Cyrics Church/Followers & Their Activities [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cyrics Church/Followers & Their Activities [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
SolDragon
01-30-08, 09:54 PM I am planning to create a campaign for 4E FR when it comes out, and I would like to receive feedback on what other people have done with Cyrics church and followers, as I plan for that organization to be one of the prime antagonists in the campaign.

Obviously, Cyric has been very successful in the last century, and even with his imprisonment, there has been no indication it has cut him off from his followers. With an entire century veritably ruled by Strife, one of his portfolios, I assume that as an organization, the church of Cyric is reaching an apex, and is at a pinnacle of development.

What have other people done, or are planning to do with Cyrics church and followers in the 4E Realms? I would imagine that they would be heavily involved in the numerous intrigues and political powder kegs that are spread across the Realms at this point, especially between the Shadow Empire and the three nation alliance, and the new kingdoms in Returned Abeir.

I believe that the Cyricists would be working to destabilize the political climate in such a way that strife begins to overtake each kingdom, but at the same time maintain enough of a tenuous balance so that open warfare is not a feasible option, as that would empower Bane and his followers.

Essentially, I think that the Cyricists would be setting up a situation of mistrust and deception, while still maintaining the idea that open warfare would be too costly to engage in, thus opening up a series of attempts at dominance through political machination, intrigue, and murder, all benefical towards Cyrics goals.

I am planning to primarily base the activities of the church in Cormyr and Sembia, and perhaps extend that to Returned Abeir if the political situation is similar enough to warrant easy and powerful influence for Cyrics followers. I think this is a great way to set up antagonistic characters for the PCs, however, I would like to hear what others have done or are planning to do with Cyrics church in 4E.
Charles Phipps
01-31-08, 04:12 AM Do any of these help?

* The Corruption of Helm's Church: Cyric sends visions to the distraught Patriarch of Helm and starts supplying his Lawful Evil Followers with magic that Tyr's Church must be destroyed for Helm to return from his state "between life and death" Thus, Helm's church goes on a Crusade against the Church of Tyr. The Church of Helm is divided between it's Good and Evil extremes as Torm desperately wants to sort it out.

After a century, Helm's Church might be wholly corrupted or divided into two.

* The Crusade of Fire and Iron: Tyr, likewise, launches a Crusade with an unholy Alliance with Bane against the followers of Cyric-Realms wide. It seems insane to do so at the time of this but he might well have waited until the Spell Plague's wrath has died down to begin so (deities are very patient). The two sides are very brutal and the Cyricists are preparing for open war.

* The Cthulhu-Rituals: Cyricist Cults are doing massive evil rituals with the sacrafice of magical items, mortal lives, and other Book of Vile Darkness stuff in hopes of eventually breaking the spells on Cyric's prison. Some might seek artifacts like the Rod of Seven Parts or Hand of Vecna to become fuel for the rituals to free Cyric again.

* Cyric, God of Magic: The Cyricts might well seize upon the opportunity to convert many of Mystra's Clergy to the worship of the Dark Sun, especially in the aftermath of the horrors of the Spell Plague where they're probably hated. Shar's clergy might not be immune either. Cyric might be imprisoned but his followers could wonders for getting him control of the Shadow Weave.

* The Bottom Feeders: Gargauth, Mask, Garagos, and Velsharoon all want to seize Cyric's portfolios for themselves. So they've set about to steal as many of Cyric's worshipers away as possible. The player characters might be recruited by disguised Cyricists to help root out these cults.
SolDragon
01-31-08, 04:44 AM I love the Corruption Of Helms Church, The Rituals and The Bottom Feeders. Of course, it's possible that only Mask may survive the Spellplague, but it still works. The corruption of Helms Church and eventual subsumption into the fold of Cyric while Torm attempts to save the few remaining virtuous Helmites will be fantastic. There can be an entire history about this by the time the campaign starts, and sets up a great conflict between the new Triad and Cyric, as well.

The Rituals can open up so many plot hooks, it's ridiculous. I don't know about the Crusade, as I do not believe Tyr would ever ally with Bane, even to take down Cyricists. I also think Cyrics followers would desperately attempt to avoid any type of open conflict, as that is counter to the strengths of their deity, while it plays to those of Bane.

Essentially, I believe that Cyricists prefer to create a situation of suspicion and mistrust, where they can manipulate others into fulfilling their desired ends, and virtually never resort to open force at any time. It simply would not be fitting for the followers of a God who operates so indirectly to take direct forceful action until all the pieces were in place for one massive act that creates untold strife, chaos, and murder.

As for the Mystra connection, I'm planning to have that taken care of in a different way. Since the churches of Cyric and Mystra were so opposed to one another, and I'm sure Cyrics followers had a vision or at least an idea of what was about to happen, what I am going to set in place is a massive murdering spree of the clerics of Mystra right after her own death.

Weakened and shocked by the death of their Goddess, the followers of Mystra would prove to be easy prey for the malicious depredations of the Cyricists, and hundreds of her most devout spiritual leaders and followers were lain low in the first few days after her death by the Cyricists, (with possible aid from Sharrans) preventing any chance of a ressurection or continuance of a deity of magic in the Realms, ensuring that strife and shadow would reign unchecked across the lands.

Thank you very much for the suggestions, they really have got my mind working on a number of ideas and plot threads to work with. I appreciate it.
Charles Phipps
01-31-08, 05:03 AM Thanks, glad you liked them. I used the Helmite Corruption plot in my games, the Bottom Feeders, and the Rituals as part of my game.

* All Hail, The Son of the Dark Sun: Cyric breaks off an avatar of his divine self to become an independent being. The being has been living on Faerun since childhood and possessed of an unnatural set of charisma as well as inhuman amount of abilities.

The Cyrcist Delivier is Cyric's ace in the hole as he intends to play on the fears of Faerun until they acknowledge a church/empire as great as any on Faerun.

* Wow, who knew Tyr was such a :censored: More of an adventure hook. The Cyricists in a player's region are helping post the Spell Plague. Kind, compassionate, and decent individuals who are doing everything to win over followers in the wake of an uncertain time.

A Triad of a Sunite, Tyrite, and Lathanderite implore the PCs to help expose and destroy them. In actuality, the Triad is all Cyricists and have their priests go ahead to convert people to a false doctrine of hedonism (CN) before the Triad swoops in and murders the new priests to create martyrs while blackening the name of their faiths.

* Prince Foril is a Cyricist: The King of Cormyr worships the Dark Sun. Yeah, everyone has a reaction that could be less than happy about his in-lawing the faith in Cormyr. What horrible party is responsible for this? Actually, his mistress just convinced the rather gullible man that the faith is kinda cool.

Which makes the situation even worse.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
01-31-08, 11:10 AM Foril, not Floril.;)
Lord Karsus
02-03-08, 02:06 AM -Note that, according to the Empyrian Odyssey trilogy, the Planes will be drastically changing, and...a priest of Cyric seems to be a major player, at least for right now, in the going-ons of the planes.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SolDragon 01-30-08, 09:54 PM	I am planning to create a campaign for 4E FR when it comes out, and I would like to receive feedback on what other people have done with Cyrics church and followers, as I plan for that organization to be one of the prime antagonists in the campaign. Obviously, Cyric has been very successful in the last century, and even with his imprisonment, there has been no indication it has cut him off from his followers. With an entire century veritably ruled by Strife, one of his portfolios, I assume that as an organization, the church of Cyric is reaching an apex, and is at a pinnacle of development. What have other people done, or are planning to do with Cyrics church and followers in the 4E Realms? I would imagine that they would be heavily involved in the numerous intrigues and political powder kegs that are spread across the Realms at this point, especially between the Shadow Empire and the three nation alliance, and the new kingdoms in Returned Abeir. I believe that the Cyricists would be working to destabilize the political climate in such a way that strife begins to overtake each kingdom, but at the same time maintain enough of a tenuous balance so that open warfare is not a feasible option, as that would empower Bane and his followers. Essentially, I think that the Cyricists would be setting up a situation of mistrust and deception, while still maintaining the idea that open warfare would be too costly to engage in, thus opening up a series of attempts at dominance through political machination, intrigue, and murder, all benefical towards Cyrics goals. I am planning to primarily base the activities of the church in Cormyr and Sembia, and perhaps extend that to Returned Abeir if the political situation is similar enough to warrant easy and powerful influence for Cyrics followers. I think this is a great way to set up antagonistic characters for the PCs, however, I would like to hear what others have done or are planning to do with Cyrics church in 4E.
Charles Phipps 01-31-08, 04:12 AM	Do any of these help? * The Corruption of Helm's Church: Cyric sends visions to the distraught Patriarch of Helm and starts supplying his Lawful Evil Followers with magic that Tyr's Church must be destroyed for Helm to return from his state "between life and death" Thus, Helm's church goes on a Crusade against the Church of Tyr. The Church of Helm is divided between it's Good and Evil extremes as Torm desperately wants to sort it out. After a century, Helm's Church might be wholly corrupted or divided into two. * The Crusade of Fire and Iron: Tyr, likewise, launches a Crusade with an unholy Alliance with Bane against the followers of Cyric-Realms wide. It seems insane to do so at the time of this but he might well have waited until the Spell Plague's wrath has died down to begin so (deities are very patient). The two sides are very brutal and the Cyricists are preparing for open war. * The Cthulhu-Rituals: Cyricist Cults are doing massive evil rituals with the sacrafice of magical items, mortal lives, and other Book of Vile Darkness stuff in hopes of eventually breaking the spells on Cyric's prison. Some might seek artifacts like the Rod of Seven Parts or Hand of Vecna to become fuel for the rituals to free Cyric again. * Cyric, God of Magic: The Cyricts might well seize upon the opportunity to convert many of Mystra's Clergy to the worship of the Dark Sun, especially in the aftermath of the horrors of the Spell Plague where they're probably hated. Shar's clergy might not be immune either. Cyric might be imprisoned but his followers could wonders for getting him control of the Shadow Weave. * The Bottom Feeders: Gargauth, Mask, Garagos, and Velsharoon all want to seize Cyric's portfolios for themselves. So they've set about to steal as many of Cyric's worshipers away as possible. The player characters might be recruited by disguised Cyricists to help root out these cults.
SolDragon 01-31-08, 04:44 AM	I love the Corruption Of Helms Church, The Rituals and The Bottom Feeders. Of course, it's possible that only Mask may survive the Spellplague, but it still works. The corruption of Helms Church and eventual subsumption into the fold of Cyric while Torm attempts to save the few remaining virtuous Helmites will be fantastic. There can be an entire history about this by the time the campaign starts, and sets up a great conflict between the new Triad and Cyric, as well. The Rituals can open up so many plot hooks, it's ridiculous. I don't know about the Crusade, as I do not believe Tyr would ever ally with Bane, even to take down Cyricists. I also think Cyrics followers would desperately attempt to avoid any type of open conflict, as that is counter to the strengths of their deity, while it plays to those of Bane. Essentially, I believe that Cyricists prefer to create a situation of suspicion and mistrust, where they can manipulate others into fulfilling their desired ends, and virtually never resort to open force at any time. It simply would not be fitting for the followers of a God who operates so indirectly to take direct forceful action until all the pieces were in place for one massive act that creates untold strife, chaos, and murder. As for the Mystra connection, I'm planning to have that taken care of in a different way. Since the churches of Cyric and Mystra were so opposed to one another, and I'm sure Cyrics followers had a vision or at least an idea of what was about to happen, what I am going to set in place is a massive murdering spree of the clerics of Mystra right after her own death. Weakened and shocked by the death of their Goddess, the followers of Mystra would prove to be easy prey for the malicious depredations of the Cyricists, and hundreds of her most devout spiritual leaders and followers were lain low in the first few days after her death by the Cyricists, (with possible aid from Sharrans) preventing any chance of a ressurection or continuance of a deity of magic in the Realms, ensuring that strife and shadow would reign unchecked across the lands. Thank you very much for the suggestions, they really have got my mind working on a number of ideas and plot threads to work with. I appreciate it.
Charles Phipps 01-31-08, 05:03 AM	Thanks, glad you liked them. I used the Helmite Corruption plot in my games, the Bottom Feeders, and the Rituals as part of my game. * All Hail, The Son of the Dark Sun: Cyric breaks off an avatar of his divine self to become an independent being. The being has been living on Faerun since childhood and possessed of an unnatural set of charisma as well as inhuman amount of abilities. The Cyrcist Delivier is Cyric's ace in the hole as he intends to play on the fears of Faerun until they acknowledge a church/empire as great as any on Faerun. * Wow, who knew Tyr was such a :censored: More of an adventure hook. The Cyricists in a player's region are helping post the Spell Plague. Kind, compassionate, and decent individuals who are doing everything to win over followers in the wake of an uncertain time. A Triad of a Sunite, Tyrite, and Lathanderite implore the PCs to help expose and destroy them. In actuality, the Triad is all Cyricists and have their priests go ahead to convert people to a false doctrine of hedonism (CN) before the Triad swoops in and murders the new priests to create martyrs while blackening the name of their faiths. * Prince Foril is a Cyricist: The King of Cormyr worships the Dark Sun. Yeah, everyone has a reaction that could be less than happy about his in-lawing the faith in Cormyr. What horrible party is responsible for this? Actually, his mistress just convinced the rather gullible man that the faith is kinda cool. Which makes the situation even worse.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 01-31-08, 11:10 AM	Foril, not Floril.;)
Lord Karsus 02-03-08, 02:06 AM	-Note that, according to the Empyrian Odyssey trilogy, the Planes will be drastically changing, and...a priest of Cyric seems to be a major player, at least for right now, in the going-ons of the planes.