Riven: Difference between revisions

|faction= [[The Reef]] {{C|formerly}} <br> [[Blood of Oryx]] {{C|formerly}} <br> [[Savathûn's Brood]] {{C|temporary}}

{{article quote|Most of those who bargain with me do not win, O murderer mine.|Riven of a Thousand Voices}}

'''Riven of a Thousand Voices''' was originally considered the last living [[Ahamkara]] after the [[Great Ahamkara Hunt]], prior to the discovery of an uncorrupted clutch of her eggs; having formerly served [[Mara Sov]] and the [[Awoken]] as their greatest kept secret. She was instrumental in the creation of the [[Dreaming City]] and [[Eleusinia]] until the [[Taken War]], during which she was [[Taken]] by [[Oryx, the Taken King]] prior to his death and later then conspired with his sister: [[Savathûn, the Witch-Queen]].

Now corrupting the city from its heart, the [[Keep of Voices]], the Taken Ahamkara became the underlying main antagonist of the ''[[Forsaken]]'' expansion. Riven would play a prominent role behind the creation of the [[Scorn]] and worked her way into [[Uldren Sov]]'s mind like a parasite, impersonating his sister and deceiving him into unsealing the [[Dreaming City]] in an attempt to free her from its prison.  

Riven serves as the final boss of the ''[[Last Wish]]'' [[Raid]] when [[Guardian]]s would storm the Keep and slay her at the behest of Queen Mara and [[Petra Venj]]. This however, served as a ploy to draw the attention of the Guardians for them to end her Taken curse by killing her. Despite her physical death, her consciousness continued to persist and granted the Guardians one final wish: using her wish magic to curse the Dreaming City in a three-week long temporal loop.

Riven was young during the earliest days of the [[Reef]]. When she encountered [[Uldren Sov]], who was on a mission to find a power that would allow [[Mara Sov]] to build an impregnable [[Awoken]] city, she was drawn to his unfulfilled ambitions and allowed him to present her to [[Mara Sov]]. The Ahamkara took the name Riven, in honor of her host. <ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Awoken_of_the_Reef#Telic_I|Telic I]]''</ref><ref name = "Telic II">'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Awoken_of_the_Reef#Telic_II|Telic II]]''</ref> <ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Dreaming_City#Riven|Riven]]''</ref>  Through the years, she grew and accompanied Mara Sov in her ventures, becoming one of the most significant members of her entourage. Riven's wish-granting faculty played a key role in the construction of the Dreaming City. However, Mara remained wary of Riven's fundamental untrustworthiness and appetite as an Ahamkara. Mara constructed a [[Wall of Wishes]] to make bargaining with Riven safer,<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Titan)#Helm_of_the_Great_Hunt|Helm of the Great Hunt]]''</ref> and made sure to keep her away from Uldren and other potential sources of trouble.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], [[Oracle]]''</ref><ref name = "Telic II"/> Indeed, Riven's work on the Dreaming City included small but deliberate flaws that would make it vulnerable to attack.<ref name="Gauntlets">'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Titan)#Gauntlets_of_the_Great_Hunt|Gauntlets of the Great Hunt]]''</ref> She would also construct her own [[Riven's Lair|lair]] hidden away from the Awoken.

Upon spotting the Ahamkara known as [[Taranis]] around the [[Spine of Keres]], she would pin him to the ground and question him about his presence within her territory.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/12/26)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Wish]], [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Gifts and Bargains#First Gift|First Gift]]''</ref> Despite this prejudgment, Riven would decide to give him a tour around the Dreaming City until they eventually arrive at the [[Divalian Mists]], where an Awoken dreams and wishes for a pleasant home, similar to his one in the [[Distributary]]. Seeking to feed on his desire, they both crotch down to a cliff alongside [[Gwilym]], where they would all introduce themselves before having their meal. Riven and Gwilym would have a teapot and plates worth of sustenance, while Taranis would only eat a few tears.

 

When Taranis climbs back up to the cliff she expresses her astonishment at how small he is due to his refusal to grasp for more. Taranis would claim that it was enough for his nourishment, to which Riven called foolish, something he acknowledged. Following them bonding for some time, Taranis would invite her to his lair within the [[Black Garden]], to which she agreed. When they arrive at his nest it is decided that if he won't let himself grow they will make something that will. Together they form a bridge that each others lairs and produce Whims, with her as the sire, and Taranis as the dam.<ref>'''Bungie (2024/1/2)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Wish]], [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Gifts and Bargains#Second Gift|Second Gift]]''</ref>

 

However their prosperity would not come to last as the [[Great Ahamkara Hunt]] was enacted by the [[Vanguard]], with the Reef assisting them. To keep Riven contained, Mara would wish for her to be  trapped inside the [[Keep of Voices|keep]] at the heart of the city. Desiring to keep her mate safe, she would warn Taranis about the Hunt and order him to stay within his nest. However believing he could reason with them, Taranis returns to the city, much to Riven's dismay as she roars from her cage. After surviving an encounter with a Corsair, Taranis returns to his lair, telling her she was right. Due to their separation, they would whisper to each other from across space, eventually becoming the last of their kind.<ref>'''Bungie (2024/1/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Wish]], [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Gifts and Bargains#Third Gift|Third Gift]]''</ref> Riven would remain in the keep for the rest of her life, though the Queen visited her regularly to make bargains.<ref name="Gauntlets"/>

Shortly after the [[Battle of Saturn]], the [[Darkness]] from Oryx's [[Dreadnaught]] Took the Techeuns from the battle, and the Taken invaded the [[Dreaming City]], which was inadvertently revealed, in mass. At the Keep where Riven was kept, Oryx offered to [[Taken|Take]] Riven away, although she knew that Oryx would not let her leave the Dreaming City. Nonetheless, Riven, eager to try bargaining with a king, told Oryx to take whatever he wished, as long as he 'wished' it. Riven and Oryx both knew they were attempting to deceive each other and began laughing together at the irony of their scenario.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Warlock)#Hood_of_the_Great_Hunt|Hood of the Great Hunt]]''</ref> Following this, Riven's identity seemed to merge with Oryx's will, being simultaneously the Taken King and Riven.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Warlock)#Robes_of_the_Great_Hunt|Robes of the Great Hunt]]''</ref> When Oryx was defeated by [[The Guardian]], Riven felt the Taken King's despair at not being able to avenge his son [[Crota, Son of Oryx|Crota]]. Although her will was partly restored, Riven reflected that she was still trapped within the Dreaming City and could not escape, while also having no one within the City to talk to as the Techeuns, despite also being Taken, did not have free will as she did.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], [[Armor_of_the_Great_Hunt_(Warlock)#Gloves_of_the_Great_Hunt|Gloves of the Great Hunt]]''</ref>

Years after Riven's corporeal death that freed her from her Taken curse, the Guardians and the Vanguard Coalition, following various conflicts and unnerving revelations, would be forced to raise the Last Ahamkara's spirit so she can perform the 15th wish, the "one we would cherish" as she once spoke, which turned out to be the Witch Queen's wish prior to her demise and being made a Lightbearer. Using the Wall of Wishes once more and Queen Mara's Techuens performing a spell to awaken Riven's spirit with her heart, the Guardians and Mara ask for the Wish for a new pathway. Riven's spirit, though diminished yet still strong enough to perform one more wish, awakens as planned but to the Awoken Queen's surprise and frustration, the Ahamkara refuses to grant them their wish. In a private conversation with Mara, Riven states she has no reason to grant it as she is dead along with the rest of her kind. Riven recounts how it wasn't enough for the Awoken Queen to send the Guardians to slay her, but also have her forces destroy her eggs. Or so Mara thought, as one was found within [[Savathûn's Spire]]. Riven admits that she hid some of her eggs within the bowels of her lair to protect them from Mara's wrath and if she were to ensure their safety, then the Ahamkara would perform the final wish. Despite the risk of allowing the Ahamkara species to thrive and terrorize the Sol System once again yet desperate for the means to follow [[The Witness]], the Awoken Queen agrees to Riven's bargain.

Riven has retained her free will even after being [[Taken]].<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/DestinyLore/comments/9egfx0/new_information_about_the_raid_boss_spoilers</ref> At one point, she held complete dominion over the Taken in the Dreaming City, with powerful Taken such as [[Morgeth, the Spirekeeper|Morgeth]] and the Taken [[Techeun]] witches at her command.