History of the Cult of the Dragon

The History of the Cult of the Dragon began with the former Chosen of Mystra, Sammaster and his downfall, descent into madness and removal of his divinely magic powers in the 9 century DR. It cotinued with the necromancer for centuries, from beyond his death, into lichdom and beyond. Even after the mad mage's final destruction in the 1400's the Cult of the Dragon continued on, enduring a period of dormancy before evolving under the new leadership of Severin Silrajin under the influence of the Dragon-god Tiamat.

Preface
After Sammaster and Alustriel Silverhand shared a relationship over some time, he began to become obsessed with his paramour, to the point where his world completely revolved around her. This unhealthy attachment, combined with Sammaster's deeper foray into necromancy caused a rift between the two Chosen and caused their relationship to end in bitterness and regret. Shortly after, in 865 DR, a priest of Bane named Algashon Nathaire ingratiated himself to Sammaster, befriending the mage during those difficult times. Quite rapidly, Algashon began to play on Sammaster's insecurities, rationalizing the Chosen's mistakes as the faults of others while simultaneously reminding him of life events that he perceived as failures. This indoctrination continued for years, in what would turn out to be a long-term scheme to steal the secret of the Chosen's silver fire.

These manipulations culminated in the year 875 DR, when Sammaster confronted Alustriel in the Evermoors in a rage of accusations and delusions. Lady Hope was accompanied by the fellow Chosen Laeral Silverhand and Khelben Arunsun, with whom she shared a unique connection. This confrontation between the four Chosen of Mystra came to be known as the Battle of the Chosen; while Alustriel suffered some minor wounds, Sammaster perished and his body fell to the ground. The deity Azuth appeared in the form of a fiery blue hand, conjured a single silver star above Sammaster's body and stripped the silverfire, along with other lingering powers of the Chosen, from his essence. Although his "friend" Algashon was nearby, his patron deity Bane prevented him from taking any action to intervene or prevent Sammaster's death.

Rather, Algashon cast a spell that preserved Sammaster's life, and removed any remaining humanity from the fallen mage, or so he perceived. Algashon whispered to Sammaster, re-framing the story of the battle from a new perspective: Sammaster had defended himself from the assault of Alustriel and her companions, and his fall was only caused by the treachery of the deities Mystra and Azuth. The follower of Bane managed to convince Sammaster his death must be the birth of a new god.

Origins
The following years for Sammaster and Algashon were shrouded in mystery, and no signs about their whereabouts or activities appeared for a full 12 years. However, in 887 DR published what would be the first of a number of re-translations of historical works. This particular tome was the Chronicle of Years to Come by the sage Maglas, and Sammaster mis-translated one particular passage, which would serve as the basis for the Cult of the Dragon as a whole:

"And naught will be left save shattered thrones, with no rulers but the dead. Dragons shall rule the world entire, and..."

- Original text from Maglas' Chronicle of Years to Come

However Sammaster's translation contained the following:

"And naught will be left save shattered thrones with no rulers. But the dead dragons shall rule the world entire, and...."

- Sammaster's re-translation

This false interpretation set a passion, or more accurately, an obsession in Sammaster's demented mind. Over the next years he and Algashon set out to preach the perspective of how they believed, and wanted, the world to become. They continued the nercomantic research in which Sammaster had endeavored in his previous life, seeking not to bring life back to the dead, but undeath upon living dragons.

The two gathered their burgeoning group of follows and settled in the city-state of Chondathan. In the years to follow, Sammaster would appoint himself as First Speaker of his growing sect, reveal the first of his ring of dragons and set out a plan at the turn of the 10 century to bring undead dragons, known as dracoliches to the face of Faerûn.

Formation and growth

 * 902 DR: After some initial experimention, Sammaster convinced the great red wyrm Shargrailar to undergo the process of becoming a dracolich. The dragon was the first to survive this undertaking, and Sammaster uses the threat of the undead beast to extort wealth from the city-states within the area (future Sembia).


 * 905 DR: Sammaster finished his work on the Tome of the Dragon. Copies are then distributed around Faerûn.


 * 906 DR: The term "Cult of the Dragon" began to popularize in the area around Chondathan to describe Sammaster, Algashon and their followers. The group within the city would grew beyond their control and their members started splinter cell groups in cities like Chancelgaunt and Yhaunn.


 * 913 DR: As the nation of Sembia was officially formed, the cult expanded into other cities within the infant nation. The group found fast enemies in both the Zhentarim, who refused to be extorted for safe passage through Shargrailar's domain, and the Harpers, who of course were allied with the likes of the Chosen of Mystra.

During these years, a diversion in strategy began to develop between Sammaster and Algashon. As the enemies of the Cult grew in number, and their material wealth waned, the mad mage became more flagrant in his response to perceived threats. After the group had succeeded in siring a few more night dragons, as well as mastered the techniques to control and manipulate them, Sammaster often demonstrated the destructive power at their disposal. Conversely, Algashon strived to keep the organization operating from the shadows and not present such an obvious target for their enemies. Sammaster refused to consider his companion's outlook, blinded by his lust for power and search for vengeance against a world he perceived to have wronged him. Algashon realized how lost Sammaster was and began a plan of action.

After catching wind about a Harper-planned attempt on Sammaster's life, Algashon did nothing to intervene. Rather, he arranged for Shargrailar to take flight on long-distance mission well away from his master, increasing his vulnerability. Furthermore he made arrangements for his most-loyal cultists to relocate to Urmlaspyr, should the assassination succeed.

Sammster's death

 * Spring 916 DR: Sammaster and his entourage of 60+ cultists, dragonkin, undead minions and fiendish outsiders traveled to southern border of the forest of Cormanthor to court two green wyrms to their cause. Before they arrived at their destination, the envoy was ambushed by a group of Harpers and their allies, just outside the village of Hap. The ensuing battle lasted a full day and night and, if not for divine intervention, the Cult's nearly invincible forces would have emerged victorious. However, the avatar of Lathander appeared on the battlefield, armed with the mace Dawnspeaker, smote Sammaster from Toril and along with the Harpers and their allies, killed the majority of the cult's forces that day.

After his physical body was blasted into oblivion, Sammaster's mind and essence traveled to an awaiting phylactery, long-prior prepared by the necromancer with a series of contingency and chain contingency spells. The phylactery, an uncut, exquisite diamond, was given to a half-elven follower Zotulla, along with Sammaster's original Tome of the Dragon. Within this book were explicit instructions to create a new Cult cell near Shargrailar's lair near Cormyr and steps on how to restore Sammaster's consciousness to a new host body.


 * 918 DR: Zotulla's cult cell, located north of Tilverton in the Desertsmouth Mountains, is discovered by Zhent forces. The Zhent's killed every cult member, save for the fleeing Zotulla, disposed of the seemingly worthless diamond while failing to destroy Sammaster's opus the Tome of the Dragon.

Algashon's Leadership

 * 916 DR - 940 DR: Algashon leads the remaining Cult of the Dragon cells underground, permanently altering their means of operation throughout Faerûn. These fledgling cells were given time and autonomy to develop with relative independence.

Meanwhile, Algashon adopted particular traits for himself and his council of leaders within the Sembian cell, who came to be known as the Wearers of Purple. This term would become synonymous with the Cult for centuries. He also began to introduce more influences from his worship of Bane, a practice that bothered some of the Cult's newer members and cells.


 * 962 DR: A Cult cell opens in the city of Hlondath, within the Vilhon Reach.


 * 971 DR: After attempting to open a cell in the city of Surkh, the Cult is rebuked by Church of Tiamat, having felt trespassed upon.

The schism

 * 972 DR: The mage Tuelhalva Drakewings arises as a dissident voice within the cult. He begins to voice concerns over Algashon's leadership and the rising influence the church of Bane has on the Cult's operations. Drakewings' agents were forced operate in secret, as Algashon began to employ more priests of Bane to bolster his influence.


 * 972 DR - 995 DR: The Cult as a whole refocused their efforts to expansion in the North with the creation of at least 10 new cells in that region. Their only known failure during that time was an attempted infiltration of Silverymoon.


 * 995 DR - 1000 DR: Factionalism increased greatly within the Cult. Members were forced to align themselves with Algashon and his reformationalists, who saw their sacred undead dragons as subordinates to the greater power of Bane, or Tuelhalva Drakewings and his pragmatic sect, who focused on Sammaster's original view of undead dragons taking rule over all of Toril. Hostilities rose during this period, with occasional violent and bloody skirmishes between their numbers.


 * 1001 DR: While investigating rumors of an immensely powerful undead dragon deep beneath the city of Peleveria, in Peleveran, Tuelhalva Drakewings discovered an even more sinister power, a somatic connection to the baatezu Gargauth.


 * 1018 DR: During the year in which a dracorage befell Faerûn, Tuelhalva Drakewings had completed almost two decades of work amassing arcane secrets and uncovering ancient spells to finally release Gargauth from the depths beneath Peleveria. In gratitude for his release, Gargauth summoned an army of abishai and aligned them with Drakewing's pragmatic Cult forces, which included draconian creatures and dracoliches. After Tuelhalva Drakewings declared his faction's secession from the Cult, his army and their demonic allies marched on Peleveria, siezed its throne and established the archmage as the ruler of Peleveran.

Shortly after Drakewing's victory, Gargauth assumed the form of an older mage and flew north to Urmlaspyr. Once here, he informed Algashon of Tuelhalva's victory, embellishing the tale with accounts of power gained by the slaying of an ancient undead dragon king. This infuriated Algashon, who rallied 20 other mages from the Cult, their followers, as well as dragons and dracoliches under their command and incited the wrath of the dracorage upon the nation.

A horrific and destructive battle took place over Peleveran. It culminated with a clash in the skies between Tuelhalva Drakewings and Algashon Nathaire, each mounted atop a dracolich, with the latter astride Shargrailar. In the end both Tuelhalva and Algashon would perish, along with most of their respective armies. There were however, enough members of the Sembian branch of the Cult to return to their nation and resume the activities of the Cult of the Dragon. Despite being leaderless, the remaining pragmatists routed any Banite remnants of Algashon's influence and the cult entered into a period of covert rebuilding.

Recouperation

 * 1065 DR: Harpers operating in the North discovered the lair of the dracolich Alglaudyx. They destroyed the undead beast and looted his vast hoard of wealth.


 * 1222 DR: The Cult struck back at the Harpers,


 * 1225 DR: The Elversult cell courts the psionic black dragon Hethcypressarvil, and convinces him to become a dracolich a few decades later. Using his unique gifts, Cypress would eventually kill the leaders of that cell some years later.


 * 1279 DR: A branch in Luskan essentially self-destructed when a dracolich and three white dragons, two of which were a mated pair, split off into pairs and battled one another over their horde. Only a few cult members survived the desolation, though they were able to get away with a few choice treasures.