Dreadgods
Dreadgods are the most powerful living beings on Cradle. They are natural calamities, and none have ever been killed.
Few things are known about how they were created, but like Dreadbeasts, they are known to have Hunger Madra as part of their spirits\bodies.
The Dreadgods are known to be tied to the ancient Labyrinth that spans across the Ashwind continent, with a symbol of the four of them appearing on its entrances. They are also related to Sacred Valley's ancient history; Li Markuth referred to them as 'the Four Beasts' in Unsouled.
Dreadgods are the number one reason of death for Monarchs on Cradle.
In the Dread Wars, the previous generation of Monarchs was all but eradicated, with only 2 out of 12 surviving following a combined attack on the Wandering Titan, which woke up the rest of his brothers.
“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.”
Wight, Will. Skysworn (Cradle Book 4) (pp. 106-107). Hidden Gnome Publishing. Kindle Edition.
The Four Beasts
- The Weeping Dragon
- The Silent King
- The Wandering Titan
- The Bleeding Phoenix
The Cults
Each Dreadgod is followed by a cult, comprised of sacred artists who follow their monsters and benefit from the destruction it creates.
The Paths of the cults seem to use the same aspects as their Dreadgods, borrowing power from them to create Blood Shadows and techniques made from living lightning.
The full list of cults and their known members can be found in the Factions page.
