Black Cultist

 

Not all thaumaturges are of benign, mercenary or even profit-seeking bent. Some are power-crazed plotters, some are obsessed with vendettas and perceived slights, and still others seek after knowledge to the expense of all other matters. Still, not even the most vile, overambitious vizier is seen in quite the same light as those thaumaturges who ally themselves with the lords of the Underworld or Malfeas.

Black cultists align themselves with dark powers for a variety of reasons. Some are interested in quick power, seeking knowledge without wisdom, might without restraint. Others seek to make themselves important, wish to feed their most deviant desires or simply want a sense of belonging. More than a few join harmless-seeming organizations for illicit thrills and only too late find out that not only was the group they joined far from harmless, but they have no way out. A handful of these fools find they don’t want to leave.

Black cultists have sworn their fealty to some sinister higher power. This might be a Deathlord (or even, in rare cases, one of the Malfeans), a Demon Prince, one of the dark gods of Creation or a particularly twisted and fell Exalt for whom the approbation “Anathema” is truly appropriate. In most cases, these powers see their mortal cultists as, at best, tools of limited value — some tolerate their mortal servants only for the Essence their prayers provide, and others care not at all for worship or actively work to discourage their cults.

Black cultists rarely openly advertise themselves as such — few places in Creation tolerate the concept of demon worship, and fewer still embrace the idea. While some small communities of cultists exist throughout Creation, carefully isolated from most of civilization, most dark cultists live in the midst of unsuspecting villages or cities. While there are always examples of the half-mad creep at the end of the street everyone whispers about, many cultists are respected members of their society, even wealthy and influential ones.

Some dark cultists are members of various covens and conspiracies. The Yozis organize their followers into several loosely knit Creation-wide fraternities of darkness, which do not compete with one another, but instead, each work their own tiny, insidious piece of the endless schemes that seek to unravel the walls of the Demon Princes’ prison. Likewise, the Deathlords also organize their followers into cults, generally serving the cult of the ancestors or the nihilistic doctrines of the Bishop of the Chalcedony Thurible. Unlike the Yozis, who rarely tolerate sectarian violence among their followers, the followers of the Deathlords are frequently far more hostile, and fratricide is common among their ranks as the Deathlords maneuver their pawns. Other black cultists work alone. Some are disciples of the evils native to Creation, servants of gods with dark portfolios or simply wicked individuals driven by their own personal hatreds to sow strife and curses among their fellow men.

Black cultists are most common in the Threshold. In the Realm, the constant persecution of the Hundred Gods Heresy and the presence of so many Exalted secret police and spies makes mortal worship of dark powers difficult in the extreme. Even Exalted black sorcerers do not gather assistants for fear of attracting the attention of the White Registry. In the Threshold, however, these villains often prosper where weak governments or anarchy allow them to operate with far less fear of discovery and effective proscription.

Abilities: Larceny and Stealth are important Abilities for most cultists, as is Performance when trying to convince a magistrate as to a sincere lack of Yozi-worshiping. Most cultists will have at least a smattering of combat skills, often Brawl and Melee, although highly trained assassin cults exist as well. Most cultists have some sort of skills or job they perform as a cover role, usually a Craft, although they can be found in any walk of life, and nearly any set of Abilities could be justified.

Backgrounds: Cultists nearly always have Patron - this may be whatever dark god, Deathlord or Demon Prince they worship, but more likely, it is the cult’s high priest or their sponsor in the cult. They also frequently have Allies and Contacts (other cult members) and, sometimes, Followers or Henchmen (who might be lesser members of the cult, unwitting dupes or both) or a network of Spies. In some places in Creation, cultists have wormed their way quite high into society, and levels of Influence, Resources or Backing could be appropriate.

Concepts: Charming schemer, vengeful madman, disturbing seductress, callous assassin, unwitting tool

 

 

It was the world of the

Yozis once. It will be again,

one day. And when it is, I

shall dance on your grave.