The story of Forsaken, the first major expansion for Destiny 2, begins with a breakout from the Prison of Elders. The culprit behind the villains’ escape has now been clarified in the lore book “The Most Loyal”.
The Destiny 2 expansion Forsaken starts with us helping Cayde-6 to subdue a riot of the inmates in the Prison of Elders. The identity of the escapee is not revealed during the story.
However, the question is explained in detail in the lore. If you prefer to discover this yourself, you should not read on!
What happened in the Prison of Elders?
Where can you find the lore entries for “The Most Loyal”? It seems that the lore entries are randomly available from public events in the Tanglevine . However, some players also report that they were included in the chests of the Lost Sectors in the Tanglevine.
What is the lore about? The first entry tells of how Variks, who is now the Warden in the Prison of Elders, must watch as the Cabal Legion attacks our solar system. While large parts of the Awoken fleet were able to flee, his warnings come too late for humanity’s Last City.
He observes as the Traveler is imprisoned by Ghaul and the Guardians fall. At the same time, Variks is unable to contact the crows, the spy network of the Awoken of the Reef.
Variks feels his adoptive family slipping away from him and begins to doubt his Kell, Mara Sov, and her plans.
What happens to the Barons? In addition to other scum of the galaxy, Variks also supervises seven of the eight Barons of Scorn. Fikrul, the fanatic, who Variks was close friends with years ago, has been declared dead by Cayde-6.
During his rounds through the prison, Variks contemplates what has driven him all these years: He desires to unite his people, the Eliksni, under one banner. But the Guardians have nearly wiped out all Fallen leaders.
Variks hires a bounty hunter to find Craask, Kell and leader of the House of Kings. In him, Variks sees a chance to restore the Fallen to their former power. The bounty hunter informs Variks that Craask was wiped out by the eighth Baron Fikrul and an Awoken vagabond. Variks contacts Cayde.
Who speaks to Variks? In Variks’ dream, a voice speaks to him about his failures. As Variks tries to remember who he is and that he might be the last hope for the Eliksni people, the unwelcome voice sends him images from his past.
When he awakens, Cayde has returned to the Prison of Elders with two prisoners: Fikrul, the fanatic, and to Variks’ dismay, Uldren Sov, Prince of the Awoken. Variks cannot help but address Uldren as “Your Grace”.
Petra Venj has the plan to imprison Uldren in the prison, as he seems to be losing his mind. No one but Petra, Variks, and Cayde are to know that the Prince is still alive and imprisoned in the deepest, darkest maximum-security area of the prison.
This is the beginning of the end: While Variks illegally attempts to speak to Uldren, a Servitor explodes, which was supposed to siphon Ether from Baron Fikrul. A precautionary measure for Fallen inmates to replenish the Ether supplies, which have been low since the attack of the Cabal Legion and weaken the prisoners.
While Variks is still pondering the dark, swirling, and corrupted Ether, Fikrul mocks him. Variks would still cling to his former House of Judgment, just as House Rain does to its predictions.
Three times a day, Variks visits the “royal cell block” and checks on Uldren, who usually sits in a corner of his cell talking to himself. But suddenly, Uldren addresses Variks and tells him that his Kell, Mara Sov, is still alive. Uldren asks if Variks knows where his true loyalty lies.
What does Variks do with the Ether? Although Petra had forbidden it, Variks begins experiments on the corrupted Ether. He wants to uncover the secret of the fanatic and hopes to find a cure for Uldren in the process.
When Variks realizes that the Ether from Fikrul resurrects dead Fallen, the fanatic laughs and tells Variks that now he knows where his loyalty lies.
At the mention of loyalty, Variks expected a memory of Mara Sov, but instead, he thinks of the prophecies of House Rain: That one day a Fallen warrior will rise, whose enemies will flee or fall, and he will heal and unite the Fallen Houses. The Kell of Kells.
Thus the Scorn are freed: A few days later, Variks has made all the preparations to leave the Prison of Elders and to free Uldren and the Barons. He refers to the rescue as a final service to his Highness.
As the prison descends into chaos, Variks records two messages to be sent as soon as he leaves his post: One in the High Speech of the House of Judgment and one in the human language.
They call me a traitor. I, who was the most loyal. They do not think that I hear the words. Insects. Bug…Fallen. I hear the words. The House of Judgment always listens. No choice. To hold the houses together. Judgment always listens.
The Great Machine stood in Judgment. Eliksni fell into fighting. Fell into hatred. Cannot bear this hatred.
I can go nowhere else. I can be no one else, here. And so I will be Variks, the Kell. Messenger of the House of Judgment for the Eliksni. No choice. The Eliksni must rise…yes?
You can find the full, unabridged version of the lore among other places at Ishtar Collective. You can also watch a summary and more information about the background story in the following video:
