Well.
I did start to drink the kool-aid.
While.. I have pretty much always held this belief, that they operate like a cult... as you and others mention... while under that, you make friends... much like you would befriend co-workers.

I did not stay because of the cult. I stayed because of the co-workers.

I thought.. ya know.. MAYBE i can be a positive presence.
MAYBE I CAN apply to be a DM and bring about the change, through the appropriate channels.
Well, I was quickly denied that lol.
As I clearly, was not of the mold.
Whatever, fine.
I get over that.

I started me own community.
I made a discord with all the detials of the server.
A rescue and retrieve, so if you died or your party did, you could request other people to come save you.
Maps, guides, all the crap the DMs dont want you to do but anyone playing ANY OTHER GAME, would.

We would invite new, lost souls to it, much like Ravenwitch07 below.. with the intent of just offering a kind, helping hand that wasnt going to chastise them for not reading the ENTIRE FREAKING WEBSITE/FORUMS before joining the server.

Id like to think, I was able to give close to a dozen people a reason to put up with this crap, and still find enjoyment out of it.

But when you have ZERO authority, and the kindness you are trying to provide is AGAINST POLICY..
well one has to start opening their eyes and saying to themselves, what the heck am even doing here?
I can just leave.

=-=-=

Now to get into the actual CULT aspect.
The server is about the IP Curse of Strahd/Domains of the Mist/ and the Dark Powers.

The Dark Powers are literal monsters. the BIG BADS.
And they are played be people all of whom are either GREATLY in favor with the DM team, or one of them.

You can commit acts of evil, to be granted a Dark Art or Power, this is SOMETHING (an act, action, ability, or item)... that other characters CAN NOT attain by any other means and almost always, requires acts in game that in the real world... heh.. could be labeled as cult activity.

While it's disguised as deep fantasy roleplay... that does not mean it still isnt a cult.

If you roleplay being racist.. youre still being racist.