All Eyes On Me
Ships moved soundlessly trough the waters surrounding the dark torrent isles, like ghosts in the night. With them they carried a cargo most valuable: recruits. New souls, persuaded by the cult to join and, inevitably, come back to the home base. Many have been in the grips of the cult for years, slowly molding, breaking, reforming... Until at last, they were ready. Ready to willingly come and face the horrors that awaited, of mad eldritch beings and, supposedly, an old god who is destined to devour the sun. Even now, skeptisism circulated the recruits, whispers amongst them all. Unbeknowns to them, this horror was already watching them. Like a siren of the night, Nerburai slid trough the water without so much as making a ripple, circling the boats. She smiled as she heard their doubt, anticipating their horror with delight. This would be their final test, straining their sanity to the point of breaking. It was always a joy to seperate the worthy from the fodder, their screams like lovesongs to her ears. Having heard enough, she swam ahead, got ready.
The cultists guided the recruits from the docks, trough the old ruins that had become their home and into the great caverns. The stench of rotting fish, putrid and piercing, left many to gag and already sway in determination. Water dripped from stalagtites into still puddles, where shadows seemed to dance, to stare. And in the very deepest trenches, they reached a wide open cavern. There, stood proudly upon an alter, was a viscet with aquatc traits and strange glowing growths along her body. She towered over the mortals, a true giant even in this shape. There was a mutter, an awe, a doubt. They recognized her, of course, but...
"She's no god!" One called out, accusing. "She's just a siren, nothing more!"
The others scrambled to hush him, only to freeze as sudden laughter surrounded them, seemingly coming from all sides. Her voice echo'd like a thousand others spoke with her, maddening almost on it's own. "Oh, you sweet innocent soul. How observant, how sceptical... Here, perhaps this shall aid." She offered, and her body began to shift. The disguise melted away as the body broke and tore and stretched and grew. A giant sea serpent, coated in finns and insectile limbs and incomprehensible shapes, twisting and shifting infinitely. Each green gem blinked open, turning into a thousand eyes piercing. A grin too wide revealed fangs that never ended, row after row after row. The people screamed, clutching heads. Some would fall in love with the madness, gazing at the sight as if it were something beautiful. Others averted their gaze, or even clawed at their eyes, favoring madness. "Don't be shy now" A choise echo'd trough the minds of all, gentle, yet commanding, controlling. "All. Eyes. On. Me." She demanded, and they obayed. She laughed, maniacly, as she felt their madness trough their gaze, felt it fuel her. Some broke, their minds lost, wasted. Others came out stronger, mad beyond comprehension, loyal beyond the grave. But all could not avert their gaze, not ever again.