The Cult of Palpataine

"El-tee! You better come up here."

'Fearless Infiltrators'. Hah!!, thought Lieutenant Zarris as he crawled up the rock fissure his team was using to where his new point man was. For the fourth time in half as many hours. That kid is more nervous than a pregnant bantha about to calf.

"Sarahs-son, what is the problem this time?"

"Sir, you better have a look at this, because I can't describe it. Watch it- stormies below. I think." Zarris was growing increasingly concerned as he took the macros from the boy and crawled to the lip of the opening. The Infiltrator was noticeably pale even under his black face paint, and the acid tang of human vomit was in the air.

In the cavern below them, figures dressed in loincloths and stormtrooper helmets of different kinds danced around fires, laid before an alter. At the alter, two large, burly men, who could only have been space troopers, were restraining a Wookiee. A third man, in a black Scout's helmet, was approaching the captive with a vibroblade and a metal pitcher in his hands. Oh, sweet Light, don't let this be what I think it is.

Over the chanting of the dancers, Zarris could here the figure's words. "Holy Palpataine, who made us in his image of human purity and supremacy, accept this sacrifice!! Let us drink of this animal's blood and eat of it's flesh, so that we may gain it's strength!!" As the figures wheeled and spun around and through the fires below, the cries of the sacrifice drowned out thier words, and the sound of Lieutenant Zarris ripping off his helmet and being sick....

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Among the few who know of it, the Cult of Palpataine is not something that is spoken of, mainly because no one would believe it. It is the religion of the Stormtroopers, were they worship the Emperor and offer sacrifices to him.

Not all Stormtroopers are members of the Cult, nor are all of the Cultists Stormtroopers. One must be invited in by a member of the organization, and then pass an inspection by the highest ranking member in the sector. While most of the members are from the ISTC, TIE and Shuttle pilots who directly support the Legions, along with AT-AT, AT-ST and artillery crews have been inducted. There are some rumors that COMPForce has thier own rituals, but they a re not part of this cult.

The typical ceremony takes place underground, or in a very secluded area, near the garrison. There are seven bonfires, one in the middle, and the others even spaced around it. The number of members and the size of the area determines the diameter of the circle. At one end is an alter, which is little more than a raised platform with a bench, table or low slab where the sacrifice may be carried out. In some of the better equipped "temples", a hologram of the Emperor is projected over the alter, looking over the sacrifice area.

The participants of the ceremonies were their helmets and loincloths which are colored to match thier helmet, or to denote thier speciality if not determinable by thier helmet (ice blue for Snowtroopers, tan for Sandtroopers, black for Spacetroopers, black with a grey fighter silhouette for pilots, etc.). They dance in very precise patterns, and chant to the Emperor. They sacrifice may be of several kinds, the most popular being a blood sacrifice of a non-human or a prisoner. The blood of some species is drunk and the flesh eaten, so as to gain certain properties of the race (a Wookiee's strength, a Givin's resistance to vacuum, et. al.).

The ceremony is overseen by the highest ranking member of the cult present, usually an officer. However, depending on which legion (Storm Commandos, Royal Guards, etc,.) an individual is in has an effect on thier standing, but the manner this is determined is known only to cultists. They start the chants, and conduct the sacrifice, usually using a vibroblade, forcepike, or other edged weapon. He can also call a council of the most senior members present, to judge a member on charges ranging from treason to cowardice. If found guilty, the individual is stripped of his helmet, and is thrown into the central bonfire to die, after being beaten by those present.

During the ceremonies, the Stormtroopers work themselves into a frenzy of bloodlust and self confidence. Even though they are not in thier armour, they do have thier weapons stacked along the walls. If somone was to be so unfortunate as to disturb one of these rituals, they would be on the receiving end of what can only be called a stormtrooper jihad.

game effects

During the ceremony, the troopers are wrapped up in the dark energies they are producing. -1D KNOWLEDGE and TECHNICAL, +1D STRENGTH and DEXTERITY, and related skills, for 1D+3 hours following the ceremony. During this period, the difficulty to call upon the Dark Side is reduced by one level. (Any who fail in this and die are held as an object lesson to have total faith in the powers of Palpataine.) As for interrupting a cerimony.... Imagine being your SpecOps team being chased by fifty stormtroopers in loinclothes and helmets, through a town, shooting at everything that moves (and doesn't move).

Cult members are usually better qualified than average, with +1D (or better) to thier combat skills.


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