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 Dark cults
One of the most familiar aspects of the horror genre is the mysterious cult that worships evil. These cults sometimes workshop evils known to mankind, like the devil. Other times they serve unknown evil, like the creations of H.P. Lovecraft.
Horror role-playing games are no exception to this. Hoever, cults in games are often only loosely detailed. This article gives you a step-by-step guide to create a cult and implement it in your game world regardless of the system or setting.
The first step in designing a cult is defining what it is. A cult is a religion or religious sect that generally considered by society to be extremist or even false. Often, cult memberships includes zealots under the leadership of a charismatic leader who may or may not believe in the precepts of the cult. Generally cults try to keep their existence secret, and they worship a supernatural entity with a variety of rituals, garments, and other religious trappings.
Now that we have a basic idea what a cult is, we can begin to fill in the details. Developing a cult leader is the primary step in the creation of your cult. You must determine who he or she is and what his agenda is. Is he human or some sort of supernatural monster? Is there a reason for his forming of the cult, or is he merely a tool for some sort of outside influence? Finally, does he actually believe in the precepts of the cult, or is it just a cover for other actions.
Once you answer the questions above, move on to determining the purpose of the cult. This is perhaps the most important thing to decide. It influences how the cult will be used in the game, its methods, and even the membership. What is the cult's ultimate goal? Are they trying to conquer the world? Are they seeking to bring about an apocalypse? Perhaps they seek some sort of self-enlightenment or to enlighten the world? Is their apparent purpose the true purpose of the cult or simply a cover for the leader's true desires?
After you determine the driving force for the cult, you must next decide upon its precepts. The precepts are the belief structure for which all of the actions of the cult's members are based. Are they complicated? Do they fill tomes or are they very simple? Do they have some sort of logical basis, or are they utterly irrational?
At this point, the cult should be taking a recognizable form. The leader and his agenda are now established. So is the apparent purpose of the cult, as well as its true purpose, if there is one. Also, the precepts have been laid down as a guide for the members. The next step is determining the membership of the cult and how members are recruited.
Each cult has a different make-up. Is your cult made up entirely of members of the same ethnic, socio-economic group or occupation? Perhaps it is more broad based and open to everyone? What common need does the cult fulfill for its members? Does it offer them power, wealth, or perhaps spiritual fulfillment? Also, how are new members recruited? Do all members actively bring others into the fold or is the leader the only recruiter?
The creation of this cult dynamic immediately lends itself to asking questions about the cult's resources and influence in society. What kind of resources can the cult call upon? Can it draw from a vast pool of wealth, or is it limited to more guerilla-style tactics? Where does its influence in society lie? Can it affect things on a global or national level, or is it limited to a smaller venue like a county or a town? Perhaps its influence is strictly within a specific organization or series of organizations.
You should determine the organization of the cult should next. What is the hierarchy of the cult? Is there one central group beneath the leader or several? Are there multiple groups fighting each other within the organization, or are they cooperating? Finally, are there multiple cults all following the same leader or just one singular cult?
You must also address the the cult's secrecy. In order for a cult to be an effective subversive organization in a society it must maintain this secrecy. Does the cult use a series of hand signs, ciphers or symbols known only to the cult? Do they pass messages with these signs, or do they use a dead language? Do they shroud their identity from each other with masks or hoods, or do their mark they allegiance with tattoos or particular articles of clothing?
Now that you've created the cult, you must introduce it to your role-playing game. Simply creating a situation in which the protagonists of the game and the cult's desires meet at a crossroads does this. It can be as simple as having an important character kidnapped by the cult, or by staging overt attacks against the protagonists by obvious cult members. However, direct conflict may take away some of the fun of creating a secret organization if there is no discovery.
By using subtle methods, the introduction of a dark cult can build tension, add an air of mystery, and create great eureka moments for the story. This will take patience and a sense of pacing. You must have an understanding of the entire story, as well as how the players will react to various situations.
You can start by subtly introducing the signs or symbols that the cult utilizes to communicate. They can appear in passing as graffiti on buildings, on scraps of paper or even as tattoos of known associates. However, they shouldn't be everywhere and on everything. They should only appear from time to time so as not to rouse too much suspicion.
Once the protagonists become accustomed to these signs as simply another part of the game's scenery, you can start to show the darker side of the organization. Have it appear as a part of a crime, such as near a corpse of one of their informants or allies. Another interesting place to use a symbol is as part of some plot to thwart their efforts, such as on a warrant for their arrest. These actions will rouse suspicion and can either be dropped in to add to the confusion, or, if the time is right, lead the game into a whole new direction with the protagonists now trying to ferret out this new unseen threat.
It doesn't matter if the setting of your game is in the modern era, a historical fantasy world, or the far-flung future. A cult is a powerful tool. It can be a one-shot group of villains, a part of a larger conspiracy, or even as the protagonist's primary enemy. A well thought out and detailed cult used wisely can add new dimensions to any horror game.
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