Cultlike Intentional Communities

Araxes is thinly populated. Some Imperium Cartographers insist that by their definitions, Araxes is about 175 million short of being defined as occupied. Imperialists, am I right? It is nonsense like that why we go about our business without regard for what they think. Araxes has over 100,000 settlements in the Australe (the southern hemisphere) alone, maybe another 7000 in the Borealis (the northern hemisphere). Because the vast majority of said settlements are deep underground and most sensible people are only outdoors at dawn, dusk, and nighttime, it does create the general impression that Araxes is unoccupied.

Even after you exclude the 109,400 settlements, there are still about 6 million places on Araxes to stand where you can be the only person from horizon to horizon. Araxes is a great place to lose yourself, some are never found again.

Sadly, this makes Araxes susceptible to cultlike intentional communities.

If the residents of an intentional communities have the self discipline and develop the skillsets necessary to survive in the open desert, Araxes is a pretty good place for a cultlike intentional community. Even a small settlement with minimal access to the outside world and limited logistics can probably muster about 25 million Imperium Credits per year to support their community.

The Araxi Desertborn are a spiritual people and don’t generally go in for these mystical extremists. These cultlike intentional communities are populated mostly by offworlders who have ‘gone native’.

For the most part, these cultlike intentional communities seek out the remoteness and desire isolation. Except for the territoriality when people poach in their ‘hood, there is generally very little conflict. As such, we generally employ a live and let live attitude. Such was not always the way, but we try to change with the times. We have some regrettable incidents in our past where we did not tolerate people who worshipped Chaoskampfs as godlike forces of nature.

Dangerous issues emerge when different cults find themselves with crossover or worse conflicts of interest. We recently had a conflict by some devotees of Sleeper of N'kai, devotees of Zhothaqquah, abducted one of the Eaters of the Dead and wished to sacrifice him to Zhothaqquah, and become excreted as a formless spawn forever carrying out the will of Zhothaqquah. It ended badly, although we tell ourselves how it could have been much worse.

Eaters of the Dead

The eaters of the dead are devout monist extremists. We don’t really know where they are settled, mostly the Borealis (Northern Hemisphere). We know only a few of their sacred sites, the Bleeding Trees, Monist Funerary Daises, various places in the Deep Desert

The Bleeding Trees and Monist Funerary Daises are places of immolation and bleeding of the Eaters of the Dead.

These trees are no longer capable of photosynthesis, they are sustained by blood. A carnivorous plant theorized to be fragments from Dark Young of Shub Niggurath who subsist on blood and other bodily fluids.

The Eaters push themselves into extremes of ascetic practice mental exercise to break down the "illusion of opposites". Extreme Monism. They are either ascetic monks or dangerous cultists, depending on who you ask.

They cover themselves in the ashes from the funeral pyres, and eat the flesh of the dead as part of a ritual to arouse the part of the brain that is repulsed by such things, and to learn to wash it away. You can think of it as a specialized form of the litany against fear.

The final sacrament of the eaters of the dead is to attach one's self to the bleeding tree and let the thorns slowly bleed him to death.

Their theory is that they will perceive subjectively more time than they lived, but without the illusions of manna.

Very few are willing to go to such extremes to be liberated from the world of illusions.

The Sleepers of N'kai, devotees of Zhothaqquah

Zhothaqquah is an alleged Great Old One. Virtually sessile, this giant torpid batwinged bloated toad does not even feed himself. Zhothaqquah’s devotees do all the work. I am told they help him chew and swallow his food.

Feeding Zhothaqquah is a one size fits all activity for its devotees. To be fed to Zhothaqquah means to share a few estatic minutes of communion with their god and enjoy what blissful enlightenment from its supposed eons long meditative existence. In exchange, they give up their complete personal agency when excreted from the unholy bowels as a formless spawn, a type of self ambulatory polymorphic brain matter, carrying out the will of Zhothaqquah for all of eternity. This is also what they do for enemies, condemned to stripped of any semblance of personal agency when excreted as a formless spawn carrying out the will of Zhothaqquah for all of eternity.

Devotees seek out those who they think might be worthy to share communion of minds with Zhothaqquah, and gain its favour.

Zhothaqquah and the formless spawn are actually very good at flocculating land, making it fertile, and have a kind of symbiotic relationship with the underdark.

Wormranchers are a very influential group among the Desertborn, they tolerate Zhothaqquah and its devotees and turn a blind eye.

From time to time, we find a black tarlike ichor, combined with the stench of faeces and sautéed neural matter, can only mean devotees of Tsathaggoa. Residue of the formless spawn that carries out the will of the torpid bat-toad old one. Formless spawn, excreted from the unholy bowels of Tsathaggoa himself, polymorphic brain matter carrying out the will of Tsathaggoa.

On rare occasion we find one of the Tsathaggoa Unholy Grotto’s, which are actually very nice and well appointed despite their ancient age. We suspect these are places where devotees are fed to Tsathaggoa. To date, we have not found the location of Tsathaggoa settlements.

Khayal al Ramadia

The Khayal al Ramadia, are an Araxi desertborn group, that mostly supports itself thru smuggling, salvage and trade, which it came to during the Spice Wars. Aligned with the Australis Desertborn, their operations all appear to be in the borderlands and the borealist northern regions.

The name Khayal al Ramadia is said to mean "The Grey Wolves", but the actual literal translation is "Grey Ghosts" or "Grey Shadows"; the name is a reference to a desert inhabiting variety of Grey Djinn.

The leader of the Khayal al Ramadia is given the title of Naib, chosen by a council of elders, who is to manage whatever resources granted to him/her by the council of elders for the tasks determined by the elders.

The Khayal al Ramadia maintains contacts with offworld pirates, smugglers and other groups necessary for the smuggling business.

Although their industry involves circumventing laws, particularly those regarding smuggling, contraband, tariffs, taxes, blockade running, etc, the Khayal al Ramadia maintains a good reputation for being good business people and honouring contracts and other agreements. There is no credible evidence of the Khayal al Ramadia breaking their agreements of contracts. Lower level members of the Khayal al Ramadia are handled harshly if they besmirch the reputation of the Khayal al Ramadia. The Khayal al Ramadia do not much suffer fools and loudmouthed braggarts who speak about criminal activities. Loose lips, neck slit.

To the east of Araxes City, was the smuggler settlement also known as Khayal al Ramadia. Beneath this settlement was a series of tunnels and caves. The smuggler settlement is ruled by the Malik al-Khayal, the King of Shadows, also by appointment of the Khayal al Ramadia Council of Elders. Far in the northern wastelands is another smuggler settlement, The Grand Palace of Endings, ruled by another Malik al-Khayal, King of Shadows. The Naib is not necessarily the ruler of the smuggler settlement, but for a time the Naib was also the Malik al-Khayal of the Khayal al Ramadia smuggler settlement.

The Khayal al Ramadia had worked for many years with the Smuggler/Pirate Group out of the curiously named Necronom Colonies known as the Blood Orchids. This working relationship came to an end when the Blood Orchids abused the relationship by trading a set of cloned eyes implanted in the Hoto Nagi Leader’s top lieutenant which was infected with the Black Pox Plague, making her Patient Zero. Later investigation revealed that the Blood Orchids had scavenged and smuggled the equipment and supplies related to the Black Pox Plague to Araxes during the Pirate outbreak attributed to Jo Massenberg. Spice-horror corpse autopsies during the Black Pox Plague showed that members of the Blood Orchids and the Red Hand (who also helped behind the Khayal al Ramadia’s back) were used as test subjects by the creators of the Black Pox Plague.

Controversially, the Khayal al Ramadia allied with the Hoto Nagi, a group of offworlders from Sirius that claimed to be somehow related to the Desertborn. The Hoto Nagi had an alliance with the Asgard and Myrmidon. The Hoto Nagi had talented exobiology and xeno-medical skills, and were working on some unnamed Ta-Seti issue as well as a solution regarding the Asgard reproductive issues. In exchange, they were given some exemption from the predations of the Ta'Seti and the Myrmidon. While remaining silent about the alliance, unlike the Hoto Nagi, the Khayal al Ramadia did not ally with them nor got involved in their invasions or other aggression.

The Khayal al Ramadia will never stand by for any invasion by offworlders. Low level members who fought under the flag of the Myrmidons and Ta'Seti were expelled or executed. The same when the UNSC claimed the Deep Desert and the Desert Basin East presumably for their benefit.

The Khayal al Ramadia have a mostly friendly relationship with the Australis Desertborn, but often disagree with them about methods and business practices. The Khayal al Ramadia had a good business relationship with the Morlochs while they operated the organized crime underground in Araxes City. The Morlochs have since 'gone legit', and the relationship has cooled somewhat.

The Khayal al Ramadia have a generations long ongoing conflict with a species of invertebrate reptilian insectoid type creatures that afflict the northern wastelands.

The Khayal al Ramadia is on neutral trading and commerce terms with The Tairis – a matriarchal nocturnal desert dwelling group in subterranean settlements in border and northern deep deserts. There are unsubstantiated offworlder rumors that The Tairis secretly support a cult that drinks humani-blood. The Tairis are prodigious spice-miners and excellent mechanics, who trade in spice, water and medical supplies. They do not avoid offworlder contact, but usually only for work or trade. The Tairis have a difficult relationship with the Offworld Militia’s.

There are rumours that the Khayal al Ramadia are also secretly supportive of the alleged blood drinking cult. Both Khayal al Ramadia and The Tairis have been known to smuggle blood, the rumour is thought to be mere professional jealousy over the lucrative black market for medical supply smuggling.

Controversially, the Khayal al Ramadia gave safe refuge within the tunnel and cave system to the dissident group known as the Red Hand. The Red Hand were offworlders brought to Araxes as technicians to work on mining, specifically for the Black Rock Corporation, since just before and during the Spice Wars. Rebelling against their employers and joining with the Desertborn resistance during the Spice Wars. Despite a thousand years in residents and some intermarriage, the Red Hand is still treated as non-Desertborn as if pedigree matters.

The Khamal Alramady have given refuge to the Red Hand since the times of the Spice Wars. This with the expressed understanding that they do not bring their conflict with the Imperium or Imperium Sympathizers to the Khamal Alramady.

The Red Hand and its Marauders

The Marauders are a subset of the Red Hand, an organization of self-styled "freedom fighters" operating in Araxes.

From their pamphlet: "My people... Sons and Daughters of The Marauders. This much I vow: The history of these days will be written in blood. By crushing the armies of our enemy, by seizing the weapons they thought to turn against us, we were fighting for our very existence. But if there are those who would deny us peace; refuse us our rightful place in the universe, then we will unleash such terrible vengeance that generations yet unborn will cry out in anguish!

The enemy may shatter our bodies, but they cannot break our spirit. Even now they advance on our home, to seize by force what they cannot claim by right. They cannot imagine what awaits them. WE WILL SMITE THE INVADERS FROM OUR SKIES! Though they sweep over our lands like the sands of winter, never again will we bow before them; never again endure their oppression; never again endure their tyranny. We will strike without warning and without mercy, fighting as one hand, one heart, one soul. We will shatter their dreams and haunt their nightmares, drenching our ancestors' graves with their blood. And as our last breath tears at their lungs; as we rise again from the ruins of our cities...."

Bear in mind, this pamphlet was written during the Spice Wars over a thousand years ago.

Current numbers of the Red Hand are unknown. There was some reduction during the Black Pox Plague.

Many spice horrors were discovered to have been former members of the Red Hand. A small number of these turned out to be genetically modified clones of key members of the Red Hand and Blood Orchids.

It is thought that the Blood Orchids employ members of the Red Hand in offworld operations.

The Marauders mark their anti-offworlder propaganda with the Red Hand. Their symbol is the red hand which has appeared on various buildings throughout the area. There are many copy cats, including obnoxious children who imitate it.

Our information is that despite presenting itself as a native insurgency, members are in fact the immediate descendants of a group of scientists and researchers who broke off during the Spice Wars, not accepting The Compact with the Imperium. They isolated themselves for years, then became fanatical.

The only known base so far discovered was located underground in the smuggler city of Khayal Alramady, accessible via the tunnel system under the city. There are other bases, presumably all in the north, but they have not yet been discovered.

There is some ambiguity about the Red Hand and the Marauders, related to racial pedigree. It would seem that the Red Hand were brought to Araxes as technicians to work on mining, specifically for the Black Rock Corporation, since just before and during the Spice Wars. Though resident in Araxes for at least a thousand years, the more pedigreed Desertborn do not recognize them as being kindred, despite 40 generations of residence in Araxes and numerous intermarriage.

The Red Hand consider themselves native to Araxes although how far back that went or to what extent they intermarried with other desert born was not clear. They are certainly Anti-Compact, and reside mostly in the northern regions.

It is likely a political based prejudice, masquerading as racial prejudice. It is thought that the antipathy is not related to actual racism, but that the Red Hand jealously kept their Imperium based technology to themselves and did not share.

"In order to protect their research and technology, as well as their own lives, the remaining scientists and technicians from the Black Rock Corporation fled the mines and facilities of the Black Rock Corporation and took up the name of the Marauders in order to hide from the Imperium. As new generations of Marauders were born, the disguise born out of necessity appears to have been imprinted into the new generations as a culture and way of life, instead of just a facade to fool and hide from the Imperium."

The Marauders and Red Hand inhabited the caves underneath Khayal Alramady. People who strayed near the area sometimes disappeared. The Marauders went into hiding again 60 years ago. The most recent warmaster was from the generation born in hiding. The Marauders are technologically advanced and well equipped, albeit woefully uninformed about current events.

The Red Hand reasserted their political dominance over the Warmaster Caste after their attack on a settlement that had been given sanctuary status by the Desertborn. The actual marauders who attacked the Jadeist sanctuary were put down to the sword.

Qol Midbar

The Qol Midbar reside in an underground settlement cut deep into the rock of a cliff, a sanctuary for all native peoples, and home to its traditionalist tribe.

The name Qol Midbar means "Voice of the Desert". The Qol Midbar are religious, resourceful and somewhat aggressive towards offworlders who try and make our land their home.

The Sayyadina can hear the voice of fate and knows the path of time through her use of spice rituals, and thus her position is sacred and protected by the members of the tribe.

The Naib is a military leader who gains his position through strength in combat and skill in tactics.

Laws have a heavenly mandate to the religious Qol Midbar - It would be wise not to break them openly.

Do not fraternise with offworlders without consent.

Non-authorised entry to the sietch by offworlders is punishable by death.

Report all sightings of offworlder spice mining or ships.

Respect to the Sayyadina, who is gifted with greater sight.

Respect to the Naib, who is your elder in experience and bravery.

Work with your tribe in harmony to bring about the greater good.

Do not be wasteful, especially with water.

Keep your integrity and pride in the face of hardships.

Positions under the Sayyadina: Handmaiden/Acolyte, Ecologist/Planetologist, Healer, Spice miner, Scientist, Craftsperson

Positions under the Naib: Warrior/Feday and associated ranks, Strategian, Sandworm Rider, Healer, Sniper, Scout

The Araxi Splintered Sisters

The origins of the Sisterhood are not widely known. What is clear is that they arose in the political turmoil that followed a Nasty Jihad, and quickly established themselves as an influential political force. However, during the Jihad, the Splintered Sisters already had a Mother Superior, which seem to show that their hierarchical structure had already formed. ‡

The other memories that are made available to Reverend Mothers of the Sisterhood provided a wealth of knowledge that reaches far back into Humanity's past, to the days when Humans were bound to Earth. Some physical remnants, such as a surviving painting by Van Gough, also support this connection and provide an anchor point to the distant past.

The primary objective of the Sisterhood is to attain further power and influence and help to direct humanity along a path of insight and stability thru their Training and Breeding program, ultimatley breed a Superior Race

Women unquestionably rule the Sisterhood and while men do maintain some important roles, they are always answerable to the Splintered Sisters Mother Superior.

The Mother Superior maintains ultimate control of the entire order, and invoked almost unquestioned loyalty among the subordinate Reverend Mothers. A Reverend Mother chooses her successor prior to her death, and imparts her memories and personality to her. The inheritance of the Mother Superiors, at times, diverged among multiple Reverend Mothers, usually for tactical reasons. It is fair to assume that such a scenario has not occurred in the past.

Splintered Mother: possesses the strongest tie to the other voices, in charge of the program to breed the heir. She solely directs the breeding program.

The subordinate Reverend Mothers of the Splintered Sisters fulfill many diverse roles, including intelligence gathering, diplomacy, and breeding to continue the objectives of the breeding program. They also pursue more menial roles, with their occupation determined by the quality of their genetic make-up.

Reverend Mothers: Have undergone the Spice Agony and survived. They fill the role of advisors, faculty, historians, geneticists. General authority of the Order for most members and the outside populace.

Proctor Superiors: In charge of a chapter house, each chapter house has:

At least one Truthsayer, taught the ways to invoke the truth trance.

Various Sister agents, concubines, and potential wives.

Numerous Initiates to do the mundane work.

The Sisterhood schools were designed to maximise the physical and mental potential of humanity. As a result, Sisterhood adepts possess abilities rivalled by few.

Physically, a full Splintered Sister can control every muscle and nerve in their body, right down to the individual fibers. They were supreme in the disciplines of prana and bindu. The results of this training were numerous abilities, including:

Oral Analysis: Upon tasting an item, a Sister can break down the food into its ingredients, right down to its chemical composition;

Internal Organic-Chemical Control: Alteration of metabolism to render poisons harmless. This ability was used when potential Reverend Mothers took the Water of Life;

Prana Bindu: Alteration of blood flow, body temperature, heart rate, and level of consciousness, for the purposes of survival in harsh environments, or escaping from bonds;

Weirding Way: Superior hand-to-hand combat abilities. Sisterhood trained men and women were unrivalled in their fighting abilities. Only Imperial Scouts and the Fremen of Arrakis could approach the abilities of a Sister in regards to combat techniques, attack speed, and resourcefulness;Sisterhood mental abilities include supreme levels of discipline. A Sister's mind could alter its level of consciousness, for the sake of relaxation, and hyper-alertness in times of potential danger. Moreover, a Sisterhood trained individual can

Petit Perception: monitor minutiae in others to detect concealed emotions, motivations, agendas, or even physical things such as concealed weapons, a false accent, surgery, or deception in general. This particular skill is useful in detecting face dancers, spies and any with negative Intent.

Cult of the Giant Leviathan

More Properly Known as Livyatan by its devotees.

Leviathan is not a creature that little children can play with (Job 41:5) and is too large for traders to sell (Job 41:6).

In the wild, it takes between 5 and 7 years for a lobster or similar crustaean to grow to 1 pound, that takes about 25 moltings. About 1 molting every 75-100 days.

Under strictly controlled environmental conditions, it takes about 5 years to get to 1 pound.

In the wild, lobsters struggle to molt as often as needed which limits their growth in the wild.

However, if one were to have a dedicated cult which meticulously molted the lobster manually every 75 days once it is no longer capable of doing so itself, it doubles in weight about every 10 years.

SO, how long to create a really monstrous lobster leviathan (or other arthropoid-type monstrous entity)?

It’s a lot of work. About 95 years to get to a man sized arthropoid. In another 105 years, with a properly dedicated cult (of doom), it could grow to about 13 meters length and 27 tons. I am sure the spice helps somehow.

Anyway, obscure and reclusive cult, quietly and diligently growing a giant arthropoid leviathan somewhere in their secret lair. It's spice infused faeces are sometimes found selling on the secondary market, it was how we first became aware of its existence. Demand outstrips supply. By the amount they sell, we estimate that it is at least 20 tons currently.

I don't personally get it. The leviathan does not do anything except eat and molt. Maybe it is just the cult equivalent of a tourist attraction.

They are essentially harmless except to the occasionally nosy interloper who pushes their way into their lair, but that is protected by the "Old Ways Doctrine". There are no consumer complaints or return requests about the leviathan spice infused faeces. Thus, we leave them alone.

Clans of the Old Ways

There are 31 desertborn clans who operate in the xenophobic territorial old ways as if the Spice Wars never happened or as if it never ended. Sadly, they are classified as cultlike intentional communities, but that is protected by the "Old Ways Doctrine" so long as they keep it to their own territories and away from other settlements. the "Old Ways Doctrine" does not protect them about their mischief in or around Araxes City or the starport, they will end up digging asteroids for air like anyone else. It is not a great solution, but it has been working well enough for the past thousand years.

Polar North (2):

(Gold) Okar, smugglers.

(Sand) Panar, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

Intermediate North (4):

(Sand) Duhor, people typically thought of as Warmonger/Marauder types

(Sand) Amhor, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Sand) Raxar, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Steel) Horz, people typically thought of as Warmonger/Marauder types

Equatorial North (6):

(Sand) Ptarth, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Sand) Phundahl, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Sand) Toonol, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Stone) Kamtol, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Sand) Gathol, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Sand) Dusar, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

Equatorial South (4):

(Sand) Kaol, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Sand) Manator, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Sand) Kobol, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Wastelanders) Invak, scavengers and salvagers

Intermediate South (11):

(Sand) Zitidar, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Copper) Xanator, avoid any offworld made technology.

(Steel) Lothar, people typically thought of as Warmonger/Marauder types

(Sand) Jahar, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Copper) Torquas, avoid any offworld made technology.

(Copper) Warhoon, avoid any offworld made technology.

(Sand) Hastor, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Sand) Helium, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Sand) Zor, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Copper) Thark, avoid any offworld made technology.

(Copper) Zodanga, avoid any offworld made technology.

Polar South (4):

(Sand) Ghasta, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Sand) Tjanath, people typically thought of as Bedouin types

(Steel) Dor, people typically thought of as Warmonger/Marauder types

(Stone) Omean, miners other that just spice.

Major Sothothian Cults

For reasons I do not grasp nor care to delve into for greater understanding, Sothotian cults are very popular among the cultlike intentional communities. My parents warned me many times that offworlder culture was susceptible to nihilism.

Much thanks to Midbari Asaqyi Rajara Sundari (friend of the divine) and Trish’Shar Xaris for her help on this list. The Midbari and Trish’Shar Xaris knows more about the cultlike intentional communities than anyone else I know.

The Black Brotherhood is a group of interstellar terrorists dedicated to hastening the return of the Great Old Ones. The Brotherhood is made up of people from all ethnicities and ways of life, and, believing that the Old Ones will awaken soon, and conduct covert operations that they hope will help hasten their awakening. Few of its members are taken alive for interrogation, as the nature of the mission usually ends in horrific bloodbaths.

The Brotherhood of the Beast is a cult that worships Nyarlathotep in his aspect as The Beast. The Brotherhood is dedicated to fulfilling the prophecies of its founder, Nephren-Ka, an Egyptian high priest of Nyarlathotep in the 14th Dynasty.

The Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh serves Nyarlathotep in his aspect as the Black Pharaoh. The cult has connections to the Church of Starry Wisdom, the Cult of the Bloody Tongue, and the Brotherhood of the Beast. It includes a subgroup known as the Children of the Sphinx that specializes in embalming mummies with the heads of animals.

The Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign worships Hastur in his aspect as the King in Yellow. The cult is led by a group of near-immortal humans from the technologically and physically advanced realm of K'n-yan. The cult is theorized to have originated in the so-called subterranean lands, though other credible evidence links it to the serpent people of Valusia.

The Chesuncook Witch Coven, also known as the Cult of the Skull, worships the Outer God Shub-Niggurath. Their rites supposedly include entering a cavern and descending six thousand steps to a pit filled with hungry shoggoths.

The Chorazos is a sect dedicated to the Outer God Yog-Sothoth. The cult developed an unwholesome reputation and was eventually disbanded by local vigilantes. The cult returned in modern times, attempting to awaken Yog-Sothoth. Its name suggests an allusion to Choronzon.

The Church of Starry Wisdom, also known as the Starry Wisdom Cult, is a cult that worships Nyarlathotep in his aspect as the Haunter of the Dark, as described in the story of the same name. The cult was founded in by the archaeologist and occultist Professor Enoch Bowen after having found the tomb of the previously unknown pharaoh Nephren-Ka. The cult used an age-old sacred relic known as the Shining Trapezohedron to summon the Haunter of the Dark, who demanded outrageous sacrifices in return for certain knowledge about the universe.

Mysterious disappearances brought the cult under public scrutiny. After run-ins with both local citizens and the municipal government, the church closed. However, there is veiled evidence that they were dealt a more summary kind of justice than banishment. If merely banished, they would have taken the Shining Trapezohedron with them. The church held an extensive library of occult literature. The majority of these books were removed by one Doctor Dexter after the church was raided following the mysterious death of Robert Blake. Though officially disbanded, the Church of Starry Wisdom has appeared in other places.

The Cult of the Bloody Tongue is a cult devoted to Nyarlathotep. The group has branches in other parts of the world, but the original sect is by far the most powerful.

The Esoteric Order of Dagon was the primary religion of the town of Innsmouth, Massachusetts in the early 20th century. Its members were dedicated to the worship of Father Dagon, Mother Hydra, and Cthulhu.

Other Sothothic Cults (ordered by their objective of devotion):

Azathoth Witch Cult (Azathoth)

Blood of the Heart (Chaugnar Faugn)

House of the Black Lotus (Chaugnar Faugn)

Bringers of Fire (Cthugha)

The Slaves of the Flame Undying (Cthugha)

Nestarian Cult of Cthugha (Cthugha)

Esoteric Order of Dagon (Cthulhu)

First United Church of Cthulhu

House of the Dreaming Master (Cthulhu)

Monhegan Island Cult (Cthulhu)

Church of the Glorious Return (Cthulhu)

Aa'es Dur (Hastur)

Brethren of Haida (Hastur)

Secret order of the Wind Walker (Ithaqua)

La societe internationde des etudes atlantologiques (SIEA) (Lloigors)

Maltbee County cult (Lloigors)

Arkham Witch Cult (Nyarlathotep)

Believers (Nyarlathotep)

Brotherhood of the Skin (Nyarlathotep)

Bua Glas (Nyarlathotep)

Cult of the Floating Horror (Nyarlathotep)

Cult of the Sand Bat (Nyarlathotep)

Cult of Death's Herald (Nyarlathotep)

New World Industries (Nyarlathotep)

Cult of the Spiraling Worm (Nyarlathotep)

Barrington Coven (Shub-Niggurath)

Braylea Coven (Shub-Niggurath)

Chesuncook Witch Coven (Shub-Niggurath)

Skoptsi (Shub-Niggurath)

Goatswood Cult (Shub-Niggurath)

Children of Yidhra (Yidhra)

Dragon Lords (Yig)

La Culebra la union (Yig)

Brotherhood of Light (Yith)

The Motion (Yith)

Yog Residents Association (Yog-Sothoth)

The Sound and Light Club (Yog-Sothoth)

Templehill Cult (Yog-Sothoth)

Army of the Third Eye (Great Old Ones and Outer Gods and their servitors)

Bearers of the Mark (Great Old Ones and Outer Gods and their servitors)

It should be noted that several of the Primordial Alien Species (Many known to us thru the Spatium Tempus Navigatium Corpus) each have a history of religious devotion to the various Sothothic Outer Gods and Great Old Ones.

Yithians (Great Race of Yith) revered Yog Sothoth.

The Yuggothians (Mi-Go) worshipped Shub Niggurath.

The Yaskshtondians (Flying Polyps) considered themselves devotees of Nyarlhothep in all of its incarnations.

The Elderians (Elder Things) have a long standing relationship with Hastur.

The Xotherians are the ardent devotees of Cthulhu, and often go by the name of Cthuli or Star Spawn of Cthulhu.

Byakhee are known devotees of Hastur tracing back at least to Carcosa, and maybe back further. They were famously known as driving out the Yuggothians (Mi-Go) and the worship of Shub Niggurath from Aldebaran.

The Dagonians (Deep Ones, also known as Nommos in the Sirius system) worship Dagon and Mother Hydra as the parents of their civilization and culture, but Cthulhu is their primary god and were his servants for millions of years.

Wendigo invariably worship Ithaqua.

The Droxilians, Nazgoth, DevaNagaRaja, Chi-Tauri, Serpent Men, and Lloigors have been variously known to worship Yig (The Father of all Reptiles), but also Yidhra and Ubbo-Sathla.

The Arisians and Kelvan, both currently staunchly atheists, are thought to have been devotees of Ubbo-Sathla in their antiquity.

It is unknown the religious affectations of the Garudas, but they have been opposing the schemes of the Arisians, Kelvan, Droxilians, Nazgoth, DevaNagaRaja and Lloigors for millions of years, going back to their home galaxy of Andromeda.

The Serpent Men are often discovered involved in the cult of Tsathaggoa, as a sect of Shub Niggurath worship.

Shamblers, thought to be denizens from Nyog-Sothep, show some evidence of devotion to Nyog-Sothep as a divine entity.

Semi-sentient Ghasts, Gaunts, Ghouls and other horrows show evidence of devotion to Yog-Sothep, Nyarlhothep, and Shub Niggurath.

Formless Spawn exist to serve the will of Tsathaggoa, they are literally born (excreted) to do so.

There is a theory that semi-sentient Shuggoths and even pseudo-sentient proto-shoggoths were involved in the worship of Hastur during their period of servitude to the Elderians, but prior and after worshiped the primordial entity of Ubbo-Sathla as their creator. Some Shuggoths might still worship Hastur in their way.

Unsurprisingly, the Dark Young of Shub Niggurath worship their sire, Shub Niggurath, and exist to carry out her will and act as her proxies.

How To Be A Quality Cultist:

Recently, the Society For Evil Overlords and the Evil League of Evil and the Guild of Calamitous Intent have noticed a regrettable decline in the availability and quality of fanatical henchmen, evil priests, and willing sacrificial victims. To correct this growing problem, they have submitted the following general guidelines for Cultists.

Pick one faith and stay with it. Dilettantism is the mark of the amateur.

Avoid needless embarrassment. Practise the correct pronunciation of your deity's name in the privacy of your own room before chanting it in public. Flash cards are often helpful.

Never eat anything bigger than your head.

Avoid all cabalistic jewelry over ten pounds in weight -- it attracts unwelcome attention from tourists, policemen, various supernatural creatures, and can be downright dangerous during thunderstorms.

Citronella candles may not be used in rituals. I cannot stress this enough. Pastel-colored candles in the shape of cute animals are like beacons to the Powers of Darkness.

Always keep your kit with you: candles, chalk, incense, silver knife, Thuggee cord, service revolver, garlic, Yellow Sign, cabfare, condoms, and change.

NEVER be the cultist that goes to rough up the hero(es). Ransacking hotel rooms is probably safe, but going 'round to beat up the good guys is a sure route to the bottom of the Thames.

When the Black Mass goes awry, stay away from the Evil Priest. Enraged demons always go for the pompous.

Don't gloat. If you can't resist gloating, don't reveal your plans. If you do gloat and reveal your plans, don't leave the hero(es) to die slowly; they rarely ever do. If you gloat, reveal your plans, and leave the hero(es) to die slowly, don't have the audacity to look surprised when they turn up at the last moment to foil your evil plot.

The hero (or heroes) will always show up at the last possible moment to foil your plans. With this in mind, start half an hour early -- they hate that.

Plan ahead by selecting ceremonial robes that are easy to run in while still affording ample concealment.

Never screw anything whose genetic structure you are not absolutely comfortable with.

Never admit to screwing anything whose genetic structure you are not absolutely comfortable with.

When a religious artifact begins emitting light, CLOSE YOUR EYES. Thousands of cultists could be saved every year if they'd just remember this simple safety tip.

When mutilating cattle, avoid the ones with testicles.

During ritual sacrificing, taking bits home for later is now generally considered "bad form."

Blood tests are now required for all sacrificial victims before the ritual. The effects of HIV+ offerings on the average malefic deity have never been witnessed by anyone living, or even intact.

Contrary to historical belief, drugs and invocations do not mix. When the shit comes down, it is vitally necessary to be able to discern between the gibbering monstrosity to throw the holy water on and the gibbering monstrosity that will fade away after a few hours, some B-complex, and a good hot bath.

Never play strip Tarot.

Piety and belief are powerful things, and few forces in nature can stand against one who is true to his faith, his God, and his own soul. However, it is also true that the Gods tend to side with the heaviest artillery, so be prepared change sides at the drop of a hat.

For those situations where a fresh, living sacrifice is just not feasible (or even possible), the lower ranks of demons can be fooled by microwaving a previously-frozen chunk of ex-victim and cleverly jiggling it. However, a mock victim sculpted from Spam (tm) is right out.

Abdul al-Hazred's Big Boffo Book of Daemons, by Jay Mackley

See Jane.

See Dick.

See Spot.

See Fluffy.

See Dick's friend Sath.

See Sath draw on the ground.

Sath needs to have some blood.

Run Fluffy, run.

He escaped.

That was lucky.

Spot was not so lucky.

Splat Spot, splat.

See Sath start the ancient rite.

See Jane dance.

See Dick writhe.

See Sath change.

See Sath grow.

See Tsathogghua.

See Tsathogghua eat Dick and Jane.

Oh Dear.

*******************************************************

See the mountain. See the plateau.

See Randolf Carter. Climb Randolf, climb.

It is very cold.

Here is the plateau. Here is a temple.

It is washed in the waxen light of a fungoid

and fantastically gibbous moon.

See it shining on monstrously old

petrographs hewn into the palogean basalt blocks.

Don't go inside Randolf. Silly Randolf.

Here is a name on the wall.

Don't read it Randolf.

"Iggy" reads Randolf. Silly Randolf.

See Ygolonac. Run Randolf, run.

Faster Randolf, faster! Too slow.

See Ygolonac..

See Randolf wake up screaming.

It was all a dream.

Wasn't it?

*******************************************************

See Abhoth.

See the investigator.

See the investigator gasp "Abbe...".

See a thousand abominations crawl, flap and

wriggle towards the noise.

Oh Dear.

Run investigator, run.

See Abhoth corruscate fantastically.

Oh Dear.

Poor Investigator.

********************************************************

See Dick.

See Cthulhu.

See Dick see Cthulhu.

See Dick lose a grip on sanity.

Run Dick, run.

Faster Dick, faster.

Dick has an idea.

What is that he's drawing on the ground?

A five pointed star with a flaming eye in the

middle?

Oh it's an Elder Sign

Clever Dick!

See Cthulhu see the Elder sign.

Poor Cthulhu.

*********************************************************

See the librarian.

See the librarian look.

See the librarian copy blasphemously ancient

horrors from that hideous tome that hints at

unknown terror far beyond the reason of man.

See the librarian write the name.

It is spelt: H-A-S-S-I-E.

Hear the librarian say that which should not

be said.

See Hastur....

Poor librarian.

*********************************************************

See the heavy metal band.

They call call themselves the "Yogs".

See their stage show.

Oh, what a strange star. It has an eye in the middle.

See them mouth strange soundless syllables.

See the strange globes of light.

See Yog-Sothoth; no, don't look at Yog-Sothoth.

Too late.

Poor heavy metal band.

Poor insane, deranged, psychotic heavy metal band.

********************************************************

See the dark moonless night.

See the sheperd alone on the moor.

See his lost goat.

"Here Shubbie, here Shubbie", says the shepherd.

See the stones.

See the stones glow.

See the stones bathed in the baleful light of 1,000 black candles.

Oh dear, poor Shubbie.

What a mess.

See Shub-Niggurath, dark goat with a thousand young.

See the sheperd.

I can't see the sheperd.

Where is he?

Oh!!

See Spot.

See Spot run.

See Spot run from mighty Cthulu, Master of R’lyeh, dark god of chaos and personification of all that is evil in this universe.

Run, Spot, run.

See Dick.

See Dick crack.

See Dick crack and go completely mad after witnessing things man was not intended to see, and which the human mind can not fathom.

Crack, Dick, crack.

See Jane.

See Jane worship.

See Jane worship at the dark altar of the Great Old Ones, who shall cleave the cosmos in twain and feast on the flesh of the living.

Worship, Jane, worship.