Ideas for unusual or deadly cults wanted!

[jdrakeh]

I'm working on a 0e fantasy freebie about cults to supplement some of the already awesome Swords & Wizardry fan-made freebies that I've downloaded elsewhere. I've already drawn up rough ideas for 10 unusual cults, including politcial cult, relgious cults, and personality cults. I just need a few more ideas to get the creative juices flowing again, so to speak? (If I use your idea you are, of course, credited). ENWorld, what do you have for me?

 

[Aberzanzorax]

You'll need better names for these...I just named them based upon a focus, not givng them any particular clever name.

Cult of the Rain- Rain worshippers. They start at induction thinking that it is a group who sacrifices goats to keep the rain gods happy to keep their crops watered. The truth is much worse, rituals are conducted to "wash away the sin" and flood towns. Lots of room for water adventures in lakes, rivers, streams, and pools in their temples...but not an ocean cult (so good for low level without the waterbreathing spell).

Cult of the Ape- They want to "get back to their roots". Somehow, they got the "crazy" idea that man is descended from apes. They are a bunch of "Jane Goodall" druids who live with apes and dire apes. Their goal is the de-evoloution of mankind to the simpler hunter gatherer (and savage society) of the apes. They have a ritual that is essentially the opposite of the "awaken" spell, that they use on humanoids to help them return to their apelike state. It also tends to make them more feral/savage/strong, etc.

The Dillitante Cult- Not actually a cult per se. Think "Eyes Wide Shut"...a bunch of rich people who get together for anonymous sexual pleasures (I'll not go further than that, lest Grandma become upset). They also indulge in "sacrifices" and other cultish "wickedness" which is all illusion/fake to make them feel more "culty". Thing is, they've been infiltrated by at least one other cult (maybe several) and the other cults are attempting to redirect this group toward more "noble" purposes (or at minimum, steal away their members).

The gnomish/dwarvish cult of echoes- "When the world speaks back to you, it's best to listen."--Their mantra. This is a Charlie Manson style cult--a single deranged charismatic leader "speaks to the earth" (maybe has some way to commune with nature underground, maybe not). Ultimately, he has convinced the group that he receives answers (the equivalent of visions) that leads them to capture specific targets who they then bury alive or press to death with heavy stone.

The Secret Takers- A cult of bards, use detect thoughts and modify memory very regularly. All their members must learn these spells. They appear to be elite performers, but they also are scanning the crowd for their secrets, which they then "rewrite" or make them forget as it suits them.

Cult of thirteen- An assassin cult. There are only 13 members of this cult founded by a demon. Each is a trained killer from the shadows (not necessarily the assassin class). This is an experiment by the demon in natural selection. To join the cult, you must declare interest and then accept 12 assassination assignments. Your thirteenth assignment is to kill the cult member you wish to replace. The cult is well aware of your required action, but may not kill you until you've completed your twelveth assignment. It is forbidden for cult members to harm one another once inducted.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I'm working on a 0e fantasy freebie about cults to supplement some of the already awesome Swords & Wizardry fan-made freebies that I've downloaded elsewhere. I've already drawn up rough ideas for 10 unusual cults, including politcial cult, relgious cults, and personality cults. I just need a few more ideas to get the creative juices flowing again, so to speak? (If I use your idea you are, of course, credited). ENWorld, what do you have for me?

LOL!! The cult of personality!! Work is very busy right now. I should have something useful perhaps by Sunday to post.

 

[ArghMark]

hmm..

What about a cult of paladins?

A secret cult, known to only a few; known as the Knights of the Raven, they each bear a piece of raven jewellery. Small, so as not to interfere with their surcoat of arms, but there.

The Knights of the Raven follow the path of the Book of Ashes, a book that was rejected from the main body of literature of the church due to its extremist nature. It is a book of prophecy, portraying the eventual demise of the Church and the destruction of all that is good, until '..Ravens, were to pick the dead things from the living body of the church, until it will heal again..' While not embraced by the church, it was witnessed that the prophet performed several miracles and was possessed and in the company of Angels at many times.

The knights of the raven are a political/religious cult, but one that is based around the writings of a prophet that while loosely respected isn't one of the major parts of the church. They routinely follow the religious rites as dictated by the prophet, which could be innocent or evil, and seek in the often incoherent ramblings of their Book of Ashes. Mainly concerned with dealing with corruption in the church and in towns they are near, the group uses its groups of seers and prophets to get their next strike. Using their knowledge of the dark future, they seek to prevent it by dealing with those who threaten the world.



They are completely sworn to ending evil wherever it may lie, and as their religious group gained converts have become more than just a chapter of Knights with an extremist view on how to combat evil. Now, the knights use military precision, different skills of individuals, as well as their original brute force to crush any possible problems that are facing the church. The 'Brother' knights are still the political center of the cult, but 'laymen' with skills such as sneaking around, picking locks, or any other profession will be used.



Also, as funds were needed by the knights for their evil-hunting expeditions, payments from certain smaller evils such as brothels and taverns selling darker forms of drugs began to be more appealing, and so on.

 

[Nellisir]

I'm working on a 0e fantasy freebie about cults to supplement some of the already awesome Swords & Wizardry fan-made freebies that I've downloaded elsewhere. I've already drawn up rough ideas for 10 unusual cults, including politcial cult, relgious cults, and personality cults. I just need a few more ideas to get the creative juices flowing again, so to speak? (If I use your idea you are, of course, credited). ENWorld, what do you have for me?

Can you post a few links to these freebies? I've had a difficult time turning up much for S&W for some reason.

And, on topic, I've got a few cults in my campaign. Aside from your normal beast cults (Cult of the Rat Mother, etc), I've got the Blackgate Brotherhood, which is somewhere between an assassin's guild and a cult, and led by a monstrously old artifact (the Black Gates); and the Fellowship of the Unholy Hand, which "worships" the severed hand of the god of death, and believes that posession of the hand allows them to dictate the fate after death of anyone they kill.

On the good side, the Knights of the Blazing Glory worship the former/dead god of the sun and oppose his successor, an evil god of fire and wrath.

 

[jdrakeh]

hmm..

What about a cult of paladins?

Oh! Good idea! I have something kind of like this in a politicial cult composed of military advisors, generals, bodyguards, etc who use their connections, influence, and access to attempt striking a worldwide balance between Law and Chaos. It's kind of like 24 meets D&D. Just a good, old-fashioned, fraternal, knightly lodge though? I had totally overlooked that. D'oh!

 

[jdrakeh]

Post full of Awesome

Oh, wow! I had totally forgotten beast worshippers, weather worshippers, and bards! Thanks for the help!

 

[jdrakeh]

Can you post a few links to these freebies? I've had a difficult time turning up much for S&W for some reason.

There really aren't many, past what is available on the S&W site. I was trying to sound enthusiastic Part of why I'm working on this (and a planned follow-up that details magical artifacts) is because there aren't a lot of S&W freebies yet.

And, on topic, I've got a few cults in my campaign. Aside from your normal beast cults (Cult of the Rat Mother, etc)

Again with the animal worshippers! Man, I really can't believe I overlooked them completely.

I've got the Blackgate Brotherhood, which is somewhere between an assassin's guild and a cult, and led by a monstrously old artifact (the Black Gates); and the Fellowship of the Unholy Hand, which "worships" the severed hand of the god of death, and believes that posession of the hand allows them to dictate the fate after death of anyone they kill.

I hadn't done much with object worshippers, either, actually. Dang! Thanks for the great ideas, folks.

 

[Mallus]

You can have this one, from our 4e homebrew setting.

The Cult of That-Which-Is-Not worships, unsurprisingly, That-Which-Is-Not, a Sphere of Annihilation which they keep in open view in their modest temple. It's also known by the names the No-Thing, the Magna Lacuna, and It's Glorious Absence.

Their faith is sometimes called Voiditarian Annihilism.

 

[Treebore]

That new cover for the new Basic Fantasy is pretty sweet! I still prefer the LL cover for pure "old school" feel though.