Cults, Minor

Cults are common to all cultures on Alterra, however they generally have no power. These may center for a few years on a charismatic leader who is mundane and has no magical power, but may wield a magical or cypher artifact that gives them the illusion of power.
These charismatic leaders generally are trying to accumulate some wealth from their follower's tithes, garner some respect as a community leader, weather it's deserved or not. These cult leaders are generally looking to quietly grow their flock and are looking for high quality easily manipulated individuals. The average lifespan of one of these cults is about a decade and either it's numbers peter out or the cult leader's "trick" has been found out and run out of town. The most common form of destruction is popularity and a sizable following that then leads to a splintering or unwanted attention.
These cultists are generally pitching self help, discipline, or looking for a higher power. Most do not have a god or religion they are promoting. Adherents are usually affluent enough to have money to part with and time to spend on these activities. Most want fortune telling, spirit mediums, or other similar reassurances about living in an unforgiving world.

Structure

These cults will have a singular leader who has a high charisma. They will have a small core of attendants who are addicted to the attention of the leader and will generally do their innocent bidding. Their job is to find new recruits, reassure followers, and do the day to day functions of keeping the cult going. The cult leader is going to control all of the finances, and have final word on any expenses. Within this group may be one or two confidants, they know the cult is a scam, but are all in with the cult leader so long as they get to be set above and apart from the regular marks.
The general body of the cult will have 20% are hard core adherents who will believe everything they hear, and will deny facts and are the loudest and most devoted. The remainder will be aligned but overall ambivalent and will be the first to leave if anything goes astray. That 20% is their core that will abandon their families, will beg in the street to collect money for the cult leader, and when the cult moves on they will follow along too.

Public Agenda

These vary a lot, but the vast majority are about self improvement and finding inner strength. There maybe something mysterious like spirit divination, fortune telling, positive intention, or secrets of the ancients only the cult leader has decyphered and only higher level initiates can learn. Most cities will ignore a cult until it's following begins to interfere with business. Philosophical orders will be the first to notice one and challenge it, usually causing the leader to suggest a new location.

Assets

The cult leader usually ends up with most of this, even though they might make a great deal about redistributing funds, foods, equipment etc. communally. The cult leader will usually have some magic item or cyphers that give the illusion of arcane power. If they are very successful they may get to establish a temple or compound near a city and while the followers toil, the leader secretly lives in luxury away from uninitiated eyes.

Mythology & Lore

Most of these cults rely on an amalgam of philosophy, spirituality, and general-isms that are not fleshed out or are wildly sprawling depending on the cult leader's imagination. Usually the cult leader has discovered a mysterious source of knowledge and only those that spend their time under the tutelage of the cult have a chance of realizing this knowledge too.

Divine Origins

Thousands of ethnic, planetary, and ancient religions came along with the settlers, most of these traditions were abandoned but records, stories and myths have been handed down, rewritten as the language evolved and became new stories and traditions that in the hands of the cultists turn into a mystery.

Ethics

None. The cult leader may truely believe their tenets, methods, and beliefs, but at a certain point they cross a cynical line and realize it doesn't matter what they say people are addicted to the cult, his personality, and his words and actions. If they had any ethics they would disband, but instead they at some level realize their opportunity to make a lot of money and build a cozy life for themselves on the toil and gold of others.

Political Influence & Intrigue

Cults that have an opportunity to attract the petite aristocracy, the spouses and children of wealthy merchants, or the occasional palace courtesan the real money and power can flow in. Some cult leaders are vastly more cunning and charismatic than many nobles, and can manipulate quite mundanely everyone around them and set themselves up as a personal advisor to some nobles or even a monarch. This is when they are their most dangerous, because powerful people will resist looking like they made a mistake taking in a charlatan and do all kinds of unethical things to prevent that realization.

Type

Religious, Cult