Return to Nuulyd, and declare that despite losses, the evil was cleansed. Along with our 4 newly enslaved priests, begin to spread the New Way among wealthy townsfolk. Have the enslaved guards bring us criminals from the local jail, allow them to join our cult or be eaten.
Using the memories of the priests and guards, you put together an idea of the situation in Nuulyd. The town has been on guard since the riot, with no one going in or out without being checked, and a strict curfew at night. Unfortunately one priest stayed behind to keep an eye on things- you will have to deal with him before the temple is fully yours. The mayor has taken the situation in stride, not entirely believing the priests about 'evil witches', but lending them support regardless to keep both them and the townsfolk happy.
Conveniently the strict curfew means that the jail cells are fuller than usual. They may not be hardened criminals, but offering them a way out of jail will help win them over.
The next day you march towards town, walking alongside the priests disguised as one of their fallen brethren. Given that your Wordbearer is still a wanted lady, you opted to leave her at the forest shrine for now.
The watchmen's faces are first filled with relief to see you return, then worry when they realise how few of you there are. The gates swing open as you approach, with the mayor herself welcoming you back.
"Where are the rest of you" she asks, concerned.
"Dead", you reply, "Fallen in battle with the witch and her minions"
"Then there really is a witch? I never would've thought it possible... why would they do this?"
"Who knows. We must retire to the temple, to study the witch's handiwork. We shall also be interviewing any criminals in the jail to see if they had any connection with her"
"But the guards-"
"Are not equipped to deal with such spiritual matters"
The mayor eventually acquiesces, and you send your enslaved guards to collect the prisoners.
The first thing you do in the temple is take down all twelve divine icons, and lock them away. You then have your slaves draw a great maze on the floor, the twisting lines forming demonic runes in addition to a labyrinth. Finally you take a hammer to the statue of Jilganheim that has pride of place above the altar, smashing it to pieces. If anyone asks, it was damaged during the riot and needed to be replaced.
With the temple suitably defiled, you welcome the prisoners. Fourteen men and women stand before you, some afraid, others defiant, one clearly bored. Bored? You touch his mind and find that of a career criminal, a thief and a conman, who has seen the inside of more jail cells than he cares to count, and knows that eventually he will get out- what happens in the mean time, he considers boring.
You make them an extremely non-boring offer. You drop your disguise and offer them the choice: join me and receive great power, or defy me and be eaten. After a moment of stunned silence, one of the prisoners yells something about never surrendering to a demon- you do not care what he says exactly, the meaning is clear enough. He has chosen defiance. You grab him with your many fingers and bite his head off. After that display the rest are disinclined to complain, and all of them swear to serve you.
Over the next few days the great doors to the temple remain resolutely shut, except for brief moments as priests come and go. Two guards stand watch outside, discouraging anyone from even trying to open the doors. Within, your new cultists continue the defilement, carving your likeness into the divine icons, on top of the images of the gods, and then replace them in the main hall, mocking the gods and the faithful. Meanwhile, your priests visit the homes of wealthy merchants and landowners, offering them a chance to experience true salvation. Those who show a sincere interest in these heretical suggestions you visit in person, skillfully nurturing the latent evil within them, dragging them slowly into darkness- so slowly they don't even notice it happening.
A guard from the jail comes to ask if they might be getting those prisoners back anytime soon. You explain that the prisoners are working off their evil deeds by helping to repair the temple. The guard seems almost enthusiastic at the idea of not having to deal with the prisoners anymore, and offers to send any new inmates to the temple as well.
Two weeks after the forest incident, you hold a soiree in the home of a wealth fur trader who seems particularly receptive to your message. He, six other guests, and yourself avail yourselves of the finest wines, the most decadent foods, and a small performance by one of your female cultists, whose crimes you do not know, but is certainly possessed of a looks that other women might wish was illegal.
As the evening drags on, and the guests grow ever drunker, you bring up the topic of religion. Specifically, its failings. You suggest that perhaps the Old Way is outdated, obsolete even. Perhaps it is time for a New Way.
There are some disconcerted murmurs from the guests. It seems that even after all this corruption, this outright heresy is too much for them. You repeat yourself, this time accentuating your arguments with a modicum of your power. This time it goes down much better. "Indeed!", one of them cries, "For would the priests not call this gathering a sin? But how can something so enjoyable be a sin? By the way, is that dancing girl still about?"
You mention that perhaps it is the gods themselves that are the problem- that those uncaring distant beings are not deserving of our worship. After a brief pause, the guests heartily agree. "Good thinking, that man! After all, what have the gods ever given us?"
You state that they must worship a more tangible power- something you can see and hear, something that rewards you for your worship immediately. "But what entity could offer such a thing? You surely cannot be suggesting that we worship a man?"
"NO", you say,
"NOT A MAN"The guests lean back in their chairs, shock and horror on their faces. The candles flicker as you stretch your wings, their smoke curling around in strange ways.
"WORSHIP ME, AND NIGHTS SUCH AS THESE WILL BE THE NORM. I PROVIDE FOR MY FOLLOWERS"There is a moment of silence. Eventually, one of them speaks up. "I don't suppose that refusing would be very good for our health, would it?"
"NO.""Well, since you put it that way, I suppose that worshipping a demon can't be all that bad, eh chaps?""Indeed, indeed. Try everything once, as I've always said""I for one welcome our new demonic overlords""So what do we call you, oh great master?"
You speak your name, and a shiver goes through the room, up the walls, and rattles the roof until several tiles fall off. You wrap up the evening by having your new converts perform an inaugural sacrifice- one of the host's servants, whose terrified screams are muffled by the house's thick stone walls. You feel the rush of power from both the new worshippers and the sacrifice, but you send it all back to them, as a wave of all but orgasmic pleasure. Their bodies shake and they cry out in uncontrollable rapture, and with that their loyalties are secured.
Now you have a foothold in the town, several influential converts, and a gaggle of ex-inmates to do your bidding. And so far, it appears that no one suspects a thing. The time is right to
-Continue to slowly corrupt important individuals- perhaps the mayor shall be next?
-Rile the town up in a frenzy of anti-witch fervour, to see their minds corrupted by the murder of their friends and neighbours.
-Create some more Wordbearers and have them continue the work of spreading your cult, whilst you move on to other things.
-Do something completely different.
I will just add that your cult in Fellshore is feeling somewhat rudderless at the moment. Perhaps it would be wise to send a messenger their way with fresh orders?
EDIT: Whoops, I forgot about the priest who was still in the temple. Well, he wasn't a real threat, but what did you do to him?
-Ate him.
-Enslaved him.
-Attempted to convert him.
Name: Nokluvgn
Age: 3.5 months
Physical might: 27 (+2: Sacrifices (in Fellshore))
Mental might: 27 (-1: convincing rich men)(+4: Worship (In Fellshore))
Followers:96 (74 villagers, 2 Wordbearers, 13 criminals, 7 rich men)
Slaves: 12 (4 priests, 8 guards (armed))
Servants: 7 (4 Brutewolves, two Smokewraiths, one devil-horse)
Cults: The New Way (Fellshore): Low organization. 75 members in Fellshore (74 villagers, 1 Wordbearers)
Power level: 13
Of which: 5 spent worshipping you, 5 spent finding and performing sacrifices.
Resources: 0
Other: Again, with no other victims, your cultists in Fellshore sacrifice themselves. Maybe you could send some slaves their way?
The New Way (Nuulyd): 20 members in Nuulyd.
Power level: 6
Resources: 14 (+14: donations by rich men)
Other: As they cannot exchange resources freely (yet), the two branches of The New Way will temporarily be tracked separately
Fortresses: Fellshore: A small fishing village nestled between a small lake and a forest (with mountains not so far in the distance), now undermined with tunnels and chambers forming a twisted maze, lit with smoky torches, where the shadows form strange shapes in the corner of your eyes.
Small tunnel network: increases secrecy of local cult.
Small (hidden) altar: A suitable place to sacrifice to you and praise your dark name.
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Topic: Demonhood 2 -Number of giant minions lost: between 0 and 3- (Read 143747 times)