Hey guys! So, I might be starting an Actual Play on Twitch, but regardless we are starting a new campaign and my players have chosen a Cult of the Lady of the Depths (lot’s of Game of Thrones Drowned God vibes they are unintentionally gonna steal from lol), and I think they are going to choose Sacrifice as their preferred mission type. I’m having trouble thinking of ways to do that style of mission or how that would play out; any tips?
Hey guys!
Hey guys!
There’s an episode of the excellent Living With the Gods podcast about the history of sacrifice, it’s probably worth listening to: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09czn7x
The Blades rulebook is also, of course, instructive. Look at the list of Cult Opportunities on Page 111, and the text at the bottom that says “For any opportunity above, consider a … Sacrifice operation.”
For example…
– “A moldy tome has been recovered that contradicts your doctrine”. Could be: break in to where it’s held, steal it and sacrifice it to your god (something like dropping it down into a bottomless holy pool or whatever).
– “A wealthy cult offers you riches to abandon your faith and join them.” Could be: your Lady demands that you accept the offer, double-cross the cult, and sacrifice the wealth to Her instead (again, dropping it down into the depths).
Really, Sacrifice missions should be fairly straightforward in Blades – the cult get a sign of some sort indicating what (or who) the Lady wants sacrificed to Her, they perform a heist to steal it (or them), and then they sacrifice it. It’s just a normal heist, but instead of selling the stolen goods you sacrifice them.
There’s also a good episode of Living With the Gods about water in religion, that could also be handy for a drowned god cult: bbc.co.uk – Water of Life and Death
Okay, that’s what I was thinking, I just wasn’t sure exactly how it would play out and had trouble trying to word some of it. The other way I think I’ll play it (especially one of the characters who I think is more joining the cult as an opportunist) may “sacrifice” some problematic individuals standing in their way on their own volition (the goddess is too busy to know ALL the obstacles, right?). And those links seem super helpful, thanks!
I GMed a cult game once, and there was one session where they had to give something of themselves to their God (an old Skovlander deity called The Revelation). They ended up sacrificing their childhood memories of Skovland, and they forgot the songs and culture of their people in exchange for power. It was a hell of a scene.
Just an example of how non physical things could count as sacrifices.