Starting yesterday, a new page opened up called "Owl Sector" on the Bungie site. Simultaneously, Guardians began to receive certain "buffs" or "boons" dubbed things like "Splendor," etc. Many have been wondering: what [i]exactly[/i] is going on right now. I have, in this thread, attempted to compile all that we currently know. [b]The Owl Sector[/b]- What is it? Theories about what the Owl Sector is have already been circulating around the lore forums. After some research, I believe I have a semi-definite answer. The Owl Sector appears to be a covert-science/research division of the City. We know this because certain logs on the Owl Sector site are attributed to "OS" teams/units (it's not much of a leap to assume OS stands for Owl Sector). Additionally, IR (Ikora Rey) is quoted in the logs as saying she has received information from the Owl Sector. Essentially, it is an organization similar to/in line with the Hidden: quiet and generally neutral, keen to stick to the sidelines and gather intel. Unfortunately, this means that (contrary to many theories) the Owl Sector [i]is not[/i] a response to SIVA by Rasputin. But don't worry: both come into play soon enough. [b]The Owl Sector Site[/b]- Explained This new website appeared on September 15, which many will remember as the anniversary of the Taken King expansion. Initially, the site showed only a map of he world with a few glowing points on them, and a link to one "field log." As of today (approximately 24 hours later), the website now shows a map nearly 50% covered in glowing/expanding points, and 6 field logs are available to read. The implications of this in relation to the boons granted to Guardians, and based of info found in the logs, is as follows: the map essentially represents an infection. The glowing "zones" on the map grew at an exponential rate, and are similar in nature to the spread of a major disease, starting concentrated in major cities, and spreading. This relation to disease is confirmed in the logs, as the "boons" granted to Guardians are described as spreading, with faulty quarantines in place. To put it simply: as more Guardians get these boons (through Crucible and the Dust Palace Strike, presumably), the more the map spreads. This is a pandemic. [b]What Are These Boons?[/b]- A Lore Analysis According to the logs, the first reports of Guardians with armor altered by these newfound modifiers came from the Dust Palace. The modifications then spread via combat, "infecting" thousands of Guardians within hours. As of now, this infection does.... Nothing. However, it's disease-like nature has drawn the concern of the Vanguard, and is currently being studied by the Owl Sector. The latest logs confirm that the infection stems from Clovis Bray technology. This is [b]huge[/b] guys. Theories concerning the relationship between SIVA and Bray have basically just been confirmed: the infection currently modifying our armor is SIVA, at least in a tame form, and was accidentally released [i]by Guardians[/i] through contact with Clovis Bray technology. [b]What Does this Mean?[/b]- A Summary Guardians near the Dust Palace (according to logs) released a non-violent form of SIVA, which we can now confirm was created by Clovis Bray, a Golden Age technology manufacturer based on Mars. The infection, which essentially modifies Guardian armor, has been spreading at a disease-rate through the Guardian ranks. Attempts at quarantine have failed, as the number of infected [i]has already exceeded manageable numbers in a single day[/i]. Fortunately, it is unknown whether this "infection" even has a negative effect on us, but he Vanguard's current viewpoint is "better safe than sorry." As of [b]right now[/b], SIVA has not been released... But the cogs are turning. [spoiler]We, the Guardians, just released and spread SIVA. In real time. Not the Fallen: [b]us![/b][/spoiler]