Chaos Cult - Nature of Cults: The business of the Ordo Hereticus is largely centred on the discovery and destruction of heretical or otherwise illegal cults and groups. The usage of the term "cult" within the Inquisition, and the wider Imperium for that matter, is a general one used to encompass the bewildering variety of possible religious sects, secret societies, creeds, political parties, associations, guilds, and conspiracies that are commonplace in the Imperium's many cultures. Outside what might be termed the two great religious cults of the Imperium -- the Imperial Creed and the Adeptus Mechanicus -- many other cults exist.The most common take the form of sects of the Imperial state-sanctioned faith who devote themselves to a particular aspect of doctrine or the veneration of a particular Imperial Saint or miraculous event. Second to these are warrior societies of various forms, which are especially prevalent on Feral or Feudal Worlds, followed closely by the numerous cult-like groups, most often preferring the term "guild," who cater to a particular specialised craft or trade.Beyond these, most Imperial worlds often boast scores of other local cults whose exact nature often baffles outside scrutiny, tied to some idiosyncrasy of culture, planet, clan, or historical event. It is only when a group becomes considered heretical and is judged to espouse an ideology that is contrary to the Imperium's law or broad strictures of the Imperial Creed that a cult merits the Holy Ordos' attentions.Heresy can be a contagious thing in itself, and when it spreads, a cult is often formed from those that subscribe to it. In other cases, a powerful or charismatic leader will often draw a coterie of devoted disciples and followers into forming a heretical cult, and by the same token, deviants and like-minded individuals often join together for mutual support and protection.Cults exist in the main for very good reasons, the most obvious being secrecy -- the protection and greater resources of the larger group allows it to better organise and conceal itself from prying eyes, rivals, and outside threats.The second is power, as the strength of a cult's membership united is often far greater than what an individual would possess. This is a truth that remains constant on many levels, from pooled finances to sustaining and reinforcing the loyalty and adherence of its members.Isolation, after all, promotes cohesion in-and-of-itself, whilst division will destroy a cult as easily as any Witch Hunter's purge.Heretical cults often share several common attributes despite their many differences. Most seek to conceal themselves behind the disguise of a more benign (or at least accepted) front organisation, or remain completely hidden from the authorities in order to avoid discovery. Cults also often favour a particular milieu in which to operate and recruit fresh members, which is often determined by the cult's own nature.For example, a cult centred on fermenting rebellion amongst mutant labourers will confine itself to the shatters and barrens where the mutants dwell, recruiting from the disaffected and outcasts among their numbers.Meanwhile a malefic conspiracy of Daemon worship among the depraved Imperial planetary nobility will often limit itself to the salons and private estates of the elite for its haunts and recruiting grounds.Many cults also share similar organisational structures despite their differing goals and natures, the most common of which are detailed below. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and in many cases, the structure may involve many minor differences in practice and effect. While a particular cult may favour one structure over another, it will often include other structural elements as well.