Forum:The Indenture: Difference between revisions

==Origins==

With their targets identified, the Lightbreakers started to close in. However, little did they know that their activity has woken the Hive, who were serving under the newly formed Wrath of the Oculus, who were keeping watch over open space onboard the Tartarus Carrier. With an expanded Ascendant Realm and having the Darkness directly imbued in them, they effectively had limitless territory and power, and the presence of any kind of Light, pure or corrupted, is viewed as a disturbance, so the Hive pursued the Lightbreakers and attacked their vessel. Both sides raced each other to the City while launching constant aerial assaults at the enemy to keep each other in check. With the Lightbreakers’ superior fleet initially pulling ahead, the new God-King of the Hive, Throk Nul, summoned a squadron of his new sect of Taken, the Demented, onboard the Lightbreaker Carrier to halt their efforts. In response, Russell launched Neutralizer Ghosts and Combat Ghosts to maintain their place. This conflict caused a stalemate. Realizing this, Russell and Throk Nul commanded their respective vessels to stop the race so they could face their enemies’ leaders one-on-one. Throk Nul sensed Russell’s presence and called out to him in desperation for conflict, “My worm hungers ever more, warrior of Light. It puts me in pain. It senses you. It knows you. You think you’re different?” Russell then led a strike force to engage him, testing each other’s strength, and personally fought several days longer until they wore each other out. This was another stalemate, but this one put the conflict on hold, allowing for recovery.

The Lightbreaker and Hive vessels slowly drifted through empty space, slowly slipping away from each other’s vision, but both ended up in the same sights of another massive spacecraft: the Commandship Indominus. On this giant vessel was the newest and strongest Cabal legion: the Steel Goliaths. They immediately noticed that they had company, and rushed into combat to defend the vessel. The impact of Cabal missile strikes interrupted the recovery, thus springing the Hive and Lightbreakers back into action. The Steel Goliaths then sent in several squadrons from every infantry platoon they had: robotics, experimental Psions, executioners, and an elite heavy strike force. To further bolster their attack power, the new Cabal military emperor, Dominus Zhu’uork, even deployed their new line Goliath Tank, one of each on the opposing vessels. This put the Lightbreakers and Hive in an inescapable battle, where they had to fight on or die in the process. And to make sure neither could escape, the Commandship Indominus deployed tractor beams, pulling the Tartarus Carrier and the Lightbreaker Carrier closer in. Russell and Throk Nul directed their forces towards the tanks and the invading Cabal battle crews. Russell summoned a Void Sentinel Shield and used it to project a giant barricade that blocked incoming attacks. In his other hand, he wielded a Burning Maul to knock the Cabal and the tank out of the ship. He marched forward with lines of Frames, soldiers, and Guardians following him. Throk Nul cast terrible afflictions on the Cabal infantry aboard his vessel: poisoned blood, suppression of abilities, and physical weakness. He would use his Storm Cleaver to cut through wide swathes of Cabal infantry. However, while the tanks were damaged, they dealt heavy blows to their targets. It would take several days of more combat to fully wear down the artillery.

The Commandship Indominus towed the Lightbreaker and Hive vessels as it lumbered through the cosmos. Unbeknownst to the Cabal, their massive ship was detected in a spatial simulation being conducted by the Vex of the newly developed Myriad Prohibition. Once they detected this disturbance, they boarded Timeship Hades and transmatted it to the location of the Cabal ship. The inner workings of the ship are controlled by the largest and most powerful Axis Mind the Vex have ever constructed: Typhon, the Destructive Mind. It gave the ship the directive to pull the Cabal, Hive, and Lightbreakers into their new domain, the Myriad Crossworld, for erasure using a Deletion Ray. As this weapon charged up, it used stasis beams to link to its targets and lock them in place. Realizing this, the Cabal made a withdrawal, but they immediately found out that Timeship Hades would be dragged along for the ride with the other vessels they towed. To ensure their targets remained helpless, the Vex directly invaded the other vessels, and also deployed their gun emplacements and newly designed Oracles. The Commandship continued to pull away from the stasis link, but the Timeship still got dragged behind them and weighed them down. Meanwhile, the Lightbreakers and Hive suffered ambushes from stealth units, constant afflictions from support combatants, and heavy bombardment from gigantic siege engines. There was little they could do as they kept being towed and assaulted on all sides. The Vex put up such a fight that it took months for the Cabal, Lightbreakers, and Hive to pry the Vex from their respective vessels, and they had to recover for even longer.

The clump of vessels continued to drift through space, and they triggered yet another enemy alert. A tripmine picked up their movements and let off a violent detonation that caused a shockwave which pushed the vessels away. Alerted by this detonation were a secret group of Fallen onboard an invisible Ketch called Arthroship Toxikor-Syn, the main vessel of a new Fallen House, the House of Arthropods. Commandeering this vessel was the House’s Kell, Zanthraks. His plan was to deploy a large fleet of Mosquito gunships and modified Skiffs onboard the other vessels and use their troops to sabotage their inner workings. The Ketch deployed a giant Arc web around the other vessels to prevent them from escaping, and dragged them toward their Den under the surface of [[Mumbai Push]] for assassination. The Mosquitos easily weaved around incoming gunfire and followed up with devastating weaponry of their own. The ground troops used their newly developed combat exoskeletons to enhance their firepower, mobility, and physical toughness, with additional gadgets to increase their versatility. This gave them favorable matchups against their targets, and put up a large-scale fight against the Lightbreakers, Hive, Cabal, and Vex, lasting for up to a month. During this time, they tore off a large chunk of a Corrupted Light shard to use for energy, sabotaged a Hive ritual that was intended to continue the spread of the Ascendant Plane’s corruption, stole Cabal battle plans, and shut down the Vex’s Deletion Ray before eventually tinkering with it. However, the Fallen were unaware that the energy capacity for the Ketch’s web casters had just ran out, which rallied them back onboard to prepare for the vessel’s descent. Everyone else followed, and they landed on Mumbai Push. The remaining combatants immediately resumed the fighting on the surface.

The fight between the five different enemy races continued for several hours until the sky darkened and a black portal appeared in the middle of the battlezone. They all immediately paused to observe the anomaly. An army of Void demons poured out of the portal, led by Nezarec himself. Nezarec imprisoned the Fallen, Hive, Vex, and Cabal in their own sectors by casting magic barriers around them. He then called to Russell and his forces, “Wielders of the Corrupted Light. You have done well in cornering these monsters. Now, bring them to my dimension so we can all make an arrangement.” Russell and his Guardian forces, along with the Void demons, then forced the other races into the Void Dimension, and the portal closed once everyone was inside, with Nezarec waiting on his throne overlooking the visitors. To make sure there was no resistance, he summoned his Heralds and Gatekeepers to help the Lightbreakers watch over them and make the arrangement proposed earlier.  

Nezarec started, “There is one thing I wish to know from all of you: why do you fight each other? There is a far more pressing foe than anything the universe has ever seen, a foe you have all fallen to more than once: the Guardians who follow the Traveler. They destroy your works without hesitation. They have no second thought after they secure their efforts. They do not regard your struggles. They are more dangerous to all of you than you are to each other.” The Fallen, Hive, Vex, and Cabal raised their arms in anger and directed their fire at Nezarec, but to no effect, so they eventually stop. His rebirth ritual gave him complete immunity, and he continued to address them, “You miss the point. I’ve seen your fates when they were involved, and even I have never successfully faced them. Because we have all been through this, I suggest we find common ground and aspire to reach new goals. Establish an order. Rally behind a new god. Carve a new Final Shape. Create a new future. Conquer new worlds. As long as you follow these principles, I will help you.” Throk Nul responded, “We are the New Hive, the Wrath of the Oculus. We have the Darkness imbued in us, and we follow a new path. But what is the new Final Shape?” Dominus Zhu’uork followed, “We are the new Cabal, the Steel Goliaths. We have a united army, and we follow a new doctrine. But what new worlds are there to conquer?” Typhon was next, “We are the new Vex, the Myriad Prohibition. We have a new form, and we follow a new evolution. But what new future is there to create?” Zanthraks then stated, “We are the new Fallen, the House of Arthropods. We have a new strength, and follow a new foundation. But what new god is there to rally behind?” Nezarec answers their questions, “The new Final Shape is not only the triumph of the strong, but also the evolution of their power; it must constantly be folded into new forms. The new worlds are those which have yet to be explored, with new inhabitants and resources to control; an empire can only expand when venturing the full extent of the universe. The new future is the one which allows the infinite possibilities that have been simulated to unfold and converge; everything will eventually be as one. The new god is not a god who is transcendent of one form of power, but a god who is transcendent of all forms of power; there is only one true god. I have the means to make all of this happen, and I will ensure the Traveler and its purest Light are no more. This will only be possible through one united effort. What do you say to this?” The Fallen, Hive, Vex, and Cabal, then realized they had a common enemy, and they learnt the full extent of each other’s motives and how they will shape the fate of the universe. After a long series of past wars, they finally decided to cooperate with each other. “Good. Now, of utmost importance to this plan is Russell, the Lightbreaker Juggernaut, who seeks to establish an order of chaos, a chaos which you all can carry out in any way you wish against humanity’s final stronghold. Now, enjoy yourselves.”  

Everyone would do their part to maintain Nezarec’s new demands. The House of Arthropods would look to Nezarec as their religious sovereign, and The Void as the path they must follow; they have been assigned as scouts and assassins. The Wrath of the Oculus would bend their power to meet the standards of The Void, and look to Nezarec for guidance; they have been assigned as religious mediators and wardens. The Demented would assist the new Hive in all tasks. The Myriad Prohibition would simulate the possibilities Nezarec had spoken of and bring them together to craft a new future that suits this new collective; they have been assigned as analysts and security units. The Steel Goliaths would take the new worlds Nezarec has described and set up commands for this collective to follow; they have been assigned as military scientists and executioners. The Traveler’s Banished would pillage all territories owned by humanity to make way for the settlement of this collective; they have been assigned as siege troopers and plunderers. Nezarec, meanwhile, kept his own army in reserve, amd manipulated the universe from his dimension. These actions now corner humanity to just the Last City, with no way in or out. The most dangerous foes of humanity have now joined together, and they call themselves...The Indenture.

===Origins===

The Fallen in the [[Solar System]] were in their most desperate state. After losing out on the production of enhanced Ether and suffering casualties from a civil war against the [[Scorn]], the broken [[House of Dusk]] was practically torn to pieces. Their Servitors scrapped, their Archons assassinated, and their Kell personally slain by [[The Guardian]]. The remaining nobles within the House’s remnants decided to start over and build themselves from the ground up and employ more aggressive tactics of leadership. Unusually, the once-elusive and mighty [[Forum:House of Scorpions|House of Scorpions]] has suffered a similar fate with the death of their long-gone Kell, [[Forum:Lorkxyn, Scorpion Kell|Lorkxyn, the Scorpion Kell]]. Those serving under him have had their chemical weapons production cut off, and their experimental Servitors have been destroyed. With no other choice, they banded with the remnant House of Dusk members and decreed a new operational ground.

To start the reformation of their former glory, the Fallen of the newly banded House scavenged for and sabotaged scattered [[Cabal]] and [[The Last City|City]] technology left over from the [[Red War]]. Remembering the past mistakes with using technology they were otherwise unfamiliar with, the Fallen had to find a way to utilize it directly without causing biological deterioration as proved during the [[SIVA Crisis]]. Their [[Splicer]]s made revolutionary combat advancements, a series of unique combat exoskeletons that provide their wielders with superior protection as well as extra weapon capacity. These suits were multi-limbed and allowed their wearers to actively carry and wield larger individual arsenals, effectively arming themselves to the teeth. In addition, they began experimenting with defensive reinforcements that they could use to better fortify their operational grounds by increasing the efficiency of their traps as well as inventing a series of turrets for trench warfare. The most terrifying advancements of all were among the reinvention of a new line of heavy artillery tank called the Solpugid, and even the reintroduction of multiple Servitor-like chassis to provide stronger sustenance and full support for Fallen crews.

With a greater focus on technology that relied on jointed combat frames, the newly emerged House was slowly becoming a force to be reckoned with. Lost Guardian reports have claimed their bases to be built underground, interconnected by a vast network of subterranean tunnels. They have been noted to employ ambush tactics unlike those seen in previous Fallen combat forces. They wait below the surface and set up explosives to breach the surface when an intruder is detected, attacking from below and crawling out of the crater left behind by the initial detonation to take their hapless victims down. For the few appearances that have been noted, most notably the exoskeletons, this new sect of Fallen became classified as the House of Arthropods, which have remained underground ever since.  

*'''Mite''': A small robotic drone which flies on all axes and flanks targets with its head-mounted Fang Turret, which fires a burst of charged, high-velocity Arc bolts which can deal precision damage and leave behind moderate-damage tracer beams upon impact; contact with the beams causes a debuff that inflicts periodic slowness and eventual paralysis for a short time.

*'''Tick''': A larger robotic drone armed with a head-mounted Web Launcher that fires contact [[Web Mine]]s. Equipped with dual Scorch Repeater gatling guns that fire incendiary rounds with stacking burning effects. At low health, it opens up an Ether Drill and charges towards the player, healing itself for any damage dealt with the drill; the health will not be restored until the drone is killed. Upon death, it drops an Arc maelstrom that damages anything in its wake.

*'''Spider''': Nimble scavengers that take up the skirmishing role in Arthropod crews. Uses their upper arms to wield dual Fang Pistols that quickly fire bursts of 8 Arc bolts at a time; equipped with Trap Dispensers on their middle arms, firing miniature Void smoke bombs which poison, slow, and disorient the player. Attacks with Fang Daggers on its lower arms with series of furious slashes. Capable of traversing vertical terrain and jumping over the player’s heads in combat.

*'''Yellowjacket''': Sleuth-type troopers equipped purely for stealth and silent takedowns. Can leap to greater heights, teleport in unpredictable intervals, scurry on the ground to close the distance, and turn invisible at will. Equipped with wrist-mounted Sting Crossbows on their upper arms, which injects a venom that cripples the target short a short time. Throws Colony Sapper grenades which emit an electric pulse that paralyzes and blinds targets. Armed with Sting Daggers on their lower arms that deal additional damage when attacking from behind. Equipped with an Arc shield.

*'''Myrmecian''': Extremely aggressive, armored troopers equipped for heavy melee combat. Wields Poison Maces in their upper arms that inflict a heavy poison effect. Uses Arthrogrippers in their lower pairs of arms to snatch targets at close range that can either snap targets’ limbs and leave them disfigured, fully constrict their targets to death, or bring them in range of a back-mounted Stinger Cell injection device that skewers the victim and inflicts with a rapid-damage venom. Will constantly teleport towards the player. When damaged, they smash the ground to release a pulsating shockwave. Equipped with a Solar shield that deflects kinetic damage sources.  

*'''Hornet''': Massive circular heavy weapons drones built for suppression of hostiles and designed for area denial. Uses its central eye to fire a Decay Phaser beam cannon that creates a large suppression dome upon impact; coming into contact with the beam will cause a brief period of bleeding. Equipped with chambers on its body that fire a barrage of Stinger Missiles that inflict a heavy stacking poison effect; the chambers can also release Solar rays that blind and burn any targets in their path. When on low health, it will release a pulse that gives nearby allies faster movement speed. Equipped with a teleportation device and Sawblade Extensions for close combat. Packs a Void shield.

*'''Web Tripmine''': An enhanced variant of the [[Trip Mine]] built to better defend key areas. Immediately detonates when something is caught in its laser trigger, blinding and slowing their targets.

*'''Decay Turret''': A gun emplacement which fires a flurry of poison-tipped flechettes which deal lingering damage. Equipped with a searchlight to track and mark targets.

*'''Mosquito''': A highly mobile gunship meant to provide support fire for deployed Arthropod crews. Deployed alongside Arthropod Skiffs. Armed with dual nose-mounted Scorch Repeaters and a head-mounted Stinger Missile multiple rocket launcher. Equipped with a Drainage Beam that holds their target in place and drains their health.

===Origins===

The Hive pantheon has been in extreme shortage. With no remaining God-Kings or Worm Gods, the Formless One was the only force the Hive could look to. They decided to use the power of the Darkness more directly and take their Sword Logic even further. They tithed to the Deep itself and drew their strength from there. This allowed the Hive to be greater imbued with the Darkness, and even control it. This corruption drastically warped their physiology, mutating and distorting them to the point of insanity, but when the transformation was complete, the Darkness within finally settled, and was within their control. The newly-spawned Hive used this power to build new foundations that would revolutionize the Hive religion, including a rewriting of the Sword Logic as well as inventing greater means of conquest and, most importantly, a shift in balance within the Ascendant Plane.

The forerunner of these changes and the mastermind behind the Hive’s evolution, an aspiring Oculus Enforcer named Throk Nul, was the most powerful member of this new brood. He was the new God-King of the Hive, and was in a high-enough rank in the pantheon to set the new foundations. He maintained the ultimate goal of creating the “Last True Shape” of the universe, but altered the means to do so. Since dark power now constantly seethed within the Hive themselves, the standard for gaining greater power took a far more sadistic turn: the New Hive would detain and torture their enemies in battle while actively siphoning their abilities via parasitic link. This would come to affect nearly every denizen of the [[Solar System]], especially hapless Guardians who got snatched from below and their Light drained from them. Throk Nul described the process as follows, “Your essence, your very being...they shall be mine.”

To fit the New Sword Logic, the New Hive developed weapons, technology, and tactics to match the reformed ideals. They were designed to “bind” to their victims and grant themselves overwhelming advantages over their foes. Even the Ascendant Plane itself had been altered to meet expectations: throne worlds became interconnected in such a way that those who possessed the largest throne worlds would expand the size the Ascendant Realm, causing it to spread its corruption across the cosmos. This corruption also gave rise to a new branch of [[Taken]] called The Demented, twisting them to new ends and giving them access to untold abilities, and even strong enough to corrupt those without a will of their own. Throk Nul and his legion then engaged in ritualistic experiments which crafted throne worlds for himself as well as his most devout followers: his sons Nalthris and Yolthur, his consort Xovanath, and his brother Balgoth. Vanguard reports of the corruption classified this new sect of Hive as the Wrath of the Oculus.

*'''Oculus Servant''': A scrawny devilish figure that fills the lowest rung of the Oculus hierarchy. Spits Poison Goblets that damage the player over time. Attacks with fast melee combos using Arc Swiper claws, which inflict a bleeding effect on their targets. Can tackle the player to the floor and brutally bite the player’s neck, injecting a venom which stops recovery.

*'''Oculus Ranger''': A more dedicated marksman of the Oculus’ forces that prefers extreme long-distance combat. Will vanish and teleport to another long-range location if approached at point black. Armed with an Arrow Caster multipurpose rifle that has three distinct fire modes based on engagement range: charged, high-impact blinding Arc bolts for long-distance; semi-automatic burning Solar bolts for mid-range; and a poisonous Void shotgun-style spread for close range.

*'''Oculus Sorcerer''': Aggressive tacticians donned in dirty flying robes, using demonic magic to exploit their foes’ weaknesses in combat. Surrounded by an Oculus Harness aura that slows everything inside. The aura has six tentacular projections that can perform sweeping melee attacks that knock Guardians down for a short time; toppled Guardians who do not get back to their feet in time will be grabbed by the projections and constricted to death; shooting the projections will briefly destroy it and free the player. Unleashes charged Void beams that cut through Guardian shields.

*'''Oculus Paladin''': The supportive heavy infantry that keeps the Oculus armies alive and in top shape. Armed with an enhanced Arrow Caster multipurpose rifle that has greater fire rate and projectile speed. When faced at point blank, it will use its Arrow Caster to fire a stasis beam that slows its targets. When hit by any attack, it envelops a random elemental shield around itself and nearby Oculus forces, granting all shielded units with an increase in health, damage output, movement speed, and attack range as well as access to innate health regeneration. Equipped with a deflective Hive Shield.

*'''Oculus Brute''': Large beasts that often accompany Gatekeepers in a rush of melee combat. Unleashes a series of punches that can break the player’s shield and greatly delay recovery. Charges at their opponents and knocks them back with a shoulder ram attack. Can slam the ground to unleash a line of fire that quickly burns away at its targets and briefly slows them down. Has a chance to grab the player in their hand and crush them to death in the blink of an eye. Rapidly regenerates health while attacking and gains increased movement speed when on low health.

*'''Oculus Enforcer''': Hulking behemoths that supplant the command role using powerful weapons and spells. Armed with a Fiery Snatcher whip and a Storm Cleaver greatblade. The whip burns its targets on hit, sends out waves of flame, and entangles and scorches the player; the greatblade blinds targets on hit and sends out shocking electric pulses on a ground slam. Equipped with a back-mounted Oculus Bombard that fires arcing Void explosive shells which cripples all targets in its radius. Surrounded by a Hellfire Aura that constantly burns away at everything inside. Occasionally casts a focused meteor storm. Can occasionally fly around with its massive wings to gain the high ground, and creates a rippling shockwave when it lands. Teleports short distances and marks the player, rallying all nearby Oculus units to attack the marked target.

*'''Hell [[Vestige]]''': A more powerful Vestige employed by the Oculus to function as both troop summoners and enemy trappers. Releases a Void detonation when approached and starts to hold players in place and damage them over time similar to a [[Hive Trap]].

*'''Dark Shrieker''': A Void-powered Shrieker that shoots a Void singularity bomb which briefly suppresses abilities. Protected by a Void energy shield.

*'''Hearse''': A rectangular carrier and support vessel. Outfitted with Arcane Blasters which fire streams of Void blasts akin to an Ogre’s eye beams. Will occasionally drop Acolyte Grenades and Darkness Clouds.  

===Origins===

With their [[Machine World]]s starting to slowly but surely crumble to pieces from outside forces, and the collapse of the [[Infinite Forest]], the Vex collectives were beginning to wither down and fade from existence. Their hive-mind programming began to break down beyond repair and slow down. With no [[Axis Mind]] to assume the throne of the [[Nexus]], the Vex had no directive, no goal to pursue. A large number of their forces had either been destroyed by Guardian efforts and other enemy attacks or [[Taken]] by the Darkness, leaving the remaining members to wander aimlessly, searching for a purpose to carry out. They could not survive their eventual decay. The only thing that could bring them from the ashes at this time is a quick and hyper-efficient resurgence.

Chemical reactions within the radiolarian fluid oceans throughout the [[Solar System]] began to spike, seemingly giving them a new chemical composition, making it more volatile and enhancing its already dangerous mind-altering properties. This new stronger radiolaria was in response to the fall of the Vex; this was a deliberate last-resort measure to get back in operation. With stronger radiolaria specimens came stronger forms for them to take on. These new forms were physically more resilient than the old Vex models and were capable of crafting greater weapons, and even were encoded with their own defensive matrixes. They ended up overtaking the previous Vex units and supplanted themselves as the strongest Vex collective to exist. They began to use [[Oracle]]s in actively controlling their enemies, namely the former Vex, which have vigorously fought to maintain their position, but simply ended up falling not only to their usurpers, but also the test of time. As Oracles rang out throughout the system, the Last City has watched for them in the deepness of space, tracing their origins, leading them to the Vex collective now identified as the Myriad Prohibition.

*'''Aternae''': Shock troopers deployed to overwhelm and dispatch. Armed with a Slap Launcher in its right arm, firing Void grenades which stick to a surface and detonate, inflicting its targets with a debuff that temporarily increases all incoming damage. Armed with a Myriad Saw in its left arm, which cuts players open, causing them to be afflicted with heavy bleeding. When taking damage, it has a chance of activating a defensive matrix which causes it to teleport.

*'''Cynolycus''': Surveyor units deployed to keep long distance watches over important Myriad sites. Uses a Line Cannon on its right arm, firing charged, high-impact Arc bolts which can knock players down and blind them for a short time upon impact; these bolts can also deal precision damage. Armed with a Repulsion Gauntlet which emits Void pulses which knock players back and inflicts them with a slowness debuff. When taking damage, it has a chance of activating a defensive matrix which encases it in a temporary Solar aura which grants it brief immunity to the type of damage it was struck by, heals a set portion of health, and burns anything inside of it.

*'''Daemon''': Incendiary weapon specialists designed for trench warfare, area denial, and crowd control. Armed with a Heavy [[Slap Rifle]] that rapidly fires [[Solar]] bolts which inflicts a stacking Sundered debuff, decreasing the player’s resilience value. Throws Fire Grenades which leave behind a pool of fire that inflicts a heavy stacking burning effect; burning targets spread the effect via flaming trail, which will give the same debuff to other players. Uses a Singe Blade for close combat to inflict targets with the Singed debuff, which causes them to stumble backwards, slightly burns their health away, and increases their weapon’s recoil for a short time.

*'''Griffin''': Large, armored supportive units that grant their allies with potent advantages and inflict terrible curses in their opponents. Protected by an Arc shield. Armed with a Magnetic Blaster which fires a spread of seven high-explosive Arc bolts that detonate on impact, inflicting shocking, blindness, and slowness effects on their targets all at once. When damaged, it grants itself and its allies access to rapid teleportation, a quickly-regenerating elemental shield, and increased movement speed and damage resistance. Uses a close-range Void stasis beam to inflict its victims with poison, bleeding, blackout, and recovery-disabling effects.

*'''Manticore''': Heavy defensive infantry used for massive area denial purposes. Equipped with a Myriad Shield which blocks and deflects all incoming damage. Protected by a Void elemental shield and can teleport behind and around the player. Armed with a Thorn Rifle that fires a flurry of venomous high-impact Void flechettes that can deal precision damage and cause the player to stumble upon a hit. Throws Myriad Grenades which detonate in a massive Solar energy sphere, burning anything inside while sundering their resilience, reddening their vision, slowing their movement, and suppressing their class ability. Performs a shield bash at close range to knock the player back a great distance.

*'''Gegenees''': Gigantic siege constructs armed to the teeth with multiple forms of heavy artillery. Protected by a Solar shield. The two upper arms use Cyclops Scatterguns, which each fire a spread of three large Void mortar blasts which detonate on impact, creating an energy dome which inflicts a debuff that decreases the damage dealt by the player’s weapons and abilities for a short time; the two middle arms are equipped with Vulcan Launchers, which each fire a constant stream of large Solar arrows which inflict heavy stacking burning and redout effects with sustained fire; the two lower arms have Magnet Casters, which each fire a large Arc beam that blinds, shocks, and disarms all targets in its path. Will periodically stomp the ground to release a shockwave on the ground, knocking players upward. When taking damage, it activates a defensive matrix which causes it to release white tracer beams which greatly slow their targets.

*'''Slap Grenadier''': A gun emplacement that repeatedly fires a spread of suppressive Slap Grenades.

===Origins===

Years after the fall of [[Forum:Dominus Khraghul, the Almighty|Dominus Khraghul]], the militarized Cabal continued to stand in disarray. Their most powerful leader has been killed, though there is one victory his legacy has brought: the combined ranks of all legions within the Cabal military; he has brought all his forces up with him to the [[Forum:Behemoths|Behemoths]] all the way up from the [[Sand Eaters]]. This effectively gave the militarized Cabal a universal army with a single dedicated purpose. Five of the surviving lieutenants from the Behemoths: Zhu’uork, Tau’uad, Dua’auk, Gho’uod, and Dhagaz, were chosen by their high command to maintain a certain tactic for later purposes. Dhagaz took up tactical training to keep the Cabal’s military backbone intact; Gho’uod took up martial combat for close assaults and leading the attack; Dua’auk took up military sciences to further improve upon imperial tactics; Tau’uad took up fortifications to better defend against enemy sieges and turn the tide of battle.

Zhu’uork was chosen to be the new Dominus and master all the military techniques his lieutenants were practicing. With the new innovations came the production of a line of robotics never before seen in Cabal warfare, multiple types of psionic experimentation, various execution units for crowd control, and brand new hyper-defensive heavy infantry with greater carrying capacity for more weapons and other combat equipment. To give this new legion a directive, Zhu’uork divided these newly risen forces by specialization, placing them within their own infantry platoons. The ultimate goal was to greater increase defensive capabilities without losing out on their traditional offensive tactics. The result was a massive, diverse Cabal legion with a host of units that could be used for every purpose imaginable; every soldier in this legion had a reason to be on the battlefield: the robotics were programmed to be the frontliners; the new experimental Psions were designed for supportive properties; the new Gladiator types were made to be the bulk of this new fighting force; the reinforced heavy infantry was deployed to be final line of combat. They all made a move under their commanders to set off a series of remote detonations near the Last City. The attack was traced by the Vanguard to be from a new hardened Cabal force: the Steel Goliaths.

*'''Fulminator''': Tiny, rapid-flying suicide drones which travel in large swarms and bombard their opponents with potent incendiary and poisonous explosives. Upon spotting a target, they track them aggressively and release a violent detonation upon impact; detonations leave behind potent fires that emit toxic fumes, which cause an asphyxiation effect that will kill the victim if they stay in range.

*'''Bulwark''': A Psion whose abilities are focused on overall protection. Uses its psionic powers to create a Void energy field around itself which completely shields it and its allies. Armed with a Detainment Blaster which fires Void spheres that trap its targets in an area of effect and slows their movements.. Uses a Paralysis Blast to completely freeze its target in place for a brief moment. Can teleport short distances.

*'''Dimachaerus''': A Cabal [[Gladiator]] unit carried over from remnant [[Red Legion]] forces and given enhancements for a rush of combat, increasing its strength and aggression. Armed with dual Steel Scimitars which unleash deadly slashing combos, inflicting heavy bleeding effects. Can throw their Scimitars at ranged targets; uses Goliath Smasher gauntlets to pulverize their targets after throwing their swords.

*'''Crupellarius''': A large Gladiator built for heavy combat and equipped for extra defense. Wears specialized armor that grants it a period of immunity to a specific damage type after taking a certain amount of damage from said damage type; can continuously switch damage immunities when taking damage from multiple sources. Equipped with a large Goliath Scutum shield to block and deflect incoming attacks. Armed with a Cabal Warhammer which performs deadly swinging combos which knock its victims down; when smashed on the ground, it will create a massive Arc shockwave that knocks players upward and inflicts them with a heavy shocking effect.  

*'''Engineer''': A Cabal technics unit who specializes in supplanting and utilizing deadly combat electronics. Equipped with a Blast Shield which blocks incoming damage and fires a fast-moving incendiary Steel Warhead when damaged. Armed with a Steel Enforcer modified battle rifle which fires moderate impact Arc slugs in three rounds bursts; should a full burst land, a shocking effect is inflicted, stacking heavy electrical damage over time. Places down a Goliath Detonator mine during combat; setting off this mine triggers a Void explosion which causes blackout for all targets in its radius. Equipped with missile pods on their armor which are capable of firing Shock Missiles that inflict heavy shocking effects on their targets.

*'''Titanic''': A Cabal field commander who controls the battlefield with a heavy arsenal and brute force. Equipped with a special suit of heavy armor that grants an energy shield on its wearer which briefly makes them immune to the damage type they were previously hit by. Armed with a Goliath Rampart heavy machine gun with fires a hail of incendiary Solar microrockets; the gun is mounted with an armor-plating shield which blocks and deflects all damage; attacks that are deflected back at the player will repeatedly stagger them. Occasionally punches the ground to release a homing Seismic Quake which knocks its targets upward. When faced at close range, it will grab the player and crush them. Equipped with missile pods on their armor which are capable of firing Nullifier Missiles that suppress abilities and drain a portion of their energy.

*'''Napalmer Scorpius''': A flamethrower turret which fires a concentrated Solar liquid jet which burns its targets and inflicts a lingering slowness effect.

*'''Observer Scorpius''': A scanning device used for security purposes. Equipped with a searchlight to detect intruders and inflict them with the Marked debuff; when an intruder is detected, the area enters lockdown and all nearby Cabal become alerted. Lockdown remains until all nearby Cabal are killed and the scanner is destroyed.

*'''Steel Thresher''': A mobile gunship and troop carrier. Armed with twin [[Heavy Slug Thrower]]s and Goliath Detonator dispensers. Will continuously engage the player until destroyed. Unleashes a powerful Steel Phaser cannon when on low health. Deploys small groups of Steel Goliath infantry.

===Origins===

Upon the modifications to the [[Ascendant Realm]] and the spread of its corruption, a new sect of Taken were created under its influence, warped beyond mental repair, and even those without a will weren’t safe. However, a select few were chosen by Throk Nul to maintain a degree of independent thought to give the new Taken, collectively known as the Demented, a definitive direction. Gorgaax, a renowned Oculus Paladin and bodyguard of Throk Nul, was given the title of Mindbender and became the leader of the Demented. Gul’uth, a former aspiring Valus of the [[Forum:Behemoths|Behemoths]] and lieutenant of one of their strongest crews, became the Armsmaster and provided the weapons for the Demented. Drakion, a former [[Axis Mind]] of the [[Forum:Omega Collective|Omega Collective]] that operated in secrecy, became the Chronovore, capable of altering the shapes and properties of its surroundings. Ralaskes, a former [[Baron]] of the [[House of Dusk]] and an elite stealth operative, became the Phantom, capable of completely vanishing from sight. These new Taken forces have then guarded the Ascendant plane ever since.

*'''Demented Thrall''': A stronger variant of the [[Taken Thrall]]. Uses Solar claws to inflict burning effects on their target. Can dash-teleport to flank their targets, leaving behind an Arc energy trail that slows targets. Violently detonates in a Void explosion upon death, inflicting a lingering poison effect on all targets in range. Packs an Arc shield.

*'''Demented Phalanx''': A stronger variant of [[Taken Phalanx]]. Armed with an Arc [[Projection Rifle]] that fires a swarm of explosive submunitions at a high rate. Equipped with an enhanced [[Energy Shield]] that can either launch Void Axion Darts or unleash a Void concussive blast that inflicts knockback and slowness effects. Can launch Scorch Detonators that fire Solar grenades that have a large blast radius and leave pools of fire upon detonation. Teleports short distances. Packs a Void shield.

*'''Demented Captain''': A stronger variant of [[Taken Captain]]. Armed with an enhanced [[Shock Cannon]] that fires incredibly fast Arc missiles with a large blast radius and shock their targets if they hit directly. Can hurl large Solar Darkness Bolts that cause redness, sundering and burning effects on their targets and release a large Solar detonation if they impact a hard surface. When faced at close range, it will charge Arc energy in its arms and swipe targets with them, causing moderate knockback and staggering. Can turn invisible at will and teleports short distances. Packs an Arc shield.

*'''Demented Knight''': A stronger variant of [[Taken Knight]]. Armed with an Arc [[Boomer]] that fires in bursts which can quickly break Guardian shields and reduce mobility depending on the number of shots landed on the target. Launches a spread of Solar flames that occasionally release fiery blasts which sunder the target’s armor. Unsheathes a Void [[Cleaver]] for close combat; it can perform slashing combos, a skewering thrust attack, and an overhead slam which staggers its victim. Can teleport short distances. Packs a Solar shield.

*'''Demented Hydra''': A newly incorporated model of Taken [[Hydra]]. Armed with dual enhanced Torch Spreaders that fire faster than the Demented Minotaur’s and also have faster travel speed as well as a larger blast radius. Surrounded by rotating deflective shields that returns all attacks as explosive Solar flames that burn their victims. Performs a Detonation melee when faced up close that causes moderate knockback and disorients the target. Releases a blinding Arc detonation upon death. Can occasionally teleport. Packs a Void shield.

===Origins===

With the Lightbreakers seemingly broken themselves and the [[Consensus]] reformed, the City believed they would never have to face their own kind again. The restoration of order brought about a more unified [[Vanguard]] and the forces of the City have begun to intensify their battle tactics to ensure that they never go down again. From creating new models of specialist [[Ghost]]s and [[Frame]]s to having dedicated soldiers and [[Guardian]]s personally serve the Vanguard, the City’s security vastly increased and brought about a feeling of general safety among its residents. However, the very thing they thought to be long gone would soon come to haunt them once more. Having taken the most potent samples of corrupted Light, one Lightbreaker leader managed to return from the ashes and reform the Lightbreakers in a movement of vengeance. The Lightbreaker in question was Russell.  

At the moment of his supposed death, he tapped into his shard of corrupted Light and drifted in an unknown dimension which preserved his conscience until he was ready to come back. After months passed, a voice reached out to him across the dimension, “As you drift, you grow in strength, but lose control. What you seek could be your undoing once more.” Russell woke to this and pondered the meaning of the words. The voice continued, “You seek a complete lack of authority. Your command is weak. The enemy easily challenges you.” A throbbing pain soon hit Russell in his brain, a part of it being drastically altered to change his mindset, knocking him unconscious for a few more days. The voice rang out again, “No longer. Now you have both the means and goals to achieve your new purpose. When you wake, you will rally an authority of your own and achieve vengeance.” Russell was startled; he soon questioned who was speaking, where he was, and how the voice knew of his fate. The voice answered, “This dimension transcends all power in the universe, and I am its overseer. I am all-watchful, all-knowing. That is all you will know.” The voice then finally disappeared.

Russell’s altered conscience soon rose him from the dead in the real world, stronger and more resilient than before. He would search Earth for any remaining Lightbreakers to continue his journey of plundering all authorities who oppose him. He searched the remnants of the Cosmodrome, European Dead Zone, and the former North American Empire. He summoned his personal jumpship in hopes of looking outside of Earth. His ship’s sensors picked up on nothing but dead space for several more months, until it detected a signal coming from an abandoned [[Skyburners]] base on [[Phobos]]. The Cabal distress signal from [[The Taken War]] was still going off, but was jammed shortly after Russell deployed an EMP device nearby. As he approached the base, he saw banners draped on its walls, resembling that of a crimson flag showing upside-down symbols of typical Guardian classes. Shortly after, Russell’s presence set off an alarm at the entrance, alerting those inside of a potential intruder. He surrounded himself in Solar energy, ready to defend himself. A surge of remnant Lightbreakers rushed forward, but then stopped to see that Russell was standing there; he was about to calm down and was greeted with a warm welcome back to the Lightbreakers.

As the only remaining Lightbreaker commander, Russell took initiative and established a new order amongst them. Upon taking note of the power the Lightbreakers have been experimenting with, he would come to the decision to organize his army by the path of abilities they have chosen to wield. He also enlisted several types of soldiers, robotics, purpose-built Jumpships, and even modified [[Drake Tank]]s into his forces. Finally, he instructed his crews to build a mobile command center, a large space vessel made from recovered Cabal hull plating that would be known as the Lightbreaker Carrier, and their base became known as the Realm of the Banished, because of the enhanced corrupted Light they have wielded, calling themselves the Traveler’s Banished as a result, having viewed their banishment as all the more time they need to re-enter the fray and continue to plunder all authorities who stand in their way.

*'''Swarmer Frame''': A Frame model built for quick skirmishes and swarming tactics. Protected by an Arc shield and can teleport. Armed with a heavily modified [[Slap Rifle]] that fires in constant bursts of two shots; each burst deals a different kind of elemental damage with varying effects: Arc inflicts blindness, Solar inflicts sundering, and Void inflicts slowness. Runs in circles around their target while firing at them, circling the player in the opposite direction of the other Swarmer Frames behind them.

*'''Nullifier Frame''': A Heavy Frame model built for support roles. Equipped with a Frame Shield that blocks all incoming attacks and can be slammed on the ground to release a highly-damaging shockwave that knocks the player down. Armed with a [[Cabal Slug Shotgun]] that fires shocking slugs and has an underbarrel Burning Harpoon that drags and burns players. Launches Void missiles that can briefly suppress abilities. Emits an aura that sunders the player’s health and disables their recovery.

*'''Bandit''': A Soldier that primarily serves as a swarming trooper. Armed with a sidearm of a random archetype: Precision, Aggressive Burst, Adaptive, Lightweight, Adaptive Burst, or SUROS Rapid-Fire. Capable of deploying Grasper Drones that roll towards their targets and attach to them before detonating and inflicting them with a debuff that decreases their weapon damage for a short time. Throws Flashbang Grenades to blind their victims and releases Combat Ghosts. Equipped with a Lightbreaker Knife for close combat, inflicting the player with a bleeding effect.

*'''Blocker''': An armored soldier who protects their allies. Equipped with a Lightbreaker Shield that blocks and deflects all damage. Armed with an SMG. Wears protective armor that blocks kinetic damage. Capable of deploying enhanced Disruption Drones that fly rapidly towards their target and inflict them with a mark that increases incoming damage, decreases outgoing damage, and decreases shield strength. Can give orders to nearby Lightbreaker soldiers, giving them smarter pathing, faster fire rates, increased accuracy, higher damage, and greater damage resistance. Throws Pulse Grenades and releases Combat Ghosts. Performs a shield bash at close range to knock targets back.

*'''Warrior''': An [[Arcstrider]] [[Hunter]] focused on close combat. Protected by an Arc shield. Armed with an SMG of a random archetype. Throws Skip Grenades, which sends out seeking Arc subminitions. Uses Double Jump to evade their foes as well as flank them. Equipped with an Arc Knife which restores health and shields upon a hit and deals increased damage with each successive strike. Gains increased melee range and attack speed when dodging. Activates [[Arc Staff]] when their shield is broken; gains greatly increased damage resistance and movement speed when this Super is active. Arc Staff hits multiple times for a short time after dodging.

*'''Devastator''': A Sunbreaker Titan focused on annihilation. Protected by a Solar shield. Armed with a Rocket Launcher of a random archetype; rockets have tracking, proximity detonation, cluster bombs, and incendiary properties. Throws Fusion Grenades. Uses Catapult to thrust through the air. Melee attacks take the form of a Throwing Hammer that knocks targets around and restores health and shields to the Devastator, ability damage sunders their victim and grants the Devastator increased fire rate, accuracy, and damage for all attacks. Activates Burning Maul when their shield is broken; gains greatly increased damage resistance and movement speed when their Super is active.

*'''Surveyor Ghost''': A Ghost model equipped with blinding flashlights that disorient players, reveal their location, and mark their location to nearby Lightbreakers.

*'''Combat Ghost''': A Ghost model armed with dual Machine Turrets that fire a series of Solar bullets that inflict a stacking burning effect. Releases a Shocking Pulse that jams the player’s equipped weapons and prevents shield regeneration. Equipped with Void Tracer Beams that lock their target in place for a short time and drain their health. When on low health, it envelops itself in armor that blocks and deflects incoming attacks and rushes toward the player, releasing a Kamikaze Blast in the process.

*'''Battlecruiser''': A modified [[Jumpship]] built for harassing enemy objectives. Armed with dual Lightbreaker Autocannons which rapidly fire high-impact Solar rounds which cause heavy aim deflection, deal increased damage with sustained fire, and severely reduce weapon accuracy and stability for a short time. When sufficiently damaged, it will divebomb towards the player that brought it down; if not shot down, it will explode directly on top of its attackers, killing them in one hit. Detonations leave behind pieces of flaming debris that inflict heavy burning effects.

===Origins===

Nezarec then set in motion a chain of events that interfered with all other known power sources. The Hive and the Guardians noticed sudden power drops, suffering the effects of poisoned Light and Worms respectively, although he has assisted those with Corrupted Light shards, but only in the hopes of bringing them in a force against the Traveler. To top everything off, he summoned a gigantic ring of Light and Dark energy that enveloped the entire Solar System, which the ring proceeded to close in on. The combined power caused ability outages for both sides of the spectrum; the Traveler was prevented from creating new Light and the Darkness stopped spreading. The City was then confined to one single Tower due to the blackened conditions. Vanguard forces sought to search for the source, but could not intercept it. The Hive altered their approach to the battle, and everyone else in between was in a desparate struggle for survival. The reign of Nezarec was about to begin.

*'''Alkilith''': A viral demon which spreads the corruption of the Void. Upon contact, it inflicts heavy stacking poison effects and release a poison cloud that spreads the effect to other players. Continued exposure decreases the target’s damage and movement speed, suppresses their abilities, lowers their fire rate and accuracy, and sunders their defenses. Effects get stronger the more they spread. Can merge to form a Yochlol.

*'''Hezrou''': Large, aggressive demons who seek to scatter the enemy. Casts a curse that releases a blast which stuns the player for a short time before decreasing their weapon damage and drastically slowing their movement speed for an extended period. Hurls a blast projectile which causes its target to repeatedly stagger when in its radius. Surrounded by an aura that inflicts a heavy poison effect to all victims in its radius. Melee attacks knock the target around and can knock them around for a short time.

*'''Wastrilith''': Bulky demons that are created to overwhelm the enemy. Capable of burrowing underground and swimming underground to heal themselves when damaged. Casts magical blasts which cause blackout on its target for a time. Teleports long distances rapidly when closing the distance. Armed with sharpened bone hooks which inflicts rapid bleeding effects. Releases a pulse which can suppress the abilities of all players within its radius as well as suspending them in midair for a short time.

*'''Bebilith''': Watchful overseers of the Void dimension. Its eyes inflict its prey with a mark that disables jumping and melee abilities. Surrounded by an aura that drastically slows the target for a short time and hazes their vision for an extended period. Melee attacks deal additional damage to shields and ignore any defensive buffs active on the player; weapons and abilities also fire slower when hit. Summons a barrier around its prey and itself to prevent escape; can climb on the barrier to flank their victims. Capable of rapidly teleporting around their targets and can even shift planes to bolster their exoskeleton’s defense. Launches itself from walls onto the player to trample them and tear them apart using the retractable claws on their eight legs. Capable of firing webs that ensnare their victims in place and eventually compress them.

*'''Orlath''': Towering serpentine monsters that are the elite heavy infantry of the Void. Protected by randomly rotating elemental shields. Shares two heads that each have a torso with six arms; each arm wields either a mortar which launches incendiary meteor shells or scimitars laced with a hemotoxin that causes heavy poison and bleeding effects that stack over the course of their duration. Its eyes inflict a mark that disables jumping, sprinting, and melee abilities; it also is capable of unleashing a strengthened gaze that disarms their victim, slows their movement speed, and causes them to repeatedly stumble for a short time. Casts a spell that increases its own attack power by imbuing its weapons with radioactive energy, inflicting them with a radiation poisoning debuff that drains their target’s health, slows their movements, disorients their vision, and confuses them for a short time. Attacks significantly faster when on low health.

*'''Klurichir''': The commanders of the Void demon armies. Armed with Void Basilisk heavy weapon systems in each of their four arms: fires high-explosive incendiary meteor shells from long range; unleashes an acidic spray at medium range which completely negates mobility, resilience, and recovery bonuses; releases a spread of blackout-inducing flak shots at closer ranges; unsheathes giant battleaxes at point blank range. Casts a curse which stuns the player for a short time before decreasing their weapon damage, slowing their movement speed, lowering their attack speeds and fire rates, reducing their accuracy and stability, deals shock damage, sunders their health, blinds their vision, and suppresses their abilities for a short time. Its chest is occupied by a gaping maw equipped with a tongue that can lash out and knock its target down upon contact, reeling them in shortly afterwards. Capable of flying around the battlefield and teleporting past their targets. Can grab their targets and viciously crush them to death.