The Halo of the Sun's crest
The Halo of the Sun, or simply known as the Order, is a local, religious cult in the American ghost town of Silent Hills who seek to summon Baphomet, whom they worship as their "god", and "liberate" the world into "paradise".
Overview[]
The Halo of the Sun believes they are the "one true faith" and "one true religion", and all other religions are deceits and false truths. It is ambiguous if this is true, or if it is make-believe fantasy manifested by the ancient power of Baphomet. The Order is involved with esoteric occultism, black magic (sometimes referred as the dark arts), arcane ceremonies, and blood sacrifices.
Just like all cults, the Halo of the Sun targets the most emotionally vulnerable members of society, including teenagers, the mentally ill, and social outcasts. When people refuse to convert to the Halo of the Sun, the cult often resorts to brainwashing, kidnapping, drug trafficking, child abuse, acts of violence, torture, and even murder. The Halo of the Sun uses each method to achieve different goals. Loyalty, discipline, and the rebuilding of their flock and faith requires many approaches to ensure that no one attempts to leave the Order.
Description[]
As a satanic cult, the Halo of the Sun has a close connection with demonic entities that reside within the Umbral. They perform satanic rituals, the "Second Death" being their most important one. The "Profane Sabbath" is a sacred day on which they hope to summon Baphomet into our world.
Their occult and seemingly magical abilities are but further unexplained, as many of their rituals produce arcane effects that defy all logic. It is implied that Baphomet himself is to blame for the power, along with a classic superstition of building on top of a Native American burial ground. Their tie to the forces of the Umbral are also quite strong, as some members of the Order can even go so far as to manipulate it to a degree.
Members[]
Some Order members threaten eternal damnation towards non-believers, especially those whom they consider as pagans, heretics, sinners, blasphemers, and mockers.
However, not all of their members are necessarily hateful or violent. Many of them are brainwashed, making them mentally and spiritually ill while occasionally also being twisted and depraved. Dr. Michael Kaufmann is an Order member, but he chooses not to be involved with the religious side of it. As with a real cult, some members are not so much evil as they are born into the environment of a cult. While the Order itself is evil, not all of the people within are as well. In truth, the Order genuinely believes that what they are doing will create a Paradise for what they believe is a tainted humanity.
Tiers[]
Acolytes of the Halo of the Sun are divided into "tiers". The higher one's "tier" is, the closer they are to becoming a vessel fit to experience the "Second Death". The Halo of the Sun has four tiers in total, those being: Tier I, Tier II, Tier III and Tier IV.
- Tier 1: Acolytes newly accepted into Tier 1 are reminded to attend meetings held by the Cult twice a week and to always be honest with Dahlia Gillespie and do whatever she says. They are also sternly told to not ask what is in the clinic's basement. At this point, it seems like members at this stage are merely normal people who happen to be in a cult.
- Tier 2: This changes once Tier 2 is reached. It seems like being in the Order will begin to take a toll on members, as Tier 2 acolytes are described to experience hallucinations and lost time around sharp objects and witness symbols written in blood appearing within their homes and animals no longer trusting them. They will apparently also begin to emit a foul odor that will repel others. They again are reminded to attend the meetings and now, pay their tithe, lest their fingers be forcibly bent backwards.
- Tier 3: At Tier 3, things have declined dramatically. Acolytes at this level are "corrupted beyond repair", having been abandoned by friends and family. The cult and Dahlia Gillespie are all they have left now as they are prepared as vessels for the Second Death. It can be estimated that most of the robed cultists are at this level.
- Tier 4: The presumably few people (if any) who have reached Tier 4 are seemingly no longer themselves. Their actions and thoughts are all under the control of Dahlia Gillespie, and they apparently long to wear ritual masks and cut themselves with blades. They are now ready for the Second Death.