Cult of Iaret: London
The Cult of Iaret form a cult within the Kindred, who promotes the beauty and the sensation as a way to spiritual transcendence. Those on the outside see it as a social club of like-minded Kindred corrupted by the Setites who follow their baser instincts in shocking sexual and bloody orgies.
The truth is that it is a cult, and that its true followers discard their Humanity to follow the Path of Ecstasy, a religious path more attuned to their vision of life and unlife. The cult is slowly but steadily converting Kindred, charmed by the promises of physical and mental pleasures (not only unhindered human moral constraints but also supported by the moral code of Ecstasy), by the Egyptian flavor of its privates soirées, because of boredom or eager to find a solution to their failing Humanity.
Secretly, the Followers revere Set as the god who guided them into enlightenment. They serve as lobbyists to promote the cult goals, which are to remove as much ugliness from the world (Noferatu included!), to make London some kind of holy city devoted to the Cult of Ecstasy, to convert more people (be them mortals or Kindred) and to increase the resources of the cult (influences, resources, etc.).
Organization
The cult is organized in a priest-like Hierarchy. Above all is the High-Priestess of Iaret. Under her, Priests of Iaret are those who know enough about the Path of Ecstasis, and of the right to lead rituals in her absence. They are also those to turn to for questions and allay doubts. Below the Priests are the Disciples who follow the Path without having much responsibility in the Cult. Below them are the Novices, who are new to the Path. They are to be guided. Below are the simple followers, who are not in the Path, but who have sympathies for the cult, and are accepted either as potential converts or allies and friends.
| FoI Prestige | Ecstasis minimum | Title |
| ● | N.A. | Follower |
| ●● | 1 | Novice |
| ●●● | 3 | Disciple |
| ●●●● | 5 | Priest/Priestess |
| ●●●●● | 7 | High-Priest/High-Priestess |
The ranks are climbed by decision of the High Priestess, usually by observation of the subject's apparent rating in her Path of Ecstasy. Followers are studied before allowed to advance. Novices are automatically included (as it is the High-Priestess who actually convert them into the Path of Ecstasis). A Novice is under the tutelage of the High-Priestess until she is considered autonomous enough in her Path to become Disciple (or advanced enough to be taught the secrets of the Path by another Cultist -- who has a rating of 7+ in her Path). All other ranks are achieved as the follower succeeds (or fails) to further the Cult's aims.
Upon becoming Novice, the Follower of Iaret must choose an Egyptian Name, which will work as a symbolic True Name (without occult significance) among the Followers. Upon becoming Disciple, a follower is given a single field/mission to further the aim of the cult, be it by spreading the faith, or by giving resources (money, havens, followers, etc.) to the Cult. Upon becoming Priest/Priestess, the follower must choose an aspect of Set (in the form of an Egyptian -- or foreign -- God/Godess) to become its Priest.
Iaret , Taweret, Set and other mythologies
What? You place your faith in a a hippopotamus-headed godess?
This sentence is the kind of ridicule-generating sentence that can destroy a cult's credibility. Also, the symbol of the Setites was the Serpent, not the hippopotamus. Theti-Sheri, member of the Cult of Taweret, thus decided to found (another?) religious version of the Path of Typhon Set, derived from the cult of Taweret. She changed the apparent central figure of the faith, taking over the divine female uraeus, Iaret (rumoured to be a Setite Methuselah!).
While Theti-Sheri still promotes the Path of Ecstasis, some religious dogma of the Cult of Taweret was changed (the Cult of Iaret don't have problems with groups larger than three, if the three follow the Path of Typhon Set, as it immunizes them from the influence of the Aeons). Of course, this has created some tensions with the mother faith, but Theti-Sheri's success doused the flames of outrage. Iaret is just a front. Everyone on the Path of Ecstasis know that through their rituals, they revere no one else than Set Himself, Iaret being seen as Set's Childe and divine concubine.
Influence of the Cult
The Cult of Iaret offers its members a moral caution for their instincts. Of course, not all instincts are evil and the Cult does not promote evil. The Cult of Iaret only promotese freedom from morals of dubious origins. A lot of the cultists and would-be cultists have instincts and needs that would be at least frowned upon by society at large. In the cult, they not only find acceptance, but also admiration for it.
Mortals are chosen for either their spiritual vision or the power they can bring with them. The first are the possible new priests of the Cult. The second are usually enlightened to their own instincts before showing them a group that will accept them. Most will usually revel in their excesses, and won't climb very far in the spiritual ladder (they will have their humanity decreasing). But among them some will search and find a spiritual explanation and will while guided by the Priests of Iaret, convert to the Path of Ecstasis.
As the mortals who indulge in this kind of debauchery are usually rich and powerful, this makes them useful strings to pull to enforce the policy of the Setites in the political, law, and financial areas.
Vampires are both more difficult and more easy to convert. Followers of Set know their needs, and know how to help their Kindred fullfill them. But the Followers of Set are usually seen as corrupted, as vampiric versions of the Serpent of Eden corrupting Eve and Adam. While the Setites don't care about the tasteless tale of two mortals learning sexuality hidden behind the apple imagery, their prestige is tainted by this. Thus the Followers of Set try to change this image. A part of their ceremonies are open to all. What they do in their Salons are sometimes imaginative, cruel, and bloody, but a lot of groups share these traits (without, perhaps, the creativity in debauchery the Setites or the Toreador usually have). The Cult of Iaret also supports strongly the Camarilla and the Masquerade giving them the harmless images of poseurs who know how to have fun. Their adoration of beauty and art only increase this image.
The converted Kindred have two uses. Aside the fact that they are considered as Followers of Set by conversion: They come in the Cult bringing their own personal power and influence. This adds to the power of the Cult, and they are the proof that the evil serpents are not so evil and that nothing harmful happens to the converts. In fact, some jealousy can follow the appearance of a new convert now able to get away with actions that both attract the desensitized mind of Elders, and repel them for their consequences on their humanity. The converts usually are more alive, happy than before their conversion.
Rituals (for Mortals)
Usually, these Rituals are conducted by ghouls who converted to the Path of Ecstasy. The Gods only make their appearance at special occasions, usually accepting the blood offered by the participants. Otherwise, the participants are encouraged to be generous to the Cult. Of course, those able to give more are supposed to give more...
The ceremonies are hidden beneath various buildings and (non religious) associations with underground locales, happening usually at night. Sometimes, for different (spiritual or material) reasons, a special ceremony is held at a different location. Usually, a member was so successful that the cult believe she must be the center of a ceremony. She is officially thanked for her courage and faith, and is given a special present (usually her secret desire) given in front of all. After being the center of attention of all, the others join her in her revelry. This sometimes leads to bloody and/or sexual orgies where vengeance and lust happily merge to colossal heights. But often as not, the ceremony involves a clean sacrifice, or a sermon, followed by the sharing of the blood of the God (more often an hallucinogen mixture created by one of the Gods than Vitae).
Should one of the cultist be ready for converting to the Path of Ecstasis, the priest leads her to a private ceremony among the Gods. The Followers of Set then study the subject, usually testing her in matter of faith and morality. They submit the follower to some or all the Revelations. Each revelation leads to a conversion, at which time she will become a priestess for the mortal cult. The last Revelation is the Revelation of Blood Ecstasy, a merging of two Revelations, which leads to her Embrace.
Each mortal cult has its own rituals, and its own God (usually a Kindred Follower of Iaret who can control multiple cults!), and thus, each has its own ceremonies and rituals (including human sacrifice!). Sometimes, a cult member will be moved from one cult to another, to better suit her tastes and ease her conversion.
Rituals (for Kindred)
The Kindred Cultists can be divided also into two groups. The first is composed of by those sympathetic to the Cult. They usually still follow the Road of Humanity but somehow fail in this. Like some, they are jealous of how far the Cultists can go in Evil (in the Humanity moral paradigm). But unlike most this envy leads them to frequent the cultists, perhaps waiting for the proper occasion to join, or perhaps only wanting to have some fun. To those, the Cult only shows their ecstatic philosophy, neglecting the role of Set in it, choosing instead Iaret, the female Uraeus, as their beautiful and majestic icon. The Discipline Serpentis is shown as Iaret's manifestation, and not some stupid biblical serpent's.
The Salons and ceremonies where they are invited has of course religious significance diluted in more mundane events. These are moments of joy (at least to the Kindred). Sometimes blood feasts which could shame Sabbat Neonates are organized where Elders play more physical games than the perhaps too much cerebral games of politics where they can hunt, search and play as would hyenas among their victims. Sometimes, discussion and art Salons are given, where the Toreador finally find members of other Clans who share the same tastes. Of course, the Nectar of the Muses is served in any of these Salons. Its results on creativity is such that some Toreador already (and secretly) used it to correct a temporary low inspiration.
The second group are constituted by followers of the Path of Ecstasy (or perhaps any Path of Typhon Set). The role of Set is seen as fundamental, if not central. Their philosophy is all and Set is its defender. The Ecstasists have much to do: To find new converts, to lead cults, to bring more power to the Cult, and to discover new spiritual experiences.
Their reunions are more religious in nature. Prayers, sacrifices and religious teachings are more common. After the end of the ceremony, the Followers gather to discuss current affairs, among mortal slaves who see to their every need. As the time goes on, affair discussions disappear behind what some would recognize as an epic roman-like blood orgy in honor to the Dark God.
Author's Note: About morality?
Yes, the Cultists are evil. In their own vision if one can't open one's eyes, then one is fair game. The Cultists can't enlighten everyone in their path, much less those actively following other morality codes. They believe that souls are chained to rigid morals created to please a seemingly omnipotent god who permits itself actions that it forbid to its followers.
The Cultists don't believe all human principles to be evil. They just point to what they believe to be contradictions in those sets of principles. Followers of Set are usually considered evil because of a biblical prejudice, where everything is seen as good or as evil. So Osiris is good (a Christ-like figure, isn't it?) and so Osiris' enemy, Set, is evil (now comes the clone of Satan!). By doing such one forget that Egyptian mythology predated Judeo-Christian ones by centuries if not thousands of years! Set's prejudice started late in Egyptian history. Before that, Set was considered a god among others, a violent god, of course, but Osiris' (and Isis') stories are not exactly devoid of evil acts (How Isis stole the secrets of magic from Ra, by poisoning and abusing the elder god, for example).
So, do justice to the Followers of Set. They are evil by human standards, but they are not the kind of "Muah Ah Ah!" stupid evil for its own sake. (If you or your players crave these kinds of ridiculous enemies, you can still use them, it's your game. But this simplicity is both less mature and demeaning to the spirit of the game...). They can be selfish, intolerant, and adept at manipulation. But if you look closely at everything around you, you will find successful (and less successful) persons or businesses usually share these traits. In a very Vampire: The Masquerade fashion, the Followers of Set are evil among other evils. Nothing more, nothing less. It's just that it's simpler to pinpoint the evil you believe to see than the evil you're part of...
Who's Who Among the Cult of Iaret: London
- Nova Turan - High Priestess
Disciples