Page 147 - Eberron -Rising from the Last War_Neat

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

C H APTER 2 / KHORVAIRE GAZETTEER