Some Story Seeds for the Disciples of the Worm
De Vermis Mysteriis
The covenant comes into possession of a mysterious book (it may be bequeathed by a deceased friend/parens, received as part of a trade, or stumbled on in the library of an older covenant). It looks unremarkable on the surface but close inspection reveals it to be a tome of Disciples of the Worm Lore holding necromantic mysteries. Will the magi be enticed by the possibilities hinted at in the tome and seek out this most scandalous of cults? Will they try and comprehend the secrets within on their own and risk the wrath of the true owners? Try and return the book to it’s rightful owners (and risk revealing knowledge of the contents)? Or destroy the book and never speak of it again?
Whatever they decide it raises many questions about the source of the volume and their ties to this dark cult.
No Rest for the Wicked
A PC who is a member of the Disciples of the Worm is summoned to a secret meeting with a senior member of the cult along with the other two members of their cell. The senior member, whose identity is concealed, reveals that a certain magus in their tribunal (or a neighbouring one) is a member of the cult. Having been judged unfit for progression past the fourth degree this magus has been attempting to identify other members of the cult – either to seek revenge or to steal the knowledge that has been denied to them (or both!).
The leadership of the cult have agreed this violation of the cult’s most basic tenets cannot be forgiven and task the PC’s cell with capturing and punishing the renegade. This provides both opportunity and risk – the PC has a chance to impress their superiors in the cult and raise their chances of progression to the deeper mysteries, but should they fail or learn things they shouldn’t know they may face the very same fate as the traitor!
No Rest for the Wicked (Reversed)
A magus in the tribunal the player covenant is situated in has vanished. The Quaesitores suspect foul play and are quietly investigating at the request of the missing magus’ covenant. They recruit one of the player magi to assist them in this investigation. This is especially suitable if there is a PC Quaesitor or Hoplite. Alternatively, the victim may be someone the player magus knows or from a friendly covenant.
Little do they know the victim and the perpetrators are all members of the Disciples of the Worm. The victim rebelled against the masters of the cult and was “suitably punished” by the local cell of cultists at the command of senior members. This necromantic cult will stop at nothing to protect its secrets and the identities of its members. To solve the mystery the player magus and their quesitorial allies will need to unravel the web of secrets surrounding the worm cult, but the deeper they dig the more strongly the cult will resist them.
Will finding the identities of the secret cultists reveal uncomfortable truths? Will they be able to find the truth? More importantly, will they live to tell anyone if they do?
Tremere Trouble
House Tremere are firm believers that the secrets of the dead should stay with the dead. Whenever a member of their house dies they go to every length to recover the mortal remains and pass them into the gate of Eurydice at Coeris, where they are beyond the reach of any magic. Or so the Tremere think!
The minions of the living ghost Athanasios have been exploring the magic realm through a vestige located in his haunt. This leads to somewhere in the magic realm that resembles the Greek underworld. Among the many listless spirits inhabiting the place are a small number of magi – all deceased members of house Tremere. There is even another vestige which Athanasios believes may connect to the gate of Eurydice.
A Tremere member of the Disciples of the Worm learns of this and reports the information to their house. The stage is set for a war in the shadows between the worm cult and the Tremere – one side covetous of the secrets of the dead, the other fervently desiring those secrets remain buried. Depending on their allies and allegiances, the player covenant may be on one side of this conflict, or even both!