Shadow Cult [PEACH] - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Shadow Cult [PEACH]

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
keveras
Sep 08, 2008 4:03:40 So this is an idea of mine which I came up with some time ago, but implemented it just now. The point is that not every citizen of Shade can be as highly pleased to worship Shar as some of the more devoted clerics are. So they just want to undermine her power - but not the power of Netheril or Telamont.

Inspired by the threats section of the FRCG, this is the result:

CULT OF PENUMBRA

As worshipping any deity but Shar is forbidden in the lands of Netheril since the spellsplague, some disillusioned shadovar began looking for a new possibility of gaining power. They found one in the Demon Princess of Shadow, Rhyxali.

Cult of Penumbra Lore
A character knows the following information with a successful skill check.
History DC 15: Some few shadovar grew disillusioned with Shar being the one and only legitimate deity for the people of Netheril. In spite the Most High made clear that abandoning Shar’s faith in favour of a different deity means death, some of those rebels came up with a solution – worshipping not a deity but a demon instead.
Religion DC 30: Rhyxali is a female demon prince who rules the shadow demons. Unlike other lords, she maintains a low profile. Her servants run a brisk trade in both souls and information as they flit amid the infinite Elemental Chaos. She controls an entire layer in the Abyss, the home of the shadow demons, Shaddonon. Although Rhyxali has slight regard for the Material World or its mortal inhabitants, in recent years a small and secretive cult has spread in the lands of Netheril on the world of Toril.

Organization
As of the chaotic nature of Rhyxali and the fact that her cult is relatively new and thus small, her mortal servants don’t maintain any particular hierarchy. The only thing she requires is secrecy and gathering all kind information.
Headquarters: None in particular; City of Shade
Hierarchy: None. Each cultist, who refer to themselves as the Shrouded, is independent and reports recently gathered valid information and secrets to a summoned shadow demon, who in turn reports them to Rhyxali herself.
Members: Any evil being associated with shadow that turns her back on her deity, and that is sly enough not to be executed for her treachery, can join Rhyxali’s cult. Those of her cultists, who offer their mistress the most valuable information gain some vile abyssal secret in return, though so far only the most skilled of her cultist have gained anything, except the support of summoned shadow demons.

Rhyxali
The Demon Princess of Shadow is a powerful but rather unknown demon prince who rules the abyssal layer of Shaddonon.

#2
lord_karsus
Sep 08, 2008 10:01:09 -Minor point, but I'd change the name. "Shadow Cult" sounds like something really generic, like [Insert Shadow Cult here]. Even something as minor as "Cult of Shadows" makes it sound better. Other cool sounding names, I think, are:

The Shadow Cabal
The Umbral Order
The Order of Midnight
The Wearerers of Black
#3
rinonalyrna_fathomlin
Sep 08, 2008 12:37:51 I rather like "The Wearers of Black".
#4
naex
Sep 08, 2008 17:18:33 Added to the 4e Running the Realms Links.
#5
lord_karsus
Sep 08, 2008 21:22:02
I rather like "The Wearers of Black".

-Whoops. I wrote "Wearerers of Black"...:embarrass
#6
naex
Sep 08, 2008 23:19:16 This does come close to two of Feist's organizations, at least in names, in his books...
The Conclave of Shadows - a group of magic-users dedicated to standing against evil..
and
Black Robes - the title/garments of an order of Imperial wizards on Kelewan.
#7
keveras
Sep 09, 2008 3:54:59
-Minor point, but I'd change the name. "Shadow Cult" sounds like something really generic, like [Insert Shadow Cult here]. Even something as minor as "Cult of Shadows" makes it sound better. Other cool sounding names, I think, are:

The Shadow Cabal
The Umbral Order
The Order of Midnight
The Wearerers of Black

Damn, I had Cult of Shadow beforhand, but changed it then.

How about 'Cult of Penumbra'? As she regards her cultists as minor (as every demon does), for they are not entirely incorporeal and composed of shadow, she regards them as just some kind of 'half shadows', hence penumbra.
#8
naex
Sep 09, 2008 4:20:38 How about "the Shrouded"
or
(Taken from the Shannara books by Terry Brooks) "the Shadowen" (in the books a group of elves and others who found and were subverted by dark magic).
#9
lord_karsus
Sep 09, 2008 9:49:22
How about 'Cult of Penumbra'? As she regards her cultists as minor (as every demon does), for they are not entirely incorporeal and composed of shadow, she regards them as just some kind of 'half shadows', hence penumbra.

-Sounds fine to me.
#10
keveras
Sep 09, 2008 11:42:18
How about "the Shrouded"
or
(Taken from the Shannara books by Terry Brooks) "the Shadowen" (in the books a group of elves and others who found and were subverted by dark magic).

Yeah, the Shrouded sounds good. Now they refer to members of their cult as 'the Shrouded' but 'Cult of Penumbra' is still their formal name.

Anyway, thanks for the proposals, naex and LK
#11
BROM54
Sep 30, 2008 15:30:40 I really like this idea. I have been fooling around with a way to tie the Scepter Tower of Spellguard to Shade Enclave and this has really good potential. Do you think you could help me come up with some more of the Shadow Demons, maybe a little bit lower in lvl that could be used in that module?
#12
keveras
Oct 01, 2008 10:17:28
I really like this idea. I have been fooling around with a way to tie the Scepter Tower of Spellguard to Shade Enclave and this has really good potential. Do you think you could help me come up with some more of the Shadow Demons, maybe a little bit lower in lvl that could be used in that module?

Yes, I could, though I'm quite busy at the moment. What exactly do you need?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 keveras Sep 08, 2008 4:03:40	So this is an idea of mine which I came up with some time ago, but implemented it just now. The point is that not every citizen of Shade can be as highly pleased to worship Shar as some of the more devoted clerics are. So they just want to undermine her power - but not the power of Netheril or Telamont. Inspired by the threats section of the FRCG, this is the result: CULT OF PENUMBRA As worshipping any deity but Shar is forbidden in the lands of Netheril since the spellsplague, some disillusioned shadovar began looking for a new possibility of gaining power. They found one in the Demon Princess of Shadow, Rhyxali. Cult of Penumbra Lore A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. History DC 15: Some few shadovar grew disillusioned with Shar being the one and only legitimate deity for the people of Netheril. In spite the Most High made clear that abandoning Shar’s faith in favour of a different deity means death, some of those rebels came up with a solution – worshipping not a deity but a demon instead. Religion DC 30: Rhyxali is a female demon prince who rules the shadow demons. Unlike other lords, she maintains a low profile. Her servants run a brisk trade in both souls and information as they flit amid the infinite Elemental Chaos. She controls an entire layer in the Abyss, the home of the shadow demons, Shaddonon. Although Rhyxali has slight regard for the Material World or its mortal inhabitants, in recent years a small and secretive cult has spread in the lands of Netheril on the world of Toril. Organization As of the chaotic nature of Rhyxali and the fact that her cult is relatively new and thus small, her mortal servants don’t maintain any particular hierarchy. The only thing she requires is secrecy and gathering all kind information. Headquarters: None in particular; City of Shade Hierarchy: None. Each cultist, who refer to themselves as the Shrouded, is independent and reports recently gathered valid information and secrets to a summoned shadow demon, who in turn reports them to Rhyxali herself. Members: Any evil being associated with shadow that turns her back on her deity, and that is sly enough not to be executed for her treachery, can join Rhyxali’s cult. Those of her cultists, who offer their mistress the most valuable information gain some vile abyssal secret in return, though so far only the most skilled of her cultist have gained anything, except the support of summoned shadow demons. Rhyxali The Demon Princess of Shadow is a powerful but rather unknown demon prince who rules the abyssal layer of Shaddonon.
#2 lord_karsus Sep 08, 2008 10:01:09	-Minor point, but I'd change the name. "Shadow Cult" sounds like something really generic, like [Insert Shadow Cult here]. Even something as minor as "Cult of Shadows" makes it sound better. Other cool sounding names, I think, are: The Shadow Cabal The Umbral Order The Order of Midnight The Wearerers of Black
#3 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Sep 08, 2008 12:37:51	I rather like "The Wearers of Black".
#4 naex Sep 08, 2008 17:18:33	Added to the 4e Running the Realms Links.
#5 lord_karsus Sep 08, 2008 21:22:02	I rather like "The Wearers of Black". -Whoops. I wrote "Wearerers of Black"...:embarrass
#6 naex Sep 08, 2008 23:19:16	This does come close to two of Feist's organizations, at least in names, in his books... The Conclave of Shadows - a group of magic-users dedicated to standing against evil.. and Black Robes - the title/garments of an order of Imperial wizards on Kelewan.
#7 keveras Sep 09, 2008 3:54:59	-Minor point, but I'd change the name. "Shadow Cult" sounds like something really generic, like [Insert Shadow Cult here]. Even something as minor as "Cult of Shadows" makes it sound better. Other cool sounding names, I think, are: The Shadow Cabal The Umbral Order The Order of Midnight The Wearerers of Black Damn, I had Cult of Shadow beforhand, but changed it then. How about 'Cult of Penumbra'? As she regards her cultists as minor (as every demon does), for they are not entirely incorporeal and composed of shadow, she regards them as just some kind of 'half shadows', hence penumbra.
#8 naex Sep 09, 2008 4:20:38	How about "the Shrouded" or (Taken from the Shannara books by Terry Brooks) "the Shadowen" (in the books a group of elves and others who found and were subverted by dark magic).
#9 lord_karsus Sep 09, 2008 9:49:22	How about 'Cult of Penumbra'? As she regards her cultists as minor (as every demon does), for they are not entirely incorporeal and composed of shadow, she regards them as just some kind of 'half shadows', hence penumbra. -Sounds fine to me.
#10 keveras Sep 09, 2008 11:42:18	How about "the Shrouded" or (Taken from the Shannara books by Terry Brooks) "the Shadowen" (in the books a group of elves and others who found and were subverted by dark magic). Yeah, the Shrouded sounds good. Now they refer to members of their cult as 'the Shrouded' but 'Cult of Penumbra' is still their formal name. Anyway, thanks for the proposals, naex and LK
#11 BROM54 Sep 30, 2008 15:30:40	I really like this idea. I have been fooling around with a way to tie the Scepter Tower of Spellguard to Shade Enclave and this has really good potential. Do you think you could help me come up with some more of the Shadow Demons, maybe a little bit lower in lvl that could be used in that module?
#12 keveras Oct 01, 2008 10:17:28	I really like this idea. I have been fooling around with a way to tie the Scepter Tower of Spellguard to Shade Enclave and this has really good potential. Do you think you could help me come up with some more of the Shadow Demons, maybe a little bit lower in lvl that could be used in that module? Yes, I could, though I'm quite busy at the moment. What exactly do you need?