Gilead was born upon the Altar of Okysus, which was once a mere shrine to a man of great faith, but later became the central hub of the Cult of Raas. The family was once quite small, with xenophobia and superstition keeping their bloodlines from crossing with outsiders.
Things have changed since the splintering of the many factions of Raas. Those able to bear children have dwindled and so the usually restrictive cultists branched out on the hunt for fresh blood - thus came Gilead, born within a convent to a descendant of Hosannah the Heretic; he was raised in the faith of his mother's people, but it is much changed. When he came of age he was sent in to the world to find himself wives and to begin the traditions anew, and he is devoted entirely to the accomplishment of this task.