Dreadgod Cults

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.

Simple Summary

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.

Calan Archer, Stormcaller

Calan released his Harbinger of the Storm. Everywhere the
Weeping Dragon flew, a storm followed, as it agitated the
water, wind, and lightning aura for miles around. This
technique had been modeled on that one, and it
allowed Stormcallers to slowly dominate a battlefield.

-Wintersteel, ch 16

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.

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 — 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)

The Four 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. 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)