Colossus Cults

When the Evil Stars are in the sky, or the bones of slain monsters lie close to the surface of the Dome, or the thoughts of a Beholder insinuate themselves into the dreams of mortals, the influence of the Colossi seeps into the World. Mortal thoughts become disordered, infested with strange obsessions and mercurial rages. Some rise above this, but others embrace the dark impulses, obey the promptings of their dreams. So are born the cults of the Colossi.
Those who come to worship the Colossi, and to do that which they believe to be their bidding, usually do so because, on some level, they believe that the status quo is set against them. In a world of aristocrats, feudal rivalries and feuding faiths, there are plenty of these to go around, but the Colossi find most fertile ground with those whose slights, being largely imagined, defy more practical solutions. Colossus Cults, then, combine entitlement, paranoia, anarchy and nihilism into a destructive, egocentric faith in which all things can, and should, burn to ensure the good of the faithful and the faith.
The formation of a Colossus cult follows a specific pattern. It truly begins with a catalyst, and event or object that comes into the life of an individual or group gripped by the disordering effects of colossal influence and transforms that confusion and impulse into a full-blown obsession. Those gripped by this obsession will seem disturbing to many, but also compelling, and will tend to become a catalyst for others through their words or deeds. Thus the cult spreads and develops.
The form of a cult varies, depending on the nature of the influencing Colossus, combined with the psyche of the original cultists, and the nature of their 'revelation.' Most will fall into one of five general types:

• Resentment - The cult is driven by a sense of entitlement; a feeling that someone else has been given something that the cultists deserve, and that the cult or its master can restore it. While these cults will initially be very clear on what they have been denied, but overtime the specifics fade, leaving a generalised conviction that the 'master' will give them what they deserve. Such cults take the form of conspiratorial circles, working to undermine the governments and institutions which have held them back.
• Outrage - The cult forms around a sense of outrage against a great wrong. Again, while the initial catalyst is something specific, the outrage quickly becomes generalised and irrational. These cults often take the form of vigilante mobs, devolving from self-righteous local vigilance to witch-hunts and increasingly indiscriminant violence against the 'undesirable.'
• Hunger - The cult is driven by a desire for something - wealth, power, food, drink, or some other carnal satisfaction - that they have no real right to. Unlike those motivated by resentment, these cultists know from the beginning that the object of their desire is not theirs in any way, they just want it. These cults are openly criminal, but without the caution of career criminals, and become increasingly brazen as their strength grows.
• Chaos - The cult's purpose is to disrupt society, usually in violent ways, and to no greater end. They are often driven by a sense of overwhelming futility, either in the face of an uncaring world or the heartless wealthy. By their nature, such groups do not last long, but they can do a great deal of damage if not checked immediarey
• Survival - The cult's members are convinced of a coming cataclysm or other massacre. They establish a stronghold, which may or may not be well-fortified, in order to survive. Such cults, however, typically burn out fast, becoming self-destructive through either despair or jealousy.

Once a cult becomes established, entropic events begin to gather around them. Space and time begin to fray: distances stretch and compress, cause will sometimes follow effect. These are especially notable wherever the cult's members congregate, and thus cults with a tighter structure - survival cults rather than conspiracy cults - will become visible more quickly.
Left unchecked, a cult's presence will eventially create a Void Rift, through which Outerfolk can pass, and ultimately even one of the Colossi my find their way into the World. From this point on, hiding is impossible, and the cult will instead be driven to protect the rift until it births - as they believe, a new god.