The exact origins of the Cultist guild are highly secret--even many
Cultists are not aware of their guild's entire history.  Many details have
leaked out over the years, however, perhaps because of the Cultists'
willingness to flaunt their power.  

It is known that originally demonic forces sought to enslave the mortals by
tempting them with power.  Once these mortals were exposed to the black
arts, however, they quickly mastered them, eventually turning the tables
and enslaving these Lesser Demons.  When the seven Greater Demons of Sin
heard of this treachery, they saw an opportunity.  Tempting these mortals
with even greater power and the chance to fulfill their own hidden desires,
they shaped them into a cult of worship of the father of demons,
Varkyll-an-Bluge.  Information beyond that, however, is held secret by the
highest priests, and may never be known by the world at large.  

Their current role is anything but a mystery.  They are the mortal servants
of the single greatest force of evil in the Retroverse: Varkyll-an-Bluge,
the Doom Bringer, sworn enemy of Sikkar.  While many Cultists work closely
with the nameless though his pawns, the Fallen, their goals are different
and occasionally in conflict.  One thing is certain, after walking the path
of a Cultist, the soul can never be drawn into the fold of Paladins or
Templars.   

Cultists are the true masters of the black arts, using their supernatural
abilities to both restore and destroy life.  Much of their power comes from
the infernal realms, from which they call the scorching flames of hell,
powerful demonic minions, or the souls of the damned.  While not boasting
mastery over any single role, the trained Cultist can protect his allies
while raining destruction on his foes.  A Cultist is at his best supporting
a band of diabolical friends against their angelic foes, but has a trick up
his sleeve for almost any situation.  In addition, a lone Cultist is far
from easy prey, with his wealth of powers that can just as easily be used
to strenghten himself as his allies.  

Many of the Cultists' powers are invoked through Demons, whether it is
through the blessing of a Greater Demon or the enslavement of a Lesser
Demon.  Each Cultist serves a specific demonic patron, the one whose sin
most closely matches the inner motives of the dark priest. 

If you are interested in enlisting your soul in the war against the light,
there are two main things that are needed to advance through the ranks of
the cultists: a strong ability in the dark arts (high spiritual max) and an
ability to maintain evil allegiances (no racial restriction against evil). 
It is beneficial to anyone, however, to be able to master skills (high
skill max) and regain energy quickly (average or better heartbeat),
although those are difficulties that can be overcome with effort.  

The Cultist guild is not for everyone.  To come to full power, you must be
flexibile, patient, and willing to spend an above average amount of time
training and adjusting to your roles--for you will fill more than one. 
However, if you want a walk on the dark side, and don't want to be tied
into only one role, this might be the right guild for you.  

To get information as to what specific skills and spells are available,
check out the guild on the RetroMUD website.  For practical, day-to-day
information about being a Cultist, especially for new members, read the
guild board--there is good information there, and it is frequently updated
to match changes in the guild as it slowly evolves (more so than this help
file can be!).  In addition, you can often find a current Cultist willing
to answer questions about the guild, just ask politely.