Rhulk, Disciple of the Witness: Difference between revisions

'''Rhulk, Disciple of the Witness''' is the first of the [[Disciples]]: extraordinarily powerful paracusal entities who collectively follow the [[Witness]] and do its bidding. Hailing from the planet [[Lubrae]], he played a prominent role in the creation of the [[Hive]] by subjugating the [[Worm]]s into servitude of his master and then facilitating their production in [[Savathûn's Throne World]], all while keeping tabs on the [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen|Witch Queen]] herself from his own [[Sunken Pyramid|Pyramid]].

After Savathûn's rebirth in the [[Light]], he was imprisoned within his own Pyramid by a curse of Light placed by the Witch Queen. However, Rhulk would retaliate by bringing the [[Scorn]] into her throne world and subsequently taking command of them. He is the final boss of the ''[[Vow of the Disciple]]'' [[Raid]], where he ultimately met his demise at the hands of [[Guardian]]s.

Rhulk was born to his father [[Rhelik]] and mother [[Vrhuna]] on the planet [[Lubrae]], a civilization that had been blessed by the [[Traveler]] but fell into a military dictatorship after it left. Rhulk lived with his clan of [[Wanderers]] in the [[Wildlands]] outside of the sole city on the planet that was controlled by [[The Regime]]. The Wanderer clans were subject to frequent dangers, including monstrous wildlife that emerged under the Umbral Sun at night and the [[Stalkers]] sent by the Regime to hunt and kill the Wanderers who rejected the city's ways. When he was young, Rhulk witnessed his father kill Stalkers who threatened the clan with a brutality fueled by a bloodlust that Rhulk also felt. He confided in his father about their shared rage and was taught to hate the Regime by him, but when the rest of their clan began to shun Rhelik for his brutality he softened, much to Rhulk's disappointment.<ref name="Tainted">'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Shattered_Suns#Tainted|Shattered Suns: Tainted]]''</ref> His father attempted to teach him patience by making Rhulk watch as other Wanderers were killed by a hunting party of Stalkers and holding him back when Rhulk attempted to intervene. Rhulk was enraged and confused by his father's inaction and believed he was betraying his principles and vows to bring down the Regime.<ref name="Untamed">'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Shattered_Suns#Untamed|Shattered Suns: Untamed]]''</ref>

Although the clan only tried to help others in need of assistance and care for the land, the Stalkers continued to pursue them. During one battle several members of the clan were killed, including [[Fhent]] and one of Rhulk's clan-uncles. Rhulk fought back against the Stalkers and killed several of them, claiming their supplies and equipment as his own, including a [[Glaive]] and [[Sapphiric Converter]]. However, Rhelik was captured during the raid by the Stalkers and the rest of the clan, including Rhulk's mother Vrhuna, looked upon him with only concern and fear due to his brutality during the fight. Frustrated by what he perceived as their weakness, that night as the clan danced and sang in tribute to their survival and in honor of the dead, Rhulk ripped apart a pet [[Yhadt]] that belonged to some of the clan's children. The clan was horrified, and Rhulk felt powerful in that moment but feared that made him a monster.<ref name="Endangered">'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Shattered_Suns#Endangered|Shattered Suns: Endangered]]''</ref>

Reborn as the First Disciple, Rhulk became the Witness' chosen enforcer and executioner, bringing destruction through fire and [[glaive]] and leading [[Pyramids]] of the [[Black Fleet]] to wipe out the civilizations uplifted by the [[Traveler]]. He would also utilize the [[Upended]] to burn all traces of their passing much like his home Lubrae. He would also overseer the induction of new Disciples, such as [[Nezarec]], whom he gifted with a [[Nezarec's Whisper|Glaive]].<ref name="Nezarec's Whisper">'''Bungie (2022/5/24)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Haunted]] - Item Description: [[Nezarec's Whisper]]''</ref> After eons of supplication, however, Rhulk would find himself bereft of purpose and fulfillment in his duty, and would unrelentingly challenge the Witness to be recognized as an equal. Instead, he would constantly debate with his god over his repeated attempts to elevate above his intended station, much to his own sense of self-loathing and inadequacy.

At one point, the Witness endowed him with the task of subjugating a mighty race, that being of the insectoid race of [[Ahslid]], into their servitude. The Witness stated to Rhulk that this opportunity would test his worth in enlightening the Ahslid with the same lessons of irrelevance the latter learned from his master. As a condition, however, Rhulk is tasked to do so without revealing his presence to the Ahsild. Feeling castrated of his favor, Rhulk took the Witness' message to heart and changed his warmongering approach to one of unseen guidance and outreaching subterfuge.<ref name="Resonant Fury Mask">'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Armor|Armor lore]]: [[Resonant Fury Suit (Hunter)#Resonant Fury Mask|Resonant Fury Mask]]''</ref>  

At first, Rhulk stalked the race of Ahslid for fourteen solar years and offered every warrior he met opportunity to prove their worth, only for them to cower in fear and be bled at the tip of his glaive. The disciple would eventually comprehend his master's commandment as a lesson in insight and his own folly of spilling their blood blindly by himself. Instead, the disciple would act in discreet as Rhulk culls key members of the race in secrecy and spread fear and paranoia amongst the Ahslid from his intended violence; creating a generation of their kin that would closely follow Rhulk's philosophies.<ref name="Resonant Fury Grips">'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Armor|Armor lore]]: [[Resonant Fury Suit (Hunter)#Resonant Fury Grips|Resonant Fury Grips]]''</ref>  

In the span of years, the Lubrean fosters this new generation by acting as their unseen guide; presenting opportunity to families lacking it and inducing suffering to those unsullied of it. Amongst the new brood was the youngest foundling Rhulk named [[Uun]], whom the disciple took a particular interest in after their first kill. The Subjugator, seeing himself in the young Ahslid, would uncharacteristically spare him of ostracization from his peers and leave him to grow as a warrior. This experience would cause Rhulk to question the Witness' hand in shaping his own destiny.<ref name="Resonant Fury Vest">'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Armor|Armor lore]]: [[Resonant Fury Suit (Hunter)#Resonant Fury Vest|Resonant Fury Vest]]''</ref>

Over time, the Ahslid became a race divided between themselves and gripped by paranoia wary of the disciple's machinations. Now indirectly uplifted by Rhulk's guidance and teachings, they build weapons of massive destruction that could destroy their world. Only Uun, now cast in doubt of himself, remained a disappointment to Rhulk who cast him from his graces and into obscurity. At the same time, Rhulk had withheld teaching the insectoid race of irrelevance: the same lesson he himself learned from Lubrae's destruction. Rhulk is left to brood over his inability to teach the Ahslid the most challenging lesson he knew, and thus finds himself unworthy of emulating his idol.<ref name="Resonant Fury Strides">'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Armor|Armor lore]]: [[Resonant Fury Suit (Hunter)#Resonant Fury Strides|Resonant Fury Strides]]''</ref>

Rhulk ultimately failed in his task, underestimating the Ahslid's capability for destruction which drove them to wipe out all life on their world in atomic fire. Only Uun, whom he once shunned of weakness, would be left tenaciously alive to face the disciple as both his greatest failure and biggest pride. The Ahslid's attempt to challenge Rhulk was ultimately futile, leaving Uun prostrate on the floor near death and begging for Rhulk's name. In a moment of weakness, Rhulk whispers his name to the dying Uun moments before his passing. Despite having failed his task of uplifting the Ahslid, Rhulk would only further appreciate his master's lessons.<ref name="Resonant Fury Cloak">'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Armor|Armor lore]]: [[Resonant Fury Suit (Hunter)#Resonant Fury Cloak|Resonant Fury Cloak]]''</ref>