Europa – 1
Lore
"You're not going to make fun of him, are you?" the administrator asked with a raise of her eyebrow. "He's been through enough already." "Just the opposite," Glint assured her. "I'm one of the few people who actually believes him!" "Huh," the administrator replied. She tapped her datapad and brought up the requested Hidden reports. Glint transmitted the authorization code Ikora had given him, and he received the decrypted upload seconds later. "Robots who believe in the Headless Ones." She shook her head. "It boggles the mind." "Ghost, actually," Glint corrected. You believe in ghosts too?" The administrator tut-tutted. "I never figured the Traveler would have made you lot so gullible. Thought you little guys were supposed to be super smart. I mean, you're basically living computers, right?" "I think we're sentient energy signatures, housed in a cybernetic construct," Glint said, trying not to be offended. "But I do have an internal database, if that's what you mean." The administrator turned back to her workstation. "Well, good luck on your wild goose chase, Mister Energy Signature."
Europa – 2
Lore
The following audio imprint was recovered by Glint, the Ghost, during scans of an Exo production facility on Europa. Its origin remains a mystery. "We all saw it: the machine tower, buried in ice. "At first, we thought it was a glitch. Some kind of psychological artifacting, created by the transfer of our consciousnesses into a digital format. The bio-mind just trying to adapt to life in a machine body. Inconsistencies like that are pretty common, especially right after a reboot. "What isn't common is for a whole group of us to experience the exact same vision at the same time. If it's a glitch, it must be a subroutine buried further down than any of us have diagnosed before. Something we all have in common, from before the reboot. "But if it's not a glitch, then… what the hell is it?"
Europa – 3
Lore
"Well, Glint, I wouldn't classify that as evidence per se," Cryptarch Matsuo hedged. "The spontaneous creation of similar legends in disparate cultures is a well-documented phenomenon. Even in the absence of direct communication. Some scholars call it 'simultaneous invention.'" "For instance," he continued, "the Yetis of Himalayan folklore and the Lumbering Jacks of North American legend. Both reclusive ape-like creatures said to populate the wilderness. Or the Centaur of Greek mythology and the Sheepdog of Northern Europe. Both mythical creatures said to be hybrids of other species. Etcetera." "So, yes. It is interesting that so many cultures have stories of the 'Headless Ones,' but that doesn't prove they exist. If anything, it suggests that simultaneous invention is much more universal than previously thought," Matsuo concluded.
Europa – 4
Lore
ACCESS: RESTRICTED DECRYPTION KEY: 34JM4P4PXQMM1-018 HIDDEN AGENT(S): [REDACTED] RE: Europan Vex Activity Skirmishes are common in the noted sectors. Neither side seems committed to territorial expansion. I'm reluctant to report that I had another sighting in the glacial cave near Cadmus Ridge. This time, I managed to get a good look at the creature with my rangefinder. The body was unmistakably that of a Hive Knight, while the helmet (or head?) appeared to be that of a… pumpkin. The pumpkin appeared to have a face carved into it. Three eyes and a big smiling mouth. With… flames shooting out. Bright. Purple. Flames. I know how that sounds, so I'm submitting myself to [REDACTED] for a full psychological battery. I've instructed her to alert Ikora Rey of the results, whatever the outcome.
Europa – 5
Lore
The following audio imprint was recovered by Glint, the Ghost, during scans of an Exo production facility on Europa. Its origin remains a mystery. "We finally arrived. Trading the red dust of Mars for the blue ice of Europa feels… right. "The visions became more intense the closer we got. Mortimus-3 thinks it's a warning from the Warmind. Or an assignment. A secret mission. Something that only we could achieve. "Tomorrow, we begin our search for the machine tower. But still, there's a nagging suspicion: is this some kind of collective glitch? Is it all just in our heads?"
Europa – 6
Lore
"How could they chop off their own heads?" Saint-14 interjected. "It makes no sense. They would die halfway through." "Well," Glint replied, "they could have built some kind of device. A guillotine, maybe?" Saint-14 held up his massive paws. "I have seen many heads removed. Some with my own hands. But never have I seen anyone remove their own head, not even an Exo." "I respect your commitment to this research," Geppetto said. "But unfortunately, there's no hard evidence supporting your claims." Glint's shell flaps sagged. "What about the similarities between all the sightings?" "Bah," Saint-14 scoffed. "People say many things. You should hear what the Eliksni say about me…" He looked at the floor and scuffed his feet. "Not everything you hear is true." "I'm happy that you're taking time to rest," Geppetto said, bobbing encouragingly. "After everything you and Brother Crow have been through, it's well deserved. Just… don't get your hopes up."
Europa – 7
Lore
ACCESS: RESTRICTED DECRYPTION KEY: 22PD6L3JVZSS2-709 HIDDEN AGENT(S): [REDACTED] RE: Europan Vex Activity Having reviewed your transmissions and [REDACTED] report, leadership has decided to pull you from Europa for reassignment. You are instructed to remain in camp, engage your emergency transponder, and await extraction. Off the record: your last report has been making its way around the Tower. It's become… a bit of a joke. So, when they debrief you, just keep your mouth shut about this pumpkin nonsense. Play it off as exhaustion, an optical illusion, or whatever, and you'll be back in the field in no time.
Europa – 8
Lore
The following audio imprint was recovered by Glint, the Ghost, during scans of an Exo production facility on Europa. Its origin remains a mystery. "Mortimus-3 looked so content, lying on the conveyor belt. Like he was getting the best sleep of his life. I envied him. "Once the conveyor belt started, the Maker's spindly pneumatic arms came to life. They descended on Mortimus, darting in and out of his joints, dismantling him piece by piece. It started with his hands and feet and worked its way inward. Unmaking him from a whole into a million tiny components. "There was a moment, after all his limbs and torso had been stripped away, and he was just a head with a long jumble of neural connectors streaming out of his neck like a robotic jellyfish, when his eyes opened. He looked at me, mouth gaping, like he was trying to tell me something. And then his eyes went dark. "It's my turn next."
Europa – 9
Lore
Glint met the former Hidden agent in a sake bar called the Drunken Noodle. He had agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity and was already drunk when Glint arrived. "Man, they can say whatever they want. I saw what I saw," the man affirmed. He motioned to the proprietor for another pitcher. "They always tell you: report everything. No detail too small. You never know what matters most." "Buncha bullcrap," he grumbled. "I saw what I saw." "A Headless One," Glint prompted, struggling to contain his excitement. "What?" the man asked. "No! It had a head, that's what I'm saying! Haven't you been listening?" He lurched to his feet. Nearby diners began to whisper and point. "It had a big, smiling pumpkin head!" he shouted belligerently. "With three eyes! And purple flames shooting out of it!" The bar fell silent. The man suddenly felt everyone staring. "I SAW WHAT I SAW, DAMN IT!"
Luna – 1
Lore
"I've looked beyond this reality," said Eris Morn, lacing her hands together in front of her face. "Beyond Light and Darkness." "Wow." "I've seen Ahamkara, slain by my own blade. I've seen time broken, and the veil of causality sundered." "Jeez." "I've seen my fireteam murdered, and their phantoms manifested to torment me." Eris stared off into the middle distance. "I've seen many things I wish I could forget." "You've really seen it all," Glint said. "And blindfolded!" Eris's focus shifted back to the Ghost floating before her. "But in all my time, the one thing I have never seen…" She leaned forward with such deliberate purpose that Glint tilted backward. "…is a pumpkin-headed creature with flames shooting out of its face." "But what if—" "Not even once, Little Light," Eris said with finality. "Not even on the Moon. I would have remembered."
Luna – 2
Lore
From the private notes of Dr. Wade Bow, K1 Dig Site 4, date unknown: Had my first bout of predormital sleep paralysis last night. It was expected, given the insomnia. What I didn't expect was for it to feel so real. Now I understand why the miners are scared. The figure standing over me was a shadow, but also solid. My mind was a hundred percent convinced it was physically present. Terrifying. Another surprise was how familiar the shadow seemed. I had the eerie feeling that I would have recognized it, if I could have just seen its face.
Luna – 3
Lore
Ylaia's eyes fluttered open as she roused herself from a trance. The Techeun had been recuperating from her time in the Ascendant Plane by completing a series of restorative meditations. No sooner had she regained her bearings than Glint scooted in front of her face. "Excuse me, um, Techeun Ylaia," the Ghost began. "Now that you're awake, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" His shell flaps tilted sheepishly. "How long have you been watching me meditate?" the Techeun asked, bemused. "One hundred and forty-three minutes," Glint said. "It was quite impressive. Crow can barely sleep for an hour without yelling at invisible enemies." "The invisible enemies are the most dangerous," Ylaia responded. "Just look at Savathûn." Glint hummed noncommittally. He couldn't tell whether the Techeun was joking or not. "Speaking of invisible enemies," Glint segued, "I wanted to ask you about a sinister group of pumpkin-headed monsters called the Headless Ones. Maybe you heard of them during your training?" Ylaia frowned quizzically. "I think I might know something of the ones you seek. But to be certain, you must first tell me: what's a 'pumpkin'?"
Luna – 4
Lore
"But why pumpkins?" Glint asked in confusion. "Many Golden Age cultures celebrated the transition from autumn to winter by honoring the sprits of the dead," Cryptarch Yareli replied. He rummaged through a stack of ancient tomes stored individually in vacuum-sealed containers. "That time of the year was thought to be a liminal phase, when living could communicate with the dead." The Cryptarch finally located the tome he had been searching for. He put on a pair of white cotton gloves and unsealed the container. "This is one of the few remaining source documents on the subject. It was published specifically for 'gentlemen,' an esteemed social class at the time." He began gently leafing through the volume. "Here it is," he said, pointing to a chapter entitled "Pumpkin Body Paint Is the Hot New Holiday Trend." It featured depictions of unclothed Humans with orange ribbed gourds painted on their most globular anatomy. "As you can see, pumpkins featured heavily in the iconography of the time. People would paint them all over their bodies. Even in highly inconvenient locations." "And this helped them communicate with the dead?" Glint asked, incredulous. "Hmm?" Cryptarch Yareli replied absently, mesmerized by the historical photos. He frowned. "That part of it remains… unclear."
Luna – 5
Lore
From the private notes of Dr. Wade Bow, K1 Dig Site 4, date unknown: nobody has slept in over 12 days and people are becoming desperate. we're out of pentobarbital and dexmedetomidine. instances of alcohol abuse are up dramatically. one poor woman even tried to knock herself out with diluted isopropyl alcohol. meanwhile, my hallucinations have gotten stronger each night. the shadow is becoming clearer and clearer. for the first time, I realized why it seemed so familiar: the shadow is me, or another version of me. I also realized why I didn't recognize it sooner. it's because that version of me, from whatever time or dimension… he doesn't have a head. what does he want?
Luna – 6
Lore
"…that way, when they lit the candle, it would light up the face carved into the pumpkin!" There was a long pause as Ylaia studied the hologram Glint had projected for her. "And this was common during the Golden Age?" the Techeun asked. "It was," Glint nodded. "Humans used to put this pumpkin head all over the place. They would even paint them on their—" "But why?" Ylaia interrupted. "Oh, they thought it would help them speak with the dead," Glint chirped matter-of-factly. The Tech Witch furrowed her brow, piecing together many fragments of disparate lore. "If these legendary 'pumpkins' were tools for seeing beyond the veil of death," she mused, "then it makes sense that they would become the emblem of…" She looked at Glint expectantly. "The Headless Ones," Glint encouraged her. "I'm really trying to make that name stick. I think it's pretty neat."