Order of the Sword insignia
The Order of the Sword is a defunct religious organization that worshipped the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda with the objective to eradicate all demons in his name.
Description[]
The Order of the Sword's government is divided into several departments, such as the Miracle Recognition Department, the Court Supreme, Technology, and the Financial Administration, which is managed by the Vandimion Bank. The Order has a heavily funded and extensive research division dedicated to the development of their technology. This research division does not only develop anti-demon weapons, like Durandal and Caliburn swords, but also does extensive research into magic, alchemy and demonic subspecies.
The basis of the Order is to instill faith. The Order also consider the "Black-Winged Angel" (identified as Sparda) to be their savior. Despite the Order of the Sword denouncing the existence of other astral beings, they do acknowledge the power and existence of angels.
History[]
Background[]
Some time ago, the Order of the Sword was created in worship of Sparda by the people of Fortuna. Sparda was said to have traveled to the island in tow with refugees after the ordeal with Erzsebet Báthory and the Red Queen. The refugees made the island their home, naming it "Fortuna", and with resources given to them by Sparda they became their own independent nation.
Over time, the Order came to form several departments, including the Holy Chain Knights for protection and a Technology Bureau to develop anti-demon weapons and technology. They would also develop a religion centered around Sparda who they perceive as their savior since he managed to liberate them from poverty after the destruction Erzsebet left behind in her bid to become a goddess of the New World.
Tower of God[]
Several years before the incident with Sanctus, the Order was led by the high priest Mozgus who created a secret covenant beneath the notice of Fortuna's pontiff. Mozgus learned of the existence of apostles, humans who were bequeathed with great demonic power in service to their dark lords and sought to replicate this method. However, Mozgus understood that creating a beherit the means of which to ascend into a Shaliah is no minor task as it is built from the "screaming souls of suffering and misery" while being channeled by argent energy that leak through Hell Gates.
And so, Mozgus would have Fortuna slowly fall into a decadent state, ridden with famine, plague, and disease all while he would make the populace flock over to the tower and pray to their Savior until "their bodies give out and the tower of God takes them into its embrace". The bodies are taken by Mozgus's elite guard and used as a means to construt the berehit. Giovanna, who survived the ordeal as a child, heard it was called the Incarnation Ceremony and can only be performed during a blood moon.
Later, the preparations were set when these events drew the attention of a young Vergil who came to investigate the Order of the Sword's worship of his father. During his investigation he also came into conflict with Giovanna, who was now an assassin and came to destroy Mozgus for his role in taking away her family and nearly sacrificing her for the Incarnation Ceremony. While not on the best of terms, Vergil and Giovanna would begrudgingly work together while facing off against Mozgus's elite guard as well as powerful demons that emerged from the Hell Gates.
Sanctus' Reign[]
Even after the defeat of Mozgus, his army, and the demons courtesy of Vergil and Giovanna which restored Fortuna back to its original glory, corruption was never far away. This was seen with Sanctus, who was once the Supreme General of the Holy Chain Knights, having his views and ideals twisted by Mozgus's methods. While benign at first as he wanted to strengthen Fortuna's military power, the pontiff of Fortuna, Solemnis, forbade it as they should not be dependant on external otherworldly power but faith. Sanctus, however, was too blinded by his ambitions and murdered Solemnis with poison thus becoming Fortuna's new pontiff.
He enlisted the aid of scientist and alchemist Agnus to collect and use the residual energies left behind by one of the Devil Kings that were linked to their respective Hell Gate would condense said energies to harness and control it in order to transform the forces of the Order of the Sword into demonic beings. Dubbed as the "Ascension Ceremony", it only garnered little success as those who partake in the ritual only become "pseudo-apostles" and are nowhere as powerful as their predecessors.