Cult of the Abyss

Cult of the Abyss
Political Information
Relation with the Initiative:	Hostile
Enemies:	The Initiative
Societal Information
Language:	Common
Historical Information
Established:	2037 CE

The Cult of the Abyss, once known as the "Sword Movement" is a religious and political movement dedicated to quasi-anarchist beliefs coupled with a religious techno- and epistem-ophobia.

History

Founded in 2038 CE, days after the last transport left the Sol System, the origins of the cult was comprised primarily of malcontents who were displeased with the path that the Initiative had chosen, as well as infiltrators from various governments on Earth. The movement originally lacked both name and anything to rally behind.

However, in 2051 CE, after the so-called Sword of the Abyss was used to kill members of the former governing council (the predecessor of the Senate), the sword became an icon to the movement, as did the unknown assassin who wielded it. The movement soon began to gain traction, using the sword and it's wielder as a symbol to rally around, giving the movement it's initial name, as the "Sword Movement". In the years following, the movement began conducting attacks throughout human-occupied space, and attempting to reopen a path to Earth. The movement was severely weakened in 2068 CE, when it fell afoul of the Internal Security Directorate, which succeeded in crippling the movement. In the years following, the movement remained largely inactive, gathering power. It is believed that some outlying pirate factions, unofficial settlements, and other resistance movements are backed or otherwise affiliated with the Sword Movement, after documents turned up in the Sovereign Colonies Conflict.

In the subsequent years, the Sword Movement began to take on several religious overtones, speaking of the evils of knowledge and civilization, and that humanity was spreading evil to the stars. Parts of the belief system stated that the more advanced knowledge weakened humanity to the "evils that lay beyond", and opened up humanity to attack.

Because of unconfirmed rumors, it is considered possible that the Mithus System's disaster of 2431 CE was caused by the Sword Movement utilizing tugs or other space-faring vessels to alter the course of several asteroids towards the inhabited planets.