So, Season 13’s story is that Caiatl stops by Earth seeking an alliance, but not an alliance of equals. We’re not dead chuffed about that prospect, so I guess we’ll all be lining up and shouting “Yeah? Come on! Come on, then!” Caiatl is already a right wrong’un in my books, having joined the coup against dear old decadent dad. Though I suppose she deserves indirect thanks because Calus’s exile on the Leviathan did lead to him encountering the Darkness and becoming enthusiastic about the end of existence, turning him into the planet-drinking monstrosity we know and adore. I miss him, now he’s shuffled off into the Destiny Content Vault. Cabal forces are the focus of Chosen’s new seasonal mode, Battlegrounds. It’s a three-player mode (with matchmaking) where, Bungie say, “Guardians will engage in ritual combat against Caiatl’s chosen warriors.” So maybe some sort of arena battle doodad? Would hoping for a survival mode be too much? A new season means new loot, including an Exotic bow with homing arrows, new and reissued weapons, new armour sets, new mods, and a new battle pass progression track and that. The widely-liked Umbral Engram loot system, which let us influence the contents and attritibutes of drops, will return too - and should stick around. That’ll be nice. A new Strike is arriving with Season 13 too, set aboard a giant moving Cabal fortress, though it won’t be here right at the start. Two Strikes returning from the first game, Fallen S.A.B.E.R. and Devil’s Lair, will be here when it kicks off. No mention of new Crucible or Gambit maps, mind. That’s a shame, Crucible is in a real sorry state lately, needing new maps and big balance changes that Bungie are dragging their heels on. See Bungie’s season page for more on Chosen. Season Of The Chosen will run from the 9th of February to the 11th of May. We’ll then by half-way to the next expansion, The Witch Queen. Presumably Savathûn will finally show her face so we can kick it clean off, or at least get up in it.