- 5 Hives - Factions and Patrons in Necromunda setting / Chaos Cults

08 Dec, 2024

Chaos Cults

Chaos Cults are a dark and pervasive force in the underhive, spreading insidious influence through whispers, rebellion, and corruption. These cults worship the Chaos Gods and often blend into the hive’s desperate population, rising in power until they unleash their full fury.

Overview of Chaos Cults

• Description: Chaos Cults can be small and secretive or massive and overt, worshiping one or more of the Chaos Gods. They exploit the underhive’s misery to recruit followers, offering power, vengeance, or liberation in exchange for loyalty.
• Reputation: Feared and reviled, cults are hunted relentlessly by the Imperium, but their secrecy and cunning make them difficult to root out completely.

Types of Chaos Cults

Cult of the Blood Tithe (Khorne)

• Description: A brutal and violent cult devoted to Khorne, the Blood God. They thrive on battle and sacrifice, often infiltrating gangs or forming warbands.
• Reputation: Savage and merciless, they bring death wherever they go.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Arena of Blood
    • The cult sets up gladiatorial games to recruit warriors. The gang can enter to infiltrate or to prove themselves.
  • Rage Unleashed
    • A cursed weapon incites violence. The gang must contain the chaos before it engulfs their territory.

Children of Decay (Nurgle)

• Description: Followers of Nurgle, the God of Disease, who spread plagues and despair in exchange for eternal "life." They are often accompanied by mutated and diseased creatures.
• Reputation: Dreaded for their infectious presence, their followers are often pitiable yet horrifying.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • The Rotting Heart
    • A vital water source is contaminated. The gang must cleanse it and stop the cultists responsible.
  • Embrace of Decay
    • An offer of immortality tempts members of the gang. They must resist or fall to corruption.

The Silken Veil (Slaanesh)

• Description: Worshipers of Slaanesh, the Prince of Excess, who revel in pleasure, pain, and forbidden delights. They manipulate through allure and promises of indulgence.
• Reputation: Seductive and manipulative, they are as dangerous as they are enticing.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Euphoria Epidemic
    • A new drug induces blissful oblivion. The gang discovers it's part of the cult's plan to enslave minds.
  • Masque of Excess
    • A grand celebration hides a dark ritual. The gang must infiltrate and stop the cult before it's too late.

Whispers of the Warp (Tzeentch)

• Description: A secretive cult devoted to Tzeentch, the Architect of Fate. They manipulate events, spreading chaos and instability while pursuing arcane knowledge.
• Reputation: Cunning and deceptive, they thrive on secrets and betrayal.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Changing Fates
    • The cult manipulates events to alter the future. The gang uncovers a plot that could reshape the hive's destiny.
  • Labyrinth of Lies
    • The gang navigates a maze of illusions to find the cult's leader, challenging their perception of reality.

The Unbound Covenant (Undivided)

• Description: A Chaos Undivided cult worshiping Chaos as a whole, balancing devotion to all four gods. They often seek to topple Imperial authority and sow anarchy.
• Reputation: Relentless and charismatic, they attract followers with promises of liberation and equality.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Anarchy Ascendant
    • The cult incites rebellion across multiple sectors. The gang must quell the uprising or join the chaos.
  • Ritual of Ruin
    • A massive ritual aims to summon a daemon prince. The gang is the last line of defense against the incursion.