Calandra

## High Priestess of R'hllor

**Calandra** is the High Priestess of R'hllor, and she resides in the Temple of the Lord of Light in Volantis.

## History

It was fire that saved the slave Zia on the night that her only child came into the world, a rough place in which she would rather see the babe die than become a product of servitude. Fire stopped her bleeding and closed her wounds, and it was to fire that a debt was owed. The Red Priests collected the child on the third day of her life, and she was
given the name Calandra. From the moment she could speak, the girl was molded into an instrument for the Lord of Light.

Every evening, red priests lit fires and sang prayers at the temple, asking R'hllor to bring back the dawn. Calandra would gaze into flames in an effort to receive visions of the future like her mentors. Her very first and most important lesson would be “*the night is dark, and full of terrors.*” It was believed that R'hllor would occasionally answer the prayers of his followers by granting visions and abilities such as raising the dead and the priests also seemed to be able to evoke fire with their bare
hands and control it to attack enemies or simply to impress the common people. According to the High Priest Craghas, R'hllor spoke to his chosen ones through blessed fire, in a language of ash and cinder and twisting flame that only a god could truly grasp. Each lesson was burned into the memory of the girl, tucked away for later use in dark times.

As she grew older, her devotion to R’hllor only intensified, as did
her charm and elegance. Beneath her outward splendor lay a zeal unknown by even the most devout followers of the Lord of Light. She sacrificed everything in the temple fires that was pleasing to Him: scrolls, golden tokens and her own blood when necessary. Fire was her dearest friend, and the heat of it on her skin only fueled her religious passion.

When the High Priest fell ill and never recovered from a months long bout of sickness, Calandra was the one to deliver him the *last kiss*. Beforehand, he was soaked with oil by members of the Fiery Hand, and on his deathbed became her greatest sacrifice. A thousand strong, never more, never less, they became Calandra’s sword where she had never taken up any weapon other than fire, and three days later she was elected High Priestess by the council of her peers.

## Important Events

* circa 341 - Calandra is born to a slave named Zia, and to save her from the same fate she is given to the Red Priests at the temple of the Lord of Light.

* circa 346 - Calandra begins her religious training, performing only menial tasks at first, and becoming tutored in the history and rituals of R’hllor.

* circa 356 - Calandra begins making her own sacrifices to the Red God, and she continues her studies under the tutelage of the High Priest.

* circa 366 - Calandra administers the last kiss to the Craghas after an illness which spans many months, and is elected his successor as High Priestess.

## Family

* Zia - Mother (it is unknown whether or not she is still alive)

## Household Members

* Taena - a temple prostitute and Calandra’s most trusted servant, she serves as an **Agent**
* Gorys - a Red Priest who is slave to Calandra, he is immensely **Strong**
* Eroeh - a slave girl who runs errands for Calandra and is skilled at being **Covert**
* Alios - a soldier and captain of the Fiery Hand, he is a natural at **Leadership**