Future War Cult

Future War Cult
Overview
Other name(s):	FWC; The War Cult;
Domain(s):	Lhasa (formerly); The Last City (formerly)
Type:	Paramilitary Spiritualist
Functions:	Prepare to fight an inevitable war against the Darkness; Sponsor the Crucible (formerly);
Engagements:	Faction Wars; Great Ahamkara Hunt; Red War; Endless Night;
Leadership:	Lakshmi-2, Maya Sundaresh (deceased); Inner Circle;
Affiliation:	Consensus (defected)
At war with:	Red Legion; Ahamkara

"There is no future but now. No truth but war."

— Grimoire description

The Future War Cult (FWC) was one of the factions of the Last City.^[1] Members of the Cult are known for their military prowess as well as their secrecy. They believe that war with the Darkness is inevitable, whether they stay on Earth or attempt to flee, and therefore they must be ready to fight. They are also deeply concerned with fate, and whether or not it is possible to alter history altogether. The Cult is led by a group called the Inner Circle.^[2] Prior to her death, Lakshmi-2 was the Future War Cult representative to the Consensus. She sold a variety of FWC-branded armor, weapons, and emblems to Guardian members of the organization and was the main point of contact during events such as Faction Rallies. In the final days of the Season of the Splicer, Lakshmi-2 attempted to utilize a Vex portal to the Last City in order to drive out House Light, unintentionally allowing the Vex to enter and attack. The Vex invasion force was subsequently defeated by City forces, but Lakshmi was killed by the Vex before they could arrive.

After the death of Lakshmi, The Future War Cult fragmented into two splinter groups, with those who supported her fleeing the Last City with fellow factions New Monarchy and Dead Orbit, and those who did not share her views defecting to the Vanguard. The Future War Cult has since become defunct, with its designated area still accessible in the Tower Hangar, although deserted and unused.

History

Archaeological findings indicate that the Future War Cult has existed as early as the late Golden Age.^[3] The roots of the faction can be traced back to Dr. Maya Sundaresh and her team in Lhasa, who developed a Vex-inspired mind-forking device used to look into the future. This device caused its users to become mentally unstable, and they began worshipping it as a god.^[4] The modern FWC recovered the design of the Device and rebuilt it within the safety of The Last City. Use of the Device was abandoned when most users went insane, reporting different timelines where the Darkness was victorious or the City had fallen. Despite this, information gained through use of the Device formed the basis of the FWC's beliefs; a fundamental ideal being the need to prepare for the inevitable wars of the future.^[3]

During the Dark Age, the FWC rescued an Exo refugee named Lakshmi-2 and recruited her into their ranks.^[5] After being saved by the Cult, Lakshmi eventually arrived in The Last City, although few knew her origins and found her sudden appearance abrupt. She rose through the ranks of the Future War Cult, eventually becoming one of the leaders of its Inner Circle and being appointed as their representative on the Consensus.^[6] Unbeknownst to anyone, Lakshmi was in fact the product of an experiment conducted by Maya Sundaresh on Neptune shortly following the Collapse, in which Maya had imprinted her consciousness onto the Exo.^[7]

The Future War Cult was originally an outsider faction, but when the Concordat faction fell from grace and was banished from the City, the Future War Cult was selected to replace it in the Consensus and was granted access to the Tower. The Consensus felt that the Cult's philosophy was more interesting than dangerous, and its focus on combat would both attract former Concordat members and aid in the Guardians' effort to restore the City's territory.^[8]

When the Ahamkara began warping Venus, the Future War Cult sent consultants to aid the Vanguard in investigating discrepancies and disagreements about the timeline of events on the planet.^[9]

Future War Cult insignia

During the Taken War, the Future War Cult investigated the disappearances of certain Guardians who have apparently been lost to time, which included Praedyth and Ana Bray. The exotic quest for the Pulse Rifle No Time To Explain included visits to the War Cult's leader, Lakshmi-2, turning in items such as a bracelet that belonged to Ana Bray, as well as a dead Ghost marked with the FWC insignia and colours, possibly meaning that one of the people lost to the Vex inside the Vault of Glass was once a member of the Cult.^[10]

The Red War

Sometime before the onset of the Red War, the FWC predicted the Cabal invasion. However, no one in the Consensus believed their warnings, some even laughing at them and calling Lakshmi-2 a zealot. Despite this, the FWC was prepared when the Red Legion arrived and occupied the Last City, fighting back against the Cabal when others fled. The War Cult later used this as a rallying cry to recruit more Guardians to their cause during the Faction Rallies.^{[citation needed]} Despite their preparation, half of the Inner Circle disappeared during the invasion, Lakshmi-2 noting that none of their deaths had been predicted and suspected that they were, in fact, still alive somewhere.^[11]

Season of the Splicer

During the Endless Night, FWC leader Lakshmi-2 publicly denounced Ikora Rey and the Vanguard for allowing the Eliksni of House Light to live within the city walls. She claimed she had witnessed the Fallen in a future where the Last City had been destroyed, and they could not be trusted.^[12] After her concerns were dismissed, Lakshmi planned to stage a coup against the Vanguard alongside the leader of New Monarchy and Dead Orbit.^[13] When the Hive god Savathûn, under the guise of Osiris, gifted Lakshmi and the FWC Vex portal technology, they intended on using it to exterminate the Fallen.^[14] A portal was then opened in the Eliksni Quarter, allowing the Vex to launch a direct attack on the City. The incursion was soon thwarted by the Vanguard and it was discovered that Lakshmi had died in the attack.^[15]

Shortly after, New Monarchy and Dead Orbit fled the City after their coup had failed. What was left of Future War Cult was disbanded, with many members who had disagreed with Lakshmi's views defecting to the Vanguard.^[16]

Known members

Golden Age Membership

City Age Membership

Director Lakshmi-2 (leader)
Ana Bray (inferred)
R&D Head Arsha Saad^[17]
Deliah
Hari-5
Inachis
Novarro (formerly)^[18]
Odon Kolos (formerly)
Praedyth^[19]
Riley

Destiny 1 gear

Players earn reputation with FWC by completing reputation missions (Patrol missions, Bounties, Strikes, Crucible matches, etc) after allying with FWC. The following items are available:

Year 2

Rank 0: Nothing.
Rank 1: Legendary Class Item, Legendary Leg armor, and Legendary Gauntlets.
Rank 2: Legendary FWC armor. Armor provides bonuses to discipline and intellect.
Rank 3: Legendary FWC weapons.^[3]
Rank 25: Exotic FWC Class Item. (Players must complete the accompanying exotic quest)

Year 3

Players can choose from three categories upon reaching a new level with this faction: Future War Cult Weapons, Future War Cult Armor, or Future War Cult Chroma. Selecting one of these gives the player a guaranteed item from that category with a randomly rolled set of perks, as well as a rare chance for additional items such as FWC-themed shaders, ships, Sparrows and emblems.

Destiny 2 gear

Year 1

Players can only pledge to factions during special events known as faction rallies. During this time, players pledged to Future War Cult or either of the other factions can earn tokens during specific events such as Strikes, Public Events and the Crucible.

Quotes

"What does the future bring? We alone have the answer. It has always been war. War between humans. War between species. War between Light and Darkness. War is the fundamental fabric of the universe. Dare we defy it? Will you help us prepare?"

— Allegiance recruitment speech

"War is the only way, Guardian. No walls will keep war out, no colony ships will outrun it, no debates or councils could ever ward it off. We must embrace it as our future, for it is the only way we will ever secure our present."

— Alternate allegiance recruitment speech

"The fiercest contest lies ahead. This is irrefutable."

— helmet description^[20]

"Accept war as a fundamental process, not a transient condition."

— gauntlet description

"War is the struggle to exist. Everything real is a combatant."

— chest armor description

"When the last war comes, we will be the victors."

— leg armor description

"Tomorrow will be as yesterday was. There will always be a battle to be won."

— cloak description

"History's lords have ever painted the future in tones of fire and shadow."

— cloak description

"For every dead yesterday there waits a new dawn, with no promise of tomorrow."

— bond description

"Darkness consumes, but we shall mark the abyss with eternal fire."

— bond description

"There is no doubt that our future will be won in battle."

— mark description

"Passion and patience in equal measure will open the unlimited way."