As a player, one rarely wonders what in-game villains are like as children. But the Truth lore tab has me wondering more about young Fallen in the system.
The card describes Variks’s encounter after a brutal battle between Awoken and Fallen, where he drops this gem:
Blockquote He picks his way down to the worst of it and joins the search. Over the next hour, he finds a Wolf that he half-remembers from a distant relative’s coming-of-age ceremony; three Devils who look at him with uncomprehending confusion and anger; and one Crow irretrievably trapped beneath the fuselage of his ship.
Apparently the Fallen celebrate birthdays and aging as much as we do. Whether or not this ceremony is related to the rite-of-passage Archon’s Forge from D1 is undeterminable. But the idea of birthdays raises another, more ridiculous question-what are Fallen children like? The Truth card mentions Fallen are born as hatchlings, but are hatchlings raised onboard ketches? Or is there safe haven Fallen communities, where children are raised? Are there non-combatant Fallen? Teachers for the hatchlings, parents raising their kin? Perhaps there once was, before the Whirlwind. I’m more inclined to believe that the Fallen lifestyle prevents such comfort, but it’s very curious to wonder if there are “non-combatant Eliksni, yeeeesssss?”
I don’t think they have much of civilian life. They are mostly described as pirates so if they aren’t scavenging for parts or things to hat degree, they may be planning a new attack or trying to draw ether for consumption. They may be taught only the necessary skills for being a warrior by those around them.
I guess that’s fair. But we do know from the Dust lore book that some Fallen have integrated into Awoken society- one of Ives’ research assistants was a Fallen. So it makes me wonder how many other former Wolves had assimilated into Reef society. I want to believe that the Fallen are more complex than the “sneaky pirate punks” the game portrays them as. I’m hopeful that we continue to see more of this!
I assumed that it was Variks due to the launchers location in the prison of elders. Plus the Outbreak Perfected tab refers to Mithrax as a Captain.
BUT! You reminded me of another lore piece, Misraaks , where Mithrax is depicted as a Vandal. That piece also features Sjur Eido, just like the Truth tab.
Therefore, I think it’s safe to definitely say Mithrax is the clue giver in the Truth quest-which makes sense in hindsight, because I’d it was Variks leaving clues for his child, why would he abandon the Reef without them?
You can try to figure it out. From lore point, Eliksni(they are too interesting and cool to be named Fallen) were separated to Houses before and after Whirlwind(before we henocide almost every last Houses leaders in D1) with strong food-chain-relationship. The stronger, braver and loyal you are, the more ether you get and grow fat and rank up faster(Vandal->Capitan->Archont/Kell). But they still mostly consist of Dregs. So my guess is when inside some basement or ship of separate House a pack of kids is born, they grow them with ether to Dreg-size and make some sort of battle-royal. Losers become Dregs and get their middle limbs severed and the winners become Vandals.
P.S. about parenting and teaching - every House had it’s own purpouse so they learn from obeying higher-ups orders
Let’s give this another rez! I personally like to think that the Eliksni have a very human life. One similar to someone growing up in an impoverished family. I hate the thought that every race is simply just a big bad bogeyman out to get us. Every Cabal has to have a family back home, right? Every Vex… well they are an exception as well with the Taken. But the Hive have some element of traditional love and affection. Right? Maybe I’m just too merciful and forgiving for my own good…
I’m going to guess that Fallen life is kind of like what we were like right after the Collapse. They had a big disaster that tore their civilization apart. Cabal NOW are very war based and their life is probably like the end of the Roman Empire. All gladiators and death. Calus Cabal life was probably like the mid to beginning roman empire. Fine wine, plays, literature, and luxury. Hive are just death. No love or affection, just the obligation to reproduce to grow the number of them. At least, this is how I see it.
Yeah. But I still like to think that they are more than just evil villains that we have to kill. That each one has a story and lovely family. It gives weight and depth to a story. It would also call into question the morality of what we are doing. Because as of now, we just mindlessly kill for loot. Though I would say that would more suit a spin off game. One more playing to the RPG elements of it. Generally I think Bungie has built up a bunch of great ideas in the lore that are just squandered by not being expanded more.
Fallen more than any of the races are the most alike to us. I think that we could be allies, and Mithrax is proof of that. Fallen definitely have more depth and are the most human, to me at least. But the ones we are killing are violent would would love nothing more than to sell our weapons and armor for scrap. Same with the other races, other than the Hive. I just want them dead. They’ve killed so may, they deserve to die.
I agree that I do want to have something were we team up with a different race, at this point I don’t think we can because they are trying to kill us everytime they see us, with the exeption of a few of them like Mithrax and the harpy we talk to in the questline for Sturm.
With the Cabal, i’m pretty sure the warriors are grown through cloning(think it was a Opulent Warlock armor piece that said it) but ones like Psions are more just conscripts…