[UPDATED 4/28]
(Some characters and various art I made of them for the end of our D&D campaign. We decided to go through a leveldown event so that we could use the same characters and maintain their interpersonal relationships in the next campaign, and our DM ( tooch59) and I thought it made sense that these dipshits were responsible for it. The event was set up as an unwinnable bossfight against Othiniel, Aversi, and Euphemia, with lots of dialogue and exposition from Antigonos and Vissenta. I've tried to provide some context and information in this really long desc, and I hope you enjoy it if you decide to read it! Thanks go to our DM for helping me with these concepts and pulling this event off, and of course to my fellow players for indulging me! It means so much guys, thank you ;~;)

Over the years they've become more of an undead coalition than a cult, though they all seem to be united by a rather sinister belief that the undead are destined to overtake the living. The cult's master has devised a new type of undead that he calls a "Nekroparion," wherein the soul is reunited with the body even after death. A soul doesn't need to embrace undeath or be in limbo to become a Nekroparion; the spell can rip even unwilling spirits from the afterlife. Such magic is powerful beyond belief and takes decades to learn, let alone perfect... Even with a powerful caster, success is not always a guarantee. Souls can be destroyed in the process, lost forever if the spell fails.

"Anthroparion" is a title which confers a "higher" state of being in the cult's teachings. How one achieves this "higher state" is unclear.

So far, the Anthroparions are known to be responsible for several crimes against both mortal and divine laws: murder, torture, forced resurrection, and the defiling of hallowed ground. They seem to have plans to incite a war between followers of Myrkul and Kelemvor and are aiming to achieve this by stealing the remains of martyrs and saints to serve as an army. Those raised so far have been manipulated, tortured, or forced into service by magical means, and the Anthroparions have clear plans to raise even more.

Vigilis was one such martyr they resurrected. Mistaken for a failed Nekroparion and left behind, he has since sworn a paladin's oath to take vengeance upon the cult and bring each and every Anthroparion to a terrible end. Whether or not he has the mettle to deliver on his promise remains to be seen.

-Aversi- (disguised) (revealed)
Kenku Nekroparion, Myrkulite Cleric, Anthroparion.
Formerly a slave in Thay, rescued and revived by Vissenta. Her mannerisms are manic and her wit is biting, though she lacks cleverness. Disguised as a beggar, she lured Vigilis and his friends into a trap, and spent significant time spying on them on her master's orders. Her goal was to split the group apart and convince Vigilis to join the Anthroparions, but her brute tactics were unsuccessful. She delights in tormenting others and despises all living things; she sees undeath as a superior state of existence, with Nekroparions being the pinnacle. She revels in violence, killing, and torture, and often uses her mimicry to torment her victims.

-Saint Othiniel- (disguised) (revealed)
Human Nekroparion, Monk, resurrected saint.
Formerly a legendary hero; his bones were gilded after he was sainted. He is senile, but his conviction is strong; he was laid to rest in a secret holy site until the Anthroparions came calling. They have managed to convince and confuse him into serving them due to his head injury and advanced age, and he is difficult to reason with after months of conditioning. His grasp on reality is tenuous at best, but his power hasn't lessened even in death; he is one of the more powerful Nekroparions currently at their disposal, though his mental state makes him something of a loose cannon.

-Euphemia- (standing) (sitting)
Human Nekroparion, Bard, resurrected martyr.
Once a martyr. Her mannerisms are sorrowful, but she seems to be unable to abandon hope entirely. In life she was devout, friendly, strong-willed, and unbelievably resilient; her killers tried to break her spirit, but were unsuccessful. Her body was preserved with salt and sand from the Sea of Fallen Stars, but the Nekroparion spell has restored her to a somewhat lifelike state; she speaks without opening her mouth, uncannily enough. She is being forced to serve the Anthroparions, but tries to resist and aid her fellow martyrs and saints however she can, even if it comes at great personal cost.

-Saint Morcia- (rage) (neutral)
Human Nekroparion, fallen paladin--now barbarian, resurrected saint.
Formerly a legendary hero; her body was laid to rest in a sacred place. In life she was a paladin of Kelemvor who swore to uphold the natural order of life and death, but in death she has been corrupted. Though her holy powers have been taken from her, a new holy fury has taken their place and grants her the power to crush those who would stand against her new aims. She doesn't speak, but seems to listen: it's unknown just how she has been led so far astray. What is known is that she will stop at nothing to reclaim Vigilis.

-Antigonos- (dormant) (minor illusion) (revealed)
Lich, Wizard, Founder of the Anthroparions
Formerly a human necromancer, now a lich of immense power. His mannerisms are fatalistic, and he embraces Myrkul's outlook of inevitable decline down to his very marrow. He can disguise himself as human, though only bothers when appearing before mortals. The Anthroparion Cult's Master, and the architect of the Nekroparion spell; he seems to regard all of "his creations" with a father's sternness. He is as prone to dramatic statements as he is harsh displays of power, and has no regard for the sanctity of life. His staff is the undead husk of his late wife Zosime--who he failed to make into a Nekroparion--he seems to regard her as if she is alive, even though she only seems to be capable of quiet weeping and whispering his spells along with him.

-Vissenta-
Human Nekroparion, Wizard, Anthroparion
Little is known of her origins other than the fact that she is Antigonos' daughter. Her mannerisms are childlike, but there's an undeniable coldness that seeps through when she doesn't get her way. She is frighteningly powerful despite appearances, and uses her mastery of the Nekroparion spell to resurrect anything she wants: animals, monsters, or even sentient beings. Despite her father's ideals she dislikes and fears death, and is insistent upon leaving Vigilis and his friends alive despite Antigonos' better judgement. She seems to believe Vigilis can be made into an Oathbreaker who will serve the cult, and seems keen to make him suffer the loss of his friends without killing anyone. She has told him that she will happily revive anyone and everyone he loves in exchange for his loyalty; so far, he has proven that he'd rather die again then submit to her bargain.

The influence of this cult remains in the background as the adventurers recover from their ordeal. Aversi continues scry them, ever-watchful for signs of weakness...