History of European Dead Zone

The European Dead Zone (EDZ) is a destination on Earth and the main Year One location in Destiny 2. It is unlocked in the campaign after the "Spark" mission, and holds a huge shard of the Traveler that matters to the Red War story. Destinypedia calls it the largest playable space Bungie had created at the time.

Overview

Originally deserted after an unknown cataclysm, the EDZ became a warzone in the Red War (campaign launched 6 September 2017). Wikipedia notes the opening sequence has Guardians find a Traveler shard hidden in a forest in the EDZ. Destinypedia argues from German signage (Zervreilahorn, Graubunden) that it lies in the Alps, and the Emerald Coast Gambit map hints at Italy; this is inference, not confirmed.

How to get there

Available from the Director after the "Spark" mission of the Red War campaign.

Landing zones

Sunken Isles, The Gulch, Trostland, Winding Cove and The Sludge. Larger regions include Firebase Hades, the Outskirts, Quarantine Sector 236 and Windswept Crag.

Hub

The Farm is the EDZ social space and Red War refugee camp where lightless Guardians recovered their powers through a Traveler shard.

Activities

• 16 Lost Sectors, the most of any destination, including Excavation Site XII, Flooded Chasm, The Drain, Hallowed Grove and Shaft 13.
• 7 story missions, 2 strikes, 13 adventures, public events, patrols and 21 region chests.
• The Emerald Coast Gambit map. The seasonal European Aerial Zone is built from lifted EDZ terrain.

Enemies

House of Dusk (Fallen), Red Legion remnants (Cabal) and Taken; Destinypedia also lists seasonal adversaries such as the Lucent Brood and Shadow Legion. Counts above are from Destinypedia and may have changed with updates.

Lore

The Red Legion's attack on the Last City drove survivors to the EDZ; the Guardians' recovery here led to the Almighty being disabled and the Traveler awakening.