Cults

Although probably one of the least physically threatening groups of antagonists, the cult has the potential to be one of the more horrifying, memorable opponents that any group of PC could face. Faith is a potent force, and history — even today's headlines — is full of examples of what happens when it gets out of hand.

The notion of secretive cults seems far-fetched in a modern era dominated by science and technology, but the lure that draws most individuals into such a group is based more on emotion than intellect. Human vices such as greed, envy, hatred and fear are all powerful tools to motivate and seduce otherwise rational and skeptical individuals. Human insecurities, including the need to belong or the need for self-worth can turn intelligent people into fanatics. The greater the need is, the more passionate the individual’s devotion grows when he is presented with an organization that can meet that need. This is a maxim that Caspian understands very well. In many cases the rank-and-file members of a cult is kept entirely ignorant of the full truth behind their devotions. As long as their individual insecurities are met, most don’t think to question any further, leaving only the cult’s inner circle privy to the truth.

During the War: Like cockroaches that lurk in the woodwork, a network of cults have emerged across the world, pledging their allegiance to the new god.

Despite their mystical origins, a cult is a human institution, constructed on a human scale. A cult is first and foremost an effective means of controlling a group of people, by manipulating their behavior until those people become dependant upon the cult for all their emotional needs. Intellectual and material dependence follows after. Therefore, cults are viewed with extreme suspicion by most governments and dominant religions. Constructing and maintaining a cult is not a straightforward matter in the modern world, even for a genuine supernatural entity.

The attraction of a cult is understandable to some extent. It offers understanding and acceptance away from a less sympathetic world. It gives promises and hope to those who feel isolated and left behind. It is intensely personal and immersive, and to some extent may offer love for love—the love and favor of the cult’s leader or patron in exchange for the love and efforts of the cultist. And it’s a chance to indulge in behavior that would be considered unacceptable in the larger world, be it severe austerity or debauched pleasure-seeking.

Who end up as worshipers? Anybody can be a target for recruitment, but the young are especially willing to defy social norms, buck the system and pray to some alternative god — if only to piss off Mom, Dad and the guidance counselor. The suspension of disbelief and the power of conviction (true, heartfelt conviction) are easier for the young than most adults, so it is the young who are most profoundly affected the strangeness of the Great War. The sense of transition opens their minds to endless possibilities and the wonder of the world around them. The fact that they long for secrets and adventure and strive to find their place in the world gives them a unique perspective, and a willingness to try almost anything, including magick. Even when they suffer from uncertainty and personal anguish or feel lost and out of place, most teens still hold on to their dreams and believe they can accomplish anything if they want it badly enough. Teens and youngsters are also more willing to let go of the past, welcome new ideas and fantastic possibilities, accept things on faith, and embrace that which they do not understand with stubborn conviction. For them, the new and unknown may be scary, but it is also romantic and exciting, encouraging them to reach out and be different. In this case, to grab hold of new ideas and unleash their inner potential through magick.

Others are outcasts from society, often too ugly or unappealing (physically or spiritually) to make friends, or who somehow are unable to socialize and deal with normal life. They end up hating themselves, their place in the world, and society at large. Their rage is such that they are willing to sacrifice a degree of their freedom in order to gain the power they think they need to get their revenge or prove themselves.

But they’re not the only targets. Anybody with even the tiniest vacancy in his soul is vulnerable. The abused, the disenfranchised, the addicted, the depressed — all are potential worshipers, as they tend to look for anything to help fill the holes bored into their self-images. How do they get hooked into such practice? Many ways exist. A heroin addict might be brought into “counseling sessions” (which might even be state-sanctioned) to clean himself up, only to be offered a new addiction in the form of this strange worship. Sometimes, fliers will get posted on high school or college bulletin boards to get curious and experimental adolescents into the practice of worshiping. For everyone else, there are classified ads, self-help books or simply the presence of “that strange church on the corner” to help lure soon-to-be servants like moths to lamplight. The initial lure, however, is typically the opportunity to do something secret and exciting. Something of which parents, church leaders and other authority figures would disapprove. After all, aren’t they the corrupt ones, who have been driving the country into the ground these last decades? Whatever the potential worshipper sees as the problem, the manifestation can present the solution.

Remember, though, that worshipers don’t need rewards granted from on-high. They’re able to see “gifts” from their god in everyday things: a good test score, a lucky break at work or a 10-dollar bill on the sidewalk.