Old Cults

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Old Cults
A spawn of Yog-Sothoth summoned by an Old Cult.
(Organization)

Type
Religious
Leader
None
Alignment
Headquarters
Scope
Members
Followers of the Outer Gods and Great Old Ones
Source: Rule of Fear, pg(s). 56

The Old Cults are groups of nearly always insane and violent worshipers of the deities collectively known as the Elder Mythos, who reside in the Dark Tapestry, the void between stars: the Outer Gods, akin to true gods, and the Great Old Ones, comparable to demigods.123

The Old Cults perform prehistoric rites in dark places, designed to bring about the return of their gods to Golarion from the Dark Tapestry. Other followers try to open magical doors to their patrons in an attempt to summon alien creatures, which are then released to wreak havoc. Some scholars believe that the Great Old Ones are simply the inventions of their fever-brained devotees, but this is clearly false, as clerics of these cyclopean monstrosities can draw on divine power and cast spells.456

The Old Cults have few allies, even among each other, and are barely noticed by their patrons. Cultists primarily worship the Outer Gods and Great Old Ones for power and use the promise of power or nightmarish truths to gather weak-willed pawns which they then use to further their goals.1

Some Old Cults also worship the demon lord Dagon.7

Members

Cults of the Great Old Ones are often made up of demented humans, but they can also be found among numerous other races. These include the serpentfolk,8 seugathi,5 and cloakers9 of the Darklands.

On Golarion

The Old Cults have had a presence in Ustalav since prehistoric times, when it was still inhabited by debauched Kellid tribes, where the sanity of existence is thin. The most notable sites of Old Cult activity in Ustalav are Vieland, the Graidmere, Scrawny Crossing, Illmarsh and Carrion Hill.10

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.

  1. 1.0 1.1 James Jacobs. “Cults of the Dark Tapestry” in Wake of the Watcher, 61. Paizo Inc., 2011
  2. James Jacobs. “The Elder Mythos” in In Search of Sanity, 63. Paizo Inc., 2016
  3. James Jacobs. “Cults of the Dark Tapestry” in Wake of the Watcher, 63. Paizo Inc., 2011
  4. Erik Mona, et al. “Chapter 5: The World” in Campaign Setting, 199. Paizo Inc., 2008
  5. 5.0 5.1 James Jacobs & Greg A. Vaughan. “Bestiary” in Into the Darklands, 59. Paizo Inc., 2008
  6. Sean K Reynolds. “Other Gods” in Gods and Magic, 51. Paizo Inc., 2008
  7. Paizo Inc., et al. Bestiary 4, 47. Paizo Inc., 2013
  8. Erik Mona, et al. “Chapter 5: The World” in Campaign Setting, 198. Paizo Inc., 2008
  9. Sean K Reynolds. Cloaker” in Dungeon Denizens Revisited, 13–14. Paizo Inc., 2009
  10. F. Wesley Schneider. “Legends and Hauntings” in Rule of Fear, 56. Paizo Inc., 2011