Hammer of Light

The Symbol of the Hammer of Light

The Hammer of Light were a hostile Vasudan cult most active during the Great War. They were dedicated to a set of ancient prophecies that foretold the arrival of "cosmic destroyers" which they believed to be the Shivans.

History

The dark side of the Vasudan obession with history was the emergence during the Great War of Hammer of Light (HoL), a cult that gained a strong following among the PVN, resulting in defections to the HoL cause. The HoL believed the Shivans were the cosmic redeemers and destroyers predicted in obscure prophecies written thousands of years ago. They established a central base in a reconstructed "Temple" - a massive ruin of what may have once been an Ancients' building, standing on Altair 5, a liveable planet in a system not far from Vasuda Prime.

Probably as a result of their strong military following, the HoL took on almost as much of a military nature as they did that of a cult. Rather than limiting themselves to small scale terrorism, they actively engaged with GTA and loyal PVN forces, though they won few major battles of note and had their warship numbers gradually whittled down over the course of the war.

Following the destruction of the Lucifer, the ideology and activities of the HoL shifted. While some followers committed ritual suicide, the military branch of the movement continued their armed opposition to the Vasudan government and its alliance with the Terrans. Though they continued to espouse HoL's reliogious dogma, their activities turned more toward acts of terrorism and guerilla warfare. This branch of the HoL was later crushed in Operation Templar, following the HoL's kidnapping of the Vasudan admirality. Other HoL leaders vanished into obscurity, returning to the study of arcane texts. A number of these religious leaders were apprehended and imprisoned for their role in the insurgency, though a few are still hiding.

Ideology

The core ideologies of the HoL are spawned from Ancient Vasudan texts fortelling the arrival of Great Destroyers that will cleanse the Vasudan race, termed the "Omen of Darkness". The Hammer of Light believes that only by staying steadfast and abandoning pride can they truly step into the Light and become one with their maker. Hence, they are a Hammer of Light, pounding in the values that they believe will help others see this light.