The Campaign Builder's Guild

Hey look it's a contest.

...Thousands of them.

Anyway, evil cults.  They're everywhere in roleplaying games.  In fantasy RPGs, they're dealing with demons and devils and evil deities.  In modern RPGs, they're usually trying to summon Cthulhu or Yog-Sothoth or maybe just a shoggoth.  Tens of thousands of years in the future, they're forbidden from reading the manuals to electronic devices.  IRL, they worship aliens.

Right.

That is why this contest is about making a good cult.  But not just any good cult, one based in someone else's setting hosted here on the CBG.  And we're not using the definition as it has been since the moral panics of the 20th century (especially that one in the 1980s).


You might ask, "Wait, so then what the heck are we doing, then, Limetom?"  Simply, a cult is a small religious group that has significantly divergent beliefs from the religion it sprung out of.  This could be like the various mystery cults in Ancient Greece, or the various New Religious Movements based off of Buddhism in Japan that sprung up after World War 2.  (I would suggest, if you are not familiar with these kinds of groups, to read up on both of the kinds of "cults" I mentioned.  Wikipedia helps.)

Your task is to create a non-evil cult based in someone else's setting.  Easy enough, no?

1 '" Some Things to Include
This is where I explain the catch(es).

The entry should be at least 150 words long, but no more than 500 words.
*The cult

must be based in a setting hosted on the CBG.
*The cult must not be based in your own setting.
*The cult must not be evil.[/list]
3 - Necessary Disclaimer Stuff (Below in Spoiler Box)

[spoiler]Please read all these rules before entering. If you enter the contest, it is assumed that you have read and agree with all the rules presented below. Any entries/contesters found in contrast with these rules will be disqualified from the contest and will be ineligible for any prizes.
0. VERY IMPORTANT All entries must be original content, or if outside material is used, it must be used with the express written permission of the original creator. Anything that is the Product Identity (PI) of Wizards of the Coast can be used for submission, but will not be allowed to be published in the Guide, should it win.
1. No one under the age of seventeen (17) can enter a contest without the consent of a parent or a Legal Guardian.
2. Rules and guidelines will vary. Some restrictions may apply.
3. All winners will be contacted by e-mail within seven (7) days of the contest ending.
4. To claim your winning prize, simply follow the easy instructions in your e-mail notification.
5. If we do not hear from you within seven (7) days of notification, we'll select an alternate winner.
6. Read all the rules, entry requirements and deadlines of each contest before entering.
7. The Campaign Builders' Guild (the CBG) reserves sole and final judgment as to all matters concerning its contests. All decisions are final.
8. Winners are responsible for all Federal, State and Local taxes, if applicable.
9. Void where prohibited and where all Federal, State and local laws and regulations apply.
10. Prizes cannot be exchanged, substituted or transferred, without the prior written consent of the contest sponsor if applicable or the Campaign Builders' Guild (the CBG).
11. Odds of winning a prize depends on the number of eligible entries received and are determined by each contest's specific
criteria of awarding prizes.
12. If you are a contest winner you also authorize the Campaign Builders' Guild (the CBG) and its affiliates to use your name and/or screen name for promotion purposes and publicity purposes without compensation, as well as for use in the Campaign Builder's Guide.
13. These rules are subject to change without notice.
14. Unless otherwise specified, only members 17 years of age and under as stated in rule number 1 above in the general guidelines, and 18 years of age and older can enter or become eligible to win any of the prizes with respect to any contests or make any submissions of any kind to the Campaign Builders' Guild (the CBG).
15. The Campaign Builders' Guild (the CBG) is not responsible for error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of your entry.
16. You agree that the Campaign Builders' Guild (the CBG) and its respective representatives shall have no Liability, in connection with the acceptance and use of prizes awarded, including liability for personal injury and property damage.[/spoiler]
The prize for the contest, once more, is a badge for your signature so you can show everyone your unwarranted self-importance.

The contest will run through 6:00 PM EST, May 31, 2010.  Only one entry per member, though an entry can be edited if need be. After which, a winner will be chosen by vote, and a new contest may or may not be presented for November.

My entry is a cult in Polycarp!'s Clockwork Jungle - one of the Aras Tay cults common in the setting.

[ic=Cult of Insectile Mimetism]Also known as the Seething Ones, Writhing Mimics, or Swarm-Spirits, the Shuulei are a type of lesser Aras Tay whose bodies are constituted out of dense conglomerations of still-living insects of every type and species.  Shuulei attract insects (not arachnids), from the tiniest ant to the cat-sized izif, though izif Queens sometimes empathically prevent their drones from joining a Swarm-Spirit.  Insect Cogs are not immune to this compulsion and usually form one of the more permanent components of a Shuulei.

Shuulei clearly possess a kind of intelligence, as they shape their nebulous, variegated bodies into the semblances of other, larger creatures, including the civilized races of the Forest.  They can also modulate the buzzing, humming, or chittering of their bodies to mimic the sounds or even speech of their current chosen form, though they only repeat phrases they hear and are incapable of conversing.  One adventurer famously told of an encounter between a Shuulei and Maru, in which the Seething One eerily aped the gaunt giant's towering, elongated body.  When Shuulei grow too large they invariably split in two.  Thus they wander the Forest, variously oozing, prancing, swinging, and flitting along, multitudinous masses of iridescent chitin, abuzz with countless wings and clicking mandibles.

Like many Aras Tay, Shuulei are frequently worshipped by cults, the most prominent of which is the Cult of Insectile Mimetism or more simply the Cult of the Shuulei, whose members are known as the Insect Mimetes or, colloquially, as the Bug-Mummers.  This cult reveres the Shuulei as embodiments of transformation, artistry, and grace; their worship takes the form of elaborate, ritualized performances, in which the various cultists don shimmering costumes (including ornate insectile masks of lacquered wood) and enact elaborate, often surreal performances known as Sacred Spectacles combining aspects of pantomime, contortion, acrobatics, theatre, and dance.  Most of these rites involve the creation of fantastic 'living statues' or tableaux in which the various participants clamber atop one another, interlocking their limbs and bending their bodies into unlikely postures in order to create the collective semblance of some recognizable Forest animal or creature.  The Mimetes perform these rites in public, asking for donations afterwards: as such they almost resemble a circus troupe  as much as a religious group.

Many members of the Cult of the Shuulei are not active Mimetes but rather Cult Patrons.  These members '" typically city-dwellers, especially in the six Jewels of the Obsidian Crown '" are aesthetes and appreciators who provide the Mummers themselves with funds and who join them in their more secretive ceremonies, away from the public eye.  Cult Patrons are permitted to stand or sit nearer to the performers than other audience members during the public Sacred Spectacles; they typically wear masks similar to those of the performers during such events.

Most of the Mimetes are Tahro, who find the touring nature of the Cult's activities to their liking, or Gheen, whose agile, flexible bodies are well suited to the demands of the Sacred Spectacles.[/ic]

Cult of the Authority
Set in Tempter. http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?58891

NB: Although from the demons' point of view this might be considered an evil cult... :hmm:

[ic=Cult of the Authority]Although they are part of the fallen, the demons who belong to the Cult of the Authority still worship and pay homage to the Authority. Some gather together in secret, hiding in the catacombs where they burn their incense candles and say their prayers. Others are more independent, hiding Bibles, crosses, and holy saintly artifacts under their clothing and their skin. The independent ones are, however, looked down on by more orthodox cultists who belong to larger groups.

The leader of the most prominent Cult of the Authority is, like many of its members, a Beezelbubian. His name is Aten. His Cult runs on a highly regimented basis with lots of pomp and cirumstance and dire punishment for those who do not bend their knees to his and the Authority's Authority.

Aten speaks with crisp, short phrases in a militant manner and he makes certain that everyone repeats the holy mantras. He believes that by repeating the Psalms and the Proverbs, and reciting the Acts and re-enacting the Sutras, the demons under him are granted some of the glimmer of God.

The other Tempters look on Aten and his coterie with caution, concern, and revulsion. Attempts to destroy Aten and his followers have, however, met with pain and failure. Somehow, Aten managed to acquire the Blood of Cain and infuse it into his soul, and into a wine that his followers drink. After drinking the blood of the deathless cursed one, who like they was exiled from paradise and cursed to walk the lands without entering paradise, Aten's followers become untouchable-- but only so long as they do not Tempt. A Tempter who has drunk the cursed Blood and who attempts to tempt, will grow grossly ill, and then lose the benefits of the Blood's restorative powers.

Some say that Aten has spoken with the Authority and for a time he even represented himself as the Authority while in Egypt; but after he struck down the first born of Egypt and tempted the Israelites with a golden calf in his image, he sickened and he was exiled to the Abyss after the Grigori (Watchers) overthrew him for his hubris and Temptation.

Cult members believe that Aten is working hard at redemption, and they latch on to him for a way to get to Paradise. They struggle against their natures, and struggle not to Tempt, but all too frequently Cult-members lapse and must go to confession and do penance. Their struggle is not a lonely one, but it is a long and painful one-- shunned by other demons, and shunned by paradise, these Cultists struggle to do the will of the Authority and some even attempt to serve the Authority's creation-- humanity-- frail and flawed creatures-- in an attempt to win the Authority's favor, but of these goals they often fall short.

Composition: Beezelbub 40%, Belial 30%, Mammon 20%, Unaligned 10%, Moloch 0%
% of the Factions Who are Cultists: Unaligned 25%, Beezlebub 7%, Belial 3%, Mammon 1%, Moloch 0%[/ic]

This entry is set in Steerpike's Cadaverous Earth. I'm aiming to make "good with a twist", something that could mesh with the feel and flavour of the dystopian Cadaverous Earth, all the while staying true to the requirements of the contest. Maybe not the easiest choise, but I like the challenge.

[ic=Cult of the Leering Colossus]Certain nomadic tribes whose caravans ply the eastern portions of the treacherous Tallow Plains - those parts nearest the dreaded Slaughter Lands - have through the course of uncount generations worshiped an odd entity entrapped within a stone idol hidden in that wasteland. Dubbed the Leering Colossus or the Leering God, this obscure divinity is almost completely unknown outside the small cult that venerates it. Though it's origin and history is an enigma even to those with the most intimate familiarity with it, one thing seems certain: the Colossus is somehow able to resist the chaotic shifts of the Tallow Plains, never eroding nor disintegrating, and never drifting far from the Slaughter Lands. Physically, it appears as a gigantic statue of a humanoid, yet obviously inhuman figure, seated on a queer throne that looks curiously organic in shape.

Formed from unidentified red stone and possessing the sublime yet somewhat disturbing touch of mystique that is common to many ancient idols and fetishes, the cult image bears astoundingly lifelike features, with a definite suggestion of masculinity despite it's alien figure. The most striking feature is the vivid expression upon it's broad face, one that human tongues can only describe as a subtly perverse, yet strangely reassuring leer. This enigmatic idol is inhabited by a spiritual entity of eldritch power and intelligence. Though unmoving and lifeless, it is capable of communing with it's worshipers through prophetic dreams. True followers of the Leering Colossus are inexplicably able to locate it simply by treading the eastern Tallow Plains, as if they were fated to stumble upon it.

The cultists and the Colossus exist in a symbiotic relationship, willingly benefiting one another. When a caravan of the faithful stops by the object of their reverence, they set camp for the night and prepare for an elaborate ceremony. Under the leering gaze of the idol and the myriad stars of the naked sky, the eldritch din of tom-toms and reed pipes sets tone to an ecstatic ritual dance. Gradually it turns into a climactic orgy, the dancers casting off their clothes and all pretenses of restraint, giving in fully to the primal pleasures of the flesh. The Colossus feeds off the latent sexual energy thusly released, revitalizing itself - so teach the elderly mystics heading the informal cult hierarchy. Though this ritual is shamelessly debaucherous, it is never forced - every participant must act of their own will, lest the purity of the ceremony be tainted, invoking the wrathful aspect of the usually benevolent Leering God.

In return for the surges of vitality it craves, the Colossus bestows upon the faithful a blissful spell granting them visions that guide them on their journeys, forewarning of the many dangers upon their path. So it has been for many generations, and while the guidance of the Leering God is not infallible, the initiates of the cult have escaped many a certain doom thanks to their passionate tribute.
[/ic]

This is for CC's Broken Verge, although there's not loads that's too setting-specific in it, so I suppose if he doesn't like/want it anyone can feel free to take it and slot it into their own work. Also, as the Broken Verge is a little on the nebulous side in many areas, I could easily have missed the mark by a long way in terms of the right tone or feel for the setting, and if so, I do apologise.

[ic=The Architect's Cult]Kyvorst thrives, against all odds, in the ice of the North. Its berries are like silver raindrops, and a single one of the tiny, winter-flavoured fruit is enough to induce day-long hallucinations.
Kyvorst is not just a plant, it is also a deity.

In the early days of the Empire, the consumption of Kyvorst-berries became fashionable among the youth of certain social sects.
A Kyvorst vision is like a sea of curves and angles, a storm of sacred geometry. And at its heart, sits Kyvorst the God, the architect of the universe, the formula by which all beauty and all symmetry may be calculated.

The architecture of the Empire grew, then, from these first discoveries of the hallucinogen, these first chemical visits to Kyvorst's blueprint of Heaven.
Now known simply as the Architect's Cult, the practice of Kyvorst-berry consumption continues into the modern day in small groups of mathematicians, sculptors, painters, musicians, and, most numerously, architects.

Their works adhere to Kyvorst as a formula for the beauty of the universe, and their hallucinations dictate to them the sacred patterns of their practice. Their visions have shaped the world for generations, but only their initiates know that their creativity is the creativity of the great architect, Kyvorst.

They have no chapels, no shrines. Instead, their rituals of inspirational psychedelicism are enacted in workshops and bedrooms, their mind-altering communions taken in their own dwellings, out of the gaze of mainstream society. But their most truly sacred work '" the creation of that which they have seen in visions '" takes place where all may see, so that all have witnessed the beauty of Kyvorst's designs, but only those few who are conduits for Kyvorst know it.

The Architects know also, through their visits to Kyvorst, that their impermanence of mortal life is irrelevant. They are conduits for a greater and more sacred design, and though they might die, through the collectivism of others through whom the beautiful patterns are channelled, they will still exist, for the work shall continue.[/ic]

Here is my entry for the contest, finally got around to doing it! It is a bit hurriedly written, I hope it doesn't show too much, but I really like how the idea turned out. This is basically a suicide-healer cult for the Cardan Faith, set in Luminous Crayon's wonderful Jade Stage setting. By the way LC, really like the Cardan Faith so far. A nice twist on "conventional" polytheism. Hope this thing doesn't mutilate your setting/faith too much.

[ic=The Prosaic Purpose]
Betha, the Ending who embodies the cessation of pain, is primarily known for her disciples in the cult known as the Bethan Healers, possessive of much medical knowledge. But there are less public cults dedicated to she who brings the Release of Death.

The Prosaic Purpose believe that the world the gods fought over before the Covenant is the source of all pain, and that all life is, in the end, a form of suffering. As such they believe that there is nothing for them in the world of the living, and they long only for life to cease. But it is in the Cardan Faith as in most others; suicide is not looked upon with kind eyes. So the Prosaics wait for the test of life to end.

The cult operates within the conclaves of the Bethan Healers as well as in their own hidden sacred shrines in most major cities. They deal only with those who have attempted suicide, seeking first to heal and then to guide. When they can't have the cessation of life they instead seek the cessation of sensation, using powerful anasthetics to dull their senses to the point of nonexistence. If they can't kill themselves, they make the world dead to them. They guide anyone who comes to them in these deathlike meditations, and even walk the streets seeking out addicts and sufferers they can convince of their salvation.

While they can't kill themselves, the Prosaics seek to hasten the arrival of death. They eat, drink, and sleep just enough to survive, but not more than that! They follow intricate schedules and diet plans devised to this end, seeking to weaken their body so illness or accident can carry them to their end.

As such, the Prosaics come of as emaciated and emotionless wretches, tolerated but not quite accepted by their fellow Bethans. But even the hardest critics whisper that their otherworldly meditations have sometimes brought the Prosaics unexpected wisdom and foresight, and many wonder what they find beyond the fog that twists their perception.[/ic]