Ashen Cults

Ashen Cults is a supplement for Vampire: The Dark Ages about the cults that form around the kindred in the Dark Medieval period and how they operate for their benefit.

Summary
From the White Wolf catalog:


 * Drink of Me
 * We are the lords of this Long Night, leading our flocks in the ways of the blood. They gather round our altars and in our churches, they form covens and cults in our honor. They are our worshippers, our slaves and our stock. And we are their gods.


 * And Enter the Night
 * Ashen Cults is a complete guide to the dark faiths promoted by Cainites in the Dark Ages to promote their agendas, rule their domains and seek their own enlightenment. From ghoul and revenant blood cults and twisted Ventrue breeding stock to secret Malkavian orders and black churches, everything you need to add strange servitors and fanatical devotion to your chronicle is right here.

Chapter One: Hierophants of the Night
The chapter begins with a description of the major types of cults formed by the kindred: the blood cult, the craft cult, the Dionysian cult, and the Cainite Heresy, along with pagan cults, knightly orders, sorcerous cults, the sometimes cult-like influence of the Roads, and the darkest infernal cults. The chapter then goes into reasons why a kindred might form or join a cult and how to successfully create one and make it work. There is then information on how cults affect each clan.

Chapter Two: Undying Covens
In this chapter, the major Dark Medieval cults are detailed along with several minor ones. Included are the Cult of Mithras, the Masons of Marseilles, the Followers of Lazarus and House Goratrix for major cults, and Calomena's Forsaken, Carnaval Moriendi, and the Drowned Monastery

Chapter Three: Pulling the Strings
Storyteller ideas and tips for making ashen cults and using them in a chronicle, along with building cults around and with players, and how to use Disciplines and blood bonds to manipulate cult followers.

Appendix: The Fires To Come
A letter to the Church from a concerned priest who has witnessed the ashen cults in action.

Background Information
Beginning with Ashen Cults, the date of the Dark Ages setting was advanced slightly, depending on the volume; however, most of the information can still be used in general setting of 1197. The setting date for each of these books can be found on the title page. Ashen Cults takes place in 1215.

Characters

 * Mithras - Ventrue Prince of London and false object of worship for a major cult.
 * Lazarus - Cappadocian who defied his Elders and formed a branch of the clan.
 * Goratrix - Tremere who desires the power and admiration of the clan.