The Altruist Cult is a collection of strange individuals that act as minor antagonists in Grand Theft Auto V. Given how many eccentric people inhabit the game's world, that's saying something. Holed up in a fortified village on Chiliad Mountain, the cult adds a humorous and incredibly disturbing bit of color to the world of San Andreas.
Some players may not even be aware of its existence and many are likely unaware of the inner workings of the cult and their overall mission. Here are some of the more random and disturbing things players may not have known about this strange and cooky cult.
10 The Cult Is Comprised Of Nudist Grandpas
That’s right, the entire cult is comprised of elderly men who, out of some deluded notion that primitive lifestyles are better, decided to be nudists as well. Fortunately, some have elected to still wear some clothing, such as pants, underwear and so on. Unfortunately, that's the minority as most of the cult only wear shirts or just shoes.
In GTA Online, they’re all thankfully wearing clothing to adhere to real-world censorship laws. However, players better believe that in singleplayer, the cultists all in various states of undress that leaves very little to the imagination.
9 They Pay Really Well
While players might be leery of wanting to ever encounter this group, they are useful for obtaining cash. There are a number of individuals that players can pick up as part of random events to deliver to other locations.
For those depraved enough to skip these missions and earn a quick buck through human trafficking, though, players can choose to drop their victims off at the Altruist camp. Here, the old coots will pay a decent chunk of change before taking their latest victims inside. The Drunk Couple, for instance, will fetch $1000 each.
8 They’re Cannibals
Of course, what the elderly men want these people for is a cannibalistic ritual. It turns out the Altruists believe the key to maintaining youth and avoiding aging is to feast on the blood and flesh of the young. This likely affects the amount they offer the player, depending on who's deliver them.
None of this is ever shown and players won’t encounter any physical evidence in this camp. It’s only revealed through their mission statement on their website and through dialogue that revolves around dinner and dining.
7 They Have A Website
In the game, players can hop on the internet and find their website altruistsunite.com. At first, the website seems rather nonsensical and full of random Morse Code but with some effort real-life effort and sleuthing, players have managed to translate the material.
There’s too much to fit in this entry but to keep it broad, the website has detailed accounts and manifestos that explain the reason behind the cult's nudism, cannibalism, and their goals as a religion. It’s both hilarious and deeply unsettling.
6 They're Technophobes
Perhaps the most interesting line on their website details the supposed negative psychological effects of being exposed to technology. These Luddites believe that constant exposure to both technology and sunlight leads to mental issues, and yet they have a website. The irony speaks for itself.
This anti-technological belief goes so far as to claim the Industrial Revolution was bad and that clothes - which they believe to be a byproduct of that technological advancement - are also bad and should not be worn. Another interesting bit of trivia is that the site closely resembles the one built for the real-life cult Heaven’s Gate.
5 They Hate The Younger Generation
The catalyst for this hostile religion is a belief that the younger generation is slowly corrupting and destroying society. As young men and women come into positions of wealth and power, they apparently erode everything that these Altruists held dear.
The Altruists also believe that the youth is responsible for the propagation of technology, which is causing further psychological degradation. This is perhaps part of why they choose to feast on the young, as they believe it could be a way to help mitigate the problem while retaining their supposed immortality.
4 They're Part Of The Chiliad Mystery
Interestingly, there is a random encounter where the player can encounter two Altruists attempting to kidnap a woman. There is a rare chance that during this encounter, one of them will randomly say "Zapho," which is apparently their god.
This seemingly ties the Altruists to the Chiliad Mystery, and is one of a handful of instances when Zapho is mentioned in the game. Other similar moments include the Blaine County Radio Community Hour and when a few town drunks offhandedly mention Lord Zapho. This alien connection is seemingly another reference to Heaven’s Gate, which also believe in the existence of aliens.
3 They Have Lots Of Great Loot
At one point, the cultists will kidnap Trevor and this leads in to a mission to escape the compound. During the ensuing gunfight, the player can clear out the village and search through the structures for loot.
In total are four briefcases containing $25 thousand each. Add to this is the simple fact that multiple cultists are carrying valuable weapons such as RPGs and other items that players can loot afterwards. Revisiting the area has mixed results, though, with some players reporting the cultists respawning, others reporting that only weapons respawn and even some who say that nothing respawns.
2 They're Responsible For Many Disappearances In Blaine County
It’s unclear exactly how long the cultists have been lurking in the mountains but after successfully eradicating them from the village, a news report will appear in The Senora Beacon newspaper detailing their sudden disappearance. Ruling it a mass suicide, the article talks about a string of grisly human sacrifices that the cult has been linked to over the years, though no one could ever prove it.
Another newspaper article on the Daily Globe before the mission will discuss the large number of disappearances in the area, as hikers and hitchhikers have been going missing over a long stretch of time. This suggests that the cultists have been doing their thing for quite some time now.
1 Trevor’s Been Helping Them For Quite A While
It turns out that Trevor has probably been keeping this cult supplied for some time now. This is evidenced by the fact that the cultists aren’t terribly shocked to see him and Trevor understands the transaction. Additionally, he’ll refer to the cultists as “friends in the mountain."
Given Trevor’s nature and past exploits, it’s not too far fetched to think he’d scoop up hitchhikers and drifters to drop them off at the compound. It’s possible they may have even tried to recruit him at some point, though this is entirely speculation.