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Bite-sized Backstory 20: The Eater of Hope and His Sisters (Destiny)

by Ragashingo ⌂, Official DBO Cryptarch, Monday, January 30, 2017, 02:49 (2615 days ago)

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Following his meeting with the Deep (which Destiny players would know better as the Darkness) and his betrayal by his sisters, Oryx somehow manages fight his way back to his throne world and the physical world. This may have been possible because, as mentioned last time, Xivu Arath described the nature of her brother just like he once described her and her sister after killing them during the war against the Ecumene.

Interestingly, Oryx says that he had to fight “the swarming corpse of Akka” the worm god who he killed to gain the power to forge his Tablets of Ruin which allowed him to contact the Deep. This is once again proof that killing a worm god is not really enough to… uh… kill it. And this fact, of course, brings us back to the worm familiar that showed the three brave sisters the way to the needle ship even though it was dead.

Once Oryx makes it back to his court he once again goes to war against his sisters. He records crippling Savathûn’s tribute so badly that she will never again be able to challenge him. Then he tricked Xivu Arath and poisoned her tribute so she too could no longer challenge him. We can only imagine that neither of these campaigns Oryx engaged in were short. These two wars may have taken hundreds or even thousands of years for Oryx to secure his position at the top of the Hive.

Following all that, Oryx found a mother to make spawn with. Who was the mother Oryx told and what happened to her? We are never told. All we learn about are their children. First, there was Crota. When Crota is born, Oryx give him his name and his first sword, but other than that, Crota has to kill his way to a position in Crota’s court. Apparently Crota did this pretty well because he becomes the Hive god that nearly defeats the City some time in the future. For now, though, Oryx explains the meaning of Crota’s name. It means “the Eater of Hope” because they both are fighting a war against the false hope that the Traveler gives to the younger races.

Oryx also tells Crota about the oath he and his sisters took against Taox but he tells Crota that the oath does not apply to him. Does Oryx really believes that after having destroyed hundreds or thousands of races that Taox has still managed to stay ahead of his Hive? That seems incredible and unbelievable, but then Oryx seems quite serious about it. Maybe we’ll meet Taox someday? I wonder what she would be like now, tens of thousands of years later… Or is she just frozen in a stasis pod somewhere?

After Crota, comes Oryx’s two daughters Ir Anûk and Ir Halak. Of Ir Anûk, Oryx says that Savathûn is so impressed with her that she cackles and rages at her brilliance. Oryx notes that Ir Anûk has declared that she will kill one of the eleven axioms that make up Hive’s ascendant places (throne worlds) and will use the power she gains to defeat Akka as he once did and become a god as he is. Does this mean that she would be able to construct Tablets of Ruin? Either way, Oryx says he may kill her to stop her or he might applaud her for her achievements.

As for Ir Halak, she developed a song so powerful that it was able to kill everyone who heard it when she sung it in Xivu Arath’s throne world. (Aside from Xivu Arath, apparently, since she is still around later.) Oryx wonders if the Hive might soon employ death songs instead of swords and boomers. Oryx then sees that she has charted the course of the Nicha Thought-ship. This is not a ship we have heard of before, but it is one that will soon be very important to both the Hive and to Humanity as well…

…all because of a race of time traveling robots known as the Vex!

Sources:
XXXVI: Eater of Hope
XXXVII: shapes: points

Previous: 19: Betrayal and Dreams of Teeth
Next: 21: Origin of the Vex

Bite-sized Backstory 20: The Eater of Hope and His Sisters

by General Battuta, Monday, January 30, 2017, 14:28 (2614 days ago) @ Ragashingo

I'm obviously jumping ahead here - just off the preview title - but be careful not to read the Vex intrusion into Oryx's throne as necessarily the *origin* of the Vex, or even their 'first' (whatever that means with Vex) act in the Destiny timeline. It's the first encounter with the Vex by the Hive according to this Book of Sorrow.

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Bite-sized Backstory 20: The Eater of Hope and His Sisters

by Cody Miller @, Music of the Spheres - Never Forgot, Monday, January 30, 2017, 15:05 (2614 days ago) @ General Battuta

I'm obviously jumping ahead here - just off the preview title - but be careful not to read the Vex intrusion into Oryx's throne as necessarily the *origin* of the Vex, or even their 'first' (whatever that means with Vex) act in the Destiny timeline. It's the first encounter with the Vex by the Hive according to this Book of Sorrow.

Does it even make sense to talk about 'First' with the Vex? What with the nature of time travel in Destiny and all. Aren't they kind of everywhen at once?

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Bite-sized Backstory 20: The Eater of Hope and His Sisters

by Ragashingo ⌂, Official DBO Cryptarch, Monday, January 30, 2017, 17:17 (2614 days ago) @ General Battuta

I'm obviously jumping ahead here - just off the preview title - but be careful not to read the Vex intrusion into Oryx's throne as necessarily the *origin* of the Vex, or even their 'first' (whatever that means with Vex) act in the Destiny timeline. It's the first encounter with the Vex by the Hive according to this Book of Sorrow.

Right. My plan was to use the "Origin of the Vex" title as a draw but to dive into that idea moving forward and explain that this wasn't an origin and was instead a discovery of the Vex. And, like you said, not necessarily even the first time the Hive discovered the Vex. Having you reinforce this idea is very helpful!

So, thank you for the nudge. I try and pay close attention any time you reply to one of these. I'm always grateful to have any information that helps with the accuracy of what is ultimately my imperfect interpretation of these stories. :)

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Bite-sized Backstory 20: The Eater of Hope and His Sisters

by breitzen @, Kansas, Wednesday, February 01, 2017, 03:24 (2613 days ago) @ Ragashingo

As for Ir Halak, she developed a song so powerful that it was able to kill everyone who heard it when she sung it in Xivu Arath’s throne world. (Aside from Xivu Arath, apparently, since she is still around later.) Oryx wonders if the Hive might soon employ death songs instead of swords and boomers.

This fascinates me and reminds me of how magic works in The Inheritance Cycle (Eragon anyone?). Basically if you know the true name of a thing, you can control it. SP for final book:

Instead of killing the evil king, Eragon makes him experience the pain the king has made others endure. The king is overwhelmed by all the pain and literally speaks himself out of existence.

I'm sure its not a new concept in storytelling, but I find it interesting. Might we as Guardians one day be able to harness that power?

Bite-sized Backstory 20: The Eater of Hope and His Sisters

by General Battuta, Wednesday, February 01, 2017, 13:46 (2612 days ago) @ breitzen

Read Earthsea, it's so good.

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+1

by Blackt1g3r @, Login is from an untrusted domain in MN, Wednesday, February 01, 2017, 14:25 (2612 days ago) @ General Battuta

Well, at least "A Wizard of Earthsea" is good. The other books in that universe are ok, but not nearly as good as the first one.

+1

by General Battuta, Wednesday, February 01, 2017, 20:13 (2612 days ago) @ Blackt1g3r

I think Tehanu and The Other Wind are strongest, actually.

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+1

by Blackt1g3r @, Login is from an untrusted domain in MN, Thursday, February 02, 2017, 15:13 (2611 days ago) @ General Battuta

I think Tehanu and The Other Wind are strongest, actually.

Hmm, I haven't read those since I didn't care much for 'The Tombs of Atuan' or 'The Farthest Shore'. It's been awhile since I read them so I don't recall what it was I didn't like, but I really enjoyed 'A Wizard of Earthsea'.

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I'll check it out!

by breitzen @, Kansas, Wednesday, February 01, 2017, 15:19 (2612 days ago) @ General Battuta

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