Cult of the Dragon

The Cult of the Dragon, also called the Dragon Cult and known as the Keepers of the Secret Hoard and, as of around 1370 DR, the Wearers of Purple, was a semi-religious evil organization venerating undead dragons, or dracoliches, founded by Sammaster, a powerful wizard and former Chosen of Mystra like Elminster and Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun. Their belief was that dracoliches were destined to one day rule Faerûn and beyond and that it was their purpose to help this come to pass. They were considered to be a secret society or a beast cult, albeit an overly large and powerful one, and a mercantile and criminal enterprise.

Dogma
According to the prophecy of Sammaster, dragons would, and indeed should, rule over all of Toril, reclaiming all the lands they'd once dominated. Moreover, only in undeath were dragons truly immortal and worthy of this rule. The Cult of the Dragon's purpose was thus to help bring about the coming reign of the undead dragons. In practice, this meant the destruction of civilization in the Realms.

While in theory they revered all dragons, they had a preference for the evil dragons and particularly the deceased evil dragons known as dracoliches. They sought to persuade evil dragons to undergo the process of becoming a dracolich. Normally, this was done with the cooperation and consent of the dragon and it retained it free will, but it was not unknown for the most powerful wizards of the Cult to force it on an unwilling dragon because although they worshiped dracoliches, they also manipulated them as their servants. These were primarily young dragons they could capture and the resulting 'fettered dracoliches' were slavishly loyal to the Cult member who controlled their phylactery, at least until they could get possession of it.

While some dragons were worshiped as deities by their devout Cult servants, these dragons received no divine powers and could grant no spells to their followers. Nevertheless, dracoliches considered as almost divine and were titled 'Sacred Ones' within the faith.

The few clerics in the Cult venerated Bane, Shar, Talona, Talos, and Velsharoon, and to a lesser extent Cyric, Gargauth, Malar, and Tiamat. The necromancer mages mostly took Velsharoon as their patron, to avoid paying even lip service to Mystra, because of her church's opposition to the Cult of the Dragon.

Membership
In general, the Cult of the Dragon comprised mages, merchants, and warriors motivated by evil natures and their own self-interest. Many came for the money and power that might follow, while others were short on morals or just like dark rituals. But when they actually sighted a dracolich for the first time, or worse, witnessed a dragon being so transformed, almost all were awed into zealous faith.

Despite their high standing, dragons and dracoliches were not actually members of the Cult, but rather allies and willing servants. Living dragons were intrigued by their philosophy and promises of power.

In the 15 century, dragonborn were common members. Their martial ideas seemed a good fit for the Cult's doctrine. The Cult also included sentient undead members (such as liches and death knights) and commanded many undead minions (such as skeletons) or allies.

Recruitment
The Cult of the Dragon was constantly in need of more members for its works. For recruitment, they started at home, targeting the family and friends of existing members, while they also looked out for suitable persons to push their toward their strange beliefs. While they were open to anyone who seemed proficient, they had a predilection for people with financial skills or backgrounds and especially people with the magical talent needed to conduct their rituals for creating dracoliches. Such folk were eyed as future leaders and these mages were bribed by being granted access to Sammaster's famous works.

Cells
The Cult of the Dragon was divided into a number of independent cells, arranged in a web-like structure with only loose connections between them. These cell acted autonomously and operated in different ways, some aboveboard and some not, but worked together to further their ultimate goals. Each had the same general hierarchy, however.

In the late 1400s DR, members typically held positions within a cell according to their role and the purpose of that particular cell. Few cells actually served a dracolich directly.

Hierarchy
The structure of a Cult of the Dragon cell comprised two distinct tiers of members: the higher-echelon Keepers of the Secret Hoard and the more common Followers of the Scaly Way. Each cell was led by one or more members of the Wearers of Purple, whose members commonly overlapped with the Keepers.

The highest ranked were the Wearers of Purple, named for their purple (or violet) ceremonial robes. A Wearer of Purple led their cell, controlled its treasury and directed the acquisition of wealth by whatever means, oversaw recruitment, manufactured magic items, commanded the members of their cell in conflicts with Cult foes, and also kept the secret of dracolich creation. Large cells had multiple Wearers of Purple, small ones just one.

The Keepers of the Secret Hoard were senior members and the true believers within the Cult. This group was composed of mages, most commonly necromancers, a handful of priests, and the most ruthless and vicious of the Cult warriors. Only the Cult mages had the arcane knowledge required to fully serve the dragons.

The Followers of the Scaly Way included many mercenaries and warriors employed by the Cult to provide martial security.

At the very bottom of the hierarchy were those outside agents who unwittingly served the Cult's goals, by being deceived or kept in the dark or employed to act as a front. Through them, the Cult's involvement and goals remained unknown. These included merchants who acted as spies or smugglers to move their illicit goods, as well as adventuring companies who, unbeknownst to them, rid the world of problems that hampered Cult activities.

Doomkin, the elite warriors of the Cult of the Dragon, were armed with doomkin scarabs allowing them to dominate their targets. They answered only to the Wearers of Purple.

Leadership
Circa 1479 DR, the Cult of the Dragon had no actual leader. Nevertheless, the runescribed dracolich Anabraxis, the Black Talon, was revered and respected as the organization's highest authority.

Titles
By the 15 century DR, members of the Cult seldom used their titles with one another, and some cells did not grant them at all. Only Wearer of Purple was in use for the leaders of cells.

In the 1480s DR, the organization and structure of the Cult of the Dragon had changed somewhat. As of this time, titles within the cult included, in descending order: Wyrmspeaker, the cult's highest echelon that held one office for every primary color of chromatic dragon; Dragonsoul; Dragonfang; Dragonwing; Dragonclaw; and Initiate, entrants into the cult who would train for months or years to attain higher rank.

Classes
Wizards tended to be the more important members, and they were typically necromancers. Meanwhile, actual clerics in the Cult were few in number.

Serving Dragons
Seeking out and serving the evil dragons of Faerûn who were ostensibly their "masters", the Cult of the Dragon's main activities were gathering intelligence for them, contributing treasure to their hoards, and generally making alliances with them and aiding them in any way possible, all in an effort to gain the cooperation of these dragons and entice them into being transformed into dracoliches. They were also to make preparations for their transformations and guarded dragon lairs, sometimes containing dragon eggs or hatchlings, while these dragons went to hunt or raid. They provided healing and shared spells, and even watched over eggs and hatchlings.

In exchange, members of the Cult of the Dragon would seek permission to use the dragons' lairs for shelter when needed, and asked for help from the dragons if they were ever called upon using the rings of dragons. Their alliances with these dragons helped the Cult take power and riches for themselves.

Members would also purchase any captured dragons they learned of in order to liberate them, but not before recruiting them to their cause and encouraging them to get revenge against their captors and spread destruction in the region.

Magic
The mages crafted magic items for the Cult and provided dragons with spellcasting services, scrolls, and magical items, as well as prepared the esoteric potions and rituals needed for a dragon to become a dracolich. As divine spellcasting members were somewhat rare, the mages also often animated and controlled the lesser undead and supported the cell's leadership.

The Cult also necessarily engaged in magical research.

Construction
For defense, the Cult worked hard to fortify its own holdings and to expand and secure the lairs of its dragons, such as by installing traps. Always on the lookout for new lairs for their dracoliches, the Cult of the Dragon were among the most industrious builders of dungeons in Faerûn.

Fundraising
However, to fund all these efforts, they needed money, and lots of it. Thus, some Cult cells conducted all manner of criminal activities, including blackmail, extortion, kidnapping, and protection rackets; smuggling contraband and trading illicit and hazardous goods; dealing in various vices; gambling and loansharking; and even espionage and banditry. Their information-gathering efforts extended to tracking caravans carrying various riches so that they might raid them. They also engaged in the theft of valuables, especially rare and unique pieces that could be gifted to their dragon masters. Agents were also known to waylay and rob adventuring companies.

The cult was not against legitimate commercial activities, however. Some Cult cells carried on aboveboard trade, sold information, and sponsored or hired adventurers to explore ancient ruins (Myth Drannor was a favorite target) so they could take a cut of the profits. In the late 1400s DR, it had several merchant members who used their legally earned money to fund cult projects.

Combat
Naturally, their practices made the Cult of the Dragon many enemies too, and their enemies were anyone not in favor of rule by dragons. They responded by conducting attacks and raids on them.

Symbol
The symbol of the Cult of the Dragon was a black flame with eyes above a dragon's claw. It was not displayed openly, appearing only in the few places where the Cult could assemble overtly.

Tactics
A Cult strike-force, such as found in Sembia circa 1358 DR, comprised a group of fighters (up to five) and thieves (up to eight), commanded by a wizard.

A Dragon Cult agent like Asbras Hlumin would pretend to aid adventuring parties, by offering training and spellcasting services and even joining them for short periods. They would learn all they could about them and then send them into a dangerous location to be slain and later rob their treasures for themselves and the Cult.

Bases of Operations
Although it was active all over Faerûn, particularly the Heartlands, the Cult of the Dragon was strongest in the North and the Cold Lands, where dragons were most common and most feared. In the mid–14 century DR, they were believed to have their base in the lands north of Thar, as this was the origin of the devastating Flight of Dragons in 1356 DR. But later, circa 1372 DR, the rumors spoke of a secret fortress or headquarters somewhere near the Battle of Bones in the Western Heartlands —and they spoke true, alluding to the newly built citadel beside the Well of Dragons. Cult agents tended to use the Dragon Coast, particularly Elversult as a launching point for their schemes in more southerly parts of Faerûn.

The Well of Dragons
In the Sunset Mountains, the Cult discovered the Well of Dragons, the legendary site that served as a graveyard to dragons in Faerûn for ages and made a pact with the Dire Dragon who guarded the place, breaking the binding keeping it in a state of undeath. Around 1372, the Cult built a citadel nearby to control the site and its treasure. A Cult cell was later housed in the citadel. Their influence stretched from the Serpent Hills in the south to the southern border of the Anauroch, and even off the coast to the island of Evereska.

In the late 14 century, the Dragonwell cell was led by Naergoth Bladelord, a former member of the Sembian cell. In fact the group in the Sunset Mountains maintained close relations with their sister cell, and was full of its expatriated members. They had one allied dragon, Arsekaslyx, who served as their guardian for over a century.

The Well of Dragons and its citadel remained in Cult hands for at least the next century, with the cell still led by Naergoth Bladelord, now a death knight, and Vargo Kent, a lich. As of the late 15 century DR, some old dragons continued to make pilgrimages to the site to achieve immortality through dracolichdom.

Dragon Coast
On the Dragon Coast in the mid-to-late 14 century DR, the Cult of the Dragon dominated an illicit trade in drugs, poisons, and spices in Elversult. Heading by priestess of Shar Indrith Shalla, the cell included thieves, pirates, priests of Malar, and doppelgangers, and was opposed by the Harpers, as well as by Zhentarim, Thayan agents, and rival pirates who wanted to seize their trade. Agents were naturally also present in the nearby ports of Ilipur and Pros.

Dalelands
In the Dalelands, in Battledale, the Cult maintained a secret stronghold in the cellars of Aencar's Manor, and it had a link to the Underdark.

Cormyr
The Cult of the Dragon had a following in the Shou enclave of Xiousing in Marsember, Cormyr, in the late 15 century DR. The Shou traditionally venerated dragons and the cult found they could operate more openly among the Shou than among other cultures.

Lands of Intrigue
As of 1479 DR, curious Cult of the Dragon members sought out the red dragon Balagos, the Flying Flame, at Smokespire in the Troll Mountains of Amn.

Mourktar
One of the longest-operating cells of the Cult (formed 1005 DR), this group acted as pioneers in the field of magical research related to dragons and undeath. They achieved great success in persuading the dragon Alasklerbanbastos to undergo the transformation to dracolichdom, and the Great Bone Wyrm since became the cell's leader. In fact, the cell relocated their base of operations from Chessenta to his lair in Mount Thulbane.

This cell had a dogmatic reputation within the Cult of the Dragon as a whole, owing to their devotion to Bane, strong ties to his church, and emphasis on the teachings of Algashon Nathaire over those of Sammaster. The cell, however, remained united in its hatred of Tchazzar and his followers over the years and saw his return to ascension as an open threat to Alasklerbanbastos. During the late 14 century DR, the Great Bone Wyrm hinted at an alliance forming between their cell and the Church of Tiamat, which, along with failed attempts at installing draconic leaders in Chessenta and Threskel, had its members grow weary and marginalized from other Cult branches.

Murghôm
In the late 15 century DR, the Cult could operate openly in the dragon-dominated realm of Murghôm, though they reserved the more extreme elements of their doctrine for the most dyed-in-the-wool members and only after years of practice and monetary investment. The Cult owned a building in the city of Skalnaedyr known as the Dragon House and maintained a fortress on the edge of the Plains of Purple Dust known as the Tower of the Talon, where the true believers were based. This cell were in contact with a couple of Murghôm's dragon-princes.

Neverwinter
In 1479 DR, a cell of the cult, led by Adimond Kroskas, worked in conjunction with Thayan agents of Valindra Shadowmantle in Neverwinter Wood whilst searching for a way to restore the dragon Lorragauth to unlife. At the time, someone regularly graffitied a wall of a dilapidated building in the southern Blacklake District of Neverwinter with Iokharic writing (the language unrecognized) and the Cult of the Dragon symbol. Locals believed the images were evil, but mistook it for a devil-worshiping cult.

Sembia
In Sembia, as of 1358 DR, the Cult of the Dragon was in control of the city of Daerlun via their manipulation of the unwitting Allathast, the commander of the guard. Preferring to keep their activities here low-key, the organization used Daerlun as a refuge, where members could rest and recover and they could store arms and treasures, and to profits off its secret slavery of convicted criminals. Their agents were all around the area. The Cult was also rampant in Saerloon, under the leadership of Naergoth Bladelord, the priest Salvarad, and the thief Zilvreen. They dispatched members members and strike forces to steal treasure and magic to add to dracolich hoards. In Urmlaspyr, the Cult maintained a secret temple under High Dragonservant Faerlaur Onthim, while Cult strike forces battled Harpers in Yhaunn.

By the 1370s DR, the senior leaders of the Sembian cell were the Wearers of Purple Salvarad, Zannaster, Zilvreen, and Faerlaur Onthim along with seven or so well-to-do merchants and a senior member of the Silver Ravens. The cell was strongly allied with the dracoliches Aurgloroasa and Dretchroyaster, and maintained a loose associated with a few others. The Sembians maintained a strong influence over the Dragonwell cell.

The Sembian cell was in a constant resource war with the Zhentarim and repeatedly came into conflict with the church of Tiamat during their efforts to convert the dragons of the Thunder Peaks to undeath. They even became a check on the growing threat of the Shadovar.

Tymanther
Circa 1479 DR, a secret cell of the cult operated in Djerad Thymar, the capital of Tymanther. The cult kept secret its membership and true beliefs, but maintained a public face in the form of the Abeir Academy, or Wyrm Academy. It welcomed dragonborn who had fallen on hard times and were looking for a new start, as a way to cultivate potential new members.

Waterdeep
The Cult had a presence in Waterdeep circa 1367 DR.

Moonsea
Located in the Galena Mountains, the Cult cell that operated from Wyrmsmoke Keep extended their influence over the dragons of Thar and the eastern Moonsea. They often sought out dragons to disrupt the trade lines of the Zhentarim, though they could not sustain open opposition. The Wyrmsmoke cell had lost all their dracoliches and many of their draconic allies by 1373 DR, largely at the hands of the Talons of Justice. This cell was led by a council of six Wearers of Purple, mostly from the Moonsea region: Kaela Ulsant, Crenshyl Khodoil, Delphaeryn Leiyraghon, Orinskar of Thar, Theldar Hammerfist, and Dalgar. Their garrison of forces included three tribes of dragonkin, a tribe of draconic orcs, and their fire drake mounts.

Circa 1479 DR, rumors claimed the Cult of the Dragon had gained a foothold somewhere in the region. Indeed they had, with the Redhorn stronghold in the Dragonspire Mountains.

Relationships
The enemies of the Cult of the Dragon were, in their view, anyone who would not want to be ruled over by dragons. Certainly, their doctrine and practices made them at the least frowned upon in most civilized places.

Manshoon of Zhentil Keep manipulated the Cult of the Dragon in the mid-1300s DR to enhance his own influence in the city and cultivate his magical power.

The Cult of the Dragon was primarily opposed by the Harpers, and the Cult saw them as their primary enemy as well. Other enemies included the church of Mystra, church of Lathander, church of Torm, and church of Tyr, and they and the Harpers were known to known to attack the Cult on sight. They were even opposed other evil organizations like the Zhentarim.

The adventuring mage Maxer Hlarr was a noted opponent of the Cult of the Dragon in the early-to-mid 1300s DR, said to have set their schemes back by 20 years before his retirement. The Flight of Dragons in 1356 DR was in part an attempt to get revenge against him.

Weapons
The claw bracer was favored by Cult mages. It provided them with a claw-like weapon that couldn't be disarmed and it left their hands free for spellcasting.

Armor

 * Evil dragon armor

Magic

 * Main: Cult of the Dragon spells

The Cult of the Dragon was reputed to have developed strange magical practices for gaining mastery over evil dragons.

Ritual of Ascension
The most significant of these practices was the method of transforming a live dragon into an undead dracolich, though it was rumored the Cult was not alone in possessing the knowledge. It was a complex process of powerful magic and expensive material components and a phylactery. This process was discovered by Sammaster himself and written down in his book, the Tome of the Dragon. This was called the 'ritual of ascension' and it could be modified to make a fettered dracolich slaved to the Cult.

Spells
Wizards usually specialized in the school of necromancy.

They employed a number of unique and specialized spells that were inscribed within the Tome of the Dragon. As copies of Sammaster's opus were disseminated to leaders of the Cult's cells, they were often used by their arcane members while in service to the Sacred Ones. Many of the more uncommon and rare spells associated with the Cult were based in the metamagic and necromancy schools of magic. These subjects were part of Sammaster's obsession after his fall as one of Mystra's Chosen.

Magical Items

 * Amulet of draconic might
 * Dragon's tooth
 * Dragon masks
 * Ring of dragons: These were used by senior members, the Keepers of the Secret Hoard, for their protection, namely by summoning (but not controlling) nearby evil dragons.

Artifacts

 * Mask of the Dragon Queen
 * Tome of the Dragon

History
The Cult of the Dragon was founded by the former Chosen of Mystra, Sammaster. Unlike his fellow Chosen, however, his mind broke under the great power granted him by Mystra. Mad and beset by delusions of grandeur, Sammaster began to believe that "dead dragons shall rule the world entirely" and furthermore that he should be the one to bring about that destiny. He gathered believers in his prophecy and developed the process for creating the first dracolich.

Although Sammaster was killed in 916 DR during an ambush by the Harpers and clergy of Lathander, Algashon Nathaire led the organization underground, and Sammaster achieved lichdom, having prepared for the event of his death. Though he would later be destroyed, the Cult of the Dragon survived and continued to menace Faerûn.

Originally, the Cult of the Dragon lacked any formal headquarters or strong leadership, which caused the organization to be disjointed and often in conflict with itself.

By around 1370 DR, the Cult had spread widely, and its own tenets had diverged, leading to members in different areas having different ideas of the Cult's formation and ultimate destiny.

After Sammaster's destruction in the late 14 century DR, the cult had no true leader.

After the Spellplague of 1385 DR and the subsequent century of upheavals and devastation, the arrival of Tymanther and its dragonborn, the appearance of Returned Abeir and its dragon empires, and the rise of dragons ruling over Murghôm were also seen by the Cult as important omens of the destined reign of the dragons. Though it had not actually advanced their own goals, the Cult of the Dragon was emboldened, enough to emerge from the mists of secrecy in many places and serve their dragon masters openly and proudly.

As of, the Cult of the Dragon was effectively commanded by Anabraxis, the Black Talon.

It was during this leaderless period that a cultist named Severin Silrajin came to prominence. Guided by Tiamat, he decided that the Chronicles of Years to Come had been mistranslated by Sammaster, and predicted that the world would be ruled not by dead dragons, but by living ones. He quickly rose through the cult's ranks until he became its leader, at which point he switched the focus the cult's efforts to summoning Tiamat into Faerûn. This plot nearly succeeded, but, following its failure, the Cult fractured between those who wished to return to their old mandate to honor undead dragons and those who wished to pursue the new philosophy.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Green Bones • Steelheart • Vale of the Dragon Oracle • Hoard of the Dragon Queen • Rise of Tiamat


 * Novels
 * Shandril's Saga (Spellfire, Crown of Fire, Hand of Fire) • The Veiled Dragon • Temple Hill
 * Comics
 * Tyranny of Dragons


 * Video Games
 * Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor •