Cult Veritas

A sect of the Cult of Falina, hidden away in the mountains of northern Caswar.

Cult Veritas is a bleak place, with a very strict hierarchy. Those born into the cult know a life of trials and a continuous struggle to survive. Those at the very top of the Cult live in relative privilege - they do not starve, and always have a roof over their heads.

## Culture

Cult Veritas is dedicated to the worship and service of Falina. As such, members of Cult Veritas are expected to be devout, with dire consequences if any doubt is suspected.

The cult's growth is of great import; arranged marriages are extremely common, and couples are expected to produce as many children as possible. The Cult also kidnaps travellers, forcing them to integrate into their way of life or be killed.

Some children are chosen to host demons - often as punishments to parents. Those who survive are brutally trained as either Clerics or Warlocks. Children who are not chosen as hosts are treated no less cruelly, and are often terrorized by the more sadistic hosts with no way to fight back.

## Members

### Leader

#### **Armand Veritas**

Armand is a 58 year old Fire Genasi Barbarian, and the current leader of Cult Veritas. He was not born into the cult; he and his mother were kidnapped. His mother didn’t like the cult much, but he embraced it and rose to power. The previous cult leader had no surviving children, naming Armand as his heir and giving him the Veritas surname. He has two wives. He has three fire genasi children with his first wife, Yvette: Gabrielle, Remi, and Léonard. He has a single tiefling son with his second wife, Mathilde: Hector II. Armand wields an axe which he has named Hector. He has used it to take many, many lives.

### Deputies

#### **Charles DeRoche**

Charles DeRoche is a 45 year old Human Warlock. Cruel, sadistic, and power-hungry, Charles is utterly devoted to Falina. He believes it is his destiny to have a fallen aasimar child, the perfect servant of Falina. He married Lena DeRoche against her will, fathering two half-elf children: Matthew (formerly called Lucien) and Olivia. He eventually had Lena killed, and secretly fathered a child named Luna with a woman from another cult. He married again, to an eighteen year old girl named Isabelle, but the marriage did not last long before he had her killed, as well. She managed to steal some very precious jewels from him before she died, something that infuriates him to this day. He has not married since. All of Charles' children resemble him closely, particularly Matthew.

#### **Jean Luke Pikkarde**

Jean Luke Pikkarde is a 47 year old Moon Elf Warlock. Jean Luke is descended from a long line of Cult Deputies, and takes his duties very seriously. He is married to a fellow Moon Elf named Alaine, with whom he has a daughter, Vera. His elder sister, Yvette, is married to Armand, thus placing her essentially at equal status with him - a fact he resents, as he believes he should be above her as a man.

### Warlock Teacher

#### **Vernin Bursley**

Vernin is a 50 year old Fallen Aasimar Warlock who was formerly a deputy of the cult. Charles successfully usurped him years ago, and he has despised the DeRoche family ever since, taking pleasure in terrorizing them. Their feud has been bitter over the years, culminating in Charles marrying Vernin's sister Isabelle against their family's will, and having her killed only days later.

### Warlock Students

#### **Pierre Arsenault**

Pierre was a Sun Elf Warlock who was 22 when he was killed by his own demon. Pierre and his brother, Arrin, were friends of Lucien and Olivia growing up. Pierre was in love with Lucien, who felt the same way about him, but both knew they would be wed to other people. With the help of Olivia, Arrin, and Alaine, Pierre and Lucien attempted to escape together, and were actually successful in getting away. However, Pierre's demon had always had a very powerful hold over him, and killed him on the shores of Caswar while Lucien watched in horror.

#### **Arrin Arsenault**

Arrin was a Sun Elf Warlock, and a friend of Lucien and Olivia. He was always a friendly child despite the horrors he'd had to live through, and was protective of those he loved. He and Olivia were engaged at a young age, something neither party had any issues with (a very rare agreeable match). Arrin, shortly after marrying Olivia, helped Pierre and Lucien escape together, and was likely killed as a result. He would be 21 if still alive.

#### **Hector II Veritas**

Hector is a 12 year old Tiefling Warlock, and the youngest child of Armand. Hector was once the opposite of his father; he was a kind and sensitive child, who never wanted to hurt anyone. Armand forced him into the Dark Ritual, and the process left Hector an emotionless shell of a child, his soul essentially stripped from him.

### Cleric Teacher

#### **Meira Linfore**

Meira is a 48 year old Gnome Cleric. Meira was born in an Illurian branch of the Cult, but came to Veritas as a young adult when her own branch died out. She is fascinated by the Dark Ritual, and goes to watch every single one even if she is not participating. Meira is extremely cruel, and is mentally, emotionally, and physically abusive to her students. She is extremely devout, and is quick to report anyone who she suspected had doubt in their faith or the cult. Meira's specialty was the cantrip Necrotic Flame - her own invention - and she enjoyed using it on students who did not meet her standards.

### Cleric Students

#### **Cole Boucher**

Cole is a 19 year old Half-Elf Cleric. Cole is a model student of Cult Veritas: sadistic, devoted to Falina, and powerful. He enjoyed practicing with both his daggers and his spells on other students as much as possible. Cole was kidnapped into the cult. His parents, a wood elf merchant and his human wife, were murdered, and their infant child raised in the cult as one of their own.

#### **Alissa** **Moreau**

Alissa is a 26 year old Halfling Cleric. Alissa was always strict with younger students, but never unkind. She preferred focusing on healing spells rather than combat, and was quite gifted at them. As such, she was often a Secondary Cleric in Dark Rituals, a task she did dutifully. Alissa's parents were both born into the cult as well, but were killed as traitors when she was only a toddler, after they tried to run. Alissa was chosen for the Ritual as punishment for her parents' misdeeds. Alissa and Michel are married, and have a very young son named Audric.

#### **Michel Moreau**

Michel is a 22 year old Human Cleric. As far as cult members go, Michel has always been relatively decent, and treats those around him with respect. His demon scar is in his left eye, leaving him blind in it. Michel was born into the cult. He was chosen for the Ritual due to his parents - formerly highly respected members - disagreed publicly with one of Armand's decisions. They were forced to watch both of their children's Dark Rituals before being killed. Michel once had a much younger sister named Aurielle, but her Dark Ritual went badly, the demon taking complete control and killing her. He was twelve, and was forced to watch. He and Alissa are married, and have a very young son named Audric.

### Others of Note

#### **Lena DeRoche**

Lena DeRoche (maiden name Dunn) was a Moon Elf woman who was 24 when she was killed. Lena was stolen from her home as a child, and though she was young, she remembered her life before the cult clearly. She silently rejected Falina, though she felt too powerless to ever try and run. Lena was very beautiful, and caught the attention of Charles when she was still only a teenager. He married her on her eighteenth birthday against her will. She had two children with him: Matthew (formerly known as Lucien) and Olivia. At the same time, Lena secretly fell in love with another woman within the cult, Alaine. The two began a relationship, using their statuses as the Deputies' wives to excuse their closeness. Lena loved her children more than anything, and wanted to protect them. She tried to escape with them, but was betrayed by Yvette, and was killed.

#### **Alaine Pikkarde**

Alaine was a Moon Elf who was taken by the cult as a teenager. She was an Acolyte of Auna at the time, and had experience as a Cleric. Alaine befriended Lena early within her time in the Cult, and soon fell in love with her friend. It was not to be, however. Jean Luke desired her as his wife, and Alaine could do nothing to stop it. They were married, and had a single daughter, Vera. Jean Luke tried to have more children, but Alaine secretly drank a concoction to prevent it, not wanting to bring any more children into the cult. After her marriage, she learned that Lena did in fact reciprocate her feelings, and the two began a very secret relationship. She was devastated when Lena died, and tried to care for both Lucien and Olivia as best she could throughout their childhoods. She would have been 43 years old, but is most likely dead after helping Pierre and Lucien escape.

#### **Olivia DeRoche**

Olivia DeRoche was a Half-Elf Ranger, and the daughter of Charles and Lena. Olivia was a sweet girl who, while not a cleric, tried to take care of her older brother as best she could, bandaging his wounds and looking after him. Olivia was married to Arrin, a match neither minded, and was pregnant the last time Matthew saw her. She helped him and Pierre escape, and was most likely killed for it. She would be nearly 22 if she still lived.

#### **Vera Pikkarde**

Vera is a 23 year old Moon Elf. Vera is the daughter of Alaine and Jean Luke, and has known Olivia and Lucien their entire lives. Vera has always been extremely quiet and withdrawn, spending most of her days dissociating. She has always been a disappointment to her father, and he has been very emotionally abusive to her for her entire life. She was once meant to marry Lucien, an arrangement neither of them were too keen on. When Lucien escaped, Vera was happy for him - though she could not show it outwardly - doing so would have branded her as a traitor.

#### **Janette Travers**

Janette is a 69 year old Tabaxi Fighter, and one of the oldest living members of Veritas. Janette is a high ranking member of the cult, and oversees many of the Dark Rituals. Her job is not to perform them; she ensures that the children don't run. Janette is cold and stern, and is feared by most of the cult's children. She joined the cult voluntarily as a young adult, believing Falina would offer her a better life than the one she had been living in the slums of Voxis.

#### **Yvette Veritas**

Yvette is a 50 year old Human, and is married to Armand. She is mother to three of his children: Gabrielle, Remi, and Léonard. Yvette is a very bitter person, resentful of many other people within the cult. She knew Lena and Alaine were in love, and was jealous of the smallest amount of happiness they had managed to find together in the middle of so much misery. She overheard Lena's plan to escape, and betrayed her, informing Armand of what was going to occur in the hopes that he would pay attention to her once more (for his head had been turned by his new young wife Mathilde). She makes Mathilde's life as miserable as possible, and sees herself as Armand's only *true* wife.

#### **Mathilde Veritas**

Mathilde is a 32 year old Tiefling. She was born into the cult, and drew immediate attention for the colour of her skin, which was a beautiful obsidian. Black, being the colour of Falina's symbol (and thus considered a sacred colour to the cult), made Mathilde be seen as a child favoured by Falina. She grew up to be incredibly beautiful and demure, and many desired her as a very ideal wife - including the cult leader, Armand, who claimed her as his own. She became his second wife, and bore him a single son, Hector. Armand had hoped that a child with a mother like Mathilde would be a truly powerful heir, but Hector was a sweet, gentle child. Armand has not given up, and is still determined to have more children with Mathilde - a goal secretly being undermined by Yvette, who mixes herbs into Mathilde's food every day to ensure another child does not happen.

#### **Isabelle DeRoche**

Isabelle was a Fallen Aasimar Warlock. She was the much younger sister of Vernin, and her parents had high hopes for her. They hoped she could possibly become a second wife for Armand, as Fallen Aasimar have always been seen as very desirable partners within the cult. Armand's attention, however, was focused entirely on Mathilde. When Charles DeRoche's first wife was killed, he decided that he needed a new wife - Isabelle was eighteen, not engaged to anyone, and was a Fallen Aasimar, greatly increasing his chances of fathering an aasimar himself. He did not seek an engagement through her or her family - he went directly to Armand, declaring his intention to marry Isabelle. Armand granted him permission, and Isabelle was married to Charles against her will. She was utterly repulsed by her new husband, and when he advanced on her during their wedding night, she drew a knife and dismembered him. She paid for this with her life, but ensured that Charles would never marry again.