Welcome back to the newest video from The Congruent Chronicler, and the second part of our exploration of the Queen of Dragons herself: Tiamat.

Last time, we explored Tiamat’s history, her incredible power and the complicated mythology surrounding her imprisonment in the Nine Hells.

This time, things get considerably darker.

Tiamat is a true tyrant. She considers herself inherently superior to almost everyone around her. She believes that might makes right, that blood and birth give her a legitimate claim to rule, and that those beneath her ultimately exist to serve her ambitions.

But that raises a fascinating question:

Why would anyone willingly follow her?

The Cult of Tiamat

In our newest video, we explore the psychology of Tiamat herself before turning our attention towards the people who worship her.

The hierarchy surrounding Tiamat tells us an enormous amount about how she views her followers. At the top of the pyramid sits the Dragon Queen herself, while some of those occupying its lowest levels are given the rather revealing title of Wyrmfodder.

Dragon food.

Her followers gather wealth, undermine her enemies and work towards increasing Tiamat’s power, all while believing that her eventual victory will somehow benefit them.

That contradiction becomes the heart of this video.

Why support someone who considers you expendable?

From Fantasy to Reality

This is also where the video moves beyond the Forgotten Realms.

The psychology behind Tiamat’s followers isn’t confined to fantasy.

Throughout history, political and ideological movements have successfully exploited feelings of desperation, anger and abandonment. Complicated problems are given simple explanations. Enemies are identified. Scapegoats emerge. And a powerful leader promises that they can restore something that has supposedly been taken away.

People don’t normally follow a tyrant because they expect to become one of their victims.

They follow because they believe they’re going to become one of the winners.

The video therefore draws comparisons between Tiamat’s methods and examples from the real world, from historical dictatorships to contemporary political movements.

We also venture into considerably more controversial territory by discussing modern British politics, Brexit and how political movements can continue to benefit from public anger surrounding problems connected to decisions they previously championed.

You don’t have to agree with every comparison.

In fact, I’d genuinely be interested to hear where you think the comparison works—and where you think it doesn’t.

Because the purpose isn’t simply to tell you that Tiamat is evil.

Dungeons & Dragons established that decades ago.

The much more interesting question is why people would follow her anyway.

And once we start asking that question about a fictional five-headed dragon…

We might find ourselves asking some uncomfortable questions about the real world as well.

The Psychology of Tiamat and Her Followers is available now.