This theory has been out in reddit and on the forums for awhile now but I have come to certain realizations on certain evidence that further proves it (somewhat of a gestalt change). I have linked one of the earlier reddit posts about the theory (albeit on the opposing side) and will defer to that post to detail the theory more in depth than I will here. [b](TL;DR)[/b] Rasputin used Caedometric weapons to prevent the Traveler from leaving (Ghost Fragment: The Traveler 3) [b]Hypothesis:[/b] Ghost Fragment: Rasputin 5 Rasputin, with no conference from humans or other AI's, details a contingency plan. If certain parameters that deal with a threat to civilization are met (Carrhae White, Security State:Egyptian, Skyshock event, Voluspa failure, Yuga Sundown, Civilization Kill Event, and Midnight Exigent; All defined in reddit post) and the departure of the traveler compromises human survival then Rasputin will prevent the departure of the traveler by any means. Specifically, he mentions, [b]"Caedometric and Noetic Release"[/b] in his Loki Crown initiative. Caedo- means to cut or hew and Noetic relates to intellect or mental activity. Ghost Fragment: The Darkness Sometime after the contingency plan is set forth (unclear timeline as the time stamps on Rasputin's communiques are nigh indecipherable), Rasputin detects an event outside of the solar system. He does not know what caused it or its nature but he knows IT is coming and fast. He deems it a Skyshock level event, activates Yuga and Voluspa, puts the security state to Isis (egyptian reference), and enacts Carrhae White. This satisfies some conditions of his contingency plan. Ghost Fragment: Rasputin 3 Shortly after he detects the event, Rasputin initiates an immediate action order. He declares that collapse is imminent. Rasputin detects that Voluspa is in failure, Yuga is in Sundown, a Hard Civilization Kill Event is in progress, and his morality structure is now in Midnight Exigent. This thus fills all necessary criteria for his contingency plan to become active except for the notification that the Traveler is about to depart (which it has been known to do at the end of a civilization; see Books of Sorrow XIX: Crusaders and XLV: I'd Shut them All in Cells). Ghost Fragment: The Traveler 2 Here is where it gets interesting. Many claim that Rasputin did not enact his contingency plan because the Traveler did not mean to depart. And this card is often sourced. The Dreams of Alpha Lupi are obscure and could be seen different ways. There is one line, however, that says "This will be the place you will fight. Fight and Win." This could be Rasputin declaring the Traveler to stay and fight. Rebuttal Another typical critique is that there is no evidence that Rasputin actually kept the Traveler on Earth (or wherever it was at the time). The lack of evidence is actually in favor of the theory that he did keep it here. Going back to Rasputin 5, Rasputin's Loki Crown grants him deniable authorization, meaning he has plausible deniability that he actually enacted his plan. This explains the lack of evidence (albeit, there is some as I will detail below). Ghost Fragment: Mysteries Here we see a description of Rasputin's encounter with IT, or the Darkness. Specifically, Rasputin says "I fought IT with [b]aurora knives[/b] and with the stolen un-fire of singularities made sharp..." Looking back to Rasputin's Caedometric weapons capabilities, it is entirely plausible aurora knives and Caedometric weapons are synonymous. Stolen un-fire of singularities is more ambiguous but could also just be another description of these weapons. Wherever the Traveler goes there have been reports of paracausal/caedometric weapons (Books of Sorrow XVI: The Sword Logic, XXV: Dictata Ir Dakaua, and Ghost Fragment: Old Russia). It is at least plausible Rasputin calls it stolen un-fire because he "stole" the Caedometric tech before the Traveler gave it to humanity, or at least invented it independently and later learned the Traveler had it. Ghost Fragment: The Traveler 3 Here is the crux of my argument. As I have outlined before, Caedometric weapons that Rasputin definitively had and used during the collapse, deal with knives or cutting at least metaphorically. In this Dream of Alpha Lupi, the Traveler is pinned down by a knife. [b]"The knife had a million blades. And you were giant, powerful and swift. But the knife pinned you. Cut your godly flesh away." It is likely that Rasputin used his Caedometric capabilities to enact his contingency plan and prevent the traveler from leaving. [/b] In addition, the card also states "Very little was left, you are sure, because you feel insignificant now... The knife stole much more than your body." This could be explained by a Noetic release, or a mental attack, that is also described in Rasputin's contingency plan. Inference Now this is a little more than speculation, it is an inference. One conclusion from a set of data. There could be other causes for the effects gleaned from this evidence and I am open to further discussion or refutation. Please let me know if you believe I have missed something. [i]Sub-Hypothesis:[/i] Alternatively, Rasputin did not mean to use his "aurora knives" on the Traveler as the Traveler may not have actually tried to leave, but instead the Traveler was caught in the crossfire. We know that Rasputin did indeed use these weapons (Ghost Fragment: Mysteries) on the Darkness, albeit to little effect. However, we do not know the full nature of the weapons so it is plausible that the Traveler was inadvertently targeted and injured nonetheless.