Dreadgod Cults

All of the dreadgods have a cult following, parasites that cause chaos and benefit from the destruction leave in their wake. They collect the madra left behind, and practice Paths inspired by them. While some of the cultists are fanatics who genuinely revere and worship their dreadgod, many of the cultists are simply sacred artists who want to advance but don't have access to backing or resource, or who simply view their dreadgod as a readily available source of power that they would bleed dry given the opportunity.

The first cult we see is Redmoon Hall, followers of the Bleeding Phoenix, which appears in book 4, Skysworn. However, we hear mention of the cults before book 4, because Yerin has a Blood Shadow belt. In general, the cultists are sacred artists who practice paths based on the Dreadgods, using their madra, collected from the Dreadgod itself and the dreadbeasts they leave when they awake and roam around.

The Cults and their members are key antagonists throughout the series. Yerin calls them all parasites; she particularly has reason to hate Redmoon Hall, followers of the Bleeding Phoenix. Ziel hates The Stormcallers, who murdered his Dawnwing disciples on the Iceflower Continent. He especially wants vengeance on the Sage of Calling Storms, who splintered his spirit, but Calan Archer will do for now — he was in at the slaughter, too. In the epilogue of Underlord, the lion-Monarch Reigan Shen recruits the four cults to his supposed cause, to represent him in the upcoming Uncrowned King Tournament.

Four Dreadgod Cults

Each known Dreadgod is followed by a cult, sacred artists who follow their chosen beast and benefit from the destruction it creates. The unique Path of each cult uses the same aspects as their Dreadgod, borrowing power from them to create Blood Shadows, Living Lightning, etc. They murder innocent citizens fleeing from the Dreadgod, just to attain greater power.

1. Redmoon Hall, with their Blood Shadows in a thousand different forms. Dreadgod — The Bleeding Phoenix
2. Abyssal Palace, their faces concealed beneath hoods and stony masks. Dreadgod — Wandering Titan
3. Silent Servants, whose mouths are bound. Dreadgod —- Silent King
4. Stormcallers, who ring their arms in scripts that crackle with lightning. Dreadgod —- Weeping Dragon

(-Underlord, epilogue)

Cult Characters

Each cult is led by a Sage or Herald, or both. Redmoon Hall has both, because the Sage of Red Faith somehow misplaced his Blood Shadow. When it returned, it was a Herald, calling himself Redmoon. The Herald of Redmoon Hall.

At Sky’s Edge, four Dreadgod cult leaders at Herald or Sage level battled one newborn Monarch, Akura Fury (Wintersteel ch 26)

Chunks of the surrounding mountains hurled themselves at Fury, courtesy of the Abyssal Palace Herald. The Herald of Redmoon Hall struck with waves of bloody needles like crimson cloud banks, while the Herald of the Silent Servants cut at Fury with endless slashes of a white sword that lit up the sky. The Stormcallers had no Herald, but one Sage. It was hard for Lindon to follow the exact details of the fight, but the Sage of Calling Storms seemed to be wrestling against Fury’s authority, opposing whenever Fury made one of his echoing commands. Lindon could feel the will pressing down on Fury, constraining him. The newborn Monarch kept fighting. (Wintersteel ch 26)

See each separate cult page for members of the specific cult