The Darkness
The Darkness is the powerful, ancient enemy of the Traveler, tracking it through the cosmos. Once, the Darkness ruled the universe, and the Hive believe that the Light must be consumed for it to reclaim its domination. While never encountered directly, the Darkness employs many minions, with some of its most powerful servants being worshiped as deities unto themselves.
History
The only solid information on the Darkness comes from an ISR report from centuries ago. At that time, the Darkness appeared just beyond the edge of the Solar System in what was termed as a "TRANSIENT NEAR EXTRASOLAR EVENT", with the only means of determining that a transient event had even occurred was through the detection of a 0.3 second displacement of gravity waves, as well as anomalous interactions in the local Higgs field traced to sterile neutrino scattering.
An AI observing the event, the Warmind Rasputin, was able to derive some information, based solely on the phenomena that it could detect, but was unable to ascertain its mechanism. Rasputin conducted an "Omnibus analysis" of the event's effects on local spacetime, measuring a wide range of data points including direction, distance, range, speed and size as well as a comprehensive pattern analysis of the event itself. This last set of data showed, to a certainty of "9 Sigma", a definite and measurable pattern which had a complex, almost linguistic, structure that demonstrated both intelligence and intent.
In an attempt to better understand the phenomenon by recreating all of its known variables (also known as a "bootstrap simulation"), Rasputin reran the data through a series of iterations which included a number of randomized inputs, in a process known as a Monte Carlo analysis. Despite this, it was unable to derive any definitive information about the event or its source; however, it was able to determine that whatever was behind the event was clearly a complex structure, acting with clear purpose.
It concluded that the source of the event not only failed to conform to any known phenomena in the Standard Model of particle physics (thus labeling it "acausal"), it was also directed, acting with anger, and almost certain to reach the solar system in a short amount of time. As a result, the previously issued Skyshock alert was upgraded to OCP:EXTINCTION, and a number of defensive protocols were added.
The Darkness nonetheless swept through the Solar System, devastating human civilization in an event called the Collapse. Only due to the Traveler's intervention did humanity survive. Seven centuries later, the Darkness was set to return. The Fallen, Vex, Hive, and Cabal are linked to this force. Hive Wizards call upon the Darkness for their powers, whereas the Vex worship the Darkness in the form of the Black Heart.
Theories
Because so few survived the Collapse, nobody knows exactly what the Darkness is. Some theories however are offered.
Pujari
Pujari claimed that the Darkness is both a physical and moral presence, evil made tangible. It was a storm of corruption emerging from the Golden Age.
Saint-14
Saint-14 argued that the Darkness was an invading armada of aliens. Some suggest that these aliens had been previously rejected by the Traveler for their sins.
Ulan-Tan
Ulan-Tan suggests that the Darkness is the necessary symmetry to the Traveler as part of a cosmic balance.
The Monists
The Monists believe the Darkness is a technologically superior force, to the point of post-singularity, and that the universe is just a simulation. Such an advanced intelligence could mimic acausality by bending the rules of the universe's programming.
Acataleptic Clause / Praxic Creed
Some, especially the Praxic Warlocks, believe that not only is the Darkness unknowable, but that people shouldn't bother trying to understand it and instead simply fight it.
Binary Star Cult
A heretical position from the Binary Star Cult states that the Traveler itself triggered the collapse, and used humanity as a sacrifice/proxy army in its war against the Darkness.
Toland, the Shattered
Toland, the Shattered understands the Darkness as the natural evolutionary endpoint of the entire universe. Since the beginning of time, everything has been in competition with everything else for no reason, other than that is the way of the universe: the law of the jungle. As atoms came into being, they defeated the "primordial broth" that preceded it. From atoms came stars, from stars came galaxies, worlds were created, and finally life arose, all due to the eternal competition.
Toland envisions a future where three archetypal "nations" compete with other: the first represents the perfect rule of law, the second represents knowledge made paramount, and the third represents sheer, total conquest. The third nation will succeed, inevitably, and in time will lead to a greater conflict between other nations which all represent the desire to conquer and dominate. The universe thus becomes a place where only the most ruthless entities succeed, to the point where they actively hunt and exterminate other life long before it can ever be a true threat. Finally, at the end of time there will be only one entity that rules the universe so absolutely that nothing will ever exist except by its consent, so it will rule forever. In essence, Toland asserts that this incontestable supremacy is the goal or driving force of the Darkness.
An alternative way of life, where law and knowledge and might worked together rather than competed, as in the case of humanity and the City, is little more than "the dream of small minds", and is unlikely to succeed against an entity of pure conquest.
Dreams of Alpha Lupi
The Dreams of Alpha Lupi poem contains a verse related to the Darkness, and possibly representative of the Darkness's own perspective. The verse explains that the universe, despite its vastness, is beholden to simple, enduring laws that shape it and give one the impression that it is inexhaustible and eternal. Life is an affront to the universe because it refuses to accept the limitations imposed on it by the natural order.
Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4
Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4 contains an excerpt of unknown origin, addressing an unknown recipient.
Its opening line: "This war is all there is for you." is also a line of dialog, spoken by Future War Cult representative Lakshmi-2, in which she asks the player what they would do if, "on some dreadful night, the Darkness were to come creeping up" and whisper the aforementioned statement to them. This would suggest that the excerpt in Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4 is the full text of that opening statement, indicating that the Darkness is addressing a Guardian, attempting to entice them into turning away from the Light, or at least plant the seeds of doubt.
The Books of Sorrow
Following the arrival of Oryx, the Taken King in the Sol System, records were discovered aboard Oryx's Dreadnaught that provide new insight into the Darkness' history and nature. It appears that the Darkness is a manifestation or embodiment of the universal struggle for existence: whereas the Traveler seeks to nurture civilization by encouraging peace and mutual cooperation, the Darkness is dedicated to the annihilation of all beings and civilizations who do not possess the strength to survive in the face of conquest. Its eventual goal is to bring about a universe inhabited solely by those entities who have survived by defeating all opposition. To this end, it has destroyed countless planets and civilizations, either through direct action or through its disciples, such as the Hive.
The Actual Truth
Even though there were many theories, there was actually one that really happened. The Darkness was not actually a mysterious aura, but a 20,000-feet-long ship that belonged to the wielder of the Darkness named Phoenixaro Uchihamaki, the Taken Emperor.
Influence
Guardians
There are a handful of Guardians who fell into the darkness, notably Dredgen Yor. Yor came to desire taking innocent lives and sowing despair, claiming he had developed a hunger for it. Toland, the Shattered claimed to be able to communicate with the Darkness, whereas Eris Morn was able to survive and escape the Hellmouth wielding the very darkness she fought against. Eris had one time even used the power of Darkness to rescue the Guardian from being trapped in the Oversoul Throne. As noted above, it would appear that the Darkness attempts to turn Guardians away from the light. One example is when Pujari had his vision of the Black Garden; the vision made him doubt the righteousness of the Guardians when the vision told him, "You are a dead thing made by a dead power in the shape of the dead. All you will ever do is kill. You do not belong here. This is a place of life." This hearkens back to Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4, where the Darkness calls Guardians "a dead husk" animated by "an ancient corpse," referring to the "dead" Traveler.
Fallen
According to Fallen Lore, their civilization was destroyed when the Great Machine left them and the Whilrwind tore the sky. The Great Machine and Whirlwind may be the Traveler and Darkness respectively, making the Fallen one of the races to survive the Darkness's devastation, making Saint-14's hypothesis partially true. A reclaimed (though corrupted) Fallen story mentions that the Fallen respect what they cannot steal from, which is "why the dark is worthy of love beyond all other love that astonishing ability to evade being robbed".
Hive
The Hive clearly derive their power from the Darkness, and feed on and hate the Light. The Hive religion, based around the 'Sword-Logic', closely matches Toland's theory above. The Hive made a pact with their highest gods, the Worms, who grant the powers of Darkness to the Hive. They worship the Darkness as a force of destruction, and their worship has taken the form of chronicling every planet they have seen the Darkness destroy, a massive archive known as "the World's Grave" found deep within the Hellmouth. The Hive religion has a pantheon of other gods, but one in particular, Oryx, is of significant importance. Oryx commands both the Hive and his own personal army, the Taken, by using the power of the Darkness (see below). This power he stole from his patron deity, the worm Akka, so that he could access the Darkness directly like the Worms could. Osiris prophesied that should the Spawn of Crota succeed in snuffing out the worlds of Light, Oryx's coming would be unfettered, reminiscent of the Darkness's predicted arrival.
Vex
The Vex worship the Black Heart, described by Ikora Rey as part of a greater power, presumably the Darkness. The Monist's theory about the Darkness matches the Vex's goal of programming themselves into the fabric of the universe. Osiris theorized that some Vex technology is tuned to react to the presence of the Darkness.
Cabal
The Cabal do not appear to worship the Darkness like the other races, but according to a dead Ghost, they are secretly running away from a terrible power following them.
Awoken & Jovians
The Awoken were once humans, but were transformed during the collapse upon reaching the edge of the asteroid belt. Beyond the belt, "the edge of the Deep Black", the system is totally immersed in Darkness. They are otherwise still part of the Light, as Awoken can become Guardians.
Likewise, the Jovians, particularly people such as Xûr, were once humans, but were more heavily transformed than the Awoken by the Collapse. Legends do not offer a concrete explanation but imply that they were shaped by the Darkness; its safe to assume the same happened to the Awoken, but to a lesser extent, due to their proximity. Though they are willing to aid humanity through Xûr, the Light is a foreign concept to Jovians and causes them pain.
Taken
Through Oryx, the Darkness can take direct possession of the other races, thus creating the Taken. When a being is Taken, they are sent to another plane of existence, where they are robbed of their free will and brainwashed by the Darkness into abandoning their former selves. They are convinced that being Taken has "liberated" them from their fears and grants them new powers. The ability to create Taken was derived from the Worm God Akka, but Oryx killed him and stole as much knowledge as he could. Reports from the Ecumene fighting Taken described them of having abilities that are "physically illegal," meaning their very existence broke all known laws of physics.
Trivia
- The Darkness bears resemblance to the Armies of the Dark and its leader in Bungie's Myth series—a resurgent dark force that is the antithesis to the (forces of) Light.
- The idea of the Darkness arising from a primordial universe bears resemblance to the origins of the W'rkncacnter from Bungie's Marathon series.
- In the Standard Deviation model of statistical analysis, a value of 8σ represents a probability of approximately 99.999999999999%, which means that a 9σ value represents a certainty so close to absolute (100%) as to be statistically insignificant from it.
- The Darkness being flagged as Acausal indicates that it has no cause-effect relationship. The simplest explanation is that the event heralding its arrival had no known mechanism from which to derive said cause and effect. It is also possible that it may be acting on an effect-then-cause relationship, or that it is being directed by future inputs. The Taken are likewise described as Acausal.
- Sterile neutrinos are hypothetical particles (leptons) which do not interact via any of the Standard Model interactions (strong force, weak force, etc.) except for gravity. They are believed to be responsible for a number of unexplained astrophysical phenomena, including dark matter and dark radiation, neither of which are currently detectable through any portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, except for gravity.
- Gravity waves are generated when an object or event interacts with the curvature of spacetime in such a manner as to create changes in that curvature, which then ripple outward away from the event at the speed of light (or 186,000 miles per second) in a wave-like manner. In reference to the ISR report, the event which triggered the SKYSHOCK alert lasted 0.3 seconds, which suggests that whatever displaced local spacetime during the event measures some 55,800 miles in diameter (assuming a spherical shape), making it almost twice the size of the planet Uranus (31,518 miles) and a little over three-fourths the size of Saturn (72,367 miles).
