Cephalon

A Cephalon is a digitized life form, given form with light and digital technology that interacts with the "Cephalon Weave", retaining varying levels of human quality and personality from their original pre-digitization selves. Cephalons at their core are dedicated to completing their task, whether they were assigned to or ended up choosing it for themselves in the long period of time since the Old War. Some have a defined purpose, while many others have intentions that are explicitly stated by them.
Cephalons come in all shapes and sizes but are not absolute. They possess no physical forms of their own but instead generate a visual interpretation of themselves for the purpose of dealing with the outside world, if their task requires a physical representation in the first place. This form is based on the Cephalon's choosing and supposedly stems from something that "inspires" them – such as the effective simplicity of geometric shapesWarframe - Ask Cephalon. It is known that they have been created during the Orokin Era, and also that the Corpus use them to self-regulate their ships.
Much like conventional computer programs, a Cephalon's "precept circuits" can be replicated and copied from one system to another, allowing aspects of one's personality to be copied to another cephalon or spectre"I am calling it the Specter Particle. As my Archimedians explain, mimicry is in its nature. An echo. Exposed to precept circuits, we are able to imprint behaviors! " - Parvos Granum, during the Deadlock Protocol quest. Cephalon Sark is employed both by Teshin in the Conclave and by Nef Anyo in The Index, and it is revealed in the Jordas Verdict Raid that Cephalon Jordas would copy his own imprint to new ships in order to aid in the spread of the Infestation. It is also implied by Darvo that Cephalons may be purchased as a commodity and may be installed on or even override any system that requires regulations, with or without an existing Cephalon."Wow. You may want to get a new Ship Cephalon, when you can afford it, haha. That one seems glitched. I’ve marked your navigation with a place I know... it’s good for resources... if you can stand the cold." - Darvo during Vor's Prize
== Lore & History ==
=== Origins ===
The Cephalons were created by an Orokin Executor named Nihil, as a means to punish those who disobeyed the Orokin law during the Era. They were turned into digital intelligences with their souls sucked away from their bodies, which were transformed into glass, making it the worst possible punishment to suffer."Heard of those cubes? You know - "Cephalons" right? Probably got one a bit-cracked kissin' up to you all the time? See, in the old days, crime and punishment was all in the hands of those Orokin judges, the Seven. Mercy was a quick flash of the Jade light... But - if they wanted to make an example, they'd suck up your soul and make you a prisoner of the glass, forever." - Nora Night during Nightwave Series 3"Nihil's hit his endgame. Dozens are getting glassed now, systemwide, and he's just warming up. Easy to trace a signal that strong. This is where Nihil glassed thousands - maybe millions. Back in the day, this place would have been stacked with pretty glass bottles - Cephalon oubliettes. Tiny little hells, each built for one. He's hiding out. We gotta find out where - and fast." - Nora Night during Nightwave Series 3
Cephalon Ordis, for example, was originally a man named Ordan Karris, a warrior-mercenary nicknamed "The Beast of Bones", who was forcefully transformed into a Cephalon, with Executor Ballas being the one who condemned him, following his failed attempt to kill multiple Orokin elites.Cephalon Fragments The forced transformation of a person into a Cephalon could also be used to "edit" their identity, as was done in the case of Ordis. The vengeful, bloodthirsty nature of Ordan Karris was "tamed" and turned into the caring Ordis by burying some parts of his memory and personality. Momentary relapses back into this base personality account for Ordis' occasional "glitches". After recovering his Fragments, however, Ordis ends up being able to recollect his memories from his former life, realizing the true nature of Cephalons and the severity of their punishment. "So you see, Operator. No Orokin would permit a thinking machine. Such things almost destroyed them! No. Cephalons were alive once. And now they are immortal phantom minds, imprisoned to serve. Ill will and longing memories fragmented and erased. Only the bits they need remaining." - Ordis in "Pluto" Cephalon Fragment
There are cases, however, of people who willingly chose to turn themselves into Cephalons: as revealed in the webcomic What Remains, the Orokin-era scholar who became Cephalon Suda chose to be transformed to preserve her memories from what is assumed to be a degenerative brain disorder. It is also hinted that Simaris used to be a person named Irmis, and Suda probably knew him in her human form."Curious about music, as I am? Ignore the rants of that monster, Irmis, who perverts his function with destruction. Correction, Simaris is to whom I refer. I am busy with my data collecting, What is your query?" - Cephalon Suda in Octavia's Anthem It is currently unknown, however, whether Simaris was a victim of the glassification or willingly chose to be turned into a Cephalon like her.
There appears to have been multiple series of Cephalons over the years. The numbers are unknown but a "Series-2" Cephalon (such as Ordis) is considered "antique" according to Cephalon Simaris."What is this? An antique Series-2 Cephalon? All I found were degraded beyond repair, but you're still functional. Your abilities could be of great use in my Sanctuary." - Cephalon Simaris during The New Strange If there are any functionality differences between Cephalon series they are currently unknown.
Lotus is known to employ Cephalons to help her organize data obtained by Tenno during their various missions, and Cephalon Simaris' interest in recruiting Ordis for his Sanctuary implies he does something similar.
===Cracked Cephalons===
Ordis' 3D icon features a visible crack running down his "body". What characterizes any cracked Cephalon is not exactly defined, though Ordis is known to have subjected himself to the cracks in order to hide his true past from the Operator, which he had recovered before the Awakening, thus spreading his fragmented memories across the system. Cephalons that appear themselves to be completely undamaged (Simaris and Suda) seem to demonstrate complete personalities of their own. Ordis additionally manifests vocal and personality glitches.
However, as the Cephalons possess no physical forms of their own and the fact that they are entirely free to choose their own holographic representation, Ordis' cracked visual representation could actually serve as an acknowledgment of his fractured mind and no visible damage to his form. The same could be said for Cephalon Jordas' icon, which is textured in a way that resembles Infested overgrowth.
== Datascapes and the Cephalon Weave ==
As revealed in the Octavia's Anthem quest, Cephalons share a degree of data-connection to one another via a medium referred to as the Weave. This likely facilitates communication and the sharing of information between them, however, it may also leave them vulnerable to subversion and corruption."Hunter, if you continue to follow that corrupted Cephalon, my Sanctuary will be the only place left for you. She must be disconnected from the weave before she corrupts the other Cephalons! [...] Whatever bit-rot is affecting Suda could cross the weave and infect us as well. Don't let your compassion-glitch drive you and your hunter to death by this demented Cephalon. Sever ties before we both are corrupted." - Cephalon Simaris during Octavia's Anthem Should a sufficiently powerful malign intelligence be able to subvert the consciousness of one Cephalon, it could threaten all of them unless said corrupted unit is repaired or disconnected.
In addition to their connection to this collective, individual Cephalons may manifest "alternate realities of information" in the form of Datascapes. Physical, organic entities may be "joined to the Weave" and included in these environments, which can then be used for various purposes, such as archives or training simulations."Cephalons can manifest an alternate reality of information. Training simulations, archives... even a grandiose archival of living creatures is possible, as is the case with Sanctuary." - Cephalon Simaris in response to "Suda's datascape?" during Octavia's Anthem Cephalon Suda's Relay enclave and Simaris' Sanctuary are examples of this, and other Datascapes are used by Teshin as Conclave arenas and by the Lotus for Mastery Rank tests. It is possible that Captura is actually a minor Datascape created by Cephalon Ordis as well.
== Precepts ==
Precepts, instruction sets serving as a code of conduct for Cephalons, are also used to determine their behavior. Few of these precepts are actually known.
Precept 44 	Compels cephalons to offer assistance to other cephalons in need."Operator, you are still helping me rescue Jordas, correct? I must fulfill my 44th precept, to help others like me in need." - Ordis during The Jordas Precept
Purge Precept 	This Precept activates when an intruder is detected aboard the OrbiterDuring Jade Shadows, Ordis attempts to purge the intruding Staker, but is stopped by the Operator.. Additionally, it may also activate when the Operator no longer possesses the ability to control their Warframes (may not actually exist)."What? Gone? Are you sure? How will you command the Warframes if your --Conditions satisfied. Engaging Purge Precept.--" - Ordis during The War Within
The Kalymos Sequence	A contingency plan created to prevent Albrecht Entrati's labs from being destroyed.
==Trivia==
*The word Cephalon derives from the Greek κεφαλή (cephale), meaning "head".
*During Vor's Prize, Darvo makes the comment "Wow, you may want to get a new ship Cephalon when you can afford it", implying that the Corpus may be manufacturing Cephalons of their own which are sold in markets. This is evidenced by Jordas' memory imprint in Simaris' Sanctuary.
*Both Darvo and Ordis himself refer to Ordis as a "ship Cephalon" implying that many classes of Cephalon exist. Cephalons Apnar, Sark, and Vull are used as training flags in the Conclave, Jordas and Ordis as ship Cephalons, and Cordylon, Simaris, and Suda as knowledge-banks.
**There is another class called "Command Cephalons" that man Railjacks, one of which being Cy."A Railjack requires a viable Command Cephalon. I am NOT a viable Command Cephalon. I will identify a viable replacement. But first: salvage, then assembly. Return to your Orbiter." - Cephalon Cy during Rising Tide
*While most Cephalons seem to be regarded and treated as tools or servants, at least two exist which have much more authority and influence. Cephalons Suda and Simaris both lead syndicate-like groups dedicated to gathering knowledge for their own purposes, indicating that while Cephalons may have begun as mere tools, at least some have gained enough autonomy to set and pursue their own, private goals.
*The Infestation has been shown to be capable of corrupting the personality of Cephalons. Jordas, the Cephalon of a Corpus vessel overtaken by the plague, was used to lure more victims via a deceptive distress beacon.
==List of Known Cephalons==
==References==
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Category:Cephalon
Category:Update 14
Category:Lore