Redmoon Hall

Redmoon Hall is the Dreadgod cult of the The Bleeding Phoenix, a Dreadgod

Plots

• In books 4 and 5, the Skysworn Force hunts down cultists in the Blackflame Empire
• In books 7 and 8, Redmoon Hall competed in the 18th Uncrowned King Tournament in Ninecloud City under the aegis of Monarch Reigan Shen, along with the other three cults. Also, the Sage of Red Faith becomes obsessed with Yerin Arelius
• In book 10, all four cults continue to serve Monarch Reigan Shen

Brief

A dreadgod cult whose members cycle blood madra. These parasitic sacred artists advance from the blood aura and murderous frenzy stirred up by the The Bleeding Phoenix, its Blood Shadows, and its Bloodspawn. This despised organization is ancient and was originally founded by the Sage of Red Faith. Cult members, including Underlord emissary Longhook, attacked the Blackflame Empire when the Phoenix flew over, beginning in book four, Skysworn. Yerin Arelius lost her entire family and village to this cult and this dreadgod,and gained an unwanted passenger, so she is hot to defend others, but her own Blood Shadow makes it difficult because the Bleeding Phoenix seeks to reunite with the power in Yerin’s parasite. (See below and see Blood Shadows)

HQ

Redmoon headquarters are located beyond the empire’s southeastern border, through a gap in the mountains.

“It's the cult of a dreadgod. Usually they operate beyond the empire's southeastern border.” (Skysworn, ch 10)

Red & Black Colors

“Redmoon Hall. Other than wearing red and black, they had very little in common —- some were followed openly by their Blood Shadows, but others did not keep theirs visible.” (Uncrowned, ch 9).

Cult Leader & Founder, Red Faith

The Sage of Red Faith or the Blood Sage is a skinny white scarecrow, because he feeds himself to his clone, his Blood Shadow. Redmoon Hall was founded by Red Faith. Before founding the Redmoon Hall cult, he researched Dreadbeasts.

Red Faith, The Blood Sage:
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.
—Wintersteel, ch 6

Sage’s Blood Shadow, a Herald

Red Faith regularly fed his Blood Shadow, using his own life and blood sustenance like a carrot, to control it. However, the Blood Shadow eventually escaped his leash, advanced to Herald, and assumed the name Redmoon. He sits like a king on his throne at cult headquarters, grandiosely dubbing himself The Herald of Redmoon Hall. So now Red Faith’s clone is at Herald rank, and is not truly loyal to him.

Cults in Cahoots

Ambush!

Calan Archer conjured a lightning dragon.
Yan Shoumei gathered blood madra in
her palms, but didn’t summon Crusher.
Brother Aekin covered himself in his
Enforcer technique, taking on the vague
aspect of the Wandering Titan.

-Wintersteel ch 26

Monarch Reigan Shen has convinced and/or bought / bribed the four dreadgod cult leaders to serve his purposes, for a while. 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)

Blood Shadows in the Cult

Redmoon Hall is made up of many cultists, but the most powerful are those who merge with a Blood Shadow. The cultists are further divided into vassals and emissaries. Vassals are mindless, controlled by their own Blood Shadow. Emissaries are the other way round. They are helped by their Blood Shadow, but retain their minds and powers, which makes them formidable threats. The Sage (Red Faith) feeds his Blood Shadow to control it. See more about blood shadows at The Bleeding Phoenix

Known Emissaries

• Blacksword — Underlord. competed in 18th Uncrowned King Tournament and lost to Yan Shoumei /Crusher

• Gergen -- Underlord. attacked by Eithan, Fisher Gesha, Naru Seiya, and Chon Ma in book 5, Ghostwater

• Longhook † — Underlord. with Gergen and others, he followed the Phoenix, heading toward the western Labyrinthl in the the Blackflame Empire. Slaughtered citizens and wounded Eithan Arelius with his long bloody hook, in book 4, Skysworn. Seeks to capture Yerin and especially her Blood Shadow. Again he battled Eithan in book 5, Ghostwater. Regretted that.

• Yan Shoumei — (Truegold in book 5, when she sought the legendary well at the Ghostwater Pocket World to get blood samples from rare sacred beasts to create Crusher.
  • Advanced to Underlady to compete in the 18th Uncrowned King Tournament with her Blood Shadow, Crusher. Eithan threw his match to her in exchange for his terms with Reigan Shen (Wintersteel, ch 10 & 14)

Descriptions of Yan Shoumei
“Her hair hung over her eyes like a hood, and her Blood Shadow slithered formlessly around her.” (Uncrowned, ch 9) “The girl still stood like a specter in her red robes, black hair falling over her face in a veil.” (Wintersteel ch 10)
She is from a poor background. “She protects a city,” Calan said. “They call her their guardian spirit.” (Wintersteel ch 10)

She feels no loyalty to Redmoon Hall or to the Sage of Red Faith, aka The Blood Sage.

Yan Shoumei quickly got her power under control. “Sorry,” she muttered. “But I’m not his disciple. When I win, I won’t need him anymore. Or Redmoon.” (Wintersteel ch 10)

• Note: There is one confirmed Redmoon Overlord, but the name is unknown.