I have been doing quite a bit of research and investigation in my spare time to piece together the events that led to Eriana 3 constructing that famous ill fated Fire Team that went into the Hell Mouth to never see the light of day again. Below I am going to lay out, based on grimoire and in game texts, the events that took place and eventually resulted in the Crota's End raid. Something personal first. [spoiler]Through my research and also in an attempt to keep myself sharp as a writer I have been writing out an unofficial series titled Chronicles of the Ascendant. I say unofficial because the term "fan fiction" seems to conjure hate and contempt. Though I understand why this may be the case (many stories rip canon apart and try to fit the pieces into a mold of its own) there is a stigma attached to the creative works of art that people put out for others to enjoy, critique, and relax with. The purpose of my writings is to compliment and accompany the established story and the grimoire of Destiny. I'm not producing anything that disagrees with the story or attempts to twist events into some Star Wars fantasy or other work of fiction. I will link my most recent entry and ask for constructive feedback and comments as I am truly trying to get myself established as a writer. https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/216607111/0/0[/spoiler] Now on to the heart of the monster...I mean matter. [b]Phase 1 - The Hive and the Great Disaster[/b] The Hive at some point in time invaded our (Solar) System during the Golden Age. The presence of the Hive was first detected on the moon as they had seeded it and began to multiply. (See Ghost Fragment Ocean of Storms 2) They came to Earth and were encountered for the first time there by the Guardians in the Rusted Lands. The Guardians and Hive battled one another at the Battle of Burning Lake with the Guardians barley being the victors. Shaxx was present at this battle, saw the power of the ascendant swords and warned the Consensus to stay away from the Hive until further research and knowledge was available. (See Razelighter Grimoire Card) The Consensus organized a full scale assault on the moon with Guardians numbering in the thousands. The battle went horribly as Crota and his disciples had already begun, for an unknown amount of years, turning Luna into a warmoon and breeding ground. The battle ended for reasons that were initially never stated. Crota was summoned back to the ascendant plain by Oryx to make plans for complete victory over the Traveler. (See Oryx: Rebuked Grimoire) Both the Guardians and Hive ceased their fighting with the former placing a ban on lunar travel (see Ghost Fragment: Ocean of Storms) and the latter continuing to make Hive babies. "We gave up the Moon to keep the Hive away from Earth. We hoped that would be enough for them." - Ghost, The Dark Beyond Mission intro Dialogue [b]Phase 2 - The Attack on Crota[/b] Eriana 3, a Praxic Warlock who was present at the Great Disaster, organizes an unsanctioned Fire Team consisting of (Titan) Vell Tarlowe, (Hunter) Omar Agah, (Hunter) Sai Mota, (Warlock) Toland, the Shattered, and (Hunter) Eris Morn. This group formulated a plan to go to the moon and strike down Crota ending his reign of terror and avenging the thousands of lost Guardians who died in the Great Disaster. (See Crota's End Grimoire Card) Up to this point nearly everything is cut and dry except how and why the Great Disaster actually ended and what happened to Crota which Toland reveals (Oryx: Rebuked) after Oryx has been slain. Toland revealed to the others that "Crota's presence in our world is a shadow. That its true power resides in a nether world forged by his will. We must pass through a keyhole between realities, navigate the seething midnight of Crota's world-mind, and overthrow the ascendant champions that gather to his throne." This is significant and will be very important soon. (See Crota's End Grimoire Card). Many people believe that Crota's physical body was destroyed by Eris Morn and the others but that they were unable to finish the job due to misleading statements made in game. Eriana 3 and her fire team never faced Crota during their own raid and they all died in obscurity except Eris and Toland. In the Rise of Crota Grimoire card we are told that Eris "watched as Crota's soul rose from the abyss, his sword cracking the Moon's surface with every stroke, and countless Guardians, losing their light to his wrath." She saw him manifest for the first and only time during the Great Disaster. During the Wakening mission intro dialogue Eris Morn says the following "Six of us went down into that pit. I was vain enough to believe we could defeat Crota, but the Hive caught his soul before we could destroy him and then there was only death. We failed. You cannot. Destroy the soul of Crota." - Eris Morn. This would make it seem that the 6 Guardians who went down into the pit nearly destroyed Crota but this isn't the case. Remember that Toland told them that they needed to go into the ascendant realm to kill Crota. They never made it that far though. Crota was no longer operating in our plain. He had been summoned away by Oryx during the Great Disaster. In the Eyes of Crota Grimoire Card we are told that the Light of Eris and her teammates is being offered to wake Crota which means he was still dormant/slumbering. The Swarm Princes grimoire card tells us that they are striving to revive him along with Omnigul and Sardon. [b]How They Died:[/b] The team reached the Temple of Crota where everything began to go wrong (see Sardon, Fist of Crota Grimoire Card). At the entrance to the Temple it is assumed that Vell Tarlowe was killed by the combined forces of Verok, Alak-Hul and their Thrall children. Why do I say all three because of the other flavor texts and statements in game. "Few of us made it beyond the canyon. The rocks cracked apart, Hive waiting in ambush. It was worse for the ones who made it inside. Stay alive." - Eris Morn, The Wakening Mission "GHOST: Eris, why did the Darkblade rise against Oryx?" "ERIS: The Wizard Verok was his mate. He slew a legion of Thralls in her name. Marched on the King's throne, at the head of an army built on hate and pain." "We called her Verok; it was her and her Thrall that [b][u]FINALLY[/u][/b] overwhelmed him." - Eris Morn, Mark of the Duskborn "A pretender to the crown is dead. Know this, Guardian: Alak-Hul was there... when we went down into the pit. What you have done... you have done in their names: Toland, Sai Mota, Omar, Eriana-3, Vell Tarlowe." - Eris Morn, The Sunless Cell Mission Dialogue Vell Tarlowe seems to have held his own against both or one (Verok & Alak-Hul) but was [i][u]finally[/u][/i] swarmed and overwhelmed by her Thrall. Omar Agah - Tortured to death and fed to the Hive brood by the Heart of Crota. Eriana 3 - Died in Radiance but eventually overcome by the Hive. Sai Mota - Killed by Omnigul Toland - Physically destroyed by Ir Yut but granted passage into the Ascendant Realm. Eris Morn - Lost her eyes to the Hive and crawled around in the Moon for unknown amount of years. The team failed miserably and sadly. They never reached Crota. He wasn't even woken because they were all killed. That is why the Dark Below was an expansion. Edit 1: I forgot one other line that suggests that Vell had a direct conflict with more than just Verok. "Alak-Hul, the Darkblade, is laid low. And thus Vell Tarlowe is avenged." —Eris Morn, Darkblade Helm Edit 2: I overlooked the Oryx: Rebuked grimoire card originally which stated that Crota was summoned back to their throne universe by Oryx during the Great Disatser. I've edited my post to reflect the changes.