THE KORRANBERG(M� ON�(l(
RAID REVEALS
CULT CHAOS
The people of Fairhaven were shocked by the revelation
of bizarre cult activity in the center of one of that city's
most trusted institutions. Acting on a tip from the Royal
Eyes of Aundair, elite forces raided a House Vadalis
facility and discovered a nightmare. Captain Allis says
that her soldiers discovered a beating heart that filled an
entire room, pumping blood through veins in the walls
of the building. According to Allis, the staff claimed to
be "creating the heart ofGalifar," apparently believing
that if completed, this monstrosity could reunite the
shattered kingdom.
When pressed to comment, Patriarch Dalin d'Vadalis
denied any connections to this cult. "These are difficult
times for all of us. I assure you that House Vadalis will
conduct a full investigation of this incident and work to
regain the trust of the good people of Fairhaven."Cults of the Dragon Below are based on madness or
power. A cult that seeks power chooses to serve a dark
force because of the gifts they receive from it. A cabal of
scholars might serve the demon overlord Sul Khatesh
in exchange for secrets of magic. In the Mror Holds,
dwarf clans bargain with Dyrrn the Corrupter to gain
symbionts and sinister gifts. The Shadow Marches con
tain cults devoted to the daelkyr Belashyrra and Kyrzin.
Membership in such a cult is voluntary, and spellcasters
are more likely to be warlocks or wizards than clerics;
their power comes from bargaining, not from faith.
Cults driven by madness have a warped view of re
ality. A cultist might believe aberrations are a higher
form of life and that the daelkyr will elevate mortals.
Other cultists may not recognize the true nature of the
beings they serve. A cult of Rak Tulkhesh might truly
believe their lord will bring peace to the world, even if
that peace must begin with bloody war. Joining such
a cult isn't a choice, it's something you fall into due to
madness. New cults can spring up anywhere, as seeds
of madness take root and spread.
Cults of the Dragon Below often appear as antago
nists. However, your character could be a member of a
relatively benign cult. You might have been raised in a
cult but broke free from its influence. If your character
was or is part of a cult, work with your DM to develop
the details of your sect.SYMBOL
Many cultists carry pieces of volcanic glass or small
Khyber dragonshards (see chapter 5), but the cults have
no unified symbol. Individual cults develop a symbol
based on their fiendish patron or mad visions. Eyes, ten
tacles, and broken weapons are all common themes.
CHAPTER 2 / KHORVAIRE GAZETTEERRITES
Cult rituals are intense and often violent, includ-
ing blood sacrifice and ritual combat. Many cultists
consume unnatural substances, seeking a closer
communion to aberrations. They perform rituals in
Undercommon, though most cultists don't have a full
understanding of the language.TEMPLES
Cults meet underground, whether in caverns or sewers.
Rural cults seek out places twisted by the powers of the
plane of Xoriat (described in chapter 4) or Khyber.Path of Light...
- We live in an age of darkness. We must find the path
that leads to the light. - Act with compassion and courage. Each noble act is a
step on the path. - Hone your body and your mind. You are the tool you
will use to change reality.
Practiced by many kalashtar, the Path of Light seeks
to change reality by first bringing change within, using
meditation to focus the mind and athletic discipline to
improve the body. The next step brings light into the
world, using courage and compassion to banish the
darkness in the people around you. Mediate disputes.
Extinguish hatred by guiding people out of darkness.
Inspire people to be better than they are. Even the
smallest change is a victory, yet lightbringers-the fol
lowers of this path-hope that this is merely a step on a
greater journey.
The Path of Light teaches that this age is dominated
by il-Lashtavar, "the great darkness that dreams." This
force poisons the world and promotes darkness. But all
things change. If enough light can enter the world, it will
lead to a tidal shift: the age of il-Lashtavar will end and
usher in the time of il-Yannah, the great light.
Some followers of this faith believe that meditation
alone is sufficient to change the path of the world, that
merely contemplating the light is sufficient to bring
about the change. Most believe that it is necessary to
take action, but that darkness must fought with light.
Violence is never the answer, and the only way to defeat
evil is to redeem it. Lightbringers seek to inspire those
who live in fear and enlighten those whose evil is driven
by ignorance. The faith has followed this path for over
a thousand years, but now a splinter sect advocates
greater action. These shadow watchers believe that evil
must be fought, that sources of darkness that poison
communities can and should be ruthlessly eliminated.
The Path of Light is taught to the kalashtar by the
spirits bound to their bloodlines. It is widespread in the
nation of Adar in distant Sarlona, but in Khorvaire, it is
largely unknown outside kalashtar communities. The
shadow watchers champion a sect born in Khorvaire,
and the elders of Adar have condemned its methods.
If you follow the Path of Light, you must choose your
side. As a lightbringer, you seek to spread hope and
goodwill. As a shadow watcher, you hunt down and elim
inate sources of darkness. Which path will you follow?