Some Guardians roam the wastelands in search of adventure. For decades they have placed beacons across the frontier, so that our allies in the Tower can transmit requests to those out in the wilds.

There are ancient mysteries buried in the ruins, great treasures of our Golden Age to seek. There are fearsome enemies to be slaughtered, their secrets and technology to be brought home and studied. Only Guardians can push through the Darkness to reach these contested areas, and this makes their particular expertise very valuable to those bound by the City's walls. ■

Our enemies never rest. If the City is to reclaim its lost worlds, Guardians must band together to stop our foes from completing their objectives.

The City trusts its Guardians to assess the situation - whether a Fallen extraction crew, a Cabal demolition team, a Hive ritual, a mysterious Vex behavior, or something stranger yet - and engage or retreat as you see fit. Every battle won is another victory against the Darkness. But our foes will send their strongest, and they may be too much to overcome alone.

Guardians who band together will survive to tell stories of their triumph. Watch the skies. When the enemy moves, look to the Guardians beside you, comrades and strangers alike. ■

As we push against the falling Darkness, the Vanguard, Crucible, and other allies in the Tower and beyond, will continue to pry into lost legends and mounting threats, calling on Guardians with rewards to meet these dangers head on.

Only a Guardian holds the power to reach out beyond the City and take on these charges, putting their Light on the line against whatever obstacle may face them. ■

“To live is to experience loss,” Eva said. “My husband and child are dead. My friends, my neighbors, the children I watched over on our road to the City... all gone now. The festival celebrates their lives with both joy and sorrow.”

“A fine tradition for the City,” Ikora Rey replied. “What meaning does it hold for the Guardians?”

“A bit of Light in a dark time. That is enough.”

“We have greater concerns. And this is no time for games.”

“All Guardians were lost once,” said Eva. “We honor your spirits as well.” ■

Ever since the proliferation of the Sparrow, racing is a long-standing tradition among Guardians, but only in recent years have the races moved from an underground attraction to an organized sport.

Under the direction of the SRL, Redjacks and Guardians clear hostile zones and mark the race courses. Residents of the Tower and the City eagerly wait for news of the sport and follow the exploits of their favorite racers. ■

The SRL is making a concerted effort to track race results. As a part of this program, Eververse is offering rewards for skilled racers who can provide proof of exceptional results on the circuit. ■

The massive turbine assemblies that serve as Campus Martius's most distinctive obstacle are a relic from a lost Golden Age facility. The SRL uses them to power needed equipment for the races, but there are signs that some energy is being diverted to an unknown location. ■

Some might see racing through the heart of Vex territory as foolhardy. When Shaxx sent his Redjacks to mark up the SRL track on Venus, however, he ordered them to find a location worthy of bravest and most skilled of Guardians. ■

“Let me tell you the story of when the Guardians first encountered the Cabal.

It was the first days back on the frontier, when we'd finally found a way to repower the old jumpships and explore what remained of the colonies.

There were two Guardians. While both served the Light, in all other ways they were rivals. One spent his days searching forgotten places for lost treasures. The other sought ever-greater challenges in a ceaseless quest for glory.

“One day, both Guardians detected a strange signal coming from a buried city on Mars. The Warlock, hoping to find forgotten caches, vowed to keep his secret until he alone had a chance to explore the site. The Hunter, seeing a chance to earn the renown she craved, also told no one.”

Thus both Guardians walked into peril alone and unprepared.

It was not long before their paths crossed. The Warlock mocked his rival’s pride. The Hunter ridiculed her rival as a dirt-grubber. In their anger, they turned on one another ...and never saw danger approach.

The Sand Eaters came in force. The Centurions jumped into range before the Guardians could react. The steps of the Colossus shook the ground. The Phalanx’s shields created a wall that no weapon could penetrate, and the Legionaries moved in for the kill.

Faced with certain destruction, the Guardians did the only thing they could. They fought. Back to back, they battled the Cabal for a day and a night. Black oil soaked into the sands until the ground was slick with death. The shields and armor of the dead littered the battlefield, but still the Cabal came.

The Guardians died, revived, and died again. Still they fought, protecting one another. With his last bit of strength, the Warlock used the Void to destroy their enemies. With her last bullet, the Hunter saved her friend from the Colossus.

At last, the battlefield fell silent. Only the Guardians stood. Abandoning their quests, they returned to the City to warn the Vanguard of the threat rising on Mars.

From that day to this, the pair have been the closest of companions. In their journeys together, they have found both riches and renown. But these things mean nothing unless they are shared.”

“Wait, I thought I’d heard this story before, but it was about two Guardians and the Hive?”

“No it wasn’t. It was about the Vault of Glass.”

“Whoever said there was only one story?” ■

"Eri-i-i-is. Oh, Eri-i-i-is."

"Do you have my ship for me, Cayde?"

"No, but—"

"Then go away."

"No ‘Happy Festival of the Lost!’ for me, Eris?"

"Happy—? Count what I’ve lost. My companions: Eriana, Sai, Omar, Vell, Tarlowe, Toland. My eyes. My Ghost. My ship. And who was it who lost my ship?"

"Speaking of which—Kadi's confiscated a smuggled shipment, just in time for the Festival. A sweet treat. Well, a treat, at least. Some people even like it. First person I thought of was you. Since, well, I owe you."

"Begone."

"You'll like it."

"I will not like it."

"It’s perfect for you."

"Don't come back until you have my ship." ■

Long ago, a legend foretold the ascension of the Raisins. Find the three-eyed one, it said. Disperse among the bearers of Light. And wait. If you are worthy, if you are patient, if you are not lost or thrown away, you will ascend.

And the Raisins waited quietly.

Now they rise. ■

“Pass me those lanterns, would you?” Eva said. “And that wrapping paper. There’s so much left to do.”

“They drive their Sparrows on the edge of the abyss, not looking at that Darkness... laughing....”

“Laughter can be better than food. We must make time to celebrate, even when we are surrounded by Darkness. Or we lose hope. And hope is important: it brings us together and keeps us marching through the freezing cold.”

“So much pretending, Eva. I can’t pretend. Those days are gone.”

“Do you think I spent a week coaxing Ikora into making the Dawning Crystal just to pretend? Who will save us from the Darkness? The despairing Guardian or the joyful one? Love and joy, Eris—that will save us. This is how I show my love.”

“Then I wish you a happy Dawning, Eva.”

“I wish that for all of us.” ■

Fortune telling at the start of a new year is one of many traditions refugees brought to the Last City. Each Dawning, Guardians open mysterious boxes containing paper fortunes, hoping for luck and good news. ■

The steep mountain pass known as Haakon Precipice was once used by some of the more thrill-seeking Iron Lords. Redjacks have cleared brush and dug through avalanches to make the track passable again, but the increased activity has attracted the attention of the Devil Splicers.

Expect some “speed bumps.” ■

The twisting track known as Shining Sands is located in a region of Mercury almost completely overrun by Vex. There are multiple paths through the course, but SRL officials warn that not all of these routes have been mapped by the Redjacks. The League is not responsible for reality alterations. ■