Children of Doom

“Can’t you smell it? The stench of death? It’s everywhere. Sigmar is dead, and the stench is the rot of his bloated corpse. It spreads through the lands, polluting our rivers, killing our children, and feeding the armies of death that threaten from the north. Only one can spare us from the suffering, one who wants nothing more than to offer you succour from the death spread by Sigmar’s rot. Embrace Old Father Nurgle. Suckle from his teat, and drink deep the calming nectar of his glorious milk...” —Old Fenk, Madman

The Children of Doom are a secret society of cultists who believe Sigmar is dead, murdered by the other Gods. As his divine body decays, it sickens the world and its people. The cult proclaims the only salvation left remains in Nurgle, casting him as a figure that alleviates suffering rather than being the cause of it. By embracing Nurgle, these cultists believe they will be spared the worst of Sigmar’s disease, and will survive to a new era of comfort and joy.

History
Founded in Marienburg, the Children of Doom has thrived since the Black Plague of 1111. With disease rampant in the streets and the dead mounting, people fled to the temples begging for protection against the lethal plague that killed by the thousands. But in time, the plague affected even the cults, striking down Priests of Sigmar alongside those of Morr and Shallya. The dead were everywhere, and it seemed nowhere was safe. Then the Skaven came.

Fleeing the vile Ratmen and the winds of pestilence, a group of Priests barricaded the doors to the Temple of Sigmar, shutting out the evil to protect themselves. The mobs of frightened citizens would have no such protection, and while the Ratmen approached, the commoners pounded on the doors to gain entrance. The frightened Priests withdrew to the catacombs, taking their food and supplies to wait out the violence. Once there, they heard the doors to the Temple splinter and break. They prayed to their God for deliverance, but Sigmar was deaf to their pleading, disdaining them for their cowardice. Despairing, one of their numbers called out to Nurgle for help. The clattering sounds above turned to screams as the Skaven invaders caught up with the desperate citizens. The sounds of battle and carnage carried to the frightened Priests: then, as soon as it began, silence descended and the Skaven went on their way.

Feeling betrayed by Sigmar, they looked on Nurgle and the Priest who called to him with new respect. It was clear to them Sigmar was no more; they had lived a lie. The only powers, the only Gods, were those of Chaos. One by one, the Priests consecrated themselves to Father Nurgle, becoming his creatures. Thus were the Children of Doom born.

Organisation
It’s believed that the Children of Doom have one central leader, presumably, a Cult Magus (though in truth it is far worse) who issues orders to Cult Acolytes. There’s no telling how many cultists serve this enormous group, for they seem to have spread throughout the Old World. The Children of Doom follow the only surviving member of the original Priests who betrayed their fellows and embraced Nurgle. Though 1,500 years have passed, he is the most favoured of them all as it was he who converted the rest by calling out to the Lord of Decay. No longer Human, he is now a Great Unclean One named Be’la’krothrogor or the Vile Prince. He operates from a hidden chamber somewhere far below Marienburg, spreading his foul will to his trusted Cult Acolytes.

It’s believed the Vile Prince commands 21 Cult Acolytes who are placed in most of the major cities and several large towns. Each cell has seven to fourteen Cultists of which about half are aware of the Cult’s purpose and allegiance. Most cells operate in the sewers or in rubbish heaps, though a few are believed to operate in the slums.

Symbol
The Children of Doom do not use any particular symbol, though in some rites they use an inverted hammer to blaspheme Sigmar. Mostly, they wear ochre-coloured robes patterned in green, dripping diamonds. These robes are hooded to conceal the deformities caused by any mutation and the foul diseases they harbour.

Motives and Goals
This cult very much fears disease, as strange as that sounds. They believe, in all sincerity, that Sigmar is dead, if he was ever a God in the first place. Faced with this bleak truth, they embrace what they fear: the demise of the world and all things in it. To forestall what they see as the inevitable end of all things, they serve Nurgle, spreading disease and luring the afflicted into their growing organisation. 1a 1b

Despite the assertion that the war hero, Valten, was Sigmar reborn, the Children of Doom claim this is merely a false prophet, elevated to Godhood by an overzealous heretic. However, this explanation did nothing to slow the Children of Doom from aiding the Purple Hand and other groups in trying to locate the reborn God—a fact not lost on many of the cult’s newer members. Whether the contradiction in action versus propaganda will result in schism remains to be seen.

Recruiting
The Children of Doom recruit aggressively, though never directly. They manoeuvre themselves into an established community and plant the seed of disease until an outbreak occurs. Then, they use allies to seal off the community to ensure despair sets in. When the community is at its darkest moment, the cultists enter the town promising hope and new life, explaining that the people have been abandoned by their Gods, but not to worry, for they there is yet another path. Those who follow are brought into the fold. Those who remain behind are fodder for the Beastmen.

Ceremonies
The Children of Doom meet irregularly to enact profane rites and ceremonies under the light of the Chaos Moon, Morrslieb. In the wilderness, the cultists use foul magic to corrupt and contaminate an area to worship.On special nights, the cultists gather and light a bonfire. After singing praises to Nurgle, they drink a foul brew that mixes blood, alcohol, and decayed flesh. They cavort in their corruption, dancing in the gloom, their minds eased by the intoxicating liquor, pausing only to sample a fare of rotting flesh, fruits, maggots and more, filling their bellies with corruption. The night ends when the group disgorges all they have eaten, spilling the contents of their stomachs into the fire as an offering to the Lord of Decay.

Source

 * Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd ED -- Tome of Corruption
 * pg. 71
 * pg. 72