Editing Future War Cult

Archaeological findings indicate that the Future War Cult has existed as early as the late [[Golden Age]].<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire]]:[[Grimoire:Allies|Allies]]/[[Grimoire:Allies/City Factions|City Factions]], [[Grimoire:Allies/City Factions#Future War Cult|Future War Cult]]''</ref> The roots of the faction can be traced back to Dr. [[Maya Sundaresh]] and her team in Lhasa, who developed a [[Vex]]-inspired [[The Device|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.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/17)''', ''Destiny: [[The Taken King]] - Grimoire:[[Grimoire:Enemies|Enemies]]/[[Grimoire:Enemies/Vex|Vex]], [[Grimoire:Enemies/Vex#Ghost Fragment: Vex 5|Ghost Fragment: Vex 5]]''</ref> 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.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''Destiny - Grimoire:Allies/City Factions, [[Grimoire:Allies/City Factions#Ghost Fragent: Future War Cult|Ghost Fragment: Future War Cult]]''</ref> Despite this, information gained through the 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.{{Citation needed}}

During the [[Dark Age]], the FWC rescued an Exo refugee named [[Lakshmi-2]] and recruited her into their ranks.<ref>'''Bungie (2017/9/8)''', ''[[Destiny 2]] - [[Lakshmi-2]]: [[Lakshmi-2#Destiny_2|"I understand them better than you might think. Long ago, I, too, was flotsam in a brutal war. Future War Cult found me. Now I can do the same for others."]]''</ref> 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]].<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''Destiny - Grimoire:Allies/Tower Allies, [[Grimoire:Allies/Tower_Allies#Future_War_Cult_Faction_Rep|Future War Cult Faction Rep]]''</ref> 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.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/5/22)''', ''Destiny 2: [[Season of the Deep]] - [[Parting the Veil (Mission)#Transcript|Parting the Veil: Log 9]]''</ref>

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.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''Destiny - Grimoire:[[Grimoire:Places|Places]]/[[Grimoire:Places/The City|The City]], [[Grimoire:Places/The City#Ghost Fragment: The City Age|Ghost Fragment: The City]]''</ref>

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.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''Destiny 2: [[Forsaken]] - Item Description: [[Great Hunt Suit#Mask of the Great Hunt|Mask of the Great Hunt]]''</ref>

During the [[Taken War]], the Future War Cult investigated the disappearances of certain Guardians who had 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 (location)|Vault of Glass]] was once a member of the Cult.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''Destiny: The Taken King - [[Not Forged in Light]]''</ref>

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 [[Guardian]]s 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.<ref>'''Bungie (2017/9/8)''', ''Destiny 2 - Lakshmi-2: [[Lakshmi-2#Destiny_2|"Half the Inner Circle vanished during the Red War. We did not predict their deaths, so they must still be alive… somewhere."]]''</ref>

During the [[Endless Night]], FWC leader Lakshmi-2 publicly denounced [[Ikora Rey]] and the Vanguard for allowing the [[Fallen|Eliksni]] of [[House of Light|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.<ref>'''Bungie (2021/5/11)''', ''Destiny 2: [[Season of the Splicer]] - [[H.E.L.M.]] Radio messages: [[H.E.L.M.#tabsection-1-2|Lakshmi's first broadcast]]''</ref> After her concerns were dismissed, Lakshmi planned to stage a coup against the Vanguard alongside the leader of [[New Monarchy]] and [[Dead Orbit]].<ref>'''Bungie (2021/5/11)''', ''Destiny 2: Season of the Splicer - [[Lore]]:[[Lore:Beneath the Endless Night|Beneath the Endless Night]], [[Lore:Beneath the Endless Night#IV - Conspirators|IV - Conspirators]]''</ref> When the [[Hive]] god [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen|Savathûn]], under the guise of [[Osiris]], gifted Lakshmi and the FWC [[Vex]] portal technology, they intended on using it to exterminate the Fallen.<ref>'''Bungie (2021/5/11)''', ''Destiny 2: Season of the Splicer - [[H.E.L.M.]] Radio message: [[H.E.L.M.#tabsection-9-2|Lakshmi's final broadcast]]''</ref> 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.<ref>'''Bungie (2021/5/11)''', ''Destiny 2: Season of the Splicer - [[Override: Last City]]''</ref>

Shortly after, New Monarchy and Dead Orbit fled the City after their coup had failed. What was left of the Future War Cult was disbanded, with many members who had disagreed with Lakshmi's views defecting to the Vanguard.<ref>'''Bungie (2021/5/11)''', ''Destiny 2: Season of the Splicer - [[As Prophesied#Step 5|As Prophesied: Step 5]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2021/5/11)''', ''Destiny 2: Season of the Splicer - Item Description: [[The Vision#Lore|The Vision]]''</ref>

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 Event]]s and the Crucible.