Cabal: Difference between revisions

====Golden Era====

{{quote|Is this not Calus's new Empire, an empire of achievement? Can't the Psions grow fat in thought, as you grow fat with power?|[[Freeborn Otzot]] appealing to [[Emperor Calus]]<ref name="Booklet"/>}}

====Midnight Coup====

{{quote|For centuries, I led the revels of my empire, and the stars themselves burnt sweet and clear. But in time the jealous and the tight-fisted rose up and sent me into exile.|[[Emperor Calus]]<ref name="Booklet"/>}}

===War for the Sol System===

====Arrival in the Solar System====

{{Quote|Whether we wanted it or not, we've stepped into a war with the Cabal on Mars.|Commander [[Zavala]]<ref> https://db.destinytracker.com/d1/grimoire/activities/strikes/cerberus-vae-iii</ref>}}  

====The Taken War====

{{Quote|It came from the Emperor Himself. I'm ordered to board and capture the Hive flagship. At any cost.| [[Primus Ta'aun]]<ref name="Cabal 3"/>}}

====Seeking the Light====

{{quote|I command [[Red Legion|Legions]]. Conquered worlds. Waged war across the galaxy to prove my worth. I alone am worthy of the [[Traveler]]'s Light.|[[Dominus Ghaul]]<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8E7jUjOQi0'''YouTube''' - ''Destiny 2 – Official "Our Darkest Hour" E3 Trailer'']</ref>}}

Two years after the [[Taken War]] and one year after the [[SIVA Crisis]], the Cabal Empire's response would finally arrive. The [[Red Legion]], under the command of [[Dominus Ghaul]] himself, would launch a devastating assault on the Last City which was carried out flawlessly. Taking the City by surprise, the Red Legion rapidly overwhelmed it and destroyed the [[Tower]] while his [[Traveler Cage|cage device]] latched onto the Traveler. Ghaul's forces took particular care to capture the [[Speaker]] alive, as the Dominus was interested in his connection to the Traveler. In a desperate plan to kill him, [[The Guardian]] boarded his flagship, [[The Immortal]], and destroyed its shield generator in advance of a concentrated counterattack. This attack never materialized, and Ghaul personally stepped out to confront the Guardian. As the two faced off, the Cage activated its suppressive shield and stripped the Guardian -- all Guardians -- of their Light. With his victory assured, Ghaul beat and mocked the Guardian before kicking them off of the Immortal. Dominus Ghaul and his Red Legion had succeeded where previous forces had failed to accomplish for centuries: invading the Last City and defeating its Guardians.

====Return of Calus====

{{Quote|If you seek the means to live to your potential, I can guide you to it. There is power in the universe beyond your feeble Light. I leave you with those words, and these parting gifts. Take them, and grow fat from strength.|[[Emperor Calus]]<ref>'''Bungie (2017/8/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Leviathan (raid)]]''</ref>}}

After the death of Ghaul, the former Emperor of the Cabal, Calus, arrived in the Solar System aboard his massive craft, the Leviathan, and immediately set to work on reclaiming the empire. He gave elements of the leaderless Red Legion the chance to "join the loyalist regime," sending them on missions to collect geological data on Nessus. These transmissions are intercepted in the [[Adventure]] ''[[Invitation from the Emperor]].'' Calus intended to convert the soil of the planet into "Royal Wine".

====Rise of Ca'uor====

{{Quote|If Calus possessed an iota of dignity, he would have helped Ghaul against the Guardians instead of gallivanting around the system. This was his moment to redeem himself. Instead, he proved himself the traitor we knew him to be... I will take the Leviathan for the Red Legion.|[[Val Ca'uor]]<ref>'''Bungie (2018/5/8)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Warmind (expansion)|Warmind]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[The Emperor's Envy]]''</ref>}}

====Scattered Across the Sol System====

{{Quote|You left the Cabal scattered after the Red War. Reef scooped some up. They took your Tower? You took their dignity.|[[Drifter|The Drifter]]<ref>'''Bungie (2018/10/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Warden of Nothing]]''</ref>}}

Following their decimating defeat on the Leviathan and the loss of Ca'uor, any remaining survivors of the Red Legion found themselves within the [[Reef]] struggling to survive even as the region of space descended into chaos as the Fallen [[Scorn]] rampaged across the Awoken's domain. Yet at the same time, they found themselves in between the Guardian's personal war with the Scorn, losing causalities to both groups during the conflict.

====Opulence and Sorrow====

{{Quote|There is a dark place aboard my ship where you have never been. Where I was reborn. Like you were reborn. The Menagerie awaits you, Guardian.|Emperor Calus}}

Sometime following the Guardians' recent battles with the [[Kell's Scourge]] and dealings with the [[The Drifter (character)|Drifter]], Emperor Calus called upon the Guardians once more for a challenge that threatens his Leviathan. One of his former Shadows, [[Gahlran]], had gone mad after using the Hive artifact the [[Crown of Sorrow]]. It was soon revealed that Calus desired a Shadow to command the Hive and further his goals but  

====Collision Course====

{{Quote|The Red Legion has one last play. They've boarded their superweapon the Almighty. And it's on the move. You already destroyed its starkilling munitions. But whatever the Legion hopes to achieve… won't end well for us.|Zavala}}

====Fall of Torobatl====

{{Quote|MY HOME IS WAR. MY VOICE IS A BATTLE SONG. FOR AS LONG AS YOU HAVE WORSHIPPED WAR, YOU HAVE WORSHIPPED ME. I AM HERE TO CLAIM MY TRIBUTE. IT IS OVERDUE.|[[Xivu Arath]] to the Cabal after invading Torobatl.}}

Though Caiatl ultimately ascended the throne as Empress of the Cabal Empire following so many crippling defeats and losses to the Guardians and other factions, she remained determined to restore her people to glory. Unfortunately, Caiatl learns to her horror that her old teacher, [[Umun'arath]], has been studying Hive rituals and had begun to worship the Hive and the power they possess. Disturbed as Umun'arath explained that she saw the future of the Cabal in the ways of the Hive and their lack of fear towards death. Caiatl reminded Umun'arath that it was she who had taught Caiatl about how the bravery to defy death was what made soldiers. Uman'arath dismissed what her former student said and now proclaimed that with the rapidly deteriorating state of the galaxy they must embrace new ways and new gods to survive. After a long silence, Caiatl came to a decision and ordered Umun'arath to step down from her council.

====The Empress Arrives====

{{Quote|Even my people have a word for peace, but we do not use it often — or lightly. I wouldn't have summoned you if I was not sincere.|Empress Caiatl.}}

Following the Guardians managing to push back Xivu Arath's corruption and the Pyramids still encroaching on the system, the Vanguard of the Last City receives a surprise visit from the new empress of the Cabal Empire, Caiatl herself. More so that she comes peacefully and wishes to make an offer to the Guardians. Meeting with Vanguard Commander Zavala and former commander Osiris (Savathûn in disguise), Caiatl reasons that even though the Hive and the Pyramids have been pushed back, they have not been stopped and offers an alliance, bringing together the might of her empire to bear with the Guardians' Light and together, they can destroy their shared foes. In return, however, Caiatl demands that the Guardians bend the knee to her, something Zavala and the Guardians categorically refused to do. Angered, Caiatl issues a challenge to the Last City for control over the system, pitting the Guardians to face her strongest champions in a massive war game by rite of combat.

With Ignovun awaiting his challengers in the heart of the Imperial Land Tank, '''''Halphas Electus''''', Caiatl hoped to wear down the challenging Guardians before they reached her Chosen champion. As three Guardians stormed the tank, Zavala issued the formal challenge to Caiatl and she accepted with a wish that their shared bloodletting would lead to unity. She warned the Guardians that they would not have safe passage through the '''Halphas Electus''', which she claimed hungered for battle and questioned if they felt the same. Encouraging them to surrender, Caiatl promised to be merciful in their shame, but Zavala accused her of provoking the conflict that they would now end. Zavala questioned why she placed warriors between their Chosen combatants and wasted their lives, and Caiatl explained that they had sworn themselves to the Rite and were free to spend their lives as they saw fit. As the Guardians approached the ritual arena, Caiatl questioned if they enjoyed the act of killing and ritual combat. Zavala told her they would do what it took to secure the peace and offered mercy. Despite a fierce battle, Ignovun fell to the Vanguard's Chosen champions and Caiatl declared that she would honor their agreement while making arrangements for a meeting to finalize the treaty.

Accompanied by Blood Guards and the Psion attendant [[Valir]], Caiatl met with Zavala on the surface of [[Nessus]] to ritually conclude their agreement. Valir handed her a ritual blade with which she cut her palm while declaring that their blood would be the last spilt in the conflict between humanity and the Cabal Empire and the ground upon which they stood would become hallowed. She handed Valir the blade back to present it to Zavala, but as the Psion approached him the Titan's Ghost [[Targe]] was suddenly disabled by a sniper with Light-draining tech. Caiatl was shocked by this ambush, but Zavala's bodyguard Crow barely saved him as Valir attempted to slay the Commander. With Crow injured and Zavala Lightless, Caiatl charged Valir and prevented him from finishing Zavala, lifting him into the air before slamming him back into the ground and ending his life. Swearing to Zavala that she did not order his assassination, she commanded one of her Blood Guards to hunt down the sniper and bring them to her for interrogation to discover who was behind the conspiracy before watching as Crow disabled the Light-draining tech and restored Zavala's Light to him. Despite the attempted assassination, the treaty was concluded and Caiatl declared that any Cabal who maintained conflict against humanity were criminals in the eyes of the Empire and would be left to the Vanguard's justice. The other traitor, [[Qalec]], was found and during a broadcast to her empire, Caiatl executed him, announcing the conspirators pursued their own honor rather than for the good of the empire. The empress vowed to find the remaining conspirators and deliver the same fate upon them, stating they were one Cabal and would strike only as one fist. With the armistice reached, the war between the Last City and the Cabal was officially over.

===March on Mars===

Following Savathûn's escape from the Awoken in the Reef, the red planet of Mars mysteriously returned, albeit not the same as it once was, seemingly afflicted by some temporal distortion. Regardless of the planet's state, Empress Caiatl mobilized the Red Legion to Mars, hoping to claim it as Cabal territory before the Vanguard could make a protest. However, as her forces were setting up fortifications, including a large battery cannon, the Witch Queen revealed herself in her massive ship, [[The Lure]]. The Red Legion engaged the Guardian in battle as they sought a means to enter the Hive vessel. Though this technically was a breach of the signed armistice between the Last City and the Cabal Empire, the Guardian nonetheless proceeded with their mission of gaining entry into the Hive ship. As they did so, they encountered a horrifying new enemy: Lightbearing Hive of the [[Lucent Brood]]. Not only them, but Savathûn herself also wielded the Light.

As the Guardian worked with Ikora in combating the Lucent Brood, they needed to hone and strengthen their [[Deepsight]] abilities to further traverse [[Savathûn's Throne World]]. This takes them to the Pyramid on [[Europa]], where a cabal force was attempting to breach into the Pyramid and claim any Darkness-related artifacts. Eris Morn believed that the Cabal were looking for something that could provide them with the means to retaliate against "war itself", as they never got over the fact that Xivu Arath effectively conquered the conqueror, destroying their homeworld. This search, however, was unsanctioned, as Caiatl never authorized the mission, denouncing the members of the search to be [[Cabal Deserters|exiles and deserters]], leaving the Guardian effectively free to engage the Cabal that got in their way without reprisal.

As the Guardian ventured onto the vessel, they found it eerily deserted, large sections of it overgrown with the same dark flora that had overtaken the Glykon Volatus. Unnerved by this discovery, the Guardian ventured deeper into the Leviathan, but encountered a unique Nightmare that actually spoke in a voice that Zavala recognizes. However, the Guardian was blocked by a [[Unrelenting Nightmare|Loyalist Gladiator]] that they cannot seem to harm. Left with no choice but to hide and escape, the Guardian proceeded further through the vessel until reaching Calus's throne room, and encountered one of the Emperor's damaged robotic proxies. Investigating the robot seemed to activate it, producing the laughter of Calus himself before summoning swarms of Loyalist forces. On the verge of being overwhelmed, Eris attempted to teleport the Guardian to safety, only to discover that a power is blocking her attempts, forcing the Guardian to flee from the Leviathan on their own. Despite the Loyalists' efforts, the Guardian managed to reach their ship and return to the Vanguard to report their findings.

Eris met with Zavala and Caiatl, explaining that the [[Pyramid (Luna)|Lunar Pyramid]] was stirred by the Leviathan's call and it now manifested their deepest regrets, wearing familiar faces and speaking with familiar voices. Eris explained that she can bind the Nightmares, granting safe passage through the Leviathan, but Caiatl balked at the thought of using Hive Magic to do so. Despite his concerns, Zavala agreed after Eris stated that the rules have been bent around them and now they must bend to survive. Though Caiatl refuses to take part in the ritual, she stood firm in leading the charge, claiming her armor is protection enough. Regardless, Eris Morn conducted her ritual using the Crown of Sorrow with Crow and Zavala, binding their personal Nightmares of Uldren Sov and [[Safiyah]], and creating the [[Nightmare Harvester]]. Despite her insistence in not taking part in a Hive ritual, Caiatl would find herself haunted by her former co-conspirator, Dominus Ghaul.

With this failure and Caiatl still refusing to take part in the binding ritual, Eris instead looked for a new way forward and found a clue to one on the Moon. Tasking the Guardians to investigate, they enter the [[K1 Revelation]] site, battling with the [[Nightmare of Arguth, the Tormented]] near a relic belonging to Calus. After slaying the Nightmare, Eris discovered a call to the Pyramid in its the dying screams. Eris surmised that in lieu of the severed connections to the Pyramid, Calus had used the relic within K1 Revelation as a focusing point to strengthen what remained. Eris directed the Guardian to the Lunar Pyramid, where they discovered a trail of deceased Loyalists, with Egregore lining their esophagus. Eris then understood that Calus forfeited their lives to ferry his mind across a great distance and hasten ingress to the Pyramid. Concluding that Calus is now desperate, that their plan is working, Eris sought to speak with Caiatl. Speaking with the Guardian, however, Eris understood Calus knew exactly what he was doing, goading his daughter to recklessly strike out on her own. Nonetheless, with the recent discovery in the [[Admittance]], Eris was able to figure out that Calus is seeking to become one with the Lunar Pyramid and claim its power. Worse, Eris believed that Calus is doing this at the behest of [[The Witness]] in bringing about a second Collapse.

Finally speaking with Caiatl, Eris once again offered her support, but the Empress remained hesitant, as the weight of her responsibilities as leader of the Cabal made her reluctant to engage in the situation. However, Eris stated that she is not a crown but a woman with a burden, and that her true nightmare is the expectations placed on her as leader. Understanding this and realizing she doesn't know what she wants for the future, Caiatl agreed to take part in the binding ritual.

Returning to the Eris, she states that they have achieved their goal in severing Calus's connections to the Lunar Pyramid yet takes note that nothing on the Leviathan has changed and Calus himself has done nothing in response, making the victory seem hollow. However, Eris noticed that the Nightmares imprisoned within the Crown of Sorrow are beginning to seethe, meaning that something is coming and they are not prepared for it. Wishing to discover more before such an event were to occur, Eris delveed into her research once more as she instructs the Guardians to continue with their Nightmare harvesting.

After a time, Eris would discover her worst fears realized; they were too late to sever the last of Calus's connections, as Caiatl's previous brazen attempt was the time Calus needed to complete his plan. The former emperor had extended his consciousness into the Lunar Pyramid, causing it to surge to life and begin his efforts to assume control over it. However, Eris believed there was still hope to stop Calus, as not all of his power has merged with the Pyramid yet. There was still time to conduct one last, desperate, severance ritual at the seat of Calus's power, to dislodge him from the Pyramid before the change became permanent. However, conducting a ritual of such magnitude would require the aid of Caiatl, Crow, Zavala and Eris herself altogether. Gathering the Nightmare Harvester, the Guardians invaded the Leviathan, distracting the Scorn and Loyalists while the others plant their amplifiers. However, Caiatl would lose contact with the team, forcing the Guardian to head towards Calus's throne room alone as both Crow and Zavala found themselves attacked. Reaching the throne room, the Guardian located the hall filled with the emperor's robotic proxies and headed through a dark portal that took them into the Lunar Pyramid itself, specifically a location called the [[Chantry of the Darkest Hour]].

===Shadow Over Neptune===

Following the Guardians' mission to restore the Warmind Rasputin and holding back the [[Wrathborn]], leading the Warmind to sacrifice himself to save humanity and the Traveler, the Guardians faced the return of the Black Fleet along with its leader, The Witness. After a massive battle in Earth's outer orbit between the Vanguard, their allies and the Black Fleet, The Witness subdued the Traveler after it actually retaliated but to accomplish its goals, The Witness orders his disciple, Calus, and his [[Shadow Legion]] to invade [[Neptune]] and locate a relic called "[[The Veil]]". With little time, Osiris and the Guardian, urged by Ikora Rey, managed to sneak aboard a Shadow Legion Warship as Calus's fleet arrived at Neptune and began assaulting the hidden city of [[Neomuna]], where it was defended by the [[Cloud Strider]]s, cybernetically augmented humans. Understanding that they share a common foe, the Guardian, Osiris and the Cloud Striders, [[Rohan]] and [[Nimbus]], teamed up to combat Calus and the Shadow Legion. They learn that Calus and the Shadow Legion were attempting to use the [[Radial Mast]] to forge a connection between The Veil and the Traveler on Calus's new flagship, the [[Typhon Imperator]]. However, the Guardians' efforts to destroy the device, the Radial Mast, failed as it was impervious to all their weaponry and abilities. Using a new power called [[Strand]] found within the city, accessing it by looking within as they did with [[Stasis]] on [[Europa]], the Guardian is able to take out scores of Shadow Legion forces but was left exhausted by the experience, leaving them vulnerable, weakened and unable to destroy the Radial Mast, forcing them to retreat with Empress Caiatl's timely aid before they were overwhelmed by the Taken.

With the Radial Mast destroyed, Calus reported this development to The Witness, who criticized its Disciple, leading the emperor to actually lash out in return. In response, Calus was left cowering and pleading for forgiveness after The Witness angrily silenced it's Disciple and reminded him of his task to acquire the Veil. Backed into a corner and with Neomuna's defenses only at 80% operational, the Guardian formed the plan of having Caiatl rally her own Cabal forces to delay the Shadow Legion, while Nimbus continued to reactivate as much of the city's defenses as possible, with the Guardian training with Osiris in earnest to master Strand. After many trial and error moments, the Guardian made extensive progress in mastering Strand without any detriment to themselves, not by exerting control over it as Stasis required but by relinquishing control and letting it flow as Nimbus suggested, preparing them to face Calus's latest assault on The Veil. Together with Caiatl's forces and Nimbus activating an old Ishtar orbital defense satellite, the Guardian managed to hold off the Shadow Legion, but after their defenses run out of power and upon Calus personally arriving, destroying the entrance to the Veil and most of Caiatl's forces, the Guardians were forced to locate the Veil itself before Calus could establish a connection between it and the Traveler.

Despite Caiatl's efforts to delay her father, Calus managed to reach the Veil before the Guardian and confronted the Lightbearer face-to-face, leading to a harrowing battle to commence. Yet, regardless of the newly formed Disciple's use of Pyramid technology, the Guardian's use of Strand allowed them to gain the upper hand against the former emperor, killing Calus for good. Caiatl confirmed his death herself, solemnly declaring that her father can now finally rest but their victory proves short-lived, as the Guardian's Ghost became possessed by The Witness, allowing it to make the connection with The Veil. Though Caiatl urged the Guardian to destroy their Ghost, they proved unable to kill their closest companion, allowing the Witness to activate The Veil, sending a massive energy surge from Neptune to The Witness. With the connection established, The Witness created an opening within the Traveler, allowing it and several of its Pyramid vessels to enter with the Vanguard unable to follow. Caiatl and the Guardian confirmed that despite slaying Calus, The Witness got what it wanted; the means to create the "Final Shape".

With the Ascendant Scepter, Mara Sov explains that with her power combined with the Light, she can provide a path into the Pyramid outpost from between the very fabric of reality, specifically through the Ascendant Plane. The Awoken Queen's plan works in allowing them to gain entrance into the Pyramid outpost, encountering scores of Taken along with the Shadow Legion. With the use of a cleansing force called [[Balefire]], the Guardians were able to destroy the powerful Taken Chimera, [[Exomida, Taken of the Witness]], allowing them to enter the main stronghold. There they find Amanda and the prisoners being guarded by [[Warden Vincu'us, Shadow Legion]]. Despite the warden's might, the Guardian's use of Balefire allows them to triumph and free Amanda and the prisoners.

In addition to rescuing prisoners of the Shadow Legion, the Guardian works with Devrim Kay in handling further Shadow Legion activity within the EDZ before it could negatively affect the Farm. Their mission takes them throughout the reservoir of the EDZ, battling Shadow Legion and Taken, before finding the source of the poison in the water supply, [[Gor'ath Gath]], and slaying him, clearing the Taken for now. Further, the Guardians learn that a new [[The Arms Dealer|arms dealer]] is supplying weaponry to the Shadow Legion, bearing the same name as Bracus Zahn. Though unknown and unlikely that this Cabal is the same Zahn from the Red War, his dealings with the Shadow Legion threatened operations within the EDZ and they had recently taken prisoners of Empress Caiatl's forces. The Guardians breach the new Zahn's base, and after freeing Caiatl's forces, joined forces with them on an assault upon the warmonger. The combined team managed to corner him at the airfield and take him out, depriving the Shadow Legion of armaments.

{{cleanup}}

{{quote|Without victory, we cannot go home!|Primus A'arn<ref name="Silence">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Silence of A'arn]]''</ref>}}

While the Cabal are a militaristic species with a penchant for conquest, as evident by the existence of the [[Psion]] client race, their exact motivation for coming to the Solar System is unclear. They have a fascination with the [[Vex]] and their technology<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Activities/Crucible_Arenas#Vertigo|Vertigo]]''</ref>, as evidenced by their heavy presence at numerous Vex sites across [[Mars]], such as the gate to the [[Black Garden]] and the spire that unlocks it. The Cabal also sent an expedition to [[Mercury]] to investigate a Vex structure known as [[Vertigo]], but the members of the expedition disappeared under mysterious circumstances without a trace.<ref>[http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/08/13/we-analyze-destiny-the-taken-king-s-eight-new-crucible-maps.aspx '''Gameinformer''': We Analyze Destiny: The Taken King's Eight New Crucible Maps]</ref> It is unknown if the Cabal have attempted to visit any other worlds apart from Mercury, Mars, Io and Nessus.

===Hierarchy===

{{Quote|While reports have them centered on or around Mars, the true might of the Cabal is still wrapped in speculation.|Cabal description.<ref>[http://www.destinythegame.com/info/enemies '''Destinythegame''': ''Our enemies'']</ref>}}

The Cabal in the [[Solar System]] are but one arm of a vast interstellar Empire, and in the words of Valus Tlu'urn are "''a few scout legions bogged down in attrition war''". The nature of the upper echelons of Cabal leadership, including the identity of the leader of the Cabal in the Solar System,<ref>[http://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/judgment-of-mars '''Ishtar Collective''' - ''Judgment of Mars'']</ref> is unknown, except for the fact that the Cabal as a whole were ruled by [[Dominus Ghaul]], who has final authority over military decisions<ref name="Cabal 3"/>, before [[Caiatl]] took over as [[Cabal Emperor|Empress]], following the death of Ghaul and the evacuation of [[Torobatl]]. The [[Praetorate]] is an influential military aristocracy that controlled the Empire's Legions in the past, but holds somewhat less power under the reign of Ghaul.<ref name="CB"/>