The Usurper AU
is an alternate universe fic of Cult of the Lamb. After the defeat of the four Bishops, the crowns scatter before they can be destroyed. Star, the one who felled the Bishops in the first place, now needs to find the new crown bearers and kill them again.
This AU contains examples of:
- All There in the Manual: A lot of information about the characters' backstories are in their character bio.
- Back from the Dead: Ratau is revived by Star due to the latter needing his help. The Bishops also return as well.
- Cool Crown: All Crown Bearers wear the 5 crowns in existence. Downplayed as the Crowns corrupt every weak-willed bearer that places them on their head.
- Cult: Every Crown Bearer in existence has run one with the possible exception of Haro.
- Curbstomp Battle: The Bishops return and slaughter all of Star's followers without suffering any visible injuries. Downplayed as most of Star's followers don't know how to fight.
- Deal with the Devil:
- Star agreed to one with Narinder after the former was executed.
- Star makes one with Shamura in the Lingering. In exchange for Shamura's help, Star allows them to name their price. This comes back to bite her hard when the Bishops use the resurrection spell to return and slaughter her followers.
- Deckard puts on the Yellow Crown and allies with the Fox.
- Death Is a Slap on the Wrist: While serving Narinder, Star could be resurrected each time she died. Note that she was the only one out of every Berserk Clan member that served as a vessel to accept being resurrected again.
- Death of the Old Gods: As per the game, Star kills the Bishops, leaving her and Narinder as the last gods. Subverted when the Crowns start seeking new Crown Bearers.
- Demonic Possession: Implied with the Crowns who are mentioned to turn weak-willed Crown Bearers into their puppets.
- Did You Just Romance Cthulhu?: Star has strong romantic feelings for Narinder during and after her service to him. This goes away after Star learns about Solaria, her mother.
- Divine Intervention: Same as the game.
- Due to the Dead: One of Star's doctrines was the Funeral doctrine.
- Evil Power Vacuum: After the Archbishops were killed, it was pandemonium until the Bishops could restore order to the Old Faith. Nowadays, Shamura and Heket fear the same scenario happening if people find out that the Crowns have new bearers.
- Evil Versus Evil: Same as the video game. We have the resurrected Bishops who slaughtered an entire race to prevent their deaths and after their revival, slaughtered the majority of the Red Crown's followers. We have Star's cult who is just as harsh in dealing with heretics, encourages cannibalism and sacrifices the elderly.
- Eye Motifs: The eyes on the Crowns who are featured prominently.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: Several examples.
- Same as the game, Star was a normal sheep who was killed and brought back to life as the Red Crown's Vessel.
- Narinder and the other Bishops used to be regular people before killing the Archbishops and seizing their Crowns. Same as their predecessors.
- Deckard used to be a terrified young lamb who underwent a drastic change after separating from Star. They have killed dozens of people and are the current bearer of the Yellow Crown.
- The Fox was a normal follower of Narinder before something happened to him to turn him into the being he is today.
- Gruesome Goat: Star is a powerful cult leader who slaughtered the four Bishops and many of their followers.
- Humanlike Hand Anatomy: Nearly every character besides the Owls have human-like hands.
- Human Sacrifice: Star has the Belief in Sacrifice doctrine and sacrifices the elderly.
- I Ate WHAT?!: Star has the Cannibalism doctrine.
- In the Hood: Same as the game for the Old Faith cultists.
- Jerkass Gods: Both the Bishops and the Archbishops are the worse, though its mentioned that the Archbishops were much worse.
- Last of His Kind: Before Deckard reappeared, Star thought that she was the only sheep left in the Lands of the Old Faith.
- Morph Weapon: The Crown Bearers can transform their crowns into different weapons.
- Murder Is the Best Solution: Narinder is for killing Deckard which drives a wedge between him and Star. Same for the Bishops who slaughter Star's followers to weaken the Red Crown.
- Mutually Exclusive Power Ups: Same as the video game.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Herod: Same as the game as part of Star's backstory. Subverted for Shamura who was banking on this happening.
- Off with His Head!: During Narinder's recount of the prophecy of the Bishops killing the Archbishops, Verchiel's head is shown to been cut off.
- Puppeteer Parasite: After his death, Sozo is shown to now have his body controlled by the Menticide Mushrooms.
- Rape, Pillage, and Burn: In Narinder's backstory, raiders from the Chaos sect under Archbishop Zuriel, destroyed his village, leaving him the sole survivor. The same thing happens to Star's compound when the Bishops return.
- Religion is Magic: Devotion powers the Crowns and without any Followers, the Crown becomes dormant. The Bishops slaughter Star's followers to ensure this scenario.
- Screw This, I'm Out of Here!: The Fox runs for it when the battle with Star turns against him and Deckard.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: Same as the game.
- Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Same as the game but with the twist that Shamura was planning on this.
- Sinister Minister: Vessels of the Crown serve as missionaries and right-hands of the Bishops, expanding the influence of their Bishops.
- Tampering with Food and Drink: Shamura has Heket prepare a separate meal for Star and Deckard, filled with mushrooms. It works on Star but not on Deckard.
- We Have Reserves: Subverted with Star's cult who all end up dying by the Bishops' hands, weakening the Red Crown.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: 2 examples.
- Same as the game with Narinder and Star.
- Star ends up sacrificing Ratau but has no regrets unlike the Lamb in the game.
- Mortal Wound Reveal: After a confrontation with Deckard, Star survives and returns to the compound, where it's revealed that she is missing her heart.
- After Action Patch Up: Narinder and Star share a quiet moment after the battle with Deckard and Fox, while Star heals Narinder's wounds with the power of the crown.
- Watching Troy Burn: After the battle with Fox and Deckard, Star and Narinder return to the base of the Starry-Eyed Cult, only to find all of the followers killed and the resurrected Bishops burning the place to the ground.
