by Tit Woodshadow

The The Cult of the Dark Mist worships a new god, Khul'Shaan, the god of corruption and suffering.

The Khul'Shaans (a short name for them is 'Shaans') seek to make their god the leader of the gods. They also believe that the true way to live is to be corrupt and evil, as Khul'Shaa will reward you then. They have rooted in the underground and gain followers from the poor and desperate.

The Cult have divided the city into four or more sections and six to twelve subsections in each section. They start drafting people from the poorest parts of the city (the most unhappy ones) into the cult (if they refuse, their memories are magically erased). The sections that provide the most cultists and potential cultists are usually left alone, but in other areas they steal living sacrifices, particularly children. They are cunning, merciless and very, very efficient. They have a few assasins that take care of meddlers (guards and traitors).

Cult Leaders

The cult has two leaders; A sorcerer Irwikas Blackblade and a cleric, Danuvian Blackshadow.

Irwikas Blackblade
Race: Elf (drow)
Class: Sorcerer 6th level
Alignment: NE
Str 16, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 18
Spells: DM's choice
Items: DM's choice
Feats: Scribe scroll, Craft Wondrous Item, Improved Initiative
Biography: Irwikas served in the drow army, but at some point took a nasty blow in the head, so he became conviced that he is the chosen one of a new god. He is utterly cruel, sadistic, evil and dangerous

Danuvian Blackshadow
Race: Elf (wild (grugach))
Class: Cleric 6th level
Alignment: NE
Str 14, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 12
Spells: DM's choice
Feats: Scribe Scroll, improved Initiative, Craft Wand
Items: Mace +3 'Bog Doom', Plate armour +1, 6 items of DM's choice
Biography: An exile from his people, Danuvian Blackshadow is willing to do anything for power.

Bog Doom:

This black mace smells faintly of decay. It is a corrupt weapon, a gift to Danuvian from Khuul-Shaan.
Damage: 2d6+3
To hit: +3,
Special: When hit, the mace deals additional 6 poison damage in the next 10 minutes.

The Cult

The Cult's temple is quite large and has its entrance in a foul swamp. The entrance is in a cave. It appears if you say the password (changes each week).

The structure itself is still under construction, so it's not extremely elaborate and intricate (mostly). The walls are mostly unadorned, but the floor and the ceiling are covered with large mosaics.

From the stairway you come into a room where there are always cultist guards (spellcasting types mostly). There are also four preparators that prepare the sacrifices for the sacrifice. Everything is lit by torches and continual flame spells. The cultists each have their own room and bathroom (they have to be clean before their god). Children are trained in magic and devotion day and night.

The central chamber is 40 feet high with intricate walls lined with mosaics made of precious gems and metals. The central altar is made of bone and mithral and adorned with silver and gold. The victim is bound and has its heart ripped out by an aberration (appears there; always different and sometimes it's a demon). The body is then thrown into a lava pit, but its head is kept near the statue of Khuul-Shaan that lurks in the back (it is a distorted elf with bestial eyes and a robe made of darkness).

To please their god, they sacrifice at least 1 person every two weeks.

The hiearchy of the cult is as follows:

• 2 Grua'Cha (leaders)
• 6 High Priests (4th level)
• 12 Priests (3rd level)
• 20 Novices (2nd level)
• 40 Initiates (1st level)

The priests' ceromonial robes are:

• The Grua'Cha wear black and gold robes lined with red (specially prepared blood). They also have a (un)holy symbol (A black pool spilling over the white background. It is triangular.) and some mummified body parts (mostly eyes) as decorations)
• The High Priests wear completely black robes that distort light, the (un)holy symbol and a mummified eye
• The Priests wear simple black and red robes with the symbol painted on them
• The Novices wear red robes with the same symbol.
• The Initiates wear tan robes with the same symbol.
• The priests' robes are the same as their ceromonial ones, but without the symbols.

The Cults ambitions are as follows:

1. Strenghten Khul'Shaan.
2. Make their religion the only one in Fellaren-Krae.
3. Infiltrate the government and gain control of the city.
4. Gain direct control of the city.
5. Conquer other cities.
6. Bring Khul'Shaan and his demon army to the Prime Material Plane (practically impossible).
7. Ascend to godhood with their god's help and aid him (highly unlikely)

Special powers:
Khul'Shaan is still 'newborn' and weak and can grant only two special powers to his followers:

Dark Arrow
This is a power that a worshipper gains at 4th level, no matter the class. The caster points his finger at the vitcim and utters a short prayer, and launches a bolt of total darkness and evil at the victim:
To hit: 1d20+2
Casting time: 1 round
Damage: 2d6+3 to Good creatures, 2d6 to neutral creatures and 1d6 to evil creatures
Effects: 10% chance for the target to become diseased (the disease deals 1d4 points of Constitution damage every two days).
The power is usable twice per day for every two levels of the caster (twice at 4th level and so on.

Dark shield
The caster utters a prayer and a black shield envelops him. Usable twice per day for every two levels of the caster. Usable at 2nd+ level.
Casting time: 1 round
Duration: 4 rounds
Effects: + 1 bonus to AC, 10% miss chance

The Initiates are adepts, sorcerers, wizards (one or the other, no multi-class Initiates. Adepts favor damage-dealing and confusing spells.
The Novices are the same as the Initiates, except that they are 2nd level.
The Priests are sorcerers, adepts, wizards 2nd level and 1st level clerics (Domains: Evil, Destruction, Death, Trickery-any two).
The High Priests are 4th+ x level and are adepts, wizards, sorcerers and clerics

All levels within the Cult originate from Initiates, so they have a Cleric class PLUS their original class.

When the god has 2000+ worshippers (priests and common folk, no differences) in Fellaren-Krae and in the other cities/villages the following things change:

• The leaders: Both are 14th level
• The High Priests are 8-13th level
• The priests are 4-7th level
• The Novices are 2-3rd level
• The Initiates are still 1st level

  A new class also becomes available:

  Demon Knight Alignment: any evil Level: 10th Feats: Imroved unarmed strike, weapon focus (longsword) The character who worships Khuul' Shaan must pass a special test and be recognised as worthy. (see below) Stats increases: STR +4, DEX +2, CON +3, INT +4, WIS +2, CHA +4 Abilities: Gains spells at will - magic missile, dark arrow, dark shield, protection from good - uses all his levels. Changes: The character slowly changes. Wings grow on him (fly 30ft. per round, average). Fire burns in his eyes. His nails become as sharp as knives (to hit +4/+1/level; damage 2d8+ 4/+1d4/4 levels). He starts radiating an aura of fear (save DC 14 or be panicked for 1d4 rounds). His features stay the same but they become 'wrong' somehow. He gets concealed fangs (bite 1d4+1 damage; to hit +4). He is essentialy becoming a part-fiend. Experience gaining: Same as the sorcerer (after 20th level: old level exp. points + 150.000 exp points to the next level) Hit die: d12 Spells: The Demon Knight gains spells as the sorcerer does. Abilities/level: 1st: basic abilities and sneak attack (cannot deal subdual damage; 30 ft. or closer if using a ranged weapon. 2nd: weapon proficiency: Demonblade and Weapon Focus: Deathblade 3rd: damage reduction 10/+1, consecrated, holy 4th: Smite Good 1/day 5th: Blasphemy 1/12 hours 6th: Unhallow 1/day 7th: Desintegrate (DC 16 +1/2 levels) 1/day 8th: Fire immunity 9th: Poison Immunity 10th: Can only learn arcane spells from scrolls (an ability) 11th: damage reduction 15/+2, holy 12th: control weather 13th: good fly capability 14th: summon monster IX 2/12 hours Everything else is the same as the sorcerer.

  The Test

You are in a 1 mile long labyrinth. You must evade traps, kill 6 6th/2nd level fighters level adepts and 2 ghaele eladrins with half their usual hit points (round up).

Demonblade

Damage: 2d8 +10 +1d4 fire/2 levels
Works only for that specific Demon Knight contagion at 3rd level and 1d4 cold damage from 8th level
poison: Fort. save DC 14+1/4levels; initial damage 2d6 con, secondary (after 1 minute) 2d6 INT, STR and WIS at 10th level: intelligent weapon, talks, no ego, desintegrate 1/12 hours.

The demonblade is a weapon made from a strange, flowing substance (dark mithral), that has an optical illusion of flowing mercury. Dark mithral is extremely rarwe, found only in the lower planes and the weapon is not affected by ANY mortal magic, except from 7+ level spells. It is a gift from Khul'Shaan. EXCEPTIONS: HERE ARE ONLY DEMON KNIGHT LEVELS

Events: If there are more than 6 vampires in Fellaren-Krae, the cult allies with them. They try to gain control over some members of the Council of the Oakenstave to gain power.

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