Cult Demagogue

Saves: Willpower +6, Presence +7

Proficiencies: Command +7, Guile +6, Lore +4

Voice of Ruin. Cult allies within 30 feet do not make Morale checks while the demagogue is conscious.

Marked by Whispers. Once per scene the demagogue ignores the Frightened or Pinned condition, and something in the warp takes note; the GM gains one minor warp omen to spend later in the scene.

Never in Front. The demagogue always fights behind at least one rank of followers. While a cult ally stands between it and an attacker, it gains the benefit of Light Cover.

Autopistol. Ranged Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + 1 ballistic damage.

Ruinous Command. One cult ally within 30 feet immediately moves up to half its Movement or makes one weapon attack.

False Revelation. One visible enemy within 60 feet must make a Willpower Save DC 12. On failure, the target is Frightened or Pinned (demagogue's choice) until the end of its next turn.

Not Yet, My Children. When a cult ally within 30 feet would flee or surrender, the demagogue forces that ally to reroll its Morale check.

Morale: Does not flee while followers remain; alone, it bargains, lies, or invokes something the party will regret.

Tactics: Keep bodies between it and every gun, spend its actions on the mob rather than attacks, and hold an escape route toward a ritual site. If the party kills it early, let the whole encounter deflate as a reward.

Loot / Evidence / Hooks: Correspondence, cult rosters, and tithe records that map the entire cell, plus a blasphemous text worth more to the Inquisition than to any fence.

The Cult Demagogue is the voice that makes the mob brave and stupid. It is rarely dangerous with a weapon; it is extremely dangerous with a crowd, a pulpit, and thirty seconds of your attention.

Use this enemy as the encounter's keystone — the reason the rabble holds, the party's morale frays, and the fight has a decapitation objective.

Low durability, minimal direct damage, strong ally morale control, fear and Pinned pressure on the party, high decapitation value.

Voice of Ruin. Cult allies within 30 feet do not make Morale checks while the demagogue is conscious.

Marked by Whispers. Once per scene ignores Frightened or Pinned, and something in the warp takes note.

Never in Front. Always fights behind at least one rank of followers; treat allies between it and the party as soft cover.

Ruinous Command. Grants a cult ally an immediate half-move or attack.

False Revelation. Forces one enemy to save against Willpower or be Frightened or Pinned by manufactured dread.

Not Yet, My Children. As a reaction, forces a fleeing cult ally to reroll its Morale check.

Morale: Does not flee while followers remain; alone, it bargains, lies, or invokes something the party will regret.

Tactics: The demagogue is a priority target the party has to earn. Keep bodies between it and every gun, spend its actions on the mob rather than attacks, and give it an escape route toward a ritual site or reinforcements. If the party kills it early, let the whole encounter deflate as a reward.

Full Stat Block Priority: High