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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Pathfinder #217: Death Sails a Wine-Dark Sea

Cult Statistics

Source Pathfinder #217: Death Sails a Wine-Dark Sea pg. 63
The PCs’ cult has two main statistics—Fervor and Size—that determine its overall power and how difficult it is to control. These values change over time depending on events and the cult’s actions.

Cult Terms

These rules use a handful of terms for tracking a cult’s strength and status.

Control Check: This is a flat check that determines how successfully the PCs managed their cult.

Cult Phase: Like a combat round, this is the sequence of decisions, events, and checks that a cult performs over a given time period—typically once or twice per level.

Fervor: This tracks the cult’s enthusiasm, which can empower the cult but make it harder to control.

Mantle: This is the role a PC plays in the cult’s pantheon, granting the PC bonuses toward specific actions.

Miracle: While adventuring, these are deeds a PC might perform that further inspire their cult. At the end of a cult phase, each PC who performed at least one miracle befitting their mantle can increase the cult’s Fervor Point or Recruitment Point total by 1.

Size: This is a qualitative measure of the cult’s size. Larger cults are stronger but more difficult to control.

Cult Phase

The cult phase is broken into the following steps, with more information about the activities and other steps detailed over the following pages.

1–Events: The GM randomly determines a special event or condition that affects the rest of the cult phase.

2–Set Agenda: The PCs decide what activities they and their cult will perform during the cult phase.

3–Assist and Worship: Resolve the effects of the Assist Pantheon and Oversee Rites activities.

4–Go Adventuring: The PCs resume their adventures as the cult works in the background. Several cult activities might be resolved during gameplay.

5–Resolve Activities: The players attempt checks and resolve any remaining activities at the end of the cult phase.

6–Apply Effects: Make any changes to the cult’s Fervor, Size, and other statistics based on the PCs’ actions.

Level (Cults)

Source Pathfinder #217: Death Sails a Wine-Dark Sea pg. 63
The cult’s level determines its modifier when attempting checks, the item level of goods it can create when Creating Wonders, and other effects. By default, the cult’s level equals that of the PCs, gaining levels as they do. At the GM’s discretion, the cult’s level might be as much as 3 higher or lower than the PCs’ level. However, be aware that significantly lower-level cults struggle to meet level-based DCs, whereas far higher-level cults are very potent yet difficult to control.

Optionally, these cult rules can also be combined with the leadership subsystem. If so, it’s recommended that the cult and leadership levels match each other.

Cult Bonus

Level Modifier
1+5
2+6
3+8
4+9
5+10
6+12
7+13
8+14
9+16
10+17
11+18
12+20
13+21
14+22
15+24
16+25
17+26
18+28
19+29
20+30
Attempting Checks: Most checks involve rolling 1d20 and adding the cult’s modifier from the table above. The DC varies by the task, usually using the standard DC of the cult’s level or the PCs’ level. This DC is increased by 1 for cults whose Fervor is fanatical or apathetic, reflecting the difficulty of reining in or motivating those adherents, respectively.

Fervor (Cults)

Source Pathfinder #217: Death Sails a Wine-Dark Sea pg. 64
Fervor measures the cult’s devotion, separated into five ascending ranks: apathetic, observant, inspired, reverent, and fanatical. Fervor affects the flat check DC to control the cult, the cult’s productivity, and the types of events the cult experiences at the beginning of each phase.

Fervor Points (FP): A cult’s Fervor is determined by the cult’s Size and the number of Fervor Points it has; larger cults require more Fervor Points to change their Fervor rank. Events and Activities can adjust the Fervor Point total and cult’s Size, which can change the Fervor rank at the end of the cult phase.

To calculate the cult’s Fervor rank, divide its Fervor Point total by its Size modifier (rounded down) and reference the table below.

Cult Fervor

Fervor FP/Size ModifierCheck DCEvent Modifier
Fanatical10++1+2
Reverent8-9+0+1
Inspired5-7+0+0
Observant3-4+0-1
Apathetic0-2+1-2
Fanatical: In this dangerously high level of Fervor, adherents begin seeing themselves as instruments of the hero-gods’ will, sometimes taking extreme actions in the name of the cult even if not instructed to do so.

Reverent: The adherents are committed to the cult wholeheartedly. While not self-destructive, followers are much more willing to take major risks in the cult’s name.

Inspired: Adherents are dedicated and enthusiastic, willing to take small risks to benefit the pantheon.

Observant: Intrigued, adherents eagerly want to learn more from the pantheon. They accept inconveniences (but not serious risks) as they explore the faith and determine if it’s a worthy path to enlightenment or power.

Apathetic: Though a few adherents might believe fervently in the cause, most adherents are disenchanted with the cult or are distracted by other opportunities. The pantheon’s directives are more likely to discourage an adherent than inspire them.

Size (Cults)

Source Pathfinder #217: Death Sails a Wine-Dark Sea pg. 64
Most cults begin with only a handful of adherents, but a carefully managed cult can become a city-state’s central faith or even have religious strongholds spread across Iblydos. The larger the cult, the more power it has. That said, larger cults are also more difficult to serve, control, and inspire, lacking the intimacy and sense of exclusivity of smaller operations.

Rather than track an exact number of adherents, this system abstracts the cult’s Size with an estimated number of adherents. In addition, Size affects several other factors, detailed below.

Recruitment Points (RP): A cult’s Size is determined by the number of Recruitment Points it has. Events and Activities can change this value, causing the cult to grow or shrink in Size based on its current RP total at the end of the cult phase.

Size Modifier: This value affects the flat check DC to control the cult and more. A cult can perform a number of Activities per cult phase equal to its Size modifier (minimum 1)

Cult Size

Size Membership Size Modifier Recruitment Points
Gargantuantens of thousands5100+
Hugethousands460-99
Largehundreds330-59
Mediumdozens210-29
Smalldozens or fewer11-9

Mythic Points (Cults)

Source Pathfinder #217: Death Sails a Wine-Dark Sea pg. 65
Adherents’ devotion doesn’t just feed the pantheon’s egos; it also generates additional mythic power the PCs can draw upon during their adventures. These Mythic Points are typically earned by the Oversee Rites activity, though additional events might affect the total. A cult can have at most a number of Mythic Points equal to 3 or its Size modifier, whichever is greater. When a PC who belongs to the pantheon would spend a Mythic Point but has none remaining, they can gain and expend one of the cult’s Mythic Points.

Failed Cults

Source Pathfinder #217: Death Sails a Wine-Dark Sea pg. 65
Due to mismanagement or misfortune, a cult’s FP or RP value might be reduced to 0 (though these totals can’t be reduced below 0). When this happens, the cult enters a period of crisis at the beginning of the next cult phase. While in crisis, all flat check DCs are increased by 1 (by 2 if the cult’s FP and RP totals are both 0). A cult in crisis must end the cult phase with at least 1 FP and 1 RP; otherwise, the cult fails and disperses, and the PCs lose their pantheon status and any cult benefits. At the GM’s discretion, this might be avoided by clever roleplay, quests of atonement, expending considerable wealth, or other efforts.