The Sickened Gatherers

The Sickened Gatherers are a fanatical cult devoted to Pestis, the Goddess of Disease and Poison. Their mission is to spread sickness, decay, and corruption, serving as agents of Pestis’s malevolent will. They see themselves as the harbingers of suffering, dedicated to poisoning the world and breaking down any semblance of purity. The Sickened Gatherers believe that the pain and rot they bring are necessary forces of change, purging weakness and creating a new order where only the strong and adaptable survive. They relish in the misery they create, finding purpose in perpetuating Pestis’s influence.

Structure and Hierarchy

  The Sickened Gatherers operate with a perverse hierarchy that reflects their commitment to disease, corruption, and chaos.  

• The Herald of Pestis: At the top of the cult is the Herald of Pestis, the most devoted and diseased follower who claims a direct connection to the goddess herself. This figure is revered as Pestis’s voice and vessel, embodying her twisted teachings and spreading her influence with unwavering devotion. The Herald oversees the cult’s activities, directs their rituals, and ensures that their actions align with Pestis’s will. The Herald is often disfigured by numerous afflictions, wearing them as symbols of pride and power.

 

• Plaguebearers: Beneath the Herald are the Plaguebearers, high-ranking members responsible for leading various cult cells. They are tasked with spreading disease within communities, carrying out the cult’s missions, and gathering rare toxins and herbs for their vile rituals. Plaguebearers often undergo physical transformations to better embody the sickness they wield, allowing their bodies to become conduits for Pestis’s dark power.

 

• Rotbringers: These members specialize in contaminating water sources, food supplies, and sacred grounds, corrupting them with pestilence and rot. Rotbringers are trained in dark alchemy and toxin creation, turning everyday substances into carriers of sickness. They work tirelessly to expand Pestis’s reach through decay, leaving communities weakened and vulnerable in their wake.

 

• Blighted Scribes: The Blighted Scribes are scholars who document Pestis’s teachings and record the progress of the cult’s influence. They compile grim tomes, poison recipes, and recount tales of corruption to pass down the knowledge of pestilence through generations. Their writings serve as guides for future followers, ensuring that Pestis’s legacy of decay endures.

 

• Infected Initiates: New recruits to the Sickened Gatherers are known as Infected Initiates. To prove their loyalty, they must undergo a ritual of self-infection, willingly exposing themselves to diseases and toxins. Surviving this initiation is a test of resilience, and those who endure are gradually integrated into higher ranks, their bodies marked by the sickness that defines their devotion.

 

Rituals and Practices

  The Sickened Gatherers engage in rituals and ceremonies that honor Pestis and reinforce their commitment to spreading disease and suffering.  

1. The Rite of Contagion: A major ritual performed during significant moments or when the cult wishes to intensify their efforts. During the Rite, the Gatherers infect themselves with a potent mixture of poisons, allowing Pestis to “bless” them with sickness. This ritual is believed to draw Pestis’s attention and favor, strengthening the cult’s resolve to spread pestilence.
2. The Oath of Corruption: To join the Sickened Gatherers, Initiates must take the Oath of Corruption, a solemn vow to reject purity and embrace the spread of disease. This ritual emphasizes the importance of contamination, chaos, and defilement, binding new members to the cult’s mission of seeding pestilence wherever they go.
3. The Gathering of Blight: A dark ceremony held to celebrate successful outbreaks or the contamination of significant locations. The cult members gather in a polluted area to revel in the suffering they have caused, paying homage to Pestis through offerings of spoiled food, infected animals, and cursed artifacts.

 

Allies and Enemies

  The Sickened Gatherers find allies among other dark cults, especially those aligned with decay, pain, or corruption. They often collaborate with like-minded factions to amplify their efforts, working with groups that seek to disrupt the natural order. These alliances further their cause and help them spread their influence into new regions.   Their enemies are those who seek to cleanse or heal the world, including clerics of healing gods, alchemists devoted to purification, and any group working to prevent disease. The Sickened Gatherers despise these forces, viewing them as obstacles to Pestis’s will. They actively work against any entity that promotes purity or wellness, seeing such efforts as direct affronts to their goddess.  

In Summary

  The Sickened Gatherers are a vile cult devoted to Pestis, the Goddess of Disease and Poison. They are dedicated to spreading sickness, corruption, and despair, embracing a hierarchy that glorifies disease and rot. Their rituals and practices focus on seeding pestilence, and through alliances with other dark forces, they aim to plunge the world into an era of endless suffering and decay, opposing all who seek to heal or purify.