Hello fellow guardians out there! If you clicked on this topic than you're probably interested in my original raid idea, but before we get into the good stuff, I want to talk about the concept around this raid. Also, I know that it may be hard for some people to understand what I'm describing, but I know that is is unavoidable. [b]This is also part 1 because the forums can't handle can entire article on a raid.[/b] Anyway, My central focus for this raid is the time gate, laser, and the industrial side of the Vex. We're so used to thinking of Vex structures as the concrete blocks mangled by vegetation, but this raid goes deep into the depths of Mercury where the Vex structures are exposed by the sweltering heat of the sun and core of Mercury. After the Vex conquered Mercury, they transformed it into a machine. But what use is turning a planet into a machine if you don't have a way to control it? And what use is it to completely transform a planet? That is why Guardians will enter this raid with one final task, to destroy the vex mind controlling Mercury. To do this they must carry a laser through time itself to Destroy the mind and cripple the Vex on Mercury. But this is no easy task, The Vex are burrowed deep inside the shattered husk of Mercury's surface and locked behind countless time gates lies the mind you wish to vanquish. The Vex are prepared for your siege, but question is can you break them? We shall find out... Cogs of Wrath- Vex Raid Goal: Destroy the Vex mind controlling Mercury Stages: 5 [b]Stage 1: Gate of Vectricus[/b] [u]Goal:[/u] Open the Gate [u]How:[/u] Harvest cores from manticores, use them to redirect the laser to turn on the time gate [u]Detailed Description:[/u] Players start at the "doorstep" of a massive time gate similar to the way the black garden gate appears. Vex will begin to appear out of awakened time gates around you (note these time gates will be indestructible). Amongst the ranks of Vex there will be one manticore and one basilisk (manticores are special harpies with arc shields and basilisks are special hydras with a hard light shield surrounding them completely). To pass this stage, players must search for the manticore and kill it. Upon death the manticore will drop an orb, this is the "relic" of the raid. One player must pick up the orb and place it into a Vex socket (sockets look like the small vex plug thing from that one story mission when you had to charge the eye of the gate lord. You remember that thing you had to put the eye into? They look like that). Upon picking up the orb, the orb bearer will receive a debuff called "Light Siphon". This debuff give the player a debuff similar to weight of darkness. on top of that, the bearer will not regenerate health. The bearer can move faster only if allies stand inside the visible "bubble" around the orb bearer. Note the maximum speed the bearer can achieve is with three allies in the bubble for normal speed. Remember the basilisk I mentioned? Well once the orb is picked up, the shield on the basilisk will disappear and it will only focus it's fire on the orb bearer. Note that the orb bearer cannot use abilities or guns while carrying the orb (that includes jumping). It is recommended that the other players kill the basilisk and escort the bearer to the socket. Once the orb is placed inside the socket a spire will form over it. This spire will reflect the laser towards the direction of the next spire. The player that placed the orb into the socket will also receive a buff called "immune". This means that that player cannot pick up another orb. A new manticore and basilisk will spawn again until all orbs are placed. Once all six orbs are placed, the Gate will open and the chat will state "Vectricus's gate is opened". Players will receive loot. The time gates that spawned enemies will close at once. [b]Stage 2: Time's Cascade (Darkness Zone)[/b] [u]Goal:[/u] Ascend the stairs [u]How:[/u] Work as a team to construct the staircase and awaken the next time gate before the vortex catches you [u]Detailed Description:[/u] Once all players pass through the time gate, players will find themselves inside a large cylindrical room. The platform they will be standing on will be in the shape of a smaller cylinder. There will be a large pit between your platform and the walls of the room. A eerie orange glow can been seen at the bottom of the pit. This will look similar to a pool of negation from the VoG except very large and orange instead of green (this is the vortex). A single time gate will be centered on the platform with two sync plates one each side. Players should split their group up evenly as possible and stand on each sync plate. Once both sync plates are activated, the next floating platform on the "staircase" will appear. This platform will have another sync plate on it and will spawn with enemies (Goblins & Hobgoblins). Players must continue this task of activating both sync plates to form the next "step". While this is going on, the vortex in the pitfall will begin to rise. any players that touch it will die instantaneously. If players can survive the staircase, they will reach the final platform that joins the two staircases together. This will have a single sync plate. Once the final plate is activated, the vortex will dissipate and all enemies will die. Any players that have been killed will spawn back. The time gate will activate and loot will be rewarded. Should players reach the final platform in time, a doorway containing a chest will be open. As long as one player enters the room before closes it will remain open for all players. However, if the sync plate is activated and the door is closed, players cannot wipe to try and get the chest again.