I was thinking of a theme for next month's selection of games, and I had several requests for Cain and Demon: The Fallen. I was thinking of what the related threads between these two might be and it was pretty straightforward - CULTS.

So what games have cults as a theme (central or motif), I have 5 for you here today, in no particular order of importance.

CAIN

Cain by Tom Bloom (who also wrote Magnagothica Maleghast & Lancer) is a world where YOU are an exorcist and psychic soldier sent out to WIPE OUT THE STAIN. Most humans are unaware of what's happening, but you play as one who is more sensitive. 

The vibe I got was immediately Jujutsu Kaisen/Chainsaw man, and it delivers. While this game doesn't explicitly have cults in them - we're hunting invisible monsters that were created by the failures of mankind. Literally, they are called SINS. You can improve rolls by invoking Divine Agony - spending Pathos to get more rolls. There are Talismans that are used kind of like clocks (from Blades). A ranking system for the monsters as well from 0 (basically human) to 7 (Demon God). 

This game has equal parts investigative horror and combat, and resources expended for one means less resources potentially for the other. 

DEMON: THE FALLEN

Demon: The Fallen (and to some extent, Demon: The Descent) by White Wolf (who basically do all the World of Darkness stuff, like Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Hunter: The Reckoning, and Mage: The Ascension), is about demons, duh. 

You play as a fallen angel, with powers that allow you to suspend the laws of physics to perform superhuman feats, and powers that allow you to manipulate mankind. Sounds very cult-y to me. You as the demon, must have found a human body to inhabit - typically individuals with weak souls. This would include people with severe drug addiction, clinical depression or suicidal tendencies, or those who are comatose. You choose your own goal of revenge against heaven, revenge against humanity, or something altogether good, such as seeking forgiveness from God. Regardless, to exist, 

Play this if you like Paradise Lost, Good Omens, Constantine, and the latter seasons of Supernatural (Sam Winchester anybody?).

KULT: DIVINITY LOST

Published by Paradox Entertainment, this game is Powered by the Apocalypse (2dx, with mixed successes). So if you're into the narrative driven, minimal mechanics systems (like Dungeon World, Avatar: Legends, Legends/City of Mist), this would be a game for you. 

The central premise is that you play as a contemporary with a generic role (such as a PI, vigilante, journalist, etc.) who is beginning to see that the world is an illusion. There is darker reality beneath it all. In this darker reality, monsters lurk. The Illusion was created by the Demiurge (a mythical deity), to hold humanity back from become the Gods we once were. God is our jailer.

This game has more vibes of Hellraiser mixed with The Matrix, and the kind of horrific discovery that the Bloodborne video game has. I've had someone tell me that it also has a bit of that Junji Ito horror to it - not something that shouts "BOO" and runs away, but rather something that keeps your eyes open at night.

BRINDLEWOOD BAY

Brindlewood Bay by Gauntlet publishing (The Between, Trophy RPG, Hearts of Wulin) is about old ladies who are amateur detectives, who slowly discover that the world they are in is a little bit more... terrifying. This game was heavily inspired by Murder, She Wrote and Lovecraftian lore. 

This entry is a little less dark than the previous entries on this list. As you explore and investigate, something occult connects the mystery on hand. Unlike most investigative games, where the GM has a prepared thread and storyline on hand, this game instead relies on the players to discover clues and figure out how they all connect. The players connect the dots that seem to be the most likely, and the dice will tell the final truth.

I don't know many games like this, but I'd call it a cozy horror game. It's also powered by the apocalypse, and hence it is more rules-lite and narrative-focused. Very cool if you don't want too much nitty gritty, and don't wanna get freaked out by other horror games.

ESOTERRORISTS

Back to scary, The Esoterrorists by Pelgrane Press (Gumshoe system games, like Fear Itself, Trail of Cthulhu, Fall of Delta Green, and Yellow King) also uses the Gumshoe system. You have pool of points that you assign to certain stats, and you generally roll a d6 at a difficulty of 4 or higher (generally). 

The premise of this game is that you are elite agents trying to hunt down Esoterrorists - occult terrorists who seek to release an otherwordly evil upon our world, but most of the world is unaware that this is happening at all. 

The Esoterrorists are basically cultists of Cthulhu, Dagon, or whatever horror you want, but with the implication that they could be anyone you see anywhere - your neighbor, your boss, your grandmother. Their plans are slow and methodical, and can literally undermine the fabric or reality. If they succeed, even a little, Outer Dark Entities (ODEs) begin to leak into our world. You will need specific items and rituals to defeat these ODEs.

This game is also more slow dread than immediate jumpscare. This game gives more vibes of X-files but with alien cults, Fringe, or The Dresden Files. Dresden is basically like an Esoterrorist with his wizardly abilities. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Call of Cthulhu and it's variants; I felt like this was the obvious answer for "what game has cults in them). Hunter: The Reckoning and Mage: The Ascension as mentioned above. Symbaroum - I have yet to read this game, but I've heard many good things about it. A bit more fantasy cults, than modern cults. Lastly, as with any horror theme, I gotta mention Mothership. Mothership in my eyes is the king of all horror ttrpgs. I bet there's already a module out there about cults that anyone can use.

Let me know in the comments if you've got any that I missed!

BEYOND THE SUPERNATURAL

By Palladium games, they use the Palladium mechanics, AKA the Megaversal system; similar to CoC, it uses roll-under percentile dice in general, but roll-high for combat and some other mechanics.

It is implicitly set in the modern day, but magic and psychic powers are real, and demonic cults are rampant, just shy of the public eye. There's a lot of pseudo-science - I'd immediately call back X-files, Fringe, and for the more humorous games, not that far off from Ghostbusters. Typically low key, and less action packed,

You play as a psychic or sorcerer that is humankind's secret protector. You'd have "potential psychic energy" - a limited resource used to activate powers. 

What game do you wanna play?

I have not run any of these games in literal YEARS, and I'd love to get back on them. Let me know if I missed any, or if you have a favorite. Don't forget, who's awesome? You're awesome.