Who are the Lords of the Iron Banner? What purpose do they serve? Did they forge the weapons themselves, or were they just forged in their name? Are they even alive today? What purpose does Lord Saladin have in relation to them? [u][b]The Iron Lords and their respective weapons:(classes based on class items)[/b][/u] [b]Timur[/b]'s Lash - Hand Cannon | Warlock [b]Gheleon[/b]'s Demise - Scout Rifle | Hunter [b]Silimar[/b]'s Wrath - Auto Rifle | Titan [b]Skorri[/b]'s Revenge - Pulse Rifle | Warlock [b]Efrideet[/b]'s Spear - Sniper Rifle | Hunter [b]Perun[/b]'s Fire - Fusion Rifle | Hunter [b]Felwinter[/b]'s Lie - Shotgun | Warlock [b]Jolder[/b]'s Hammer - Machine Gun | Titan [b]Radegast[/b]'s Fury - Rocket Launcher| Titan [u][b]3 Fireteams and their possible arrangement:[/b][/u] *I have two ideas on how these teams - if there are any - might be set up. This first is my personal theory based on the names of the weapons. 1)Gheleon - Hunter (DEMISE) Silimar - Titan (WRATH) Felwinter - Warlock (LIE) 2)Perun - Hunter (FIRE) Radegast - Titan (FURY) Skorri - Warlock (REVENGE) 3)Efrideet - Hunter (SPEAR) Jolder - Titan (HAMMER) Timur - Warlock (LASH) *This next set up is based on the timing of the class items we have access to. So the first set is team 1, second set is team 2, etc. 1)Gheleon - Hunter Jolder - Titan Skorri - Warlock (from what I've seen, these appear to be the next items we will receive. will update tomorrow if necessary) 2)Perun - Hunter Silimar - Titan Felwinter - Warlock 3)Efrideet - Hunter Radegast - Titan Timur - Warlock **A few months in and more information has come to light regarding the Classes of the Iron Lords. I have edited above to show that, but I will delete the following few paragraphs because they were all my speculation at the time and now that we have solid facts, they are no longer necessary. I have to make room for more text! As for the configuration of the presumed three fireteams, it's all speculation. This is just one of many possible ways it makes sense. Either way, most likely if there were three teams, they would optimally be comprised of one of each class, so I chose Lords whose weapons I feel compliment each other. The names of their weapons, and the types of weapons themselves, are the only real description we have of the Iron Lords, each only one word long. They seem to tell their own story though. It paints a picture, and not a particularly bright one either. Does Gheleon's Demise signify his death? Was Silimar's Wrath(or Skorri's Revenge?) in regards to this loss? Could Felwinter's Lie have been the cause? These names are another example of why I chose these three to be on the same fireteam. Three of the weapons are the names of other tools/weapons(Spear, Hammer, Lash) and I've always felt that they fit well together. My previous speculation on the nature of the Lords' classes made this combo impossible, but now it actually works out! Three remain. Fury, Revenge and Fire. Not particularly heroic sounding if you ask me. There must be some significance beyond sounding cool. Perhaps they had to do things most Guardians would not. Or could not. These names are all pretty dark. Especially considering some of the Queen's weapons. Benevolence, Courtesy, Her Right Hand. And this is all from one of the most feared woman in the galaxy! Sure, these names may be used slightly sarcastically or perhaps ironically, but still. So who are/were these Guardians? What story, if any, do they have to tell and what significance does it have? One thing that's immediately noticeable about the Lords is that there is one for each weapon. If we are to assume that these are all of the Iron Lords, then that brings the count to... Nine. Nine Iron Lords for nine weapons. Is this merely coincidence or is this another piece of the puzzle that is the Nine. I think it's unlikely that this group of assumed Guardians are THE Nine, but I also tend not to believe in coincidence. This number must have some bit of significance. In the Nine's grimoire card, they are described in nine different ways. Nine possibilities. All true, all false. Perhaps this group is just another of many forms the Nine takes? Or maybe they are simply another agent of the Nine. One of their many tools with which they enact their will on our world. My theory of nine Iron Lords, with the paradigm of three classes each, starts to fall apart depending on the role that Lord Saladin and Lord Shaxx play. Are they Iron Lords as well? That would mean there could be eleven Lords or more! Unless of course you consider the possible deaths of certain Lords, like Gheleon. Maybe he and another Lord have been lost and Shaxx and Saladin - through merit of their triumphs in war and in the Crucible - were next in line to take up the mantle. This can easily solidify the nine paradigm, but now the group seems to be short at least one Hunter. Or maybe Shaxx and Saladin carry the 'Lord' in their name simply because they're British and that's just how Brits roll. (My experience with UK folk is limited though.) Neither of these gentlemen have their own Iron Banner weapon as of yet so it's likely Saladin is just a messenger or representative of sorts for the Iron Lords, and Shaxx is entirely unrelated. Since revelations of the existence of groups such as Ikora Rey's Hidden, I find it easy to imagine the Iron Lords in a similar position. A group of highly talented and extremely powerful Guardians forged in the fires of the Crucible. Selected for their prowess above all others. Who chose them and for what purpose remains unknown. Lord Saladin? The Nine themselves? Perhaps even the Speaker. At any rate, the Crucible seems to be consistently be the most important aspect of Destiny, both in terms of Destiny as a game, and as a story. As far as I'm concerned, everything you do in Destiny ultimately leads up to the Crucible. There are those who are strictly PvP or PvE players, both of which are valid albeit limiting ways of playing Destiny. Both of the aspects are designed to work together. Aside from simply collecting for the sake of collecting, obtaining powerful gear from Hard Raids isn't just so you can do the Raid again, except easier. They're for making you the most powerful Guardian you can be and prove it and truely put your skills and gear to the test by fighting other guardians in the Crucible. The Iron Banner doubly so. All the while the Crucible is designed to train Guardians to tackle our greatest threats, such as Atheon and Crota(and more importantly those still unknown!), because the greatest opponent and challenge is still other Guardians! As for the Crucible's further importance to the story, most of the Legendary Guardians we know of in Destiny's lore have their origins rooted in the Crucible. Pahanin, Ikora Rey, Dredgen Yor to name a few. Dredgen Yor by the way Killed Pahanin and Thalor the Invincible in the Crucible, the implications of which have shook the world of Destiny and challenges what we believed about our seeming immortality; especially in a sanctioned event such as the Crucible. The purpose of the Crucible and the Iron Banner is to find the strongest Guardians the City and the Tower have to offer and to use them as one of our most powerful weapons against the Darkness. This is the most likely reason for the existence of the Iron Lords. So that's all well and good, but where are they? There is no mention of these individuals in the Grimoire, and Saladin says almost nothing about them. Was their skill put to use in the Battle of Twilight Gap? Are they still fighting the legions of Darkness as only Guardians of their caliber can? Or do they sit fat and complacent in halls lined with gold and spoils of victories long forgotten. All that can be gathered is the information their weapons hold and vague inferences that can be made from the positions they hold and the nature of Crucible fighters themselves. I can imagine a group of some of the strongest Crucible warriors being an incredible asset to the City. Surely their skills in battle would be needed outside of its walls. But as many know, certain Crucible players can be a bit... abrasive. Crushing foes with what many consider cheap tactics. Tea-bagging the sizzling remnants of an enemy scattered to the void. And even competing with allies to see just who is the best. We don't know that the Iron Lords are gone, but they certainly don't seem to be around. Perhaps the very nature of the group being the very best from the Crucible is what would be their ultimate downfall. The pressures of war and vanity building up until something finally gives. [spoiler]Looking at you, Dredgen Yor![/spoiler] And this again brings us back to the names of the weapons. They seem to tell a tale of tragedy. Humanity's mightiest sword dulled and rendered useless by treachery, hatred, and personal glory. What happened to them? What was their purpose and where are they now? They are described as residing beneath the Iron Banner. Six feet under perhaps. If you read all this, thanks for your time! I've been wanting to get some of these thoughts off my chest for a while now, so I can finally get back to playing the game! What do you think about the Lords of The Banner? What do you believe has become of them? Does anyone have any more information on the Lords of the Iron Banner that I have yet to discover? I'd love to hear your thoughts! See you in the Crucible, Guardians!