Shezmu Cult

[xirsoi]

Secret Shezmu cult obsessed with killing the unjust. Characters viewed as wicked in some way. Murderers, traitors, adulterers, etc.

They would have missions to kidnap and kill these characters, or at least threaten them into leaving behind their wicked ways.

Wicked Priests should certainly be targeted, and wicked Pharaohs doubly so.

A fanatic murder cult dedicated to The Lord of Blood and The Slaughterer of Souls deserves a super metal icon/logo/thing. I'm imagining a bloody clawed handprint, or something with a bloody lion's head.

[xirsoi]

An event where you convince a character that has discovered your murder plot that maybe this person deserves to be sent to Shezmu's wine press.

You may even have the option of attacking them if they are unconvinced.

[xirsoi]

Mission to investigate a suspected witch/warlock.

[xirsoi]

They are principally interested in hunting the Fangs. Other unjust people are a bonus.

[xirsoi]

Rank icons from Diogenes are: water drop, wine drop, blood drop, gold drop (anointed oils).

Ranks: Pure, Distilled, Blooded, Anointed.

Pure - Limit 50
Missions; Build Winery OR Oilworks(?)
Powers Requisition: Wine/Oil (the one you can't make).

Distilled - Limit 30
Missions:

• Kill an Unjust Lord (feudal/tribal ruler of Kemetic/Atenic religion)
• Kill an Unjust Priest (theocratic ruler of Kemetic/Atenic religion)
• Recruit a new Member

Powers: ??

Blooded - Limit 20
Missions:

• Find a Fang of Apep (suspected witches/warlocks should be targeted)
• Kill a Fang of Apep
• Train a Pure or Distilled member in a combat trait.

Powers: Request Aid (modifier that gives intrigue boost)

Anointed - Limit 1 (head of cult)
Missions: ?
Powers: Mark for Death (target is pursued by Shezmu cultists)

[xirsoi]

The progression of ranks, and the act of creating oil/wine, is a philosophical metaphor for the character and their soul. They are purifying their souls and concentrating the most valuable parts while discarding the excess. They are also emulating their god through the act of creating oil/wine.

Turns out Mark for Death is a power given to the head of the Assassins, so I can look at that for inspiration/implementation.

Definitely need more powers and missions. This cult is secretive, illegal (extra-judicial killings and all that), deeply religious, has strong metaphors for spiritual enlightenment, and are fanatical in their devotion to the concept of Ma'at. These things need to come through in their missions, events, descriptions, and decisions.

Could use influence to gain piety, shed decadence (if Atenic), or attempt to regain Ma'at. Perhaps a dangerous ritual to cleanse yourself of shameful traits or modifiers. Perhaps a mission to perform some kind of ascetic cleansing ritual with various possible outcomes. A trip into the desert perhaps?

A drug-fueled ceremony where you are visited by Shezmu and judged would be cool. Since it would be open to interpretation, it would be cool to have your subconscious influence the hallucination. If you have some traits/modifiers that would make you worried about it (or give you reason to be worried), the outcome should reflect (potentially) that. A particularly bad one (potentially) might kill you or make you stressed (pretty much the same thing in CK2 😆 ).

The Assassins would be good to refer to for mission and power ideas. The philosophical aspect of the cult could get inspiration from the Hermetic Society or one of the monk orders.

[xirsoi]

Missions, events, and/or Powers to shed un-Ma'at traits and gain Ma'at traits.