Order of Salvation



The Order of Salvation is an organization based in the Luxerion Cathedral in the divine city of Luxerion in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. The Order is a religious cult consisting of disciples led by a high priestess, charged with not only keeping the peace in Luxerion, but preaching the worship of its patron god Bhunivelze and teachings of salvation in the coming of a new world.

Datalog
The history of Nova Chrysalia began 500 years ago, when the walls between this world and the next broke, allowing Chaos to flood the dimension in which humanity lives.
 * Nova Chrysalia's past

''The influx of Chaos slowly covered the lands, leaving only small tracts still inhabitable by man. The people stood strong in the face of this disaster thanks to the strength of their leader, Hope Estheim. But when he disappeared without warning 169 years ago, the bonds that had held society together began to dissolve. After many years of living with the Chaos, a church that preached of God's salvation appeared and quickly grew to power, capturing faltering hearts. This was the Order of Salvation. It brought about the great changes in the lives of the people, and returned a sense of stability of society. The people of this dying world largely chose the path of faith: bowing to the God in hope of salvation.''

The Order now governs much of human society from its seat of power in the grand cathedral in Luxerion.
 * The Order of Salvation

''Believe in the coming of the new world, entrust yourself and all you are to God on high—this is the teaching that has won over the majority of humanity. It is a message of hope in a world with no future, a balm for those suffering under the burden of overlong lives.''

''In the past, the Order also led the suppression of 'heretics' who did not accept its principles, but that is no longer official policy. This is part of the reason why so many people are perplexed by the one-sided violence being displayed by some heretic groups.''

Profile
The Order's members wear long robes adorned with Bhunivelze's crest. Disciples dress in long black and gray robes and wear colored headdresses (red or gold for men, blue for women), golden masks, and mechanical backpacks. The high priestess wears a red and yellow ensemble with a gold backpack, a golden mask, and a golden crown-like headdress. The Order's military force known as the Secutors consists of sentries who dress in fitted gray uniforms with golden pauldrons and a golden headpiece with a large red crystal. They act as guards but also carry out the Order's missions outside of Luxerion, mainly in the Dead Dunes, seeking a divine relic called the holy clavis, which is said to summon the souls of the dead.

The Order was established in the aftermath of Nova Chrysalia's creation and Bhunivelze's awakening to preach the teachings of God and spread the word of the coming of a new world. The Order of Salvation opposes the Children of Etro, a cult of white-robed 'heretics' who shun Bhunivelze and the Order's sermons and worship the dead goddess Etro. While the Order simply preaches for mankind's salvation, the Children of Etro are fanatics who take matters into their own hands, ranging from moderates to violent extremists. While the Order is based in Luxerion, they have influence across the whole of Nova Chrysalia, with the exception of the Wildlands.

Story
The Order was established in the aftermath of Nova Chrysalia's creation to keep the people from breaking down when Hope Estheim was abducted by Bhunivelze, restoring some sense of society in Luxerion. In Final Fantasy XIII: Reminiscence -tracer of memories-, Snow Villiers posits that the Order's rise to power was masterminded by Bhunivelze because Hope's unrelenting resolve had made him a beacon of hope for the people; so Bhunivelze removed him to force humanity to accept him and the Order as their new hope. Gaining ground in Luxerion, the Order intended to take control of the supply plant in Yusnaan operated by the world's last fal'Cie, Pandaemonium. Snow quelled the squabbles over the plant by becoming the Patron of Yusnaan and pretending acquiescence to the Order's authority.

As followers of the God of Light, the Order preaches that carrying out Bhunivelze's will is the way for everyone to achieve salvation in the new world. However, they are brought under the impression that salvation is a privilege given to the chosen few and that the dead are too impure to join them, so they act on Bhunivelze's beckoning to destroy the dead so they will not be burdened by their memories of them when they begin anew. This culminates in the Soulsong, a ritual that can only be performed on the world's final day by a sacrificial offering who can hear the dead.

Thirteen years ago, taking her and Fang when they awoke from crystal stasis, the Order learned that Vanille is the "sacred one" they need, and currently keep her under their constant protection, hiding the full truth of the Soulsong from her, making her believe the ritual will save the dead from their suffering within the Chaos. When Fang learned the part of the Soulsong that involves Vanille's death, she left for the Dead Dunes to find the clavis needed for the ritual.

As the world is set to end in thirteen days, Bhunivelze's chosen savior, Lightning, travels to Luxerion. She finds the city terrorized by the Children of Etro, who are killing pink-haired women who resemble her. Asked to investigate the murders by an Order inquisitor, Lightning falls under threat from the Children of Etro and is stalked by the "Shadow Hunter", who turns out to be Noel Kreiss. Lightning puts an end to the Children of Etro's murders and Vanille hears of her exploits in the city. Lightning gains access to the cathedral and reunites with Vanille, who is joined by Lumina. Vanille leads Lightning to a chamber underneath the cathedral called God's Sanctum, where millions of souls trapped within the Chaos have gathered over the centuries. Lumina explains the Order plans to free the souls of the dead from their suffering and needs Vanille to call out to them. When Lightning and Fang find the clavis in the Dead Dunes, the Order's Secutors steal the relic, having been led to it by Lumina, and take it to Luxerion.

On the final day, the High Priestess of the Order announces the beginning of the end and calls for the people to gather on the cathedral steps and pray to Bhunivelze for salvation in the new world. Once preparations are complete, Vanille begins the Soulsong in God's Sanctum before Lightning and Fang interfere and reveal the Order's true goals the former learned from Lumina. The High Priestess defends their resolve by explaining that those who failed to endure the centuries are unworthy to Bhunivelze as he demands pure and untainted souls for his new world, even using manifested Sets to convince Vanille to continue.

After Vanille listens to the dead and discovers they still carry hope despite their suffering, she stops the ritual and decides to guide the dead to the Ark so they can be reborn in the new world. The High Priestess strikes her down and has the clavis drain Vanille's life to complete the ritual. With the timely arrival of Snow Villiers, the clavis is destroyed with the High Priestess obliterated by the resulting explosion. The Order ceases to be once the final day passes.

Battle
The Order of Salvation's soldiers are fought in Yusnaan during the prologue and main quest, and in the Luxerion Cathedral on the final day. They are also faced in the Slaughterhouse under different names.

Trivia

 * Lightning can obtain Order of Salvation Cap as an adornment.