<p>You do not need to defeat the Cultist to gain the rewards if you pass the Horror Check.</p>
<p>Whenever fighting a monster, you have a Horror Check then a Strength Check. The Horror Check is usually a Will Test <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/q5Qz6.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/q5Qz6.png" alt="Will Icon via eldritchhorror.fandom.com" /></a> but whenever fighting The Elder Things Cultists, it specifically asks for a Lore Test (<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/GcOps.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/GcOps.png" alt="Lore Icon via eldritchhorror.fandom.com" /></a>-1). If you roll a success, you free the victim, defeat the Cultist, and gain a random Aly Asset from the assets deck. Thematically, this is the Ally you freed from The Elder Things grasp.</p>
<p>If you <strong>fail</strong> the Sanity Check, you take the difference in Sanity damage and move on to the Strenth Check <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/fyYbo.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/fyYbo.png" alt="Strength Icon via eldritchhorror.fandom.com" /></a> to try and defeat the Cultist by brute force. Successes you roll deal damage to cultist, but if you defeat the Cultist this way you don't gain a random Ally Asset.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-10T14:46:38.247Z
The thematic explanation makes a lot of sense. Thanks for that :)
Snæbjørn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-10T04:51:00.193Z
2021-09-14T12:32:45.780Z
2021-09-14T12:32:45.780Z
Howdy_McGee
<p>The Cultists for The Rise of the Elder Things Ancient One have the following text</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If you pass the lore test, you free the victim's mind from the alien magic; defeat this Monster and gain 1 random Ally Asset from the deck.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://eldritchhorror.fandom.com/wiki/Elder_Things#Cultists" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Elder Things Cultists</a></p>
<p>Is the Cultists defeated if the lore test is passed?</p>
<p>Or do players still need to defeat the Cultists after passing the lore test to gain 1 random Ally asset? And should really be read as</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If you pass the lore test, you free the victim's mind from the alien magic; defeat this Monster <strong>to</strong> gain 1 random Ally Asset from the deck.</p>
</blockquote>

<eldritch-horror>
How to read The Rise of the Elder Things Cultists text
Snæbjørn
# How to read The Rise of the Elder Things Cultists text

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-09-09)

The Cultists for The Rise of the Elder Things Ancient One have the following text

> If you pass the lore test, you free the victim's mind from the alien magic; defeat this Monster and gain 1 random Ally Asset from the deck.

[Elder Things Cultists](https://eldritchhorror.fandom.com/wiki/Elder_Things#Cultists)

Is the Cultists defeated if the lore test is passed?

Or do players still need to defeat the Cultists after passing the lore test to gain 1 random Ally asset? And should really be read as

> If you pass the lore test, you free the victim's mind from the alien magic; defeat this Monster **to** gain 1 random Ally Asset from the deck.

**Tags:** eldritch-horror


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-09-10. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

You do not need to defeat the Cultist to gain the rewards if you pass the Horror Check.

Whenever fighting a monster, you have a Horror Check then a Strength Check. The Horror Check is usually a Will Test [![Will Icon via eldritchhorror.fandom.com](https://i.sstatic.net/q5Qz6.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/q5Qz6.png) but whenever fighting The Elder Things Cultists, it specifically asks for a Lore Test ([![Lore Icon via eldritchhorror.fandom.com](https://i.sstatic.net/GcOps.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/GcOps.png)-1). If you roll a success, you free the victim, defeat the Cultist, and gain a random Aly Asset from the assets deck. Thematically, this is the Ally you freed from The Elder Things grasp.

If you **fail** the Sanity Check, you take the difference in Sanity damage and move on to the Strenth Check [![Strength Icon via eldritchhorror.fandom.com](https://i.sstatic.net/fyYbo.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/fyYbo.png) to try and defeat the Cultist by brute force. Successes you roll deal damage to cultist, but if you defeat the Cultist this way you don't gain a random Ally Asset.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: The thematic explanation makes a lot of sense. Thanks for that :)  

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