7 thoughts on “I might be running a Cult based game of this soon.”

  4. My PCs are a cult that worships leviathans. They are trying to end leviathan hunting by finding a substitute for leviathan blood, and also hope to make bank by undercutting the leviathan hunters. They also happened upon a portal to U’duasha and have unwittingly become host to soul fragments of a forgotten god who hopes to take over the city. It’s unclear if they’re going to help, hinder or ignore him.

  5. So, I guess like in Mark Griffin’s comment above, you have to get a clear idea of what purpose the Cult serves. A Lost God, Devil or other supernatural purpose. I wouldn’t get so caught up on the details of how that will pan out, or the particulars of what the tenets of their faith are – those can develop slowly through play.

    The scores may not necessarily be always aligned with the Cult’s core purpose, and may in some cases like the kind of things that any type of crew could get up to. I would always tie them to that purpose in some way, maybe they’re smuggling occult items, or murdering people who are members of opposing cults (or part of the Imperial machinery that abhors Devils), or intimidating neighbourhoods into being part of the Cult’s congregation?

    Alternatively tie them in if they have nothing to do with the purpose by making it a bone of contention between the wing of the Cult who view themselves as pure in their devotion to the Cult’s purpose.

    In terms of flavour, the Cult’s reputation and the features of the deity will be key in building up a picture of what the Cult’s about.

    ***

    Eventually, you might end up with some outline as to the Cult’s deep purpose like this (but I didn’t really arrive at anything like a complete picture until well into the campaign):

    The Wicked Mother is a forgotten god, previously known only in Iruvia but now gaining a presence in Duskwall after having been ousted from Sunfall.

    Some of her main cult practises revolve around the acquisition of dark secrets, traditionally about cruel authority figures and the downtrodden’s wishes to overthrow their tyranny. In cult rituals, these secrets are whispered to her through her Dark Lantern.

    The Dark Lantern is the main artefact of the cult. The old-fashioned Iruvian brass hooded lantern, but when the hood is lifted, only darkness is emitted, and it is into this that the secret is uttered for the Wicked Mother to hear.

    What does the Wicked Mother want?

    Regain her presence in the world – via consuming spirits

    Gathering specific souls of interest – old rivals, old adherents

    Regaining lost territory and worshippers in Iruvia

    Gaining the dark secrets of important people – ideally via the Dark Lantern

    Link to our Cult’s AP:

    apokalypsisrpg.blogspot.ie – Once Upon a Time in the Apocalypse

  7. Best cults = cults that don’t realize they are a cult (i.e. Bloodletters, clearly a Setarran Cult, but we like to call ourselves Hawkers). But really, few want to say “we’re in a cult” but if their Forgotten God or Demon lord has some master plan then they can elevate their plan to be the crew’s goal (like ending leviathan hunting) and speak about it to others outside the crew without sounding like they are do for a drip to the crematorium shackled by Spirit Wardens.

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