[Season of Plunder]]. The original Fallen raiding party would leave Nezarec's head inside the Lunar Pyramid.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/3/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]:[[Lightfall]]-[[Armor|Armor Lore]]: [[Bite of Trepidation Suit (Hunter)#Vest of Trepidation|Vest of Trepidation]]''</ref>  This lead to the Witness later coming into the possession of Nezarec's head and encased his remains in a sarcophagus located on the [[The Witness]]' [[Pyramid]].     

Hailing from an unknown species, Nezarec was one of the few chosen to be elevated as a member the Witness' chosen Disciples, to which he was given a [[Nezarec's Whisper|Glaive]] by [[Rhulk]] as a gift.<ref name="whisper">'''Bungie (2022/5/24)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Haunted]] - [[Weapon|Weapon Lore]]: [[Nezarec's Whisper]]''</ref> Both feared and worshipped as a fiend, the titular Final God of Pain terrorized countless races with his imposing psionic ability to infect the minds and dreams of his victims; giving them [[Nightmares]] and feeding upon their fear and screams as his influence was felt across the stars.<ref name="sin">'''Bungie (2017/9/8)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description: [[Nezarec's Sin#Lore|Nezarec's Sin]]''</ref>

Nezarec's demonic presence would be felt across several races including the ancient [[Psion]]s, whom revered him as a deity at one point in their pre-[[Cabal]] history.<ref name="Psions">'''Bungie (2023/02/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Nezarec, Final God of Pain]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6AUTpFszfs "Psions. Do You Still Adore Me?"]''</ref> Although their beliefs were brutally subjugated in the present day, a cult of Psions would continue to honor Nezarec by offering him those he touched mentally as sacrifices such as the case of [[Acasia]]'s partner.<ref name="Acasia IV">'''Bungie (2023/02/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Armor|Armor lore]]: [[Breath of Detestation#Boots of Detestation|Boots of Detestation]]''</ref> In the cover of night, Nezarec would personally visit the sleeping pair under the vestige of [[Darkness]] he manifests in and physically touched the sleeping Psion beside Acasia before disappearing.<ref name="Acasia III">'''Bungie (2023/02/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Armor|Armor lore]]: [[Breath of Detestation#Robes of Detestation|Robes of Detestation]]''</ref> Minutes later, his Psion supplicants would enter Acasia's home and restrain the pair as they offered her partner to be sacrificed in his honor. Sometime later, his followers convened in ritualistic ceremony as Acasia's partner is mentally tortured at the mercy of Nezarec as he rises from his seat, levitating off the ground, and dark tendrils attach themselves to his shadow to siphon his power; all while Acasia herself having joined their ranks as they unified in pained wails of Nezarec's symphony.<ref name="Acasia IV"/>

Before the [[Golden Age]], Nezarec's psionic campaign of terror was also pervasive amongst the minds of [[Humanity]]. He became the subject in a pre-Golden Age text titled, "Of Hated Nezarec"; which states that he will one day rise again, implying that he is either dead, dormant, or in hiding at the time of writing.<ref name="sin"/> Over time the origin and age of this text became lost after the [[Collapse]], but the leather-bound tome containing Nezarec's darkest secrets survived in the possession of a [[Human]] family that worshipped the latter and given some of his power in return for their service.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/02/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - Item Description: [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/dream-demon Dream Demon]''</ref>

Nezarec's Pyramid ship would crash onto the surface of the [[Moon]] following the Traveler's attack, entombing his corpse beneath the lunar surface.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/8/23)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Plunder]] - [[Eido]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmmmso_uFaU "Nezarec Led the Witness's First Assault on Earth."]''</ref>

Following the Collapse, Nezarec's corpse had remain undisturbed within his own Pyramid, which was kept hidden by the local Hive out of overwhelming fear of the former disciple. [[Inaaks]], the then-[[Kell]] of the [[House of Wolves]], uncovers his derelict ship during an spelunking expedition despite the overwhelming Hive forces picking off her raid party.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/8/23)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Plunder]] - [[Lore:Above All Else]]: [[Lore:Above All Else#II. The Whispering Dark|II. The Whispering Dark]]''</ref> Inside, Inaaks and her fellow Fallen scavengers determined that Nezarec's body was a source of [[Darkness|great power]]. They split his body into pieces, which were distributed as morbid talismans to harvest his dark powers. Over time, those remains of the disciple were stored within relics and scattered across the solar system, exchanging many hands between Fallen pirates including Inaaks' son [[Misraaks]].<ref>'''Bungie (2022/8/23)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Plunder]] - [https://youtu.be/O9Mlvz5jAWI?t=203 Nezarec]''</ref>

Despite the absence of their god, Nezarec's terror continued to persist in the form of [[Mykel]] and his family for years through the [[Dark Age]], with every new generation tested for loyalty and worthiness. On the night of his 18th birthday, Mykel's father woke his son from a deep slumber filled with the horrors of Nezarec's design. Despite his fears, Mykel was taught not fear the Nightmares as he would be put to the test by extracting the fear of a captive Eliksni, which he presumably succeeded much to Nezarec's favor.<ref name="Dream Demon">'''Bungie (2023/02/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [Lightfall]] - Item Description: [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/dream-demon Dream Demon]''</ref> Later in his adulthood, [[Mykel]] would create the [[Acolytes of Nezarec]] by directing the God of Pain's influence towards his ideal victims. Those who would join included prior victims of his such as Acasia, a former [[Titan (class)|Titan]] named [[Briar]] and the Eliksni called [[Koraxis]].

===Season of Plunder===

During the season's events, [[Eramis, Kell of Darkness]] sought to collect all the relics under the order of The Witness.<ref name="cutscene"/><ref>'''Bungie (2022/8/23)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Plunder]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Between Stolen Stars#I. Thaw|Between Stolen Stars - I. Thaw]]''</ref> Through her research on these relics, [[Eido, Daughter of Misraaks]] discovered a reference to the "Curse of Nezarec" in an ancient dirge. The curse is alleged to drain the life of the user, though its purpose is also unknown.

During the campaign of [[Lightfall]], Neomuna Civil News reports the [[Neomuni]] are experiencing widespread nightmares. The report goes on to state that one name has appeared in all of these nightmares; Nezarec. The reports also speculate on the connections between Nezarec and the [[Psion]]s in their psychic abilities. These claims would later be confirmed during the [[Hypernet Current]] [[Strike]]. A mysterious voice said it would claim a part of [[Vex]] space for its own, and called itself Nezarec. In addition the Disciple can also occasionally be heard by [[The Guardian]] while they're patrolling [[Neomuna]], particularly in [[Maya's Retreat]] and the [[Thrilladrome]] Lost Sector. Whilst either [[Nezarec's Whisper]] or [[Nezarec's Sin]] is equipped these whispers become decipherable and Nezarec will taunt them further during the [[Terminal Overload]] public event.