Cults in Seattle

Cults are not casual friend groups, nor are they fun meeting zones. They are potentially-deadly philosophical groups that Kindred either willingly join or find themselves trapped within. While cults may have a friendly frontfacing recruitment process, they still have their agenda; Kindred are recruited because their body and/or mind will serve the cult’s purpose. Any cult leader worth their salt will cut their losses when it comes to someone with loose lips or who is too open about their activities to non-members. Leaking secrets, being negligent in their secrecy, and similar lax or careless behavior might warrant expulsion or other reactions/consequences taken by the cult leadership.

The presence of cults in the domain is not unknown to the factions of Seattle; however, beneath Camarilla rule they view cults as potential dangers despite the fact that some might be less overtly distrusted than others. Some cults are tolerated, some are distrusted, and others are outright forbidden. Those are that tolerated or distrusted are nevertheless watched by the factions; a steady eye is turned upon any activities once they believe or know someone might be a member of a cult. Being tolerated or distrusted doesn’t mean these cult members are safe from faction-led consequences; the factions are always ready to take actions in preservation of the domain. Those cults that are outlawed — these had best hope that none of their members are ever caught; otherwise they and every other cult member their captors can torture out of them will be destroyed.

(Joining any cult does mean a player must be willing to accept potential risks to their character ranging from status flaws up to and including Final Death, depending on which cult it is and what they’ve done to draw attention. The status of a cult in the domain cannot be increased due to PC action; an outlawed cult will always be outlawed for example. However, if members of tolerated/distrusted cults all begin to breach heavily or cause severe stress for faction leadership, their cult’s status may temporarily be decreased.)

These are some of the known cult leaders. While they may not be fully known in-game, these have been revealed OOC so that players may facilitate their character joining a cult. Pursuing a group without a leader may reveal that person in the future, if a local leader exists.

These people may become a PC mawla, but they will only help in cult-related tasks.

OOC Known Cult Leaders
Mithraic Mysteries – Marcellus, Ventrue
Bahari – Eleanor, House Carna Tremere
Nephilim – Nicky Toscano, Toreador
Cult of Shalim – Morgan Pembroke, Lasombra
Cult of Ur-Shulgi – Ikraam, Banu Haqim

Mithraic Mysteries

Tolerated by the Factions of Seattle. While London’s courts have fallen and Mithras himself is no longer a great power, his cult, unlike many others, is one of law and rigid order. Their loyalty is not to the Camarilla but they are unlikely to cause any great breaches. So long as they behave, their activities would be tolerated in Seattle’s domain.

Bahari

Outlawed by the Factions of Seattle. Any kindred caught preaching the word of Bahari publicly will be held suspect or shunned by the Factions, depending upon the severity of the Ba’ham’s offense.

Cultivars 

Disapproved/Outlawed by the Factions of Seattle. A Bahari-like sect with its base in Chicago, very few kindred are likely to even know of its existence. However, should any Cultivars be discovered within Cross’s domain, they would share their sister-cult’s status.

Golconda

Allowed by the Factions of Seattle. Most variants of the search for Golconda are looked upon with a sort of benign bemusement by those who are not themselves true seekers. They see adherents of the path as misguided at worst, and generally harmless. There is one exception to this, however. (Detailed below.)

The One True Way (Golconda)

Outlawed by the Factions of Seattle. The Golconda cult as preached by the Master of Ravens in his pamphlet The One True Way is seen as a Masquerade breach in the making, as well as a dangerous and deadly cult. Ownership of the pamphlet is banned, and any hint that the Master of Ravens is setting up a cell of the cult in Seattle would be met by swift action.

Church of Set

Tolerated by the Factions of Seattle. The Setites can be useful as long as they do not make too much trouble. They serve a useful function in Kindred society, and so they are tentatively tolerated, if only because they make convenient scapegoats… and because they tend to have leverage on those who come to them for their services. Tolerated, but never trusted.

Nephilim 

Distrusted by the Factions of Seattle. A hedonistic cult, populated and run mainly by Toreadors, it would be very easy to underestimate the Nephilim as little more than a gathering of sybarites wasting their unlives on debauchery. However, disturbing rumors have reached the ears of some Camarilla officials, and the cult itself seems strangely well-organized for a bunch of revelers. For now, they are being watched.

Church of Caine

Tolerated by the Factions of Seattle. The Cainite Heresy has long, deep roots, and while its resurgence in modern nights is a surprise and something of a mystery, as yet the gnosis preached by the Heretics does not seem to threaten much. A Justicar, Juliette Parr of the Malkavians, has sent word that any missionaries of the Heresy are not to be opposed. Her reasons for this are a matter of debate.

Ashfinders

Outlawed by the Factions of Seattle. With its anti-Camarilla nature, and its ranks being filled almost entirely by the Thin-blooded, there is no welcome for this diablerie-happy and Anarchic cult to be found in Seattle, particularly in light of the attempted uprising by Thin-bloods which Seattle has only recently weathered. (Note: This cult is banned on server for PCS.)

Cult of Shalim

Distrusted by the Factions of Seattle. A relatively new and relatively unknown cult, the Shalimites have not at this time brought themselves much to the attention of the local Tower. However, their destructive and nihilistic ethos is unlikely to meet any approval, particularly given their association with former enemies, the Lasombra.

Amaranthans

Distrusted by the Factions of Seattle. While the Amaranthans have long operated with the tacit approval of most kindred due to their avowed hatred for diablerie, the shifts in power in modern nights have brought new distrust upon them. Prior to the Sabbat’s dissolution, members of that amaranth-happy sect were the bulk of the Amaranthans’ victims; but these nights, even Camarilla members of high rank have begun to fall prey to these arbiters of vengeful justice.

Cleopatrans

Allowed/Tolerated by the Factions of Seattle. Who cares if some sewer rats want to  dress up nice? And in any case, no one outside the Cleopatrans themselves knows there’s anything more to it than harmless self-deception.

Cult of Isis

Distrusted by the Factions of Seattle. Taking in and teaching abandoned fledglings is a good idea, in theory; and the Camarilla under Cross has promoted it as a method to contain breaches and defend against the SI’s watchful eye. But a cult or sect growing in membership, and one populated in great part by Caitiff, is never one which will be entirely trusted; a watchful eye will need to be kept, lest this strength threaten the Tower itself in domains in which the cult has entrenched.

Eyes of Malakai

Outlawed by the Factions of Seattle. Vicious, unstable predators who often fall to wighthood and, even when they have not, nevertheless still lose all sense of the humanity to which they’d clung and begin to turn upon their former companions in unpredictable and deadly ways? Why on earth would that sort of thing be frowned upon? (Note: This cult is banned on server for PCS.)

Gorgo’s Nest

Outlawed by the Factions of Seattle. As deadly and dangerous as the Bahari, despite despising them, the Gorgo’s Nest cultists are almost entirely low humanity and low on fucks to give, too. Despite targeting abusers, they show no compassion for the abused, only a desire for bloody vengeance of the nastiest sort. No stable domain would welcome these women. (Note: This cult is banned on server for PCS.)

Los Hijos de Si 

Tolerated by the Factions of Seattle. A sort of Mystery Cult endemic to Peru and Bolivia, Los Hijos are, by and large, not destructive, not unstable, and… not in Seattle. If any were to visit, it’s unlikely their ethos or actions would draw the ire of the Primogen or Prince.

The Meneleans

Allowed/Approved by the Factions of Seattle. One of the few cults whose aims are almost entirely constructive rather than destructive, Meneleans have long been pillars of Camarilla domains… like their founder and master, Menele himself. With Menele now gone to the Beckoning and presumed dead, his cult is in disarray; but those who cling to the principles by which they have always lived their unlives will find welcome in the Camarilla of Seattle.

Sons and Daughters of Helena

Tolerated by the Factions of Seattle. This cult, or pyramid scheme, is not overtly destructive and does seem to provide inspiration to its adherents. They might lose resources in serving the cult and, supposedly, Helena herself; but they don’t generally lose their humanity or their lives.

Servitors of Irad

Outlawed by the Factions of Seattle. Vicious warmongers who seek only to drench the world in blood and bring back the Antediluvians whom they consider their masters, even the Sabbat might find the Servitors a little much.