A new Destiny 2 lore book has fans piecing together the potential story of Renegades, the next expansion in the Year of Prophecy.
Destiny 2’s Year of Prophecy is just getting started. The first major expansion, Edge of Fate, launched on July 15 and kicked off the multi-year story centered around the Nine. Its follow-up, Renegades, is set to arrive on December 2 and continues Bungie’s new two-expansion yearly model.
This next expansion is also turning heads for another reason: its heavy inspiration from Lucasfilm’s Star Wars universe. The teaser trailer showcased a sci-fi desert city(?), lightsaber swords, and blasters. There was also a Dark Side-themed armor that players could get as a pre-order bonus. But beyond the themed cosmetics, fans think Renegades is building toward something much bigger.
A newly released lore in the Edge of Fate may have just dropped the first big clues.
New Destiny 2 Renegades Lore Hints At Return To Mars, Cabal Faction, and More
The lore book in question is called “Treacherous Contacts”, and it’s made up of a series of encrypted intel reports. If you piece them together, it paints a pretty clear picture: someone “with real manufacturing clout” is arming a new Cabal faction on Mars. (Full lore book at the end)
According to the messages, these Cabal have brand-new weapons, not the usual Red Legion leftovers, and they’re trading with local gangs across a location referred to as Tharsis. Even more concerning, they’ve started targeting paracausal weapons, the kind infused with power from the Light or Darkness. In one entry, an agent says flat out:
“I know the Martian Cabal isn’t a sanctioned target, but mark my words: it’s only a matter of time. Nobody stockpiles this much gear without hedging against Guardian interference. They’ll want paracausal weapons sooner or later. And by the time we see them in the field, it’ll be too late.”
Another encrypted message reveals that the Cabal have ambushed Xur, Destiny 2’s weekend exotic vendor, and stolen three specific exotic weapons: Bad Juju, Malfeasance, and Ruinous Effigy, all tied to Hive or Taken magic.
They also took Xur’s flight records, leaving “all the Strange Coins, Gli,mmer and standard gear.” As one message notes, “Clearly knew what they were after. This won’t be their last attempt to secure advanced weaponry.“
That flight data may have been the real prize. Later messages in the lore book show Cabal ships referencing Xur’s Dominion and Eternity. “Looks like I was right about the flight records being the real target of Xur’s stick-up. Intercepted comms from an unidentified Cabal ship included references Xur’s Dominion and Eternity. The message repeats nine times. Somebody’s trying to make contact.“
There are also the Psion who are “building a cipher device using periodic elements as its key.” The lore reads, “Not the words for the elements, but the elements themselves. They have to be getting outside help. And I mean waaaay outside.”
“I think the renegade Cabal are making headway. Our undercovers on Mars report their lieutenants out trading for samples of periodic elements, most of them benign. Tungsten, Iodine, Ytterbium, Neodymium, the list goes on. And not in quantities useful for manufacturing, either. Something’s up.”
What Fans Are Saying About This
Over on r/DestinyLore, Reddit user Exois1738 posted a full breakdown tying all this together. They theorized that the Cabal are being backed by someone with serious knowledge of Hive magic, possibly Jana-14, a known Dredgen. But they also float a more interesting possibility: Shin Malphur, aka Dredgen Vale, might be involved, and we’ll be chasing him in Renegades.
They also point to the mention of Tharsis, a name that only ever showed up back in Destiny 1’s Mars zone, Meridian Bay. Exois believes Tharsis could be a brand-new destination in Renegades.
Keep in mind, none of this has been officially confirmed. But it’s a compelling theory, backed by actual in-game lore and long-standing characters. So, take everything with a pinch of salt. Bungie will reveal more details about Renegades on September 9, 2025, during its own showcase, so we’ll have a clearer picture soon.
You can read the new Treacherous Contacts lore book in its entirety below!
Destiny 2 Treacherous Contacts Lore Book
CORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
Naturally, the Praxic Order is concerned with the proliferation of reality-altering technology.
But the Order’s mandate is not the protection of the City. Or even humanity. It’s to combat the agents of Darkness. Until the Vex fall within those parameters, the Order respectfully declines.
Sorry, Ikora. I tried.
CORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
Normally I wouldn’t get out of bed to track Cabal activity, but the Hidden are reporting a new sect at work on Mars. Their livery and weapons are fresh, and they’re doing brisk trade with the local gangs. Not within our purview… I know. But it bears watching.
CORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
According to Omar Saint Croix, this new faction of Cabal are big players in the Martian arms trade. They have guns and armor for sale beyond the usual refurbished Red Legion junk. Someone out there with real manufacturing clout is behind them. To what end, I’m not sure yet.
CORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
I know the Martian Cabal isn’t a sanctioned target, but mark my words: it’s only a matter of time. Nobody stockpiles this much gear without hedging against Guardian interference. They’ll want paracausal weapons sooner or later. And by the time we see them in the field, it’ll be too late.
CORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
I told you it was only a matter of time before this new Cabal faction went after paracausal weapons… and here we are. A hit squad wearing their livery mugged Xur in the Winding Cove. Cased him until all the Guardians left, then gave him the old Dark Age stick-up.
CORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
Here’s the inventory of everything stolen from Xur:
(1) Bad Juju
(1) Malfeasance
(1) Ruinous Effigy
(1) Flight records
Left all the Strange Coins, Glimmer and standard gear. Clearly knew what they were after. This won’t be their last attempt to secure advanced weaponry.
CORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
After reviewing the Xur case file, something sticks out: the flight data. They didn’t just want the weapons, they wanted to know where he got them. They wanted his contacts. Looking back, that might have been the real target of all along.
CORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
Looks like I was right about the flight records being the real target of Xur’s stick-up. Intercepted comms from an unidentified Cabal ship included references Xur’s Dominion and Eternity. The message repeats nine times. Somebody’s trying to make contact.
CORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
I think the renegade Cabal are making headway. Our undercovers on Mars report their lieutenants out trading for samples of periodic elements, most of them benign. Tungsten, Iodine, Ytterbium, Neodymium, the list goes on. And not in quantities useful for manufacturing, either. Something’s up.
CORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
I put out feelers with the Fallen mob in Tharsis. Rumor is the Cabal have their Psion engineers building a cipher device using periodic elements as its key. Not the words for the elements, but the elements themselves. They have to be getting outside help. And I mean waaaay outside.
CORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
The Hidden listening post on Mars reports a spike in local comms traffic. Whatever the Cabal were hoping to gain from Xur’s flight records and their elemental cipher, it seems to have worked. We still don’t know who’s backing the Martian faction, but they’ve got big plans.
CORMORANT-LEVEL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
Our agents have been making indirect inquiries to the other gangs in Tharsis. Word is the Cabal are looking for the Drifter, and more specifically, the Derelict. I get the feeling Drifter stepped in something rancid, and he’s about to track it all over our carpet. Where is that scumbag?
Until then, what do you think? Is Shin Malphur about to make a long-awaited appearance in Destiny, finally? Who would you like to see in this expansion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
