The old man was frail indeed, with pale skin rare in these lands, so he never leaves this underground hideout. His dark grey beard was long, his turban and robes black, and his fingernails, with which he stroked his beard, were long and dirty.

You sensed the evil that ran through him; either he was their leader, or someone with a similar appearance was. But he wasn't the master of this cult; that would be you, and you have come again to claim the leadership of the cult.

''Who are you? What are you doing here? I demand answers of you, female, or I shall feed you to the snake pit.'' The dark-robed man demanded.

Samarda was too stunned to say anything to him, not that you wanted her to; this was your cult, and you would do the talking through her mouth. And so you pushed, keeping her conscience in a trance, while you, empowered by the dark rituals here, took over her body.

"I shan't brook your questioning, fool, for I am not your inferior; I am your master come again." The voice that came out of Samarda's mouth was cold and commanding, sending shivers down the man's spine.

The mood immediately changed; the four assassins immediately knelt in compulsion. The old man did likewise, bowing his head in submission to the powerful presence that now inhabited Samarda's body.

''Master, you have come to us once more, after all the years that have passed. The scripture foretold you would return.'' The old man's voice quivered with reverence as he spoke, his eyes filled with awe and fear at the same time.

You, of course, never bothered actually laying down any scripture; that would've been a waste of time you could spend empire-building. You were always tolerant of other religions, but only when they worshipped or invested all power in you.

''Indeed so. Pray tell, what is thy name?'' You asked.

''I am Yudrim ibn Yurdu, the vizier of the cult. I oversee the day-to-day operations and coordinate the laypeople while the priests and priestesses are engaged in prayers, rituals, and sacrifices,'' he replied with a hint of pride in his voice.

''Our devotion to you, O great god, knows no bounds.''

"That shall remain to be seen; my absence has been long, and deviation has inevitably crept into the minds of man. But bring me forth; I wish to see thy inner sanctum.''

''As you wish, great god. Follow me," Yudrim said, leading the way towards the inner sanctum with reverence and anticipation in his eyes. The cult members followed closely behind, eager to witness the long-awaited return of their deity.
These rooms were low and shadowy, the walls lit by a few torches and oil lamps, but they were dark places nonetheless. As you marched, you saw the others fall into line one by one, the priests and their dark green robes, snake belts and bronze skullcaps. The priestesses, in their flowing white gowns, adorned with symbols of the serpent god.