Cult of Norgorber
Norgorber’s faith is outlawed or at least persecuted in most civilized lands, but its main centers are urban nonetheless, as his followers require a substantial population on which to practice their arts. Fortunately, the cult’s affinity for secrecy allows it to thrive under these conditions: congregations operate behind facades of legitimate business or literally work underground with lairs and meeting-places in a city’s sewers and basements. Many city-dwelling members of the cult lead double lives, reputable by day and shady or even murderous at night. A few—particularly the crazed worshippers of Father Skinsaw— take this habitual dual identity to such an extreme that they develop a form of psychosis, living two lives separated by nightfall and sunrise, completely forgetting the existence of the other self except for brief moments of transition.
Common folk are rightfully suspicious of any known or thought to worship Norgorber, believing them thieves and liars at best and assassins or serial killers at worst. Indeed, most of Norgorber’s cults are associated with or double as thieves’ guilds, and the guildlike traditions of worshippers of the Gray Master have carried over into temple practices, even for the other three aspects of the god. Once a new member of the cult has established competency at basic tasks, she must complete a mission relating to the cult’s more nefarious activities to be promoted to full (journeyman) status within the organization. A cult of the Gray Master may require the cult member to steal goods amounting to a certain value, get a gambler into a specified amount of debt, or extort protection payments from a merchant. In the cult of Blackfingers, members gain full status by synthesizing a particular poison, reverse-engineering a drug’s components from its final product, or discovering a new alchemical use for an animal gland. For followers of the Reaper of Reputation, typical initiations involve liberating a choice secret, defaming or defeating a key rival outside the organization, or accomplishing a political goal of value to the cult. Unsurprisingly, the challenges of the cult of Father Skinsaw involve murder, either of a high-profile target or a specific number of people in a short period of time.
Ceremonies to Norgorber are quiet, even in cities where his faith is not banned. Typically, a masked senior priest leads a prayer, pausing for murmured assent from the faithful. Ceremonies avoid singing or using musical instruments, though the shaking of coins in a cup or the whetting of blades accompanies some rituals.
The greatest taboo in the Reaper’s faith is revealing secrets—specifically the secrets of the faith. Escalating punishments for this offense include lashings, being administered a painful but not fatal poison, having one’s civilian identity suffer debilitating setbacks, and murder. Along the same lines, revealing the identity of another member to someone outside the faith—especially to someone in law enforcement—might also earn a visit from the Skinsaw Men, as most members prefer to handle any internecine conflicts from within the secret shrouds of their society.
Shrines are uncommon in the faith. Any place with a large populace supports a temple that operates in secrecy, leaving little need for other locations that only increase the chance of discovery. The Skinsaw Cult may, however, bury the remains of murdered victims in public places and treat such sites as secret shrines, and followers of Blackfingers might designate one place in town as a dumping-ground for dangerous alchemical leftovers, creating a blighted space where nothing grows, then visiting it as a tribute to the god’s secrets.
Priests train in a number of skills to hide their identity. They often maintain some sort of profession as a cover and have ranks in that skill. Thievery, whether common or elaborate, is a standard profession for priests, as are forgery and blackmail . Some of the clergy are master imitators, stealing others’ identities and using them to cover up dark deeds or infiltrate clandestine meetings to collect their secrets. Others use their knowledge of alchemy, poisons, and potions to keep villains supplied with deadly goods while maintaining public personas as harmless apothecaries. More sociable priests work as diplomats, spies, or negotiators, buying and selling information and contracts. Spellcasters in his service may be skilled in illusion spells to misdirect foes, divination magic to discover secrets, enchantments to twist the minds of those who oppose them, or destructive evocations to destroy enemies utterly.
Common folk are rightfully suspicious of any known or thought to worship Norgorber, believing them thieves and liars at best and assassins or serial killers at worst. Indeed, most of Norgorber’s cults are associated with or double as thieves’ guilds, and the guildlike traditions of worshippers of the Gray Master have carried over into temple practices, even for the other three aspects of the god. Once a new member of the cult has established competency at basic tasks, she must complete a mission relating to the cult’s more nefarious activities to be promoted to full (journeyman) status within the organization. A cult of the Gray Master may require the cult member to steal goods amounting to a certain value, get a gambler into a specified amount of debt, or extort protection payments from a merchant. In the cult of Blackfingers, members gain full status by synthesizing a particular poison, reverse-engineering a drug’s components from its final product, or discovering a new alchemical use for an animal gland. For followers of the Reaper of Reputation, typical initiations involve liberating a choice secret, defaming or defeating a key rival outside the organization, or accomplishing a political goal of value to the cult. Unsurprisingly, the challenges of the cult of Father Skinsaw involve murder, either of a high-profile target or a specific number of people in a short period of time.
Ceremonies to Norgorber are quiet, even in cities where his faith is not banned. Typically, a masked senior priest leads a prayer, pausing for murmured assent from the faithful. Ceremonies avoid singing or using musical instruments, though the shaking of coins in a cup or the whetting of blades accompanies some rituals.
The greatest taboo in the Reaper’s faith is revealing secrets—specifically the secrets of the faith. Escalating punishments for this offense include lashings, being administered a painful but not fatal poison, having one’s civilian identity suffer debilitating setbacks, and murder. Along the same lines, revealing the identity of another member to someone outside the faith—especially to someone in law enforcement—might also earn a visit from the Skinsaw Men, as most members prefer to handle any internecine conflicts from within the secret shrouds of their society.
Temples & Shrines
Norgorber’s temples are organized like thieves’ guilds and are often housed in legitimate businesses that serve as fronts for more disreputable activities. Alternatively, worshippers may use temporary meeting places in basements or sewers to avoid suspicion centering on a single location. A guildmaster (usually a rogue, assassin, or cleric) runs each temple, with lieutenants and lesser bosses in charge of various plans and teams of followers. Temples to Blackfingers sometimes operate more like a merchant’s guild, selling exotic substances through legitimate fronts, though many of those substances can be combined with others into deadly poisons.Shrines are uncommon in the faith. Any place with a large populace supports a temple that operates in secrecy, leaving little need for other locations that only increase the chance of discovery. The Skinsaw Cult may, however, bury the remains of murdered victims in public places and treat such sites as secret shrines, and followers of Blackfingers might designate one place in town as a dumping-ground for dangerous alchemical leftovers, creating a blighted space where nothing grows, then visiting it as a tribute to the god’s secrets.
Clothing
Norgorber’s adherents tend to keep their worship secret, and even in a metropolis like Absalom, where his faith is marginally tolerated out of respect for his place of ascension, it can be dangerous for a worshipper to identify herself in public. Thus, the churches within most cities develop specific identifiers known only to members. Followers of Norgorber may wear simple masks when they wish to hide their identity, and carry a variety of secondary masks that they can hold up to send messages to members of their faith. Cult members prefer clothing cut to the latest fashion to avoid drawing attention, and containing plenty of hidden pockets for poisons, weapons, and other surprises. Ceremonial clothing varies, but is black and gray for those temples that worship all four aspects of Norgorber, and always involves masks or other identity-shielding precautions.A Priest’s Role
To serve Norgorber is to operate in the shadows, where the sharpest minds survive through their knowledge, skill, and coolness under pressure. Rogues, assassins, alchemists, and shadowdancers make up the bulk of Norgorber’s clergy, though spellcasters and even more specialized types also serve him. Thieves and burglars venerate him as the Gray Master, and those who choose to devote themselves to his service tend to be the most greedy and covetous. Bookish alchemists, herbalists, and assassins worship him as Blackfingers, and even a few druids and witches are drawn to this aspect’s patronage of poisonous creatures. The Reaper of Reputation uses secretive spies and politicians, as well as assassins, as his operatives. Norgorber is most terrifying in his aspect as Father Skinsaw—insane and sociopathic murderers and barbarians slaughter in this aspect’s name. Of course, these traits color rather than define a worshipper, and while some are caricatures of these qualities, most have the good sense to rein in their urges and present a normal demeanor to the outside world.Priests train in a number of skills to hide their identity. They often maintain some sort of profession as a cover and have ranks in that skill. Thievery, whether common or elaborate, is a standard profession for priests, as are forgery and blackmail . Some of the clergy are master imitators, stealing others’ identities and using them to cover up dark deeds or infiltrate clandestine meetings to collect their secrets. Others use their knowledge of alchemy, poisons, and potions to keep villains supplied with deadly goods while maintaining public personas as harmless apothecaries. More sociable priests work as diplomats, spies, or negotiators, buying and selling information and contracts. Spellcasters in his service may be skilled in illusion spells to misdirect foes, divination magic to discover secrets, enchantments to twist the minds of those who oppose them, or destructive evocations to destroy enemies utterly.
Adventurers
Those who worship Norgorber live in a world of lies, deceit, and mortal danger. His followers work constantly to protect their identities, and trust no one outside of the mask, but they know that when the faithful gather, they are a force that can shape history. They may disdain those in authority for their pettiness, or may simply have no need for the constricting bonds of law. Likewise, they don’t particularly care about chaos and the reign of the individual. They seek the power of secrets, the strength that lies in terror and misdirection, the might of uncertainty and betrayal; they live double lives, always on guard. Though the faith accepts all kinds, those who worship the Reaper tend to be secretive, while the acolytes of Blackfingers are bookish, students of the Gray Master are greedy and covetous, and followers of Father Skinsaw are antisocial or sociopathic.
Type
Religious, Cult
Subsidiary Organizations
Divines
Controlled Territories
Norgorber’s Champion Code
Champions who serve Norgorber are secretive and cunning. They prefer to strike from the shadows, even when the odds are already in their favor. They rely on traps, tricks, ambushes, and poison to weaken their foes. Their code reflects a cold and honest assessment of the human condition, and its tenets include the following adages.- Innocence is ignorance, and ignorance is weakness. I will seek to shed my own ignorance, and encourage ignorance in my enemies.
- I do not take credit, nor do I accept blame. I work always in the shadows.
- A fair fight is not worth fighting. I will take every advantage I can. No tool is beneath me.
- Cold eyes, cold heart. My enemies can expect no mercy from me.
- Everyone is expendable, and I will sacrifice them all as necessary.
- Each life I take shapes the future to my lord’s desires.
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