Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Werrwaaa 02-15-04, 01:17 AM	Hi everyone! Well, what im asking for is some advice. I have this character in an evil game who is a member of an evil cult [original no, but a good break form the cliche adventurer]. The character is curently trying to recruit members for said cult, and as i have never recruited members to an evil cult IRL im not too sure how to do it well in game :D I was wondering if you guys could give me advice on methods to seduce a number of NPCs of variouse social types toward a cult. The character is a arcane/divine necromancer, and the cult is for the dark god of magic. If you guys could throw any RPing hints my way i would really appriciate it. Thanks everyone! ~WerrWaaa
NZCardinal 02-15-04, 01:45 AM	"Hi, I'm Werrwaaa from the Church of Demon Worshippers of Last Days Cometh" :) "Isn't it a beautiful day today? I was just in the neighbourhood and I would like to share with you the secret and bloodmongering gospels of the Church of Demon Worshippers of Last Days Cometh. We believe that the future belongs with us and that all non-cultists shall be ritually disemboweled by using a combination of blunt utensils and a slow flame" :) "Would allow me to come in and explain to you how the only possible way for you to redeem your filthy heathen soul is to join our group?" :) "Thaaaanks." :) ...
Strife 02-15-04, 06:07 PM	Well, THATs certainly an alternative :) another alternative is to seek out another evil cult, say cyric... kill thier leader and convert the whole bunch by the sword. Well, actually it depends on a lot of things, you aligement, your object of worship etc etc.
Morka 02-16-04, 10:39 AM	More subtle... "Hi my friend... I know a way for you - to win your next election - or to perform the greatest piece ever seen - or to craft the most beautiful sculpture ever... If is it evil? No, no! But you most understand, my friend, that reaching this level of POWER need some... sacrifice, yes? Just a little service I need to be done..." :smirk:
Esperil the grey 02-16-04, 05:30 PM	I have actually run a game (for NG Pc's) that heavily involved cultists, so listen up.... Start with a group of reliable likeminded friends who (your mates PC's), these guys are gonna be your elite leaders for the cult. Their job is to act like they belive in your cause to dupe new-comers in to at least playing along. Next ypu need a large supply of; NPC commoner types who are in really bad circumstances, eg criminals in trouble with the law, large debts they can't pay, about to be beaten to a bloody pulp, dunk as a skunk ect. Next you take you prospective new-comers and you help them out big time, solve all their problems and make them feel obligated to the "cult", make sure the cause seems innocent and they feel obligated to you, then use these guys to pull in their friends. this method works best on Nuteral types who can overlook certain things. Then you scan your prospective cultists for Alignment traits, Detect Evil should work just fine (don't forget to detect good so you can cull the unworthy from the organisation) Your Evil guys are your fanatics, mind wash them. bring them into true depravaty (i thinck you can come up with suitable stuff yourself, this isn't a mature board afterall) and enjoy. Choose the dumb ones for fanatics and hard core guard and "wet work" muscle jobs. The intelligent ones should be used as organisers, indoctorated in the code of your cult, let in on the scam or at least given more control, and branded with a mark of justice to keep them under control. Your Good Guys can be kept in the dark, used to contact other good beings and to cover your tracks. If they find out too much then they go "missing" (again details of what happens next are up to you). Rinse and repeat.
Masque 02-16-04, 09:34 PM	Being a member of an incredibly evil cult bent on world domination and the restoring of lost dark magiks to the waking world in real life, lemme see what suggestions I can throw your way.... Poor People: There are a lot of different types of poor people you'll typically encounter in a said adventure. If you encounter a starving man on a street corner, offer him a loaf of bread and a mug of ale. Explain to him how you were once in his situation, but how your new faith has granted you the ability to overcome the oppressions that any rule of government (or poverty for that matter) had perviously forced upon you. A hungry man listens (*obeys*) much better with a full stomache. If you encounter people who have been evicted from their homes by tenent lords, play upon their misery and impovershed state, and use sly words to build up an unspeakable hatred within them towards their former tenent lord. Then, say a day later, murder the tenent lord and bring them proof of it. If you really want to seal the deal, give that family the tenent lord's house after the deed is done. Give them the routine "through my faith I made this possible, blah blah blah" and you have yourself a whole family that will gladly serve your cause. When it comes to recruiting rich people, it'll cost a little bit on your part, at least initially. You have to convince them that what you're offering is something that not only belongs in their life, but is very similar to the way they are already living. Invite a large group of the social elite to lavish parties in fancy hotels, get to know them, specificlly those with the highest standing even amoung the wealthy. Inform these select few of a prestigious social order you are a part of, in which power is as abundent as gold. Only inform the wealthiest of the wealthy of this order. The others of the rich class will soon grow envious of this "new order" which they are being excluded from, and before you know it, you will have rich folks flocking to join your "prestigious order". Sorry about the spelling, and if you want more specific means on how to accomplish these tasks, I'll be around $$. Just remember these two pieces of advice: 1.) Always lie. Often a faint shimmer of truth is all you need to make people believe in a lie. 2.) The greatest of all evils is often hidden behind a mask of good. -M
DwelleroftheDeep 02-17-04, 07:42 AM	Warning spoilers for my campaighn * * * * * * * IMC there is an area of the underdark (not faerunian), that is sacred to several major races, but not drow, the peoples of these two races dwelt in relative peace in the area, but then the drow took over (via politics, not war), they drove one of the races into hiding in the area (grimlocks). Many of the normally neutral (imc at least) grimlocks have turned to worship the titan deity of destruction and revelation (alignment: Chaotic evil), now they are being roused into acts of kidnapping, terrorism, and murder by a half human, drow hating demogogue, they use the common hatred of the drow rulers to swell their cults numbers.
Werrwaaa 02-17-04, 12:49 PM	Thanks for all the tips. I'll give 'em a try and see if i can't get a few more souls to join the cause. I appriciate all the help, and even the humor :D
Snow in August 02-18-04, 05:11 AM	All these ideas are very good. Playing an evil character is terribly fun once you know how - I see myself as the corrupter, holding out the clawed hand to offer aid, still wet with the ink that will stain them... The big thing here is APPEAL. If you want to corrupt a person in a major position, you must find what appeals to them. Greed generally works, as most people, especially PCs are posessed by at least some measure of greed, but then again, it can easily backfire (say, when you offer the vow-of-poverty monk endless wealth in exchange for stuff). Know your target: the conversion of a single, powerful target can be a lot more effective than the conversion of a mob of peasants. Because of this, your character must be charismatic - fear and hope may move the rabble, but to shake the high society you must be both ruthless and beautiful. And if you're going to go after the big guy, it doesn't hurt to watch from afar, gauging what they like and dislike. Another tip is to go after people ALREADY indoctrinated into a cult or faith - some people, especially high politicians and whatnot, simply are not interested in religion, and will turn you down no matter what you offer, or pay you lip service and backstabbing as soon as they can. Going "blah blah blah, religion religion religion..." will serve to put some people off and warn others, so it's best, as is always when you aim to corrupt, to be subtle. One trick I've found is to find some sort of flaw, some chink in their armor and get in that way - something the character you aim to corrupt either very much wants to own, or do, or aquire, or save, or whatever. Then, offer a plan to do it - a plan which is totally contradictory to their morals, utterly sneaky and devious, and also possibly the only way to get what they want. Then offer your aid. This works VERY well if it involves a spell only you can cast, or a feat only you can perform, or anything else only you can do that they must rely on you for... And remember: the more position you have, socially and financially, the more people will listen to you. If you step into the streets and preach, people will pass you by; if you do it from the balcony of the Palace, people will cheer and fall to their knees in prayer.