The Harvest Cultists of the Wildlands were once a sinister group of vile, uncivilized humans, primarily Nordisa, who struck terror into farming villages across the land. Under the cover of darkness, they carried out their raids, slaughtering innocents and stealing the fruits of their labor. Their most violent activity peaked during the harvest seasons of late summer and autumn, when the villages were ripe with crops. Though their presence was scattered across the continent, the regions of Windslan, Hauth, and Zor were particularly notorious for the frequency of their attacks, as these areas harbored the highest concentration of active cult members.
Description
The cultists were a grim and shadowy people, the majority of them belonging to the dark-minded Nordisa. They were easily recognized by their haunting appearance: tattered, ragged clothing and faces always obscured by cloth, revealing nothing but their cold, merciless eyes. Their weapons of choice were equally ominous—sickles, hand scythes, crudely-forged swords, and most notably, a spiked ball attached to a chain, the chain attached to a metal gauntlet. These were tools of both labor and death that embodied their violent, agrarian-based way of life.
The Cult
The Harvest Cult itself was shrouded in mystery and darkness. Its members avoided the company of others, preferring to live in isolation or among the remote rural wilderness. Rarely did they engage in conversation with outsiders, which only deepened the unsettling aura surrounding them. Rumors spread of their gruesome rituals and whispered oaths to forgotten gods of the earth and moon.
medium
6'
humanoid (human)
70-80 years
neutral evil
none
beige
varied
varied
any farming region
The cult lacked any formal structure, operating more like a loosely connected network of small, dangerous cells, each driven by an insidious interpretation of ancient beliefs. Though leadership was non-existent, one figure stood out above the rest: a twisted voodoo shaman known as Father Karrus. This infamous figure single-handedly led the most gruesome of all their attacks, the Moonrevn Harvest Raids of 1427 MA, in which he massacred dozens of villagers with merciless precision. Karrus held the title of “Father Cultist,” a name spoken in hushed tones by the survivors, and was regarded as the closest thing the cult had to a leader.
Vegetarianism
Despite their bloodlust, the Harvest Cultists followed a strict vegetarian diet, consuming only plant-based foods, most of which were taken during their violent raids. Their affinity for the earth’s harvests was ironic, as they thrived by exploiting the crops of the very farmers they terrorized.
Voodoo Magic
Dark magic flowed through the cult, particularly in the form of Voodoo spellcraft. Most cult groups were led by a powerful shaman skilled in these dark arts, using their magic to control their followers and to invoke curses upon their enemies. The shamans could channel low-level spells to manipulate nature and life itself, often wielding their dark powers in ways that reinforced the cult’s eerie connection to the natural world. Each raid carried with it not just violence, but also the fear of a supernatural curse following in its wake, ensuring the cult’s terrifying legacy endured long after their attacks ceased