Cultists
Cultist
- Size: Medium or Small
- Type: Humanoid
- Alignment: Neutral
- AC: 12
- Initiative: +1 (11)
- HP: 9 (2d8)
- Speed: 30 ft
| ATTR | VAL | MOD | SAVE |
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 11 | +0 | +0 |
| Dex | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| Con | 10 | +0 | +0 |
| INT | 10 | +0 | +0 |
| Wis | 11 | +0 | +2 |
| CHA | 10 | +0 | +0 |
- Gear: Leather Armor, Scimitar, Shield
- Senses: Passive Perception 10
- Languages: Common
- CR: 1/8 (XP 25; PB +2)
Actions
Scimitar. Melee Attack Roll: +3, reach 5 ft . Hit: 3 (1d4+1) Slashing damage plus 1 Necrotic damage.
Cultist Fanatic
- Size: Medium or Small
- Type: Humanoid
- Alignment: Neutral
- AC: 13
- Initiative: +2 (12)
- HP: 44(8d8+8)
- Speed: 30 ft
| ATTR | VAL | MOD | SAVE |
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 11 | +0 | +0 |
| Dex | 14 | +2 | +2 |
| Con | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| INT | 10 | +0 | +0 |
| Wis | 14 | +2 | +4 |
| CHA | 13 | +1 | +1 |
- Gear: Leather Armor, Scimitar
- Senses: Passive Perception 12
- Languages: Common
- CR: 2 (XP 450; PB +2)
Actions
Scimitar. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft . Hit: 6(1d8+2) Slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) Necrotic damage.
Spellcasting. The cultist casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks):
At Will: Light, Thaumaturgy 2/Day: Command 1/Day: Hold Person
Bonus Actions
Spiritual Weapon (2/Day). The cultist casts the Spiritual Weapon spell, using the same spellcasting ability as Spellcasting.
Lore & Background
Cultists are fanatical devotees who have dedicated their lives to serving dark powers, forbidden deities, or malevolent entities. These individuals have abandoned conventional morality and social norms in pursuit of power, knowledge, or promised rewards from their otherworldly patrons. Cultists come from all walks of life, united not by their backgrounds but by their shared devotion to causes that most civilized people would consider abhorrent or insane.
The transformation from ordinary citizen to devoted cultist rarely happens overnight. Most begin as individuals seeking answers to life's mysteries, power to overcome their circumstances, or belonging in a world that has rejected them. Cult leaders prey on these vulnerabilities, offering simple solutions to complex problems and promising rewards that conventional society cannot provide. Over time, repeated exposure to cult doctrine and gradual escalation of commitment leads to complete devotion.
Cults vary widely in their organization, beliefs, and methods, but they share common characteristics: secretive hierarchies, ritualistic practices, and unwavering loyalty to their cause. Some cults worship ancient evils seeking to return to the world, while others serve extraplanar entities that promise power in exchange for service. The most dangerous cults combine religious fervor with magical knowledge, creating organizations capable of threatening entire regions.
Combat Tactics
Cultists are typically not professional warriors, but their fanatical devotion makes them dangerous opponents who fight with reckless abandon. They prefer to attack in groups, using coordinated tactics and overwhelming numbers to compensate for their individual weaknesses. Cultists often employ ambush tactics, using their knowledge of local areas and their ability to blend in with normal citizens to strike when enemies are unprepared.
Many cults train their members in basic combat techniques and provide them with weapons and armor appropriate to their organization's resources and ideology. Some cultists specialize in particular combat roles, such as spellcasters who channel their patron's power or assassins trained in stealth and poison. The most fanatical cultists are willing to sacrifice themselves for their cause, using suicide attacks or dangerous rituals that harm both enemies and themselves.
Cultists often fight alongside summoned creatures, undead minions, or other supernatural allies provided by their patrons. They use terrain and environmental hazards to their advantage, particularly in locations that have been prepared as cult strongholds or ritual sites.
Encounter Ideas
The Hidden Congregation: A seemingly normal community harbors a secret cult that has been corrupting local institutions and preparing for a dark ritual that threatens the region.
The Recruitment Drive: Cultists are actively seeking new members, targeting vulnerable individuals and using both persuasion and coercion to expand their ranks.
The Ritual Interruption: The heroes must stop a cult from completing a dangerous ceremony that would summon their patron or unleash supernatural forces upon the world.
The Escaped Cultist: A former cult member seeks protection while revealing information about their organization's plans, but their former associates will stop at nothing to silence them.
Environmental Effects
Corrupted Sanctuaries: Areas used for cult activities become tainted by dark magic, creating zones where evil thrives and good struggles to take hold.
Hidden Symbols: Cult markings and symbols appear in seemingly innocent locations, serving as communication methods and territorial markers for cult members.
Supernatural Phenomena: The cult's activities attract or create unusual supernatural events, from strange weather patterns to otherworldly manifestations.
Social Decay: Communities infiltrated by cults experience increased crime, mistrust, and social breakdown as the organization's influence spreads.
Treasure
Ritual Components: Materials used in cult ceremonies, including rare herbs, precious metals, and magical focuses that retain some of their supernatural properties.
Forbidden Knowledge: Books, scrolls, and tablets containing cult doctrine, magical formulas, and information about otherworldly entities and their servants.
Cult Treasures: Wealth accumulated by the organization through donations, theft, or supernatural means, often including coins, jewelry, and valuable artifacts.
Dark Artifacts: Items blessed or cursed by the cult's patron, possessing magical properties that might be useful but come with significant risks or moral implications.
Plot Hooks
The Infiltration Mission: The heroes must go undercover to join a cult and gather intelligence about their plans, requiring careful role-playing and moral decision-making.
The Cult War: Two rival cults are fighting for control of territory or resources, and their conflict threatens innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire.
The Redeemed Cultist: A former cult leader seeks to make amends for their past actions by helping to dismantle their old organization, but trust and redemption don't come easily.
The Generational Curse: A family has been involved with a cult for generations, and breaking free requires confronting both supernatural threats and deeply ingrained psychological conditioning.