Dreadgod Cults

Each Dreadgod has a cult following. The first cult appears in book 4, Skysworn, when The Bleeding Phoenix awakes and its parasites in Redmoon Hall attack citizens in the southern Blackflame Empire. However, we hear mention of the cults before book 4, because Yerin has a Blood Shadow belt.

Simple Summary

Cultists 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. In book 8, Wintersteel, Shen persuades them to ambush young sacred artists in Sky’s Edge. 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.

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. 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

The Four 5 Dreadgods

Secret Keeper

Elder Whisper sat on his haunches,
tails waving smoothly behind him.
“Wei Shi Lindon. Would you like to
know how to kill the Dreadgods?”

-Bloodline, epilogue

1. 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
2. The Silent King — White Tiger crowned in a halo. Dream aspects. Cult: Silent Servants
3. The Wandering Titan — A stone warrior with the shell of a tortoise and the tail of a monkey. Aspects: Earth. Cult: Abyssal Palace
4. The Bleeding Phoenix — Huge crimson phoenix with wings large enough to stretch across the horizon. Blood madra aspects. Blood Shadows. If it’s cut, it reforms itself from blood droplets. Cult: Redmoon Hall
5. Note — Subject One is also a Dreadgod, although few people know it. The first one. He stays in his prison, the Labyrinth that runs beneath Sacred Valley. (Bloodline, ch 20)