I agree. The shift for Humakt is subtle - there isn't a major changeto nature of the cult as there is with BG. But there is a change in emphasis. The Truth aspects of Humakt, as a god of honour etc, was one of the things that have made them a player favourite and a joy to play. The constraints of honour make them fun, interesting, and admirable characters. That hasn't been removed.
But we do, for example, see things like the Kill Everyone feat, which is a big Death feat that appears to ignore the constraints of honour entirely. The Yan Starcere cult is mentioned, but that they are specifically associated with the virtue of honesty is not. The cult of Makla Mann, famed for loyalty, is not mentioned. The classic ability of Sense Assassin is now given to all Humakti - but without the corresponding geas to never participate in an ambush, formerly a classic example of how the honour of Humakti made them great fun to play. The gift and geas system is de-emphasised, removing several geasses that served as great gaming tools to make Humakti behave more honourably. All but one of the gift and geas examples given are Death powers, at least one clearly a Death power too extreme to be playable that would turn the PC into a psychotic spree killer (many gifts in RQ were more benign, many geases enforcing honourable behaviour). The Oath spell was a very notable and powerful spell in RQ - now it is an offhand mention in a list of powers. These are all little things - but collectively, the cult is presented quite differently, with far more examples of over the top death worship, and a notably less amount of attention given to the Truth and honour side of the cult.
And most importantly, the cult is described in far, far, more transgressive terms. They are described as being dangerous and unpleasant to be around, causing women to miscarry and babies to die. The idea that a Humakti could be a clan champion or huscarl would be absurd if the text was taken literally - they would all be social outcasts, as bad as a known disease carrier. They have gone from honourable professional soldiers, to walking toxic health hazards. They are described in terms like 'a terrible enemy of Life'. They are effectively radioactive.
Unlike BG, where the HQ writeup in Sartar Companion is essentially the same as in Storm Tribe, for Humakt there were big changes between the two. The gifts and geases list was there in Storm Tribe, with the same traditional emphasis as in RQ, for example. And notably, the idea of the 'Re-Sheathing', a Huamakt being accepted into the clan and becoming an accepted member of it, was removed in the newer material. And while Storm Tribe had a deliberate ambiguity about the relationship of Humakti to Life (most explicitly in the section about Humakti marriage, where some Humakti are described as marrying, and being 'more sensitive to Life'). The idea that the transgressive side of the cult is emphasised more in recent material is hard to argue with when Storm Tribe explicitly showed two sides, and the less transgressive version was explicitly excised.
Does any of this mean Humakt is unplayable? Of course not. But is the cult a bit less playable? Sure. Is it a bit less fun to play? Sure. Are the things that made the cult enormous fun to play in the RQ era de-emphasised a little? yes. Have new things been added to the cult description that make them harder to play added? Yes.
Of course, it is pretty easy to ignore. And I think quite a few of us do so, probably not even realising how much we do so, because we are drawing on our years of RQ play for our ideas about what the cult is like and how to play it.
FWIW, I think you could make a similar case for Urox. Of course Urox has always been meant to be a cult of dangerous raging violent psychos - but the older RQ era material had more emphasis on the ties between Storm Bull and more pacifist earth cults and Chalana Arroy.
Cheers
David
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