The Emissary, an agent of the nine who oversees the Trials. The Emissary is an ominous Awoken female located in a Unknown Space. We might have a clue to her identity though. Is it possible the Emissary is someone introduced in lore? The D2 lore of the Nine is located in a series of bizarre entries on trials gear and guns. Props to Qwerty who made the first connection in this post to get me thinking: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/231762963/0/0 Tl;dr [spoiler] The Emissary may be former guardian, Orin, introduced in D2 lore, who pursued the Nine in the deep black and was re-purposed as an agent of the Nine. [/spoiler] Let’s start here. [b]Long walk[/b] [spoiler] [Eight sparks. A ninth, dim in the corner. And Orin in the middle.] ORIN: Are we all here? Come into the light, please. G-9: I like where I am. ORIN: They said you all went to the deep without a ship. How? G-7: Our charges are gone, but we’re still creatures of Light. No different from the one you carry in your pocket. ORIN: You’re all either very brave or very foolish. G-6: You sound like Shaxx G-5: She does. I’m glad my charge is gone. G-4: Don’t say that. G-5: It’s true G-4: Don’t say it out loud. Some of us go our whole lives without finding one. Show some respect. G-5: Don’t talk like you’re better than me. You’re in here too. ORIN: Please, I’m sorry to call you all here, but – G-2: You’re not sorry. ORIN: I need to know what you found out there. G-9: Nothing ORIN: At least give me the coordinates http://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/the-long-walk [/spoiler] From this conversation, we see a previously unknown female guardian named Orin conversing with nine ghosts, who as noted in Qwerty’s post, strongly correlates back to an item in a Nine grimoire card from vanilla D1, Ghost Fragment: Legends 2: [spoiler] The Nine are Ghosts who pierced the Deep Black without a ship and meditated on the hissing silence of the heliopause [/spoiler] Nine ghosts. Check. Without a ship. Check. Pierced the Deep. Check. What started my theory was another card, from Trial gear entry for the Adjudicator. I was led to this card because it seemed to be connected to the Legends 2 card (hissing silence) and the nine ghosts. [spoiler] You sought us out in the deep black. Meditation wasn’t enough for you GO AND TOUCH THE HISSING SILENCE Do not fear being submerged Not many ships go that far these days You went through hell to get one, and then again to get out there YOU FOUND A DEVIL HIMSELF A GOLDEN SNAKE A DEVIL WHO POSES AS GOD No more a god than you YOU DIDN’T FIGHT HIM YOU TURNED AROUND SMART Others did While we watched http://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/adjudicator [/spoiler] First off, let me say I think these entries suck. So vague, but I’m trying to make sense of it. At first I read this card as if You, was my character, my guardian. But that makes no sense because I haven’t done any of that. And then I thought it might be about the nine ghosts, but that is wrong too. This entry specifically says “not many ships go that far these days”, so whoever you is, they required a ship to do it. Remember, the ghosts pierced the deep without a ship. Well, the last line of Orins dialogue with the nine ghosts: “At least give me the coordinates” might be the clue. Since Orin wanted coordinates, it seems reasonable Orin went to wherever the Ghosts had been. She touched the hissing silence like the ghosts did. And more. Where ever the ghosts had been, Orin would need a ship. So let’s redo the Adjucator card with Orin’s name instead of “You”. I’ve added my changes/additional opinions in ( ). [spoiler] (Orin )sought (the nine) out in the deep black. Meditation wasn’t enough for (Orin) GO AND TOUCH THE HISSING SILENCE Do not fear being submerged Not many ships go that far these days (Orin) went through hell to get one, and then again to get out there (Orin followed the steps of the Nine ghosts) (ORIN) FOUND A DEVIL HIMSELF A GOLDEN SNAKE A DEVIL WHO POSES AS GOD (I believe this being Orin found Calus and his Leviathan) No more a god than (Orin) (no more a god than a guardian) (ORIN) DIDN’T FIGHT HIM (ORIN)TURNED AROUND SMART Others did (could be a reference to our Guardian, who did fight “Calus” in the raid. While (the nine) watched [/spoiler] At this point, I decided to continue this approach with as much of the other very bizarre trials gear as I could. It started to piece together somewhat, and established some sequence (at least by my interpretation). So here is some evaluation I did: [b]A Swift Verdict[/b] [spoiler] (The nine) were young once (ORIN) WENT MAD TRYING TO UNDERSTAND (THE NINE) WENT MAD TRYING TO SPEAK This doesn’t matter when (Orin is) ready (the nine) will take it from (Orin) AND (ORIN) WILL BE GLAD OF IT http://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/a-swift-verdict [/spoiler] I believe this is trying to explain that when Orin is ready, the nine will take the Light, from Orin and Orin will be glad for it. Much like how going back to the long walk entry above that one of the nine ghost liked that they lost their guardian. Or that first ghost who liked being outside the light. It is as if with the Light out of the way, the nine can use things, ie: agents, Xur the shadow puppet, and they seem glad for it. [b]Judgment[/b] [spoiler] (Orin) sought (the Nine) out. IN SOME SMALL WAY, (Orin) FOUND (the Nine). But discovery always has a price. With curiosity comes consequence. (ORIN) IS NOT READY (not the original text says “She”, same gender as Orin…triggered!) SEEK JUDGMENT. GROW. http://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/judgment [/spoiler] It seems Orin is not quite ready for the Nine’s use yet. And if the previous entry is correct, Orin will be ready when her Light is gone. Leading to this: [b]The End[/b] [spoiler] THE RED SHIPS ENTER THE AIR IS HEAVY Now, when (Orin) moves, (Orin) can actually FEEL the weight of the world. The weight is a gift. (Orin) finally (has the nine’s) attention http://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/the-end [/spoiler] The Red ships are obvious references to the Red Legion. And the heavy air? Orin lost her ghost like we all did when Ghaul arrived and attacked the traveler. She no longer had her Light, and the Nine consider that a gift. And now Orin has the attention of the Nine. Now they have a purpose for her. One they give her in the next entry [b]Relentless[/b] [spoiler] Do you hear (the nine) (ORIN) WANTED POWER It is not for (Orin). (THE NINE) HAVE A TASK FOR (ORIN) FIND THE WORTHY. BRING (the Guardians, those that complete the Trials of Nine) three keys THREE ARE REQUIRED. Show (the Guardians). EMPHASIZE IT EVERYTHING DIES. (Guardians) ARE NO EXCEPTION. (guardians) are immortals, (guardians will) say CORRECT. And yet, who dies more than (guardians) do? NONE only when (guardians) accept this can (guardians) be born anew BE RELENTLESS http://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/relentless [/spoiler] This would appear to be the Nine putting Orin in charge as an agent for the Trials, the Emissary. The task is a the oversight of the test to find the worthy. Three keys? The Emissary states three things to satisfy the Trials: Judgment, Death, Perfection. You satisfy these three requirements, you pass the Trials, you access the Third Spire. I believe this to be the piece that could connect Orin during her journey, and once her light is lost, she is purposed by the nine and put in position over the Trials of the Nine as the Emissary. This exercise of replacing “you” in the trials lore with “Orin” can be done with all the weapon entries. I think there is even more to this story than this theory, as I selected only the weapons that were most pertinent. Going back through the lore, I think there are even more ties back to the original Legends 2 card to be found.