The result of the warmind project led by the Clovis Bray corporation during the Golden Age, Rasputin was designed with the goal of protecting human civilization from unknown threats.
During the Golden Age the great artificial intelligence existed across thousands of warsats, standing watch over fledgling colonies.1
When the collapse began the warmind was humanity's primary defense. With weaponry long forgotten, Rasputin fought the darkness and was ultimately defeated, but not completely destroyed. When it became clear that he would not be able to hold back the darkness, Rasputin entered a state of hibernation, allowing portions of his intelligence to become stranded in the Cosmodrome.
He lay dormant for many years before his signal was discovered by a Guardian.2 When a powerful radar array in the Cosmodrome was reconnected, Rasputin took this opportunity to re-establish himself, making contact with long forgotten assets through the system.3
His presence has been felt as far afield as Mars where he is believed to have used a number of Golden Age weapon systems against the Vex and the Cabal.4
After the fall of the Last City at the hands of Ghaul and the Red Legion, it was discovered that the infamous Ana Bray, a Hunter long believed to have been lost, was in fact still alive and in communication with Rasputin.5 Through her, the Vanguard was able to finally communicate with the Warmind, and learned not only of his own plans, but of the long hidden threat of the forces of Xol and the Hive necromancer, Nokris.6
