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Cult of the Sleeper
Tsathoggua is keenly interested in worshippers because

congregations work together as groups to capture and

he is always hungry for sacrifice. His cult follows the

provide victims for the awakening of Tsathoggua.

same natural cycle in almost every case (see below). All

When possible, they attempt to bring their cult to a

the stages of the cult may be present simultaneously on

position of importance in their land.

a world or continent, but in any one region or nation,
only one stage manifests at a time.

to begin kidnapping humans and other intelligent

At all times and at all stages, the primary function

victims to sacrifice to their god. The benefits they

of the cult is to keep Tsathoggua fed so that he

receive from this are obvious, even to outsiders, and the

continues to reward his worshippers. Unlike other

cult continues to grow. Typically, the cult still attempts

Mythos cultists, cultists of the Sleeper are often sane

to keep the sacrificial nature and true purpose of the

and rational, if callously so. Tsathoggua places no

religion at least somewhat hidden.

premium on madness or destruction for its own sake,
and thus his cult can operate in an ordered society—at
least for a while.

Sleeper Cult Beginnings

Downfall of the Sleeper Cult
Unless the cult is able to achieve a stranglehold on
an entire nation, eventually its prominence leads to
disaster. The vile practices, kidnappings, and murders

Initially, only a few unlucky individuals in any given

of the cult, as well as its dealings with hideous formless

region know about Tsathoggua. The Great Old One

spawn and other monsters (such as serpent folk), lead

may make personal appearances or his formless spawn

the forces of law and order to strike back and try to

may contact likely individuals. These people begin

suppress the Sleeper.

worshiping Tsathoggua and start organizing services

Even if the Sleeper Cult does manage to gain support

for fellow cultists. Tsathoggua’s cult at this early stage

in high places (for example, by converting a nation’s

often seems more or less harmless. Only animals (dogs,

king or vizier to its number), this can lead to a mass

cows, etc.) are sacrificed to their foul deity, and the

revolt against the horrors it perpetrates. The natural

obvious benefits of the cult make it seem attractive, at

response to the Sleeper is a call for its official ban or

least to those of a low moral nature.

even a pogrom against the cult. Sleeper worshippers

At this stage, the cult may be limited to a particular

go into hiding or engage in pitched battles with the

clan, race, or guild, but it always looks to expand. The

authorities. Usually the Sleeper Cult is exposed before

cult is not an exclusionary organization and welcomes

it has grown too powerful to be stopped, and thus it is

outsiders as adherents.

eventually doomed to widespread destruction.

The Rise of the Sleeper Cult
Eventually, the Cult of the Sleeper becomes large and

But even then it is not gone.

The Sleeper in Secret

forms a proper church. At this point it is grouped

A few cultists almost always remain, often the most

into congregations, each of which has formal worship

intelligent and potent. They carry on the lore and the

services, one or more temples, and an organized

legend of their god. Even if most of the cult dies out,

hierarchy with initiates, acolytes, and priests. These

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At this stage, the cult is strong and bold enough