Difference between revisions of "Dreadgod Cults"

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The Dreadgod cults first appear in action in book 4, [[Skysworn]], when [[The Bleeding Phoenix]] awakes and its cultists, Redmoon Hall emissaries, attack citizens in the southern [[Blackflame Empire]]. However, we hear mention of the cults before book 4, because  [[Yerin]] has a blood-shadow belt.  
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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 [[Dreadgods|dreadgod]], many of the cultists are simply [[Sacred Arts|sacred artists]] who want to advance but don't have access to backing or resource, or who simply view their [[Dreadgods|dreadgod]] as a readily available source of power that they would bleed dry given the opportunity.  
  
==Simple Summary==
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The first cult we see is [[Redmoon Hall]], followers of [[The Bleeding Phoenix|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 Arts|sacred artists]] who practice [[paths]] based on the [[Dreadgod|Dreadgods]], using their [[madra]], collected from the [[Dreadgod]] itself and the [[dreadbeasts]] they leave when they awake and roam around. 
Cultists are key antagonists throughout the series. [[Yerin]] calls them all parasites; she particularly personally 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. {{Quote Box|title=Calan Archer, Stormcaller|quote=Calan released his Harbinger of the Storm. Everywhere the <br>Weeping Dragon flew, a storm followed, as it agitated the <br>water, wind, and lightning aura for miles around. This <br>technique had been modeled on that one, and it <br>allowed Stormcallers to slowly dominate a battlefield.|source=-Wintersteel, ch 16|align=left|fontsize=13px}}
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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]]. In book 8, [[Wintersteel]], Shen persuades them to ambush the Akura group in Sky’s Edge, and to kill [[Akura Mercy]] and her brother Pride. His plan fails when [[Lindon]] comes to the rescue, advances to Sage, and attacks several of the high-ranking cultists. In book 10, [[Reaper]], the cultists wage war on the mountains around [[Sacred Valley]] simply to distract the other Monarchs from what Shen is up to, down in the [[Labyrinth]]. Unbeknownst to the cult leaders, the Cat has been lyin to everyone, to enact his plans for world domination.
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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 Sect|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==
 
==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.
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Each known [[Dreadgod]] is followed by a cult, sacred artists who follow their chosen beast and benefit from the destruction it creates. The unique [[Paths|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.
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#[[Redmoon Hall]], with their Blood Shadows in a thousand different forms. Dreadgod — [[The Bleeding Phoenix]]
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#[[Abyssal Palace]], their faces concealed beneath hoods and stony masks. Dreadgod — [[Wandering Titan]]
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#[[Silent Servants]], whose mouths are bound. Dreadgod —- [[Silent King]]
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#[[Stormcallers]], who ring their arms in scripts that crackle with lightning. Dreadgod —- [[Weeping Dragon]]
  
#[[Redmoon Hall]], with their Blood Shadows in a thousand different forms. Dreadgod — Bleeding Phoenix
 
#[[Abyssal Palace]], their faces concealed beneath hoods and stony masks. Dreadgod — Wandering Titan
 
#[[Silent Servants]], whose mouths are bound. Dreadgod —- Silent King
 
#[[Stormcallers]], who ring their arms in scripts that crackle with lightning. Dreadgod —- Weeping Dragon
 
 
(-Underlord, epilogue)
 
(-Underlord, epilogue)
  
 
==Cult Characters==  
 
==Cult Characters==  
===Silent Servants===
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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]].  
Anybody know character names from the Cult of the Silent Servants?
 
===Abyssal Palace===
 
Brother Aekin — wore a dark stone mask carved to resemble some kind of snarling monster, the right eye of which glowed with a bright yellow light. His robes were black and brown, representing the Wandering Titan’s cult: the Abyssal Palace. (died in [[Wintersteel]])
 
 
 
===Redmoon Hall===
 
{{Quote Box |title=Ambush!|quote=Calan Archer conjured a lightning dragon.<br>
 
Yan Shoumei gathered blood madra in <br>her palms, but didn’t summon Crusher. <br>Brother Aekin covered himself in his <br>Enforcer technique, taking on the vague <br>aspect of the Wandering Titan.|source=-Wintersteel ch 26|align=right|fontsize=14px}}
 
Red Faith, The Blood Sage —  founder of the Bleeding Phoenix’s cult, looked as though he had no blood in him at all. His skin was as pure white as his hair, which was so long that it reached down to his bare feet. His black-and-red clothes were tight enough to reveal his skeletal frame, and lines of red paint ran down his cheeks from both eyes like tears. He perched on the windowsill, hunched like a monkey, chewing on his thumbnail and staring at her with unnerving intensity. She felt nothing but disgust for this creature. At some point in the past, he was supposed to have been an accomplished researcher, pioneering investigation into dreadbeasts and the nature of spirits. (see Wintersteel ch 6)
 
 
 
Yan Shoumei — Uncrowned Tournament. The girl still stood like a specter in her red robes, black hair falling over her face in a veil. Her Blood Shadow was huge. She called it Crusher. It fears [[Lindon]]. ([[Wintersteel]])
 
 
 
Longhook — Ambitious Emissary. Dead. Killed by [[Eithan Arelius]] in book 5, [[Ghostwater]]
 
 
 
===Stormcallers===
 
The Sage of Calling Storms — Mutilated  [[Ziel|Ziel’s]] spirit and murdered his Sect on the Iceflower Continent some years ago.
 
 
 
Calan Archer —- Uncrowned Tournament. Years ago, he had been in on the fight against the Dawnwing Sect. The slaughter that killed [[Ziel|Ziel’s]] sect. He was older than Therian by almost ten years, and he looked like he belonged in the tournament. He was thick with muscle, his Goldsigns crackling around thick biceps. The scripted rings of blue-gold lightning looked like they were about to burst off. His hair was blond so pale that it was almost white, and he had a scar across one eye socket. (Wintersteel, dead, killed by Lindon)
 
 
 
Therian Nills —- was an ordinary man. He had started as a farmer. . . and died (in book 8, Wintersteel)
 
 
 
==The Four Dreadgods==
 
{{Quote Box|title=Secret Keeper<br>|quote=<b>Elder Whisper sat on his haunches,<br>tails waving smoothly behind him.<br>“Wei Shi Lindon. Would you like to <br>know how to kill the Dreadgods?”</b>|source=-[[Bloodline]],  epilogue|align=right}}
 
#The [[Weeping Dragon]] — A blue serpentine dragon that travels on thunderstorms, and sleeps on miles-long beds of clouds. Aspects: Storm. Techniques: Living Lightning. Cult: The Stormcallers
 
#The [[Silent King]] — White Tiger crowned in a halo. Dream aspects. Cult: Silent Servants
 
#The [[Wandering Titan]] — A stone warrior with the shell of a tortoise and the tail of a monkey. Aspects: Earth. Cult: Abyssal Palace
 
#The [[The Bleeding Phoenix|Bleeding Phoenix]] — Huge crimson phoenix with wings large enough to stretch across the horizon. Blood madra aspects. If it’s cut, it reforms itself from blood droplets. Cult: Redmoon Hall
 
 
 
  
Note — Subject One is also a Dreadgod, although few people know it. The first one. He stays in his prison beneath Sacred Valley. (Bloodline, ch 20)
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At [[Sky’s Edge]], four [[Dreadgod cult]] leaders at Herald or Sage level battled one newborn Monarch, [[Akura Fury]] (Wintersteel ch 26) <blockquote> 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) </blockquote>
  
<br />{{Books}}
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<b> See each separate cult page for members of the specific cult </b><br />{{Books}}
  
 
[[Category:Cradle]]
 
[[Category:Cradle]]
 
[[Category:Dreadgod]]
 
[[Category:Dreadgod]]
 
[[Category:Cradle Factions]]
 
[[Category:Cradle Factions]]

Latest revision as of 01:05, 12 November 2024

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