War against the Witness: Difference between revisions

**The Shadow Legion suffer major losses, first with the Radial Mast being destroyed, and with Calus being slain by The Guardian.

***The Traveler is left unresponsive, its light becoming harder for Ghosts to find

***Several attempts are made to enter the portal, all of which end in failure.

**Xivu Arath's forces inflitrate Savathûn's Throne World in order to thwart the Vanguard's plans and steal Eris Morn's tithes.  

*Countless Imperial [[Cabal]] Troops

*Countless Shadow Legion Troops

|casual1=*The Traveler {{c|dormant}}

*Thousands of Imperial Cabal Troops

*Thousands of Shadow Legion Troops

The '''War against the Witness''' is an ongoing conflict being fought all across [[Sol System|Sol]] between the forces of [[The Coalition|the Coalition]] and the forces of [[The Witness|the Witness]], with [[Lucent Brood|other]] [[Vex|parties]] being involved as well. After dealing with the threat Savathûn and her brood posed on Sol, the [[Vanguard]] began to shift their attention to prepare for the Witness's arrival. The Vanguard and its allies would take on the threat imposed by [[Emperor Calus|Calus]]'s return and plan to ascend into a [[Disciples of the Witness|Disciple of the Witness]], would task the Guardian with securing the relics of [[Nezarec, Final God of Pain|Nezarec]] before [[Eramis, Kell of Darkness|Eramis]], and they would aid [[Anastasia Bray|Ana Bray]] and [[Osiris]] with rebuilding Rasputin in order to both have a means of defense against the Witness and also help Osiris confirm his visions of Neptune were true.

Shortly after [[ABHORRENT IMPERATIVE (mission)|the final assault on Seraph Station]] the Witness would arrive with its fleet, along with its newest Disciple, Calus. Despite their best efforts, the Witness managed to establish a link with [[The Veil]] after hijacking The Guardian's [[Ghost (Little Light)|Ghost]] and thus begun the [[Final Shape]] by creating a portal into the Traveler's Pale Heart. While The Guardian aided in prison break operations across Earth, the Vanguard would repeatedly try to find a way through the portal, all attempts ending in failure. After the reemergence of Titan, the Vanguard would discover that Sloane had survived the disappearance, although she was no partially infused with Taken energy. The Vanguard also discovered that Sloane had befriended [[Ahsa]], a proto-worm that had fled to Titan after the Witness caused her species to slaughter itself in the name of the [[Sword Logic]]. After strengthening their psychic connection, Ahsa would reveal to Sloane, and the rest of the Vanguard, about the origins of the Witness and the Final Shape, and that the key to getting through the portal was held by none other than Savathûn herself. After some reluctance, The Vanguard reached an agreement with [[Immaru]], Savathûn's [[Ghost]], in which he would help them bring back Savathûn, under one condition: they deal with her sister, Xivu Arath, first.

Over time, the Witness would use its philosophy of the Final Shape to recruit other species into its fold. It would do this first with the last [[Lubraean]] named Rhulk, who became the first of its Disciples upon destroying his home planet of [[Lubrae]]. The next species to be influenced by the Witness were the proto-[[Worm God]]s living on [[Fundament]]. The proto-Worm Gods would become seduced by the power it offered and accepted it through their invention of the [[Sword Logic]], but one of their [[Ahsa|kin]] escaped Fundament through unknown means.

It would trick the Krill into accepting the Darkness once it saw the Traveler's intention to uplift them, so it used the [[Worm]] familiar to drift into the Osmium Court and warn the [[Osmium King]] of an incoming syzygy on the planet. The King then warned his daughter [[Oryx, the Taken King|Aurash]] of the event. Aurash fled with her sisters [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen|Sathona]] and [[Xivu Arath, God of War|Xi Ro]] as the Osmium Court is overthrown by [[Taox]] and the neighboring Helium Court. Sathona recovered the same worm familiar that warned the Osmium King and now her of the God-Wave forming as a result of the syzygy, but it also told her salvation lies within the depths of Fundament's oceans. The sisters would discover the Needle upon landing at Kaharn Atoll and commandeer the vessel after making the necessary repairs to navigate Fundament's depths. The sisters encounter a creature called [[Leviathan (Fundament)|The Leviathan]], who was injured as a result of Rhulk's subjugation of the Worm God [[Xita, the Nurturing Worm|Xita]] and warns them to turn way, lest they get lost in the Deep. The sisters ignore the Leviathan's warning and discover their salvation in the Worm Gods [[Akka, the Worm of Secrets|Akka]], [[Yul, the Honest Worm|Yul]], [[Xol, Will of the Thousands|Xol]], [[Eir, the Keeper of Order|Eir]], and [[Ur, the Ever-Hunger|Ur]]. The sisters accept the bargain with the Worm Gods and transform the Krill into the [[Hive]]. Aurash took on the King morph and transformed into Auryx, who would become Oryx after discovering the secrets of Taking; Sathona took on the [[Wizard]] morph and transformed into Savathûn; and finally, Xi Ro took on the [[Knight]] morph and transformed into Xivu Arath. The Worm Gods would provide the technology needed to escape Fundament and the Hive's crusades begin after defeating the [[Ammonite]]s and causing the Traveler to flee from Fundament's orbit.

As the Traveler was busy terraforming [[Io]]'s surface, a period of great calamity known as the [[Collapse]] would begin. It would first be seen on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], when the Black Fleet used its weapons to alter Titan's gravity and destroy the structures supporting the [[New Pacific Arcology]] domes. Ahsa, the same proto-Worm that escaped Fundament long ago and sought refuge on Titan's methane seas, was injured by Nezarec, another Disciple of the Witness and the instigator of the Collapse who piloted [[The Lunar Pyramid]]. The Traveler would flee to Earth and defend humanity as a result. It would also affect the people aboard the [[Exodus Green]], where the clash between the Traveler and its ancient enemy resulted in the existence of the [[Distributary]] and subsequently the birth of the Awoken. It would affect the people on Earth as well.

At the final moments of the Collapse, Savathûn would betray the Witness by killing Nezarec and hide the Veil on Neptune, and then the Traveler would sacrifice itself to create the [[Ghosts]] and push back the Black Fleet, temporarily stopping the Witness from enacting the Final Shape. Humanity would soon enter the [[Dark Age]] with the arrival of the [[Cabal]], the Eliksni who are now known to the humans as the Fallen, and the existence of tyrannical [[Lightbearer]]s called [[Warlord]]s in the Sol System.

The Dark Age would soon end with the formation of the [[Last City]] and the fall of the Warlords, The Lightbearers defending the Last City became the [[Guardians]] led by different members of the [[Vanguard]]. The Last City faced many challenges before the arrival of [[The Guardian]], from the [[Battle of Twilight Gap|clash]] with the Fallen united under the banners of the [[House of Devils]], [[House of Kings]], and [[House of Winter]] to the attempted reclamation of the [[Moon]] ending in a [[Great Disaster]]. The people of the Last City soon discover that the Traveler's ancient enemy is coming back to finish what it started during the Collapse and that they are unable to survive it this time.

On the eve of the Darkness's return to the Sol System, a lone Ghost discovers his Guardian's corpse in the outskirts of the [[Cosmodrome]] whilst avoiding the Fallen House of Devils. They soon acquire their first jumpship after dealing with the Fallen and make their way to the Last City to meet the various individuals there: the [[Titan]] Vanguard Commander [[Zavala]], the [[Warlock]] Vanguard [[Ikora Rey]], the [[Hunter]] Vanguard [[Cayde-6]], the [[Crucible]] handler [[Lord Shaxx]], the Gunsmith [[Banshee-44]], and [[The Speaker]], a disciple who speaks for the Traveler. After meeting the people of the Last City, they return to the Cosmodrome to acquire a warp drive, eliminating a Devil [[Archon]] named [[Riksis, Devil Archon|Riksis]] in the process. They soon discover their purpose as a Guardian from the Speaker and he tasks them with investigating what is stopping the Traveler from healing after its conflict with the Darkness during the Collapse. They begin begin solving the mystery upon discovering the Hive's presence in the Cosmodrome. They travel to the Moon to stop the Hive from commencing an invasion on Earth.

They first investigate leads from another Guardian who went missing and eventually died near the entrance to the [[Temple of Crota]], then enter a Hive fortress called the [[Hellmouth]] to seek out [[The World's Grave]], a compendium of Hive knowledge and their plans to invade Earth. They learn of the Hive's plans to conduct a ritual to drain the Traveler's Light and warn the Speaker about the revelation. He organizes the forces of the Last City to stop the ritual. As the Guardian lands near the ritual site, the [[Elisabeth Bray|Exo Stranger]] issues a challenge to them: if they stop the Hive ritual and return alive, she can meet them face to face and discuss a threat more troubling. Ghost tracks the coordinates of the message to [[Venus]]. They discover the ritual in the [[Chamber of Night]] involved the Hive using a piece of the Traveler but were successful in stopping it. They then meet the Stranger in the ruins of [[Ishtar Academy]], who informs them of the [[Black Heart]], a failed replica of the Veil created by the [[Vex]] of the [[Sol Divisive]]. She instructs them to find a way into the [[Black Garden]] and destroy its heart in order for the Traveler to heal. They would seek counsel from the Awoken of the [[Reef]]. They reveal that in order to gain the coordinates to the Black Garden gate, they must first confront a [[Gate Lord]] and retrieve its eye. They return to Venus to lure out and defeat [[Zydron, Gate Lord]]. They present the eye and learn the coordinates to the Black Garden gate lies on [[Meridian Bay]], but they must get past the [[Exclusion Zone]] set up by the Cabal scout legions including the [[Sand Eaters]], [[Dust Giants]], [[Siege Dancers]], and [[Blind Legion]]. They enter the Black Garden after charging the Gate Lord's eye and destroy the Black Heart by defeating 3 frames comprising the [[Sol Progeny]]: the [[Primeval Mind]], the [[Imminent Mind]], and the [[Eschaton Mind]].

Despite the death of Dominus Ghaul, the Red War would still carry on until the death of [[Val Ca'uor]]. Before they can confront Val Ca'uor, they first had to help an exiled Warlock named Osiris and his Ghost [[Sagira]] stop the Vex from taking advantage of the Traveler's reawakening, then confront Xol and his herald [[Nokris, Herald of Xol|Nokris]] near [[Hellas Basin]]. The death of Val Ca'uor would mark the end of the Red War, but another tragedy soon strikes. While containing the prison break in the [[Prison of Elders]], the Guardian discovers that Cayde-6 has been murdered by [[Uldren Sov]] and the [[Scorn]], a race of Fallen brought back to life through Dark Ether. The Guardian would seek vengeance for the death of Cayde-6 by traveling to the most lawless frontier within the Reef: the [[Tangled Shore]]. They would accept a deal with a shady Fallen mob boss named [[The Spider]] to remove the Scorn's influence on the Tangled Shore and isolate Uldren. After defeating the Scorn [[Baron]]s, they would confront Uldren Sov at the Watchtower, a gateway into the [[Dreaming City]]. It is soon revealed that Uldren was corrupted by [[Riven of a Thousand Voices]], the last living [[Ahamkara]] who was Taken by Oryx shortly before his defeat and now serves Savathûn, but the Guardian would kill him anyways. Petra eventually opens the Dreaming City to them and made contact with Mara, who orders them to slay Riven. Unbeknownst to the Guardian, Riven would grant one last wish before her death: the curse on the Dreaming City. They soon enter the throne world of Mara Sov, [[Eleusinia]] and confront [[Dûl Incaru, the Eternal Return|Dûl Incaru]], the daughter of Savathûn, but they discover that Dûl Incaru's death caused the curse to reset itself every 3 weeks. The Guardian would face more threats in the Sol System. They would first help a mysterious Exo named [[Ada-1]] recovery [[Black Armory]] technology stolen by the [[Kell's Scourge]] and its leader [[Siviks, Lost to None|Siviks]], then investigate [[Drifter]], the [[Gambit]] handler with a mysterious connection to the [[The Nine|IX]], and finally accept an invitation sent by former Cabal [[Emperor Calus]] to participate for glory through the Menagerie. They soon learn from an apparition of [[Toland, the Shattered|Toland]] that a dark secret is hiding under the Lunar surface and the Vanguard would soon return to the Moon.

The Hive would soon re-emerge, this time under the Daughters of Crota: [[Hashladûn, Daughter of Crota|Hashladun]], [[Besurith, Daughter of Crota|Besurith]], [[Kinox]], and [[Voshyr]]. They would build the [[Scarlet Keep]] above the Lunar Pyramid uncovered by Eris Morn. After it is uncovered, the Nightmares are unleashed all across the Lunar surface, leading the Vanguard to push back the Hive resurgence and discover the existence the Lunar Pyramid. Eris Morn tasks the Guardian with collecting enough Nightmare Essence to craft the Dreambane Armor and bypass the Lunar Pyramid's warding. While exploring the derelict Pyramid, a Voice in the Darkness contacts the Guardian through their Ghost and inform them of the Light's failures. Undeterred, the Guardian recovers an [[Unknown Artifact]] and receives a vision in the Black Garden. At the same time, the Sol Divisive begins their invasion on the Moon led by [[The Undying Mind]], whose purpose is to keep the Black Garden locked out of space and time and also to recreate the Black Heart. Ikora Rey and the Guardian worked together to lure out the Undying Mind across different timeline and slay it. With the final copy of the Undying Mind dead, Osiris discovers a future where the Black Fleet hovers over the skies of the Last City and makes his way back to Mercury's surface, but he learns that the [[Psion Flayer]]s have found the Sundial and they plan to use it to undo the Vanguard's victory in the Red War, so he tasks the Guardian with stopping the Psion Flayers' plot and rescuing a legendary Titan named [[Saint-14]]. They accomplish both objectives by defeating [[Inotam, Oblivion's Triune]] and changing Saint-14's fate. They would open the [[Trials of Osiris]] for the first time since the Red War through the billions of Fractalline donated to them as part of the Empyrean Foundation along with [[The Lantern of Osiris]]. However, the Psions have one last plan: they would cause the Almighty to move in the direction of the Last City, so Zavala and Ana Bray would convince Rasputin to arm the [[Warsat]]s on the Almighty before it could reach the Last City.

The Guardian follows the Voice's instructions after the Traveler healed from its wounds during the Red War and then Io, Titan, Mercury, and Mars disappeared. They would also intercept a distress signal sent by [[Variks, the Loyal]]. He reveals that [[Eramis, Kell of Darkness|Eramis]] is the [[Kell]] of the Fallen House of Salvation and the first Fallen member known to use [[Stasis]], and instructs the Guardian to infiltrate [[Riis-Reborn]], a Fallen city built in honor of their home planet Riis. They witness a sermon and escape from there. After they help Variks reactivate the communications array, the Voice contacts them again via a [[Crux of Darkness]] and invites them to follow it into the icy flats of [[Beyond (location)|Beyond]]. [[The Europan Pyramid]] projects a [[Ziggurat]] in anticipation of the Guardian's arrival and the Guardian reunites with the Exo Stranger, who is on Europa teach them how to use the power of Stasis for good. The Guardian works to defeat Eramis by understanding the power of Stasis and using intel provided by Variks to track down the Barons of House Salvation, then eliminating them. They would defeat Eramis as they remember the Stranger's advice to "look within, focus your power" and finish their understanding of Stasis. After the defeat of House Salvation, the Guardian works to stop the next problem they must face: the rise of the [[Wrathborn]], mindless soldiers who are forced to serve Xivu Arath, the Hive God of War via the [[Cryptolith]]s. They world work alongside Uldren Sov, who is now reborn as Crow, to track down and slay Xivu Arath's [[High Celebrant of Xivu Arath|High Celebrant]]. They eventually slay the High Celebrant within the Ascendant Plane and grant Crow freedom from Spider's service as a reward.

{{Quote|The Witness sees you. Grants you opportunity. And you squander it!|Rhulk's taunt to the Guardians.}} <ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Vow of the Disciple]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cbpEj1MkWk "The Witness Sees You"]''</ref>

Meanwhile, Rhulk sends the Scorn to invade the throne world en masse and destroy [[The Wellspring]], the main source of Light distribution across the throne world and of the curse which had kept him trapped within [[The Sunken Pyramid]].<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[The Wellspring]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfixEake1QQ First Defense]''</ref> Instead the Guardians would repeatedly quash their attempts and keep the Wellspring secured from both Scorn and Lucent Hive parties. Fynch would also inform Ikora Rey and the Vanguard of the curse surrounding the Sunken Pyramid, albeit unaware of the disciple inside it kept from escaping.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[The Wellspring]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE2QCYmKWSI "A Pretty Hefty Light Curse On It"]''</ref>

 

The Guardians would first approach [[Acquisition]], a vast repository of artifacts from Rhulk's past conquests, including a rib he took from the Leviathan of Fundament. The Disciple would then explain that the Witness would see the Light fall and glimpsed of the potential Guardians would possess freed of its chains.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Vow of the Disciple]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-c2uX0E0zk "The Witness... Sees Light Fall"]''</ref> Despite opposition by both Scorn and Taken forces, the Guardians journeyed deeper into the Pyramid. They then looked upon [[The Upended]] in the distance, which Rhulk described as a "triumvirate" of the three core tenets of the Witness: opportunity, preservation, and salvation.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Vow of the Disciple]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTLuH1Tt_ic "Opportunity. Preservation. Salvation."]''</ref> 

 

After the Guardians killed [[The Caretaker]], Rhulk remarked that those "defiant" of the Witness’ campaign would be subjugated in service of the Final Shape, which he described as an "ailing, endless, void".<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Vow of the Disciple]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_rkt8YXbaI "In Service of an Ailing, Endless Void."]''</ref> As they approached the Upended, Rhulk further compliments the Guardians as resilient yet credulous. In blindly killing scores of Scorn and Taken, however, the fireteam had aided Rhulk by powering the Upended with their bloodshed. With the machine reaching full power, Rhulk was prepared to seal the throne world permanently off from the Light, leaving both the Guardians and the Lucent Hive to suffer. As a final rebuke, the disciple told the Guardians they were not fit to serve the Witness nor its goals, instead deserving to drown in Darkness.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Vow of the Disciple]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HsNx_IwT8U "This World Will Be Sealed From the Light"]''</ref>      

With the Guardians having reached the Upended, Rhulk emerged from a sarcophagus to personally greet them. Stating that he had no use in them anymore, the Disciple commenced a climactic battle with his interlopers by dropping his [[Lubrae's Ruin|glaive]] and unleashing a massive resonant barrier of Darkness to push them back.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Vow of the Disciple]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-CIVBDKevk "All That Awaits You Now is the Gift of Death"]''</ref> The fireteam retaliated in turn by exploiting the resonance from his attacks to push back the barrier, all while Rhulk taunts the fireteam as they fight Scorn and Taken reinforcements. With the barrier having pushed inward and reached the disciple, Rhulk disables it before inviting the Guardians to the inner sanctum of the Upended. There Rhulk would challenge his opponents in person, to which he toys with the fireteam and even kick them to death on occasion. His composure was only short-lived as they found and then took advantage of four chinks in Rhulk's impervious defense, enraging the disciple as he became vulnerable to their attacks. In his final moments, Rhulk cried out to the Witness for forgiveness as his body was warped by his own out-of-control powers, transforming him into what appeared to be a petrified, lifeless tree with gnarled vein-like roots of Darkness growing from it.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Vow of the Disciple]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftOWxGbDj98 "Witness... Forgive Me!"]''</ref> With the death of Rhulk, the Scorn within the throne falls under the control of the Witness and would attempt to take control of the Sunken Pyramid. Mara tasks them with stopping them and learning more about Rhulk's origins.

The Psion's prediction would come true as the Leviathan suddenly returns in the Sol System, but derelict, heavily infested with [[Egregore]], and in Luna's orbit. They receive intelligence from Eris Morn that Emperor Calus has begun communing with the Lunar Pyramid and unleashed the [[Nightmare]]s once intended as the Lunar Pyramid's security mechanism. They investigate the Derelict Leviathan and would eventually come under assault from [[Loyalist]] forces after the [[Nightmare of Safiyah]] leads them to a broken effigy of Calus. Upon their return from from their investigation into the Derelict Leviathan, they participate in a seance with Zavala, Crow, and Eris, who is using the [[Nightmare Harvester]] to bind the Nightmares to the [[Crown of Sorrow]]. After the seance is complete, she and the Guardian work together to sever Calus's connection to the Lunar Pyramid by helping various allies confront their worst traumas made manifest through the Nightmares haunting them. They begin with Crow, who is facing up against the [[Nightmare of Uldren]], his pre-Guardian self. He fails the first severance when refuses to accept his past. They attempt the ritual, but this time they were successful when Crow turns his Nightmare into a Memory and learns from the Memory to not ignore his past as Uldren Sov. At the same time, Eris tasks the Guardian to enter Calus's mindscape and find his worst fear inside. It is revealed that the [[Nightmare of Caiatl, Princess-Imperial]] is his Nightmare and by recovering the broken [[Bell of Conquests|Bells of Conquests]], they learn more about Calus's plan to become another Disciple of the Witness.

As time is running out for the Coalition to prepare for the Witness's arrival in the Sol System and the looming threat it poses, Osiris attempts to inquire Rasputin about the visions he had experienced of [[Neptune]], but he learns from [[Anastasia Bray|Ana Bray]] that Rasputin is still offline since his confrontation with the Black Fleet was disastrous. Much to Ana's chagrin, she agrees to Osiris's proposal to seek out [[Clovis Bray I]], who possesses the knowledge needed to rebuild Rasputin. They travel with the Guardian to seek an audience with Clovis I, but discover a Wrathborn presence within [[Bray Exoscience]]. The Guardian enters the [[Creation]] wing and defeats a [[Deathtongue Chorister]] attempting to overwhelm them with Xivu Arath's Battlesong. Clovis I requests the Guardian's assistance in driving out the House of Salvation forces corrupted into Wrathborn along with [[Xivu Arath's Horde]]. They do so an seek an audience with him, who agrees to help Ana bring Rasputin. He instructs them to recover data from [[Malahayati]] on Luna and [[Charlemagne]] on Mars, along with an AI framework from Europa. They follow Clovis I's instructions, but Rasputin remains offline, so he and Elsie hatches a plan: the Guardian would infiltrate [[Seraph Station]] and upload a virus to speed up Rasputin's recovery efforts. Despite the plan succeeding, Rasputin still remains offline, so Ana proposes that the Guardian return to the [[Iron Temple]] and recover data fron [[Felwinter]]'s Ghost, [[Felspring]] as the [[Iron War Beast]]s defend it from the House of Salvation. Rasputin finally comes online upon recovering data from Felwinter and warns them of Clovis I's deception. She was able to transfer Rasputin out of the Pillory Engram she used to place Rasputin's data before she evacuated from Mars and into the Exo Frame.

The Guardian returns to Earth after pursuing Emperor Calus and the Shadow Legion to Neptune and meets with Mara, Devrim, and Mithrax at the [[Farm]]. They follow Amanda's distress signal into the EDZ and breach the Pyramid outpost's warding with the [[Ascendant Scepter]]. They kill the [[Warden Vincu'us, Shadow Legion|warden]] in charge and rescue the prisoners captured by the Shadow Legion including Amanda. They go and rescue more prisoners in the [[Cosmodrome]] by killing the [[Zatocc, Devoted to the Witness|warden]] in charge there and overcoming its Psionic powers. Next, they infiltrate a Shadow Legion prison ship to kill the [[Bracus Kravaum, Shadow Legion|warden]] there and rescue more prisoners. Amanda and Mithrax intercept a distress signal inside the EDZ Tunnels and requests the Guardian's assistance. After defeating a [[Tormentor]] named [[Vereziia, Reverent of the Witness]], they assist in getting the prisoners out. Tragically however, Amanda is killed in the prison facility's explosion. The Coalition holds a vigil for Amanda in the Farm as Crow forms a plan to avenge Amanda.

After Ahsa reveals to the Vanguard that Savathûn has the instructions they need to follow the Witness into the portal inside the Traveler unscathed, Saint and Saladin express their disappointment, but Zavala reassures them that Ikora and Eris would keep the situation contained. The Vanguard would find Immaru, but he refuses to bring back Savathûn until they deal with her sister Xivu Arath. Him and Eris craft the [[Acolyte's Staff]], a relic of Hive arcana used to dispel the illusions scattered throughout the Witch Queen's throne world, and give it to the Guardian upon their arrival into the throne world. They discover [[Savathûn's Spire]] by using Hive magic provided by the Acolyte's Staff. They explore the spire and meet Eris as she prepares a ritual to transform herself into the Hive God of Vengeance. She explaina that in order to be powerful enough to challenge Xivu Arath, they must bring Eris her tithes by invoking the Sword Logic. They would use the [[Altars of Summoning|Witch Queen's oubliette]] to bring Eris the tribute she needs to challenge Xivu Arath. After finishing the Altars of Summoning, they are able to reveal the [[Deck of Whispers]] within the [[Athenaeum]], a pocket realm of Savathûn's throne world currently occupied by Eris's Hive form.  

As they continue their work to empower Eris, Xivu Arath responds to Eris's ascension to the Hive God of Vengeance by sending in Wrathborn forces to occupy her sister's throne world. After dealing with the Wrathborn invading the spire, Eris instructs the Guardian to return to the oubliette and stop Xivu Arath's attempt to steal tribute from her. Xivu Arath responds by sending in her greatest champion to test the Guardian's combat capabilities: the [[Leviathan-Eater, Bane of the Ammonites]]. It retreats from combat in order to assemble Xivu Arath's brood, buying Eris time until she is ready to challenge the Hive God of War.