The Silent King

The Silent King is a one of the 5 Dreadgods on Cradle. It resembles a white tiger with an ominous halo about its head, and uses Dream madra. Despite being physically the weakest of the dreadgods, it makes up for it through its terrifying ability to enslave the minds of others. It is followed by the Silent Servants. It is the most subtle and insidious of the dreadgods.

The Four Beasts

The Weeping Dragon, the Wandering Titan, The Bleeding Phoenix, and the Silent King. Plus, the imprisoned first Dreadgod, Subject One

“They are...disasters. Four monsters, big enough to blot out the sky, hungry for destruction, and so powerful that the most advanced sacred artists in the world have to join forces to drive them off. Drive them off, you understand. None of the Dreadgods have ever been killed.” “They're sacred beasts?” “Corrupted ones. Like the dreadbeasts of the Desolate Wilds, they were warped and twisted by their own powers.. .They're scattered all over the world. They burrow into a secure location and wait for decades...but when they wake up, they're hungry. Fortunately for humanity, no two have woken at the same time in centuries. But the last time they did, they destroyed the original Blackflame Empire.” (Skysworn, ch 7)

Dread Wars

A Monarch cannot withstand a Dreadgod. In the Dread Wars, the previous generation of Monarchs was all but eradicated, with only two out of twelve surviving, following a combined attack on the Wandering Titan, which woke up the rest of his brothers.

Origins

The Silent King, like the other Dreadgods, is the result of research and experimentation conducted in the Labyrinth beneath Sacred Valley, some millennia ago. The Dreadgods are about two or three thousand years old. They developed long after the time that Ozmanthus Arelius lived. They are a failed research experiment, unintentionally created by a researcher dubbed Subject One. Dreadgods formed as a result of experimentation in hunger aura and dreadbeasts. Four of the Dreadgods escaped the supposedly secure underground formation, but Subject One is imprisoned there.

• See more details at hunger madra and at Subject One

Descriptions

See Reaper, ch 23

• White tiger with black stripes
• Halo around its head, probably dream or light aura.
• Smaller and weaker than the other three Dreadgods
• Described as both the size of a house and an elephant (big elephant, small house?)
• Smartest and most strategic of the dreadgods, rarely asleep
• Hungry, always

Emriss sighed. “That’s what we thought before.” She leaned heavily on her flower-topped staff, and an image drifted up into the air ahead of her: a black-striped white tiger with an oversized white halo. It was big as an elephant, and Yerin recognized it from descriptions as the Silent King, though as a Dreadgod it was relatively tiny. It would have looked like a pet next to the Titan. The only thing huge about it was the army of Remnants, sacred beasts, and blank-eyed sacred artists stretched out over the countryside behind it. (Bloodline ch 13)

Smartest Dreadgod

• The King is the most aware of the dreadgods, the clearest thinker, the smartest

The author, Will Wight: Some Dreadgods are more intelligent than the others. The Silent King is always aware, he's always self aware, and he's the smartest one. And the Weeping Dragon actually is the second most self aware. The Bleeding Phoenix is third. And the Wandering Titan is just kind of an idiot. (Source: Abidan Archive)

Dream & Hunger Madra

Like all Dreadgods, the main aspect is hunger madra. He also cycles dream madra.

Unlike its siblings, the King had never lost use of its mental faculties. It would have been impossible to control dream madra otherwise. It was its body that had suffered. It had never carried as much devastating destructive power as the others, and was only as big as one of these human houses. . .(Reaper, ch 23)

Abilities

This god is the smallest and weakest, but he's still as big as a house or elephant. His greatest strength is his mind and his will. He employs dream madra. Creates vast webs of communication with sacred artists and remnants, across vast areas. Clear thinking. He doesn't sleep as much as his brothers. Details are not known fully as yet, but his magic involves dream madra and illusions, similar to the Fox Fire Path developed by Elder Whisper, but far superior, because the tiger can also control minds.

Dream Ruler Technique

The dream Ruler techniques of the Silent King, the most subtle and insidious of the Dreadgods (Wintersteel, ch 5)

Mind Control

This Dreadgod can work its will directly through its “blank-eyed” subjects, all over its kingdom on the Everwood Continent:

"Its will drew tight, more potent than ever, and the wills of everyone in its kingdom focused as well. Some died of exertion, blood running from their eyes, but most could handle this slight burden of will." (Reaper chapter 23)

Yerin recognized it from descriptions as the Silent King, though as a Dreadgod it was relatively tiny. It would have looked like a pet next to the Titan. The only thing huge about it was the army of Remnants, sacred beasts, and blank-eyed sacred artists stretched out over the countryside behind it. (Bloodline ch 13)

His “Willing” Subjects

Deep in the jungles of the Everwood Continent, the Silent King crouched in its den. . . .The Silent King’s mind was rarely focused on its own body. Even now, it tended to its mental web. Its subjects filled the jungle for hundreds of miles. They lived in cities, talked, joked, created art. Remnants crept by newborn sacred beasts and both traded respectful nods. Neither should be as intelligent or aware as they were, but thanks to their King, they could live up to their full domain. In these lands, there was true peace. But this was as far as its domain would ever extend. The thought filled it with fury. . .(Reaper, ch 23)

Typical Location

Everwood Continent -- The tiger been warded there for a long time, but after the Dread Wars. He is contained within the jungle. A huge script circle and tree roots keep him there.

Enemy - Emriss Silentborn

Emriss Silentborn had earned her title for two reasons. First, she had a long history with the Dreadgod known as the Silent King. Second, trees were notoriously quiet. She was used to reading meaning in silence.(Reaper, ch 25)

The Silent King has been stuck on Everwood continent for some time, where Emriss Silentborn reigns. He is bound there, contained by her roots and her script circle, which is powered by her madra. He seeks revenge on Emriss Silentborn, and to spread his “peace” throughout the world.

For the hundred thousandth time, the Silent King ran its spiritual perception around the boundaries of its kingdom. Roots stretched all around it, roots under her command. Its greatest enemy. . . . (Then, Shen empowers him) Its will drew tight, more potent than ever, and the wills of everyone in its kingdom focused as well. Some died of exertion, blood running from their eyes, but most could handle this slight burden of will. All that willpower focused on the tip of the King’s claw. And it slashed once through the air. The roots wrapping around the kingdom were neatly sliced. The organic script-circle failed, and Emriss Silentborn’s madra drifted away like so much smoke. Finally, the Silent King was free to rule. (Reaper, ch 23)

Cult

His Dreadgod cult is called the Silent Servants. Their mouths are bound; they work in silence.
With Dross’s help, Lindon handily defeated cultist Kenvata Nasuma Junvari in the 18th Uncrowned King Tournament.
He had thought she might pose a challenge for Dross. She didn’t. Dross could always hold her influence off long enough for Lindon to cut her in half with dragon’s breath. (Wintersteel ch 5)

Mount Samara, Sacred Valley

This Dreadgod is associated with Mount Samara in Sacred Valley. Its halo of light/dream aura is similar to the halo around Mt Samara. A Path based on dream /light aura was developed in the valley, by Elder Whisper, an ancient sacred snowfox. This Path is followed by Wei Shi Kelsa, for one.