Cultist Merits and Extras

[Yossarian]

Does this include some of the unnamed five-dot mystery cult benefits that seem unnatural but aren't named Supernatural merits, such as the final powers for The Fellowship for Justice or the Hell Thieves?

Up to the ST. I’d probably say yes, but I think the Primordial Cult merit covers a lot of that stuff, at least in an abstract way.

[Master Aquatosic]

Does this include some of the unnamed five-dot mystery cult benefits that seem unnatural but aren't named Supernatural merits, such as the final powers for The Fellowship for Justice or the Hell Thieves?

[Yossarian]

I have an incredibly stupid question, but: can a Beast (or other supernatural, for that matter) have dots in their own Mystery Cult Initiation?

It’s down to the ST, although a monster wouldn’t get access to any supernatural Merits. Mage does have Mystery Cult Influence, which is effectively the same Merit, but it explicitly states that you have control over the cult, and you have to buy in at the three dot level, minimum.

[Demigod Beast]

I have an incredibly stupid question, but: can a Beast (or other supernatural, for that matter) have dots in their own Mystery Cult Initiation?

[Wormwood]

Loving this! The concept of the Cult leader’s family leaving an Impression on the Cultists Was something I was looking for. Sharing the hunger in some way is also a very nice touch.
Definitly goint to use hungry, gorgon ' s mien and stronghold.

[21C Hermit]

In short, it drives humans to be more sinful and messes with their sanity. That was first edition, though, so that's subject to change.

Aww, I though this was a sneak reference of 2E Underworld

Still, nice to see new content like this!

[Yossarian]

Side effects of travelling the Underworld?

In short, it drives humans to be more sinful and messes with their sanity. That was first edition, though, so that's subject to change.

[21C Hermit]

Side effects of travelling the Underworld?

[Eternal Darkness]

This is amazing. Thanks, Yossarian.

[Yossarian]

So, the Beast Player's Guide is out and it sounds like you all are digging it. I did the section on Primordial Cults and Heralds, and I've been saving up a bit of material that either didn't fit in my word count, or that I thought up afterward and couldn't include. Rank-and-file cultists didn't get much in the way of crunch, as they can just purchase Mystery Cult Initiation, but if you want some more oomph for your cultists (and Heralds) here are some merits. I've also included mechanics for the example cults from the book, as well as a couple others I cut for space.

Standard disclaimer: This is not official material, has not been developed or playtested, and is subject to change.

Cultist Merits

Hungry (••)
Prerequisite: Human
This Merit uses the same mechanics as the Vice-Ridden Merit (Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook, p. 46). Your character gains her cult leader’s Hunger as an additional Vice.

Giant’s Gait (•••)
Prerequisite: Anakim cultist
A Giant’s cultists might not carry her bulk, but they know how to maximize their natural aptitudes. Once a scene, you can double your effective Strength for a turn for the purposes of Brawl or Athletics rolls (and derived traits), gaining an exceptional success on 3 successes instead of 5. If you are using the Chase rules (Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook, p. 84), your character always starts with the Edge, unless your opponent has a supernatural means of doing so.

Lurker’s Slyness (•••)
Prerequisite: Eshmaki cultist
The Eshmaki spread fear by joining with the darkness, and that touch of shadow infects their servants. You never suffer penalties for acting in darkness as long as there’s at least a wisp of light. At the cost of a Willpower, you can re-roll a failed Stealth roll; if this is a contested action, you can spend a Willpower to add your dots in Stealth as automatic successes, after you have rolled.

Outsider’s POV (•••)
Prerequisite: Inguma cultist
Deep down, people know the Inguma’s cultist is other, but that fear affords her a window into subconscious behavior. For every fifteen minutes you spend with a stranger, gain a cumulative +1 modifier on Social maneuvers with him (maximum +5) for the rest of the day. At the cost of a Willpower, you can break down your target’s social defenses, either eliminating his first door without rolling, or increasing your effective Impression by one step.

Leviathan’s Insight (•••)
Prerequisite: Makara cultist
The depths the Makara are native to hold more than mere horrors, and their cultists have learned to tap into that wisdom. When you encounter a supernatural creature and it uses one of its special abilities, you automatically have a sense of what kind of monster it is, though not necessarily its specific subtype or its capabilities. This does not work on Unchained demons. At the cost of a Willpower, you do not suffer the untrained penalty on Mental Skills for a scene, or you can gain the 8-again quality on a single Research action.

Gorgon’s Mien (•••)
Prerequisite: Namtaru cultist
Fear is a blunt instrument, and the Namtaru’s servant is a battering ram. Once a scene, you can double your Presence for a turn on any roll meant to frighten, disgust, or intimidate other humans, and gain an exceptional success on 3 successes instead of 5, applying a Condition to the victim. If a Beast other than your master attempts to use a Nightmare on you, you can spend a Willpower to negate its exceptional success effect.

Captor’s Bonds (•••)
Prerequisite: Talassii cultist
The Talassii are masters of confinement and escape, and the same is true of their servants. You gain an exceptional success on 3 successes on any roll to escape captivity (being tied up, locked in a room, etc.), and never suffer situational penalties for lacking the proper equipment to regain your freedom. Once a scene, you can win a grappling contest without rolling, using your dots in Brawl as effective successes.

Raptor’s Eye (•••)
Prerequisite: Ugallu cultist
The Ugallu teach their followers to be mindful of minutiae. Once a session, you can re-roll a failed Investigation or Perception roll; if this is an extended action, you can spend a Willpower to take additional rolls equal to your dots in Investigation. If you are using the Investigation subsystem (Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook, p. 77), once a session if you fail on a roll to uncover a Clue, it does not gain the Incomplete tag unless it is supernatural in nature.

Stronghold (••• or ••••)
Prerequisites: Herald, Safe Place •
Heralds can build their own special lairs. You have control over a location that exhibits one of your Beast’s Minor Lair Traits. For the cost of a Willpower, you can control this environment with a weak psychic connection, making an attack roll using Resolve + Occult, with a +1 bashing damage rating. For four dots, the damage is lethal. Human members of your cult are immune to this environment.

Sample Beast Mystery Cults

The Classics Society
• An Academics Specialty in Research
•• A dot of Contacts (Historians) or (Occultists)
••• A two dots in Library (Occult)
•••• Omen Sensitivity
••••• Once a session, upon interacting with a magical relic, the character automatically senses its weak point (e.g., its exact Durability) and purpose.

The F.R.I.E.N.D. Method
• An Empathy Specialty in Trauma or Fear
•• A dot of Allies (Money Launderers)
••• A dot of Empathy, Expression, or Medicine
•••• Aura Reading
••••• Once a session, members of this cult can spend a Willpower to upgrade a success to an exceptional success on any roll they make to soothe someone’s fears. This increases Impressions to Perfect for the purposes of Social maneuvering.

Lodge of the Red Owl
• A Stealth Specialty in “Most Dangerous Game”
•• Good Time Management (ignore prerequisite)
••• A dot of Athletics, Firearms, or Weaponry
•••• Common Sense
••••• Members become Wolf-Blooded, and can join the Final Peace on the sacred hunt with her Uratha packmates.

Research & Recovery
• An Investigation Specialty in Paranormal
•• Multi-Lingual (Mandarin, Spanish)
••• Two dots in Anonymity
•••• Trained Observer (•••)
••••• Members can call on up to five dots of Allies, Retainer, and/or Contacts representing supernatural beings (vampires, mages, etc.) once per month, per each locale they visit

The Fellowship for Justice believe that unfair punishment is the gravest sin. The cult works primarily through community outreach, but it also collects dirt on corrupt officials. So far, this works well for Kali, it's secret leader. It gives her peopleto answer to, even if most of her followers only know her as her Herald’s assistant. One day soon she might show them what she really is. She thinks they can forgive that.

• An Politics Specialty in Social Justice
•• A dot of Contacts (Internal Affairs)
••• Virtuous: Just
•••• Laying on Hands
••••• Once a session, members can spend a Willpower to downgrade a success to a failure on anyone’s attempt to commit an injustice. This causes the Spooked Condition.

The Hell Thieves spelunk through the Great Below, and they won’t stop until they’ve mined everything of worth. Led by the Giant Khafra, this band of tomb raiders travel the Underworld in search of exotic pieces. With each relic recovered, and each ghost bottled, the Chambers in Khafra’s Lair bring him closer to building his own Dead Dominion in the Primordial Dream.

• An Occult Specialty in Ghosts
•• Direction Sense
••• Two dots of Hardy or Indomitable
•••• Three dots of Esoteric Armory
••••• Immunity to side effects of travelling the Underworld and a three dot Safe Place in the Autochthonous Depths