Factor Subversion Fanaticism Concealment Skills Opposed Culture, Disguise, Insight,
Streetwise
Craft (Torture), Influence, Oratory
Lore, Perception, Track
Skills Aided None. Persistence Stealth
Applies In Covert investigation, talking to people, spying on the cult
Overt questioning, torturing, trying to convince cultists to change sides
Searching for physical tracks, looking for concealed evidence or signs of cult activity
The increase in difficulty depends on the cult’s Factor strength:
Factor Strength Modifier
0–10 +/–0% 11–25 +/–10% 25–50 +/–20% 51–75 +/–30% 76–99 +/–40% 100+ +/–50%
These difficulty modifiers are in addition to any regular modifiers. For example, a cult with a Concealment score of 50% gives a –20% modifier to Track tests. A Hieromonk trying to follow the path of a cultist across hard soil (–10%) in the rain (–20%) would face a total –50% penalty to his check; 30% from environmental factors and 20% from the cult’s habits of hiding their tracks.
Investigate the cult and find out what is going on. (See Investigation Difficulty, page 104)
o Optionally, attack the Cult’s factors
Survive the cult’s inevitable counterattack (See Cult Reactions, page 111)
Identify the cult’s leaders and other sources of power (See Cult Leaders, page 109)
Eliminate the leaders and sources of power (see The Final Confrontation, page 109)
Conceal their own activities and ensure that no-one ever knows what happened (See Burying the Cult, page 110)
Example: The Order dispatches three monks to investigate rumours of the living dead near Murraine. The low Subversion means it’s easy for the monks to stay undercover while they investigate the village. The characters attack the cult’s Supernatural power by staking out the
105
graveyard, ensuring the cult cannot get fresh bodies and by stealing and smashing an old Roman icon used by the sorcerer. These two attacks reduce the cult’s Supernatural score down to 50%.
Finally, they creep into the tunnels under the graveyard. Their investigation is hindered by the cult’s Concealment score, which gives a –20% penalty to following the trails underground. Nonetheless, the characters manage to find the cult’s hidden sanctum and eliminate Vunier.
Subversion
As a rule of thumb, the Subversion score measures the proportion of important Non-Adventurers in the area who are members of the cult. If the PCs walk into a village with a Subversion score of 20%, then one in every five significant people they meet will be a cultist. A cult with a Subversion score of 100% means that virtually everyone in the area is a member of the cult. (If the Subversion score is over 100%, then any points above 100 means that the cult has secret spies outside its normal area of influence – maybe even within the Order itself!)
The GM can roll Subversion to see if a random NPC is a cult member or sympathiser. For example, the PCs hear rumours that the cult has a ritual circle in the surrounding hills. The GM expects them to go investigating the hills immediately but the players decide to hire a local guide first. The GM rolls against the cult’s Subversion score to see if the guide turns out to be a secret cult sympathiser.
Using Subversion: The cult may use Subversion to exert social
pressure within its area. If the characters are asking too many questions, then potential witnesses may be pressured into staying silent with a successful Subversion roll. Subversion can also be used as the cult’s Perception analogue – were the characters spotted approaching the town? Roll Subversion to find out.
Detecting Subversion: There are several ways to notice
Subversion, usually via roleplaying and interpersonal Skill Tests. Skill Tests should be modified by the cult’s Subversion, Fanaticism or Concealment, as appropriate.
Insight: ‘You notice that two of the sailors in the inn are
keeping to themselves and throwing the occasional glance in your direction. You think they are watching you.’
Streetwise: ‘Asking around the village, everyone agrees that the
Geraude family is up to no good.’
Culture: ‘That is an… unusual style of village church. For one
thing, Our Saviour is usually depicted with fewer tentacles.’ Dealing with Subversion: The nasty thing about a high
Subversion is that it corrupts the social fabric of a community. Even those who are not part of the cult are unwilling to talk to outsiders, for fear of retribution. Subversion can be reduced by:
Removing witnesses from the cult’s influence. People
are more willing to talk when they do not have the cult around them, pressuring them into silence.
Protecting witnesses from cult retribution. This might involve rescuing hostages, defending a farmstead from cult attackers or evil spirits.
Exposing influential leaders as cult members. If a cult controls a local authority figure, like a priest, respected villager or noble, then eliminating him can free wavering members of the cult to return to God and righteousness.
Fanaticism
Fanaticism measures a cultist’s devotion to the cause. Fanaticism makes the cult harder to defeat, as its members cling to their heretical beliefs with extreme tenacity.
The GM can roll Fanaticism as a quick morale check for cultists, which comes in very handy when cultists run into the surprising physical prowess and wonder-weapons of the Order. Do the cult guards flee when confronted by a band of martial artists armed with chain-swords and Greek fire? Roll Fanaticism.
Using Fanaticism: Fanaticism’s primary use is to resist
interrogation. If the characters are using Influence or torture to extract information or confessions, then Fanaticism helps the cultists resist. The GM may also allow cultists a Fanaticism bonus to Resilience tests if the cultists are fighting to defend their leader.
Detecting Fanaticism: Fanaticism is usually only detected
when the characters try to investigate a cultist only to find their questions rebuffed. Insight and Perception may also be used to spot especially fanatic cult members by their demeanour. Craft (Torture): ‘The cultist screams as you apply the hot irons
but he still won’t talk.’
Oratory: ‘You have preached to crowds before but none so
stony-silent. They have hardened their hearts against the Gospel and will not listen to you.’
Lore (Military Tactics): ‘They fight like those who are already
dead.’
Dealing with Fanaticism: A direct attack on fanaticism is
counter-productive, as cultists already believe they are under attack. Pressuring a believer just reinforces his fanaticism. Acts of surprising mercy and compassion can break down
fanaticism. A cultist who believes that he will be burnt at the stake may be redeemed if instead you free him from the service of evil masters.
Demonstrating the weakness or corruption of the cult leadership can shake the belief of their subordinates. Slaying or humiliating a leader of the cult in the presence of his followers can reduce their fanaticism.
Proving the superiority of God over the cult’s false idols can also help.
mastery of the area it controls; a cult with a high Concealment might have hiding places and secret fortresses everywhere. Roll Concealment to see how well the cult hides evidence.
Using Concealment: A traditional twist in occult investigation
is where the characters find proof of the cult’s activities and try to bring it before the authorities; only to have the evidence disappear. For example, the characters find a mass grave in the dead of night but when they visit it the next morning with the local baron, the grave has been dug up and emptied overnight. Throw Concealment to determine if the cult is able to pull off disappearing acts like this one.