Cults of the Dragon Below

*example of cult symbol

• A paradise exists within the world, a vale bathed in the light of the Inner Sun. Earn your passage with the blood of worthy foes.
• Our existence is a chrysalis state, preparing us for transcendent immortality within the bowels of the gibbering mouther.
• The Lord of Eyes sees all secrets. Its gaze elevates the worthy and slays the unbeliever. Drive doubt from your heart, and you will see reality through new eyes.

The Cults of the Dragon Below are wildly diverse. The tenets above describe the beliefs of three different cults. Warlocks draw power from demon overlords, and daelkyr cultists serve mind flayers and beholders. Others embrace deep convictions that others see as madness. Outsiders use the term “Cult of the Dragon Below” as a blanket term to describe these disparate beliefs, but the cultists don’t use this name or see themselves as part of a greater whole.

Cults of the Dragon Below are based on madness or power. A cult that seeks power chooses to serve a dark force because of the gifts they receive from it. A cabal of scholars might serve the demon overlord Sul Khatesh in exchange for secrets of magic. In the Mror Holds, dwarf clans bargain with Dyrrn the Corruptor to gain symbionts and sinister gifts. The Shadow Marches contain cults devoted to the daelkyr Belashyrra and Kyrzin. Membership in such a cult is voluntary, and spellcasters are more likely to be warlocks or wizards than clerics; their power comes from bargaining, not from faith.

Cults driven by madness have a warped view of reality. A cultist might believe aberrations are a higher form of life and that the daelkyr will elevate mortals. Other cultists may not recognize the true nature of the beings they serve. A cult of Rak Tulkhesh might truly believe their lord will bring peace to the world, even if that peace must begin with bloody war. Joining such a cult isn’t a choice, it’s something you fall into due to madness. New cults can spring up anywhere, as seeds of madness take root and spread.

Cults of the Dragon Below often appear as antagonists. However, your character could be a member of a relatively benign cult. You might have been raised in a cult but broke free from its influence. If your character was or is part of a cult, work with your DM to develop the details of your sect.

Symbol

Many cultists carry pieces of volcanic glass or small Khyber dragonshards (see chapter 5), but the cults have no unified symbol. Individual cults develop a symbol based on their fiendish patron or mad visions. Eyes, tentacles, and broken weapons are all common themes.

Rites

Cult rituals are intense and often violent, including blood sacrifice and ritual combat. Many cultists consume unnatural substances, seeking a closer communion to aberrations. They perform rituals in Undercommon, though most cultists don’t have a full understanding of the language.

Temples

Cults meet underground, whether in caverns or sewers. Rural cults seek out places twisted by the powers of the plane of Xoriat (described in chapter 4) or Khyber.