Cult: Difference between revisions

Don't confuse with the horror [[Role Playing Game]] '''[[Kult]]''', the [[Freeware Games]] [[Cult (video game)|Cult]], or with the [[The Eighties|80s]] rock band, '''[[Spell My Name with a "The"|The]]''' [[The Cult (music)|Cult]].

 

 

It should be noted that one meaning of the word "cult," perhaps the most clearly defined one, is simply "a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies," so, technically, ''every'' religion is a cult. Except the [[Church of Happyology]], of course.

 

 

'''[[No Real Life Examples, Please]]'''

 

== [[Professional Wrestling]] ==

* [[WWE]] presently has the [[Smug Straight Edge|Straight Edge]] [[Bald of Evil|Society]], as led by [[CM Punk]] (incidentally, a former member of one of Raven's [[TNA]] stables).

** And now Punk is the leader of [[The Nexus|The New Nexus]], which is seeming very culty with the whole "Faith" thing they're doing.

* Everywhere in [[Warhammer 40000]]. Most are devoted to the Chaos Gods, or are set up by [[Face Full of Alien Wingwong|Genestealers]] to call down the [[Horde of Alien Locusts|Tyranid hive fleets]]. But the "[[Black and Gray Morality|good guys]]" have them too - there are many cults dedicated to the Emperor in unorthodox but non-heretical ways, while [[Super Soldier|Space Marine]] Chapters tend to incorporate their Primarch or the beliefs of their homeworld into their religious practices. Naturally, the [[Church Militant|Inquisition's Ordo Hereticus]] keeps a close eye on these tolerated cults.

** In the skirmish game ''[[Necromunda]]'', using a 40K variant and set on the eponymous planet, a player's force could belong to the Redemptionist Crusade, a sect that relates to the normal Emperor-Worshipping Imperial Citizens (you know, dogmatic, intolerant, heretic-burning, etc.) about in the same way that David Koresh-style sects relate to standard Evangelical Christianity. They are TOO fanatic even for Imperial Society, and hence are outlaws to be killed on sight.

{{quote|'Then the prophet spake: saying

"Frak this, for my faith is a shield proof against your blandishments".'

** There is actually a "Cult" background, which specifically refers to your character having worshippers. Some, most notably the Alchemicals, try to [[Unwanted False Faith|dissuade them]]. Pretty much everyone else responds with "w00t, free [[Mana|motes]]!" The main cults not directly related to worshipping Exalts are typically devoted to [[Our Demons Are Different|Yozis]], local deities, or their ancestors, and one signature character - the deathknight known as the White Walker or Harbinger of the Ghost-Cold Wind - has dedicated his existence to forcing a fair arrangement on both sides.

* The same applies in ''[[Rune Quest]]'', older by about 25 years; practically every resident of Glorantha joins a "cult" of one of the hundreds or thousands of gods, and gains some magic from that god. Even the state religion of the Lunar Empire is technically a "cult".

** One of the very first ''D&D'' adventures, ''The Temple of the Frog'', concerned a raid on the cult of an evil amphibian-god.

** The 3rd Edition version of the ''Deities & Demigods'' [[Sourcebook]], which contained guidelines for designing religions and godly pantheons, described the dwarven earth goddess Dennari, whose followers were described as a benign [[Mystery Cult]].

* Spiderweb Software's ''[[Exile]]''/''[[Avernum]] III'' allows you to join an anti-magic cult. If any of your characters have magical abilities, they give up their use permanently. This choice makes the game a bit more difficult, and in particular prevents you from stopping a plague of cockroaches, since you can't cast a fireball spell. However, you can always do that quest before joining the cult. The Anama appear again in ''Avernum 5''.

* The Happy Happy Religious Group headed by Mr. Carpainter from ''[[Earthbound]]'', which kidnapped Paula and was obsessed with the color blue. The quest that involves them would also mark the [[Start of Darkness]] for Pokey, which would ultimately see him becoming [[The Dragon]] to [[Big Bad]] Giygas, {{spoiler|and later becoming a major villain in Earthbound's sequel, ''[[Mother 3]]'', as well}}.

* ''[[Eternal Darkness]]'' had at least one cult worshipping the [[Eldritch Abomination|Ancients]]. The main branch was run out of a French cathedral, and used a made-up Christian relic to lure in human sacrifices.

* ''[[Warcraft]] III'':

* Spaghetti Cultists, who [[Anonymous Ringer|worship a Flying Spaghetti Monster]] from [[Kingdom of Loathing]], the [[Evil Counterpart]] of the game's Lawful-Good [[Whatevermancy|Pastamancers]].

* The Church of Unitology in ''[[Dead Space (series)|Dead Space]]'' is a very large, very successful cult by the time the games take place, but it is still a cult.

* The [[The Unfettered|Gaians]] and the [[Corrupt Church|Messians]] in [[Shin Megami Tensei]].

* And then there's [[Halo|the Covenant]], where the leaders don't even realize {{spoiler|they're running a suicide cult}}.

 

== Web Comics ==

* In the [[Backstory]] of ''[[Last Res0rt]]'', Arikos's crimes stem from leading a cult of Talmi who believed that he could turn them (back) into humans. In truth, Arikos used the cult as a means to produce his Celeste offspring, and not only killed off any "failed" offspring , but also any members of the cult who had outlived their usefulness (specifically older members who could no longer work / bear children) throughout the process.

* In ''[[Templar, Arizona]]'' there is a cult of people founded by 'Jake', whose core beliefs revolve around theft, polygamy, and breeding, and refer to themselves as 'Jakes' or 'Jakeskin' (Jake's kin).

* ''[[Stroker and Hoop]]'' were targeted by a cult of "enlightened cannibals", who drug people and surgically remove their vestigial organs for the group's consumption.

** Though they ''did'' commit mass suicide via poisoned appendixes to ascend to a comet, so not that enlightened.

* On ''[[King of the Hill]]'', Luanne gets caught in a cult whose member all take the name of Jane.

** And guess what happens when Peggy tries to get her out?