First. Here’s a short summary about what we know about the Ishtar collective, a golden age research group from Destinypedia: Ishtar Collective - Destinypedia, the Destiny wiki First, I’m going to hone in on the point the summary covers: “After much debate, they (The Ishtar Collective) concluded that the only way to save themselves from the simulation was to bring in something the Vex could not simulate.” What can we add to this to maybe get an idea of what they might have made/simulated if anything at all? Well, we know for a fact that the Vex are NOT a paracausal entity, which is precisely why guardians have had success against them in the Vault of Glass, an area that exists outside of time itself that can delete any casual force from existence. Our ability to wield the light was what made us impossible to perfectly simulate and therefore able to withstand the power of the Vex. This implies that the goal of the Ishtar collective (whether they were successful or not) would have eventually led them to a paracausal object or simulation of some kind. The end of the lore summary states that after 40 years of seemingly zero progress, a mind-forking system (based on vex network technology)was developed by Dr. Sundaresh. Why mention this? Why is this relevant to the Ishtar collective’s objective? Enter Neomuna. We are not given much information on the Veil directly, but we learn a few things through dialogue with the cloudstriders. Important points that we learn: ⁃ The Cloudark, Neomuna’s cloud network, was able to transport or *(fork) the consciousness of Neomunians out of their bodies and into a “network”. It is also mentioned the Veil is ESSENTIAL for the operation of this cloudark. Well that’s interesting isn’t it? The Veil, a paracausal object (mentioned by our ghost as sharing a similarity to the traveller in some way) is used to fork the minds of Neomunians, a population that has historically had significant struggles against the Vex in order protect them. What else do we know? In the final mission of Lightfall, we find the Veil. It’s found deep underground with what looks like golden age research computers, staff living quarters and lab stations surrounding it. Almost like it was being studied or worked on in some capacity. Again. Interesting… Back to the Vex. If humanity had learned that paracausal forces were it’s “salvation” (wink wink) against the Vex, then a natural response by the Vex would be to match or replicate this power as best they can. Enter the Black Heart. It is confirmed in the post-Lightfall campaign from Osiris that the Black Heart was a “failed copy” of the Veil. The Sol Divisive (a branch of vex that worshiped it) can be seen around it within the Black Garden in Destiny 1. It is not a stretch to assume that in this “paracausal space race” between the Ishtar Collective and the Vex, the black garden was made to try and “simulate” the Veil. A HUMAN, ISHTAR COLLECTIVE CREATION. Notice how the Veil seemed to have egregore around it in the bunker? Remember how in Beyond Light’s seasons, Egregore was known for linking the minds of the Scorn through the Crown of Sorrow, an object of extreme interest to the Witness. During the end of the golden age and the subsequent collapse, the Ishtar Collective used paracausal forces (light and dark) to start a new society on Neptune that underwent its own golden age. One at first , free from the eternal battle between the inhabitants of earth and alien forces and eventually and most importantly, from the Vex through the development of the Veil. The Cloudstriders even mention that they “branched” off of humanity in an effort to avoid the fallout of the collapse. Why does the Witness want it? The Veil can fork the minds of beings using paracausal energy and it’s creation (based on the framework of Ishtar Collective knowledge gained from learning about Vex Time networks also allows time travel.) Remember: “The Ishtar Collective were able to rescue 227 undamaged copies of themselves from inside the Vex, and all copies voted to become explorers in the Vex information network” Therefore, The Veil is the Witnesses chance to remove its consciousness from its own body and enter a period of time in the past where it can destroy the traveller, likely at the point of “time” when the traveller was being born/formed in the universe.