Let's Talk Lore...

[Teqnologyque]

Lemme just grab my tin-foil hat here. Protection is important when shaking the old Epileptic Tree, after all. You never know what might fall out...

 

Now then; I've been thinking on what little Lore Warframe has revealed, and what can be considered as "Implied Lore". Now that may be confusing at first, so let's take a look at what those two very distinct things mean, 'cause some people get real bad head-hurt from Implied Lore...

 

First, is the Lore you know, this is exactly what's given to you. To use an example, let's look at Doom. The Lore; "There are zombies and demons and S#&$ gettin' all up in your Martian Base. Grab these ridiculous weapons and blast everything back to hell, you goddamn badass."

 

The second is Implied Lore, which can be revealed piece-meal through players actively seeking it, or by stumbling onto it. To use an example, let's look at Dark Souls, in which Lore and Backstory is told through small events, the locations of certain items (Sometimes, frustratingly, only appearing after certain conditions are met) or even the evironment itself. As an example; you may find Paladin Leeroy before fighting Pinwheel, but later he will invade you in the tomb of the giants. To some this is a perplexing turn of events, but when you find his gear in Nito's shrine it starts to become clear.

 

In Warframe, I find that the players know as much as the Tenno do, which is an interesting turn, and implies a plan for further meta involvement, that DE wants players to ask questions. You have to remember, The Tenno lost so much of their own history due to their cryostasis. It makes sense that they would only start piecing things back together little bit by little bit. Every victory that earns another piece of Orokin tech can tell a story if it's deemed important enough.

Thus, we enter Warframe's implied lore. This is what made me start thinking about this by the way... The Stalker's codex entry explains the "Triumphant Return" of the Orokin's saviours, but that the Tenno turned on their masters. One may think that an odd turn of events, but let's take a look at what we know the Tenno were "Programmed" with (If you will). We know that balance is important to the Tenno Order, and that the Sentients threatened that order with total annhiliation. The Tenno responded in kind, dealing a blow to the Sentients so crippling that they were forced to retreat. But without the Sentients in the Origin system, there was nothing to stop the Orokin from running rough-shod over the system. They probably started dabbling in cloning (Enter, stage right; the Twin Queens and the Grineer), and their Mercantile systems possibly grew more greedy and complex (What up; Corpus?).

Thus, in order to keep balance in the system, the Tenno did what they did best; They beat that balance back into place by wiping out the Orokin Empire, Shattering their central command, and leaving the rest to pick up the pieces.

 

Well, I think that covers a bit of the rise of the Tenno Order as it is now. I invite all members of the community to discuss this openly, as well as providing your own thoughts. Once we've hammered out the foundation, a Warframe Prologue, if you will, I'll note it down and we can move on to another topic.

 

Prologue: Rise and Fall

 

((WiP))

 

Out-Bound links to other Lore:

 

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/254355-a-possible-string-of-lore-starting-from-fusion-moa-event-voidorokin-and-beecloud-arms-race-and-the-possible-future/ (Jacate)

 

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/261060-what-is-the-void-really/ (ElHefe)

 

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/257892-changing-warframes-lore-wise/ (Noxonion)

 

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/259427-what-is-a-prime-really/ (ElHefe)

 

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/202045-what-defines-the-orokin-and-what-rougly-did-they-look-like/ (SilentMobius)

 

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/253709-lets-talk-lore/?p=2944720 (Various posts by arch111)

Edited July 14, 2014 by Teqnologyque

[Kestral9999]

My question is, WHY did they turn on the Orokin? Was it some act of defiance in the interest of restoring order? Or could it have been something... darker?

[Ov3rd0se]

I lose all interest in reading any post that start with putting on a tinfoil hat.

[kscott190]

I gave up on this game having any kind of lore that makes any sense

[Teqnologyque]

I gave up on this game having any kind of lore that makes any sense

It's there, and it does make sense, but note my comparison. Warframe is like Dark Souls. The lore is there but you have to piece it together yourself.

 

Now, that's not everyone's cup of tea, but me? I like trying to piece things together for myself. If you disagree, that's fine, I bear you no ill will, but please, let the people who do share interests have their fun without bringing negativity into the discussion. And hey, if you stick around, you might learn something.

 

@Kestral: The idea of the Tenno having an ulterior motive intrigues me. Just what could it have been? A grab for power, perhaps? From my understanding the Tenno were child soldiers who were subjected to horrific mutations in the Void, perhaps they learned the truth of the Orokin and decided to take the empire that they had basically built by force. Perhaps it was a turncoat in the Tenno order itself, who realized that the Orokin were down a worse path?

 

I'd like to hear more about your thoughts on the matter, its an interesting theory.

[Whendigo]

But if they only killed most of the Sentients... Why did they kill all orokin..?

And why did they go in to Cryo sleep? I think the orokin despised the tenno too (implied in Mag prime lore)

[Teqnologyque]

But if they only killed most of the Sentients... Why did they kill all orokin..?

And why did they go in to Cryo sleep? I think the orokin despised the tenno too (implied in Mag prime lore)

Now that I think on it, it is interesting that you mentioned this. Perhaps that was merely one branch of the Military feeling inferior to another? We get those as we are now, what with the Air Force hating the Navy, and the Infantry hating everyone who isn't Infantry.

 

Note, also, that Mag's Codex Lore implies that the Central Command of the Orokin propagandized the existence of the Tenno to the point that many probably felt that it was just an attempt to boost morale, like Stalin making his form of communism seem awesome, while sending millions of his own people to their deaths for little more than his basic paranoia.

[NevanChambers]

The only problem I have here is that the stalkers lore implies that it was on the eve of their victory over the Sentients, like they come home from the front and immediately wipe out the Orokin. The picture you painted seems like it would have taken time and had build up. I think the basic premise is probably correct but whatever the Orokin did to precipitate the Tenno's actions must have been much bigger and more sudden. Of course it could be a scenario where all the Tenno were gone for a long time and came back to see what the Orokin had become as well. Something about that scenario bothers me too but I can't put my finger on it.

Really I think I may just be being nit-picky.

[Teqnologyque]

The only problem I have here is that the stalkers lore implies that it was on the eve of their victory over the Sentients, like they come home from the front and immediately wipe out the Orokin. The picture you painted seems like it would have taken time and had build up. I think the basic premise is probably correct but whatever the Orokin did to precipitate the Tenno's actions must have been much bigger and more sudden. Of course it could be a scenario where all the Tenno were gone for a long time and came back to see what the Orokin had become as well. Something about that scenario bothers me too but I can't put my finger on it.

Really I think I may just be being nit-picky.

Heh, I admit, I have been lazy. I haven't scanned the Stalker enough, and the last time I read the whole entry in his codex was when it first came out, so my details may be spotty on that.

[Chroia]

Let's talk Syandanas.

 

They're Orokin-wear.

The Tenno finished the war by shattering the Orokin empire.

 

(RPG-sensibilities aside,) why the heck is (killing them and) wearing their stuff a good thing, one to be promoted.

(I mean, they're not even spoils of war.)

 

 

 

Let's talk Tenno.

 

They're Void-powered ex-humans. (Citation needed.)

Assuming that the Tenno you're playing is the same one regardless of which frame you're using... How does this square with frames being male and female?

I mean, if that's not merely an aesthetic design choice, we have an entity (do we even know if they're really corporeal? Mag P's Codex entry indicates that perception/superstition towards the end of the War leaned towards 'no'. For all we know, all Tenno are AI who are simply uploaded into whichever frame they choose to use) with an enormously variable composition.

 

 

Let's talk OP.

It's a plausible spin, based on what we I currently know.

Can't say much beyond that.

[Teqnologyque]

Interesting discussion so far. I feel we might be able to piece this together yet.

 

Unfortunately, I've been up for more than 48 hours straight (friggin' midnight shift...) so I need to get some sleep. I've been reading around and found out that there are others trying to piece the lore together themselves, so when I get the chance, I'll link their threads. Maybe if we can find enough we can start a megathread for Lore discussion?

 

Either way, I need sleep. I'll check in later, feel free to keep at this discussion without me, however.

[Kaotyke]

The only problem I have here is that the stalkers lore implies that it was on the eve of their victory over the Sentients, like they come home from the front and immediately wipe out the Orokin. The picture you painted seems like it would have taken time and had build up. I think the basic premise is probably correct but whatever the Orokin did to precipitate the Tenno's actions must have been much bigger and more sudden. Of course it could be a scenario where all the Tenno were gone for a long time and came back to see what the Orokin had become as well. Something about that scenario bothers me too but I can't put my finger on it.

Really I think I may just be being nit-picky.

 

Well........ by Ember's Lore said that there were children in the Military Ship that Kaleen found and entered and was burned by an scared child that we became to know to use the Ember Warframe.... in the last parts Kaleen asks what they (her superios) have done to them, there wasnt an answer, so we can think that they were.... brainwashed? Trained to be child-soldiers? Maybe there were experiments(Hojo/Jenova type experiments) on them? And they were completelly aware of this fact and hated their situation, and ploted since then to wipe those that called themselves their masters.

[MihawkDulacr1]

I have a theory, which might be a little weird...no it is weird and i cant proof it in anyway. But what if the Tenno were the Orokins first ,,Organic'' weapons against the sentients?

The lore tell us that the virus was their last hope to win, but it wouldnt be totally impossible to think that they come up with another solution at first, the tenno. Or maybe we are kind of a bio-weapon, after all the tenno are in a way infested and only thanks to the void power we manifested our powers instead of turning into mindless monsters.

A second theory would be regarding the stalker lore, he says that he was left alone, as far as i remember. Maybe we were something like guard dogs for the orokin and got decieved by the sentients to turn against them?

there is so many possibilities..we cant possibly draw a straight timeline through the lore.

[OptimumBow0]

Let's talk Tenno.

 

 For all we know, all Tenno are AI who are simply uploaded into whichever frame they choose to use) with an enormously variable composition.

At the end of every Extermination mission, the Lotus tells us: "Other than you, I can detect no other life-forms aboard this ship". Or something like that (I can't find the direct quote).

 

Unless she's lying to us, I'd say we're living beings. I actually think we control multiple Tenno.

[NevanChambers]

Well........ by Ember's Lore said that there were children in the Military Ship that Kaleen found and entered and was burned by an scared child that we became to know to use the Ember Warframe.... in the last parts Kaleen asks what they (her superios) have done to them, there wasnt an answer, so we can think that they were.... brainwashed? Trained to be child-soldiers? Maybe there were experiments(Hojo/Jenova type experiments) on them? And they were completelly aware of this fact and hated their situation, and ploted since then to wipe those that called themselves their masters.

I had to re-write this several times because of organization reasons so I'm going to front load my background beliefs rather than try to explain it as I go.

Lots of people will disagree with one or all of my points just put "I believe" in front of all of it.

-Poly-Tenno we do not play as one thing that changes suits but as several individuals, this is supported by embers codex in that the individual powers are inherent to the Tenno not the frame.

-Tenno are a warrior culture made up of technocyte infected decendents of Hayden Tenno and exsisted long before the Orokin started shoving them into the void to give them crazy powers.

-Void powers are a result of the interaction between void energies and technocyte, this is why other humans who have been to the void (corpus and grineer corrupted enemies) do not develop them

Ok, yeah you might be on to something there. I would imagine the Orokin would have started with the adults who would be more combat capable than the children. The lore suggests an element of desperation in their fight against the Sentients. Once the adult Tenno were on the front fighting they could have then continued the experiments on the Tenno children (embers lore). When the Tenno return victorious I imagine they would be pretty angry about this and would then have revolted. As an interesting aside to this the explanation for multiple embers and rhinos and what not could be that familial lines of Tenno would always produce similar powers which are then channeled by the frames. This would mean that the powers are a result of three things genetics, the void energies, and technocyte infection. I actually really like this idea.

At the end of every Extermination mission, the Lotus tells us: "Other than you, I can detect no other life-forms aboard this ship". Or something like that (I can't find the direct quote).

 

Unless she's lying to us, I'd say we're living beings. I actually think we control multiple Tenno.

Also Steve said in a dev stream "the Tenno are, or at least were human and warframes are something that wrap around them"

Edited June 27, 2014 by NevanChambers

[MagpieOAO]

At the end of every Extermination mission, the Lotus tells us: "Other than you, I can detect no other life-forms aboard this ship". Or something like that (I can't find the direct quote).

 

Unless she's lying to us, I'd say we're living beings. I actually think we control multiple Tenno.

We know cloning is pretty much standard tech in the universe, with the grineer being clones exclusively. All of our frames are somewhat hinted at being predecessors of the primes, while frames themselves are simply conduits for the energy that an individual possesses. On top of this, we are directed by the lotus, which is sometimes referred to as an organization, and it is debatated whether she controls us directly or simply gives us suggestions or contracts.

 

 

My theory is that the tenno are clones or at the very least hereditary ancestors of the primes ( via a breeding program) the lotus is an organization that (either directly or indirectly) controls/leads them into cells (Squads, potentially your collection of frames) and that the player does not actually exist in the game. But strictly speaking is an observer from the lotus,organizing, equipping and directing his/her team of Tenno. 

 

 

 

----------------------------------

Orokin and tenno:

Orokin were seem to be human from the ember prime's description, as the first of the tenno were human children exposed to the void, by human commanders. 

So considering the Tenno were children, exposed to the void, likely indoctrinated, used as warrior/slaves against the foes of the orokin, they eventually broke free and sought revenge. 

 

It's not too far of a stretch to imagine the stalker was far more indoctrinated than the others and thus was more sympathetic when the orokin were killed, and vengeful afterwards.

Edited June 27, 2014 by Kriegson

[(PSN)Budukai_Man]

My questions are what makes the Lotus so special as to order the tenno around? She literally controls the most powerful beings in the system. What do the tenno gain from this? Is it a debt for saving them from cryo? What kind of "Oracle" tech does that woman have?

 

She holds all the answers imo, we straight up need info on her.

[MagpieOAO]

My questions are what makes the Lotus so special as to order the tenno around? She literally controls the most powerful beings in the system. What do the tenno gain from this? Is it a debt for saving them from cryo? What kind of "Oracle" tech does that woman have?

 

She holds all the answers imo, we straight up need info on her.

That's the question, does she order them, or does she "Would you kindly.." order them? They obviously owe her a debt for helping them escape vor upon awakening, and giving them some kind of facilities to escape to/base themselves from. 

 

They wake up with no memory, no people, no home, in a hostile solar system that wants to crush or dissect them. The Lotus is their only reprieve. On top of that, she gives them purpose. They are killing machines, weapons without a wielder without the lotus. 

 

So yeah...

[(PSN)SwagSmasha]

My theory to why the tenno betrayed the orkin is that they discovered a terrible secret about them while fighting the sentients a secret so terrible that they were forced to wipe them out, which leaves the next question what was the secret?

But this is just a theory it could have easily been something else.

[NevanChambers]

My questions are what makes the Lotus so special as to order the tenno around? She literally controls the most powerful beings in the system. What do the tenno gain from this? Is it a debt for saving them from cryo? What kind of "Oracle" tech does that woman have?

 

She holds all the answers imo, we straight up need info on her.

She might not have much of the bigger picture either. It's been suggested that she is a logistics AI for the Tenno who awoke them when some criteria or another were met. While she shows compassion towards the Tenno and autonomy enough that claims we are Lotus' slaves or even that we are controlled by her are overstated. Despite this she may not be programmed with any information regarding who or what the Tenno are or any thoughts beyond what would put them in the best tactical position in a given scenario. This would require a lot of information on current situations but ancient historical data such as why we went to sleep in the first place wouldn't be helpful in a good many cases. In fact her code could be blocked off from her access so she would not even know why she woke the Tenno herself.

Reportedly DERebecca at some point or another slipped up and confirmed lotus is an AI but I've not looked into it myself and beyond that its speculation.

[(PSN)Budukai_Man]

Ha "Would you kindly" that game blew my mind with that revelation.

 

The first thing I did in this game back in November was go to the Lore. Wouldn't you know it, no info on the Lotus other then from other factions despising.

 

Also with the tenno now having been awake for sometime, I want to know if any of them have begun to second guess their purpose with a being like the Stalker going after them again and again. Ever since he first showed up and reading his codex it's been bothering me.

[OniDax]

When it comes to lore, I have zero faith in DE.

[IANOBW]

I imagine the reason for the tenno to turn was because of the lotus. Keep in mind that it's alwas the lotus going on about "balance", tenno only follow her orders. Maybe she saw their potential was greater than what the orokin empire desired, or she wanted them to herself... or she was corrupted (maybe she's a program/computer) I mean, the tenno did spend their lives brought up in tthe void, so it would make sense that so did the lotus.

[(PSN)Budukai_Man]

She might not have much of the bigger picture either. It's been suggested that she is a logistics AI for the Tenno who awoke them when some criteria or another were met. While she shows compassion towards the Tenno and autonomy enough that claims we are Lotus' slaves or even that we are controlled by her are overstated. Despite this she may not be programmed with any information regarding who or what the Tenno are or any thoughts beyond what would put them in the best tactical position in a given scenario. This would require a lot of information on current situations but ancient historical data such as why we went to sleep in the first place wouldn't be helpful in a good many cases. In fact her code could be blocked off from her access so she would not even know why she woke the Tenno herself.

Reportedly DERebecca at some point or another slipped up and confirmed lotus is an AI but I've not looked into it myself and beyond that its speculation.

So your saying she's like Cortana or something? That is interesting, if she is an AI corruption/degradation can most definitely be a thing.

[JohnnyTopside]

I love this sort of stuff, and while i have my own ideas, I would like to make sure everyone in this thread keeps something in mind when they put their pieces together.

 

Almost all organizations have two types of people in them. Those that want to keep the status quo, and those who want to destabilize it. Even if the Tenno did betray the Orokin from some sense of revenge, that does not mean that all of them were on board with that. The stalker seems to be a pretty good example of this. Of course, the stalker could be full of it, too. Several of the corpus characters are excellent examples of this as well.

 

Right now, almost everything we know is supposition... that's what makes this sort of thing so much fun. There's plenty of room for an entire organization to turn bad.

 

Or good? Maybe the Tenno started life as heavies rather than saviors, and discovered that for them to keep their honor intact and still do their job was to simply do nothing, after that first blow, and let the repercussions ripple out like the striking of a bell.