Powerful sorcerers are raising the dead. Shapeshifters are crashing
ships. People are becoming obsessed with a local tavern, and they’ll do
anything necessary to earn more gold to spend there.
Brother Mesrop’s Compendium of Minacious Cults and Secret Societies
provides detailed information on twenty different cults and secret societies. It
is designed as an in-game artifact that GMs can give to their players to
discover information about the enemies they are facing. The groups typically
involve spells, dark magic, monsters, or fantasy species (such as elves and
dwarves), and the book should work well with most games that take place in a
fantasy world. It is a completely system-neutral guide. No stats are included,
allowing the GM to create stats that fit their world, player levels, and gaming
system.
This information is designed to be incorporated into tabletop role-playing
games, but people who like reading lore may enjoy the storytelling aspect of
this book as well. Everything is written from the point of view of Brother
Mesrop, a character who has no love for dark magic or evil cults.
To use this book, GMs can roll a d20 to select a group at random, or
they can read over the cults and secret societies and pick the one they want to
incorporate into their game.
If the players already know which group they’re facing, the GM can give
them the book and have them read the appropriate section to learn tips and
warnings. If the players do not know which group they’re facing, the GM can
give them the book and have them try to figure out which group they’ve
encountered based on clues and tell-tale signs. For example, if the players
know that wealthy merchants are giving away their money, they might narrow it
down to the Yardstick Society or the Maggots of Orimbus. If people are becoming
obsessed with a local tavern, they might narrow it down to the Barmaids’ Guild
or That Which Lives Between. If magical creatures are disappearing, either the
Worshippers of the Gem of Maggold or the Hide Donners could be to blame. Then
the players would have to investigate more to determine which one it is.
Each entry is broken into four sections. The introduction provides basic
background information. The “Vile History” section explains how the group came
to be. The “Warning Sides to Abide” section provides information that may be
helpful when identifying the group, as well as useful tips on how to avoid
danger. The “Frightening Encounter” section provides an example of someone who
encountered the group and often serves as a warning on what not to do.
The Gamemaster's Guide includes this information, as well as a brief summary of each cult.
Available in PDF and paperback at DriveThruRPG.
