D&D 5E (2014) What's a non-culty official adventure?

[jayoungr]

For one of my tables, I've run Tyranny of Dragons, Curse of Strahd, and (currently) Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus. Both ToD and DiA are quite cult-heavy--in fact, the opening chapters of DiA have no less than three different cults operating against each other. It would be nice if the next adventure was as cult-free as possible, because the players are starting to find it just silly. Out of the official published adventures, which one(s) would you suggest if I want to have as little cult activity as possible?

(Note: Although I marked this "D&D 2014," as that's what the group has decided to stick with, feel free to suggest anything for D&D 2024.)

 

[aco175]

The 3 starter box sets are all rather non-cult. The after Icespire Peak series does have Talos cultists but are more barbarians if you are looking for a longer campaign.

 

[jayoungr]

The 3 starter box sets are all rather non-cult.

The group has already played Lost Mine of Phandelver (I forgot to mention that in my original post). I think they'd like a longer campaign ideally, though.

 

[pukunui]

Looking at my book shelf:

• Storm King's Thunder: the PCs can acquire the services of some dragon cultists who will fly them around in their little airship for part of the adventure.*
• Tomb of Annihilation has no real cultists unless you count the yuan-ti in Omu.
• Waterdeep: Dragon Heist: the Cassalanters are devil worshippers, but you can choose to leave them out of the adventure.
• Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage: At least one of the levels has some cultists (Level 18) and a few levels feature Lolth-worshipping drow, but overall this adventure has a lot of variety and not a lot of cultists.
• Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden features crazed followers of Auril, but I'm not sure if they count as cultists or not. EDIT: I’ve been reminded that there are some Asmodeus cultists, but they’re holed up in a castle and aren’t all automatically hostile.
• Wild Beyond the Witchlight: having just run this, I can assure you it is at least 99% cultist free! (There may be one or two individual cultists that I’m forgo string but no groups of them!)
• Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen: I don't think the Dragon Army soldiers count as cultists.
• Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk: the post-LMoP add-on features mind flayers, psychic goblins, and other aberrations but no real cultists.

The various anthologies all include some adventures with cultists, but you’re wanting a longer campaign so I won’t go through them in any detail.



*Having spent months fighting the dragon cultists in ToD, my home group enjoyed this reversal of fortune for that faction when I ran SKT for them afterwards

 

[Necropolitan]

Out of the Abyss: features demons, drow, and other Underdark monsters but no cultists that I can think of

It's got a lot of cultists, mostly for various Demon Lords.

Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden: features crazed followers of Auril, but I'm not sure if they count as cultists or not

It's also got Archdevil cultists.

 

[ECMO3]

For one of my tables, I've run Tyranny of Dragons, Curse of Strahd, and (currently) Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus. Both ToD and DiA are quite cult-heavy--in fact, the opening chapters of DiA have no less than three different cults operating against each other. It would be nice if the next adventure was as cult-free as possible, because the players are starting to find it just silly. Out of the official published adventures, which one(s) would you suggest if I want to have as little cult activity as possible?

(Note: Although I marked this "D&D 2014," as that's what the group has decided to stick with, feel free to suggest anything for D&D 2024.)

I do not remember any cults in Wild Beyond the Witchlight, Tomb of Annihilation or Dungeon of the Mad Mage.

 

[Charlaquin]

Out of the Abyss: features demons, drow, and other Underdark monsters but no cultists that I can think of

Literally every faction you encounter is in conflict with a demon prince worshipping subfaction…

 

[pukunui]

It's got a lot of cultists, mostly for various Demon Lords.

Literally every faction you encounter is in conflict with a demon prince worshipping subfaction…

OK. It’s been years since I’ve read it so I guess I was misremembering!