Pyramid Ships

Dormant leviathans beneath the Moon that awaken Nightmares and reshape reality through the Darkness.

Pyramid Ships represent the physical manifestation of the Darkness, appearing as massive, dormant vessels beneath the surface of Earth's Moon in Destiny 2: Shadowkeep. First encountered by Eris Morn after she interacted with one of these structures, they are central to the expansion's narrative involving 'Nightmares' that terrorize the Solar System. These vessels were not active warships but sleeping monuments until Eris accidentally released their influence, unleashing spectral manifestations of the Guardian's past trauma across the system.

Quick Facts

Origin: The Darkness
Key locations: Beneath Earth's Moon, Io, Titan, Mercury, Mars

Lore & Background

The lore of Pyramid Ships in Shadowkeep centers on the Moon, where a dormant vessel lies buried beneath the surface. Eris Morn, a character absent since Destiny 2's original base campaign, returned to guide Guardians against 'Nightmares' she accidentally released after interacting with this ship. These Nightmares are not random monsters but specific manifestations of the Guardian's past adversaries, resurrected by the Darkness to haunt the Solar System.

The ships serve as the source of this madness, twisting history and memory into tangible threats. Throughout Shadowkeep, Eris and the Guardian work together to understand the cause of this unleashed chaos. The narrative reveals that these Pyramid Ships are intrinsically linked to the Darkness, acting as anchors for its power. Unlike previous encounters with enemy factions like the Hive or Vex, the threat here is psychological and temporal, forcing players to confront their own history.

The ships remain a silent but overwhelming presence on the Moon, driving the expansion's core conflict until Eris and the Guardian take steps to stop the madness they unleashed.

Reader's Guide

For players engaging with the content of Destiny 2: Shadowkeep, Pyramid Ships are the catalyst for the entire expansion. The primary location is Earth's Moon, which serves as a playable destination reprised and expanded from the original game. Upon entering the campaign, Guardians must help Eris Morn defeat Nightmares—powerful enemies that regenerate health and include major story bosses from both Destiny and Destiny 2. Key activities tied to these ships include 'Nightmare Hunts,' unlocked after the main campaign, which feature powerful Nightmare enemies and major bosses across four difficulty modes: Adept, Hero, Legend, and Master.

Players can also explore a new dungeon called 'Pit of Heresy' located underneath the Scarlet Keep on the Moon. The expansion also introduces the 'Garden of Salvation' raid in the Black Garden on Mars, released on October 5, 2019, which ties into the Vex invasion triggered by player actions.

Did You Know?

During Season of Arrivals in June 2020, the Black Fleet positioned Pyramid ships over Io, Titan, Mercury, and Mars before consuming these destinations.
Shadowkeep was the first major expansion published independently by Bungie after acquiring rights from Activision in early 2019.