Religions of the Known World

The Known World is filled with numerous religions, beliefs, cults and faiths...

The Known World is one of many religions, beliefs and cults.

Belief in high powers and supernatural threats runs deep through the culture of the known world and influence most aspects of life. In The Seven Kingdoms nearly all children are raised praising either the New Gods or the Old and fear of the Others coming to claim them if they misbehave. Across the Narrow Sea children are often given to be raised to priesthood of one of the many deities worshipped there.

## **Westeros**

* Faith of the Seven - The Faith of the Seven, often simply referred to to as the Faith, is the dominant religion in most of the Seven Kingdoms. Followers of the Faith in the north are rare and are generally not found on the Iron Islands, where the religions of the old gods of the First Men and of the Drowned God respectively are still strong. The gods of the Faith are sometimes known as the new gods to differentiate them from the old gods from the north. There is some following of the Faith of the Seven in Essos, although it is mainly confined to that of Andalos, and the surrounding settlements.
* The Drowned God and the Storm God - Like the ironborn, the Drowned God is a harsh deity and goes hand in hand with the Old Way. It is said the Drowned God made the ironborn to reave and rape, to carve out kingdoms and to make their names known in fire and blood and song. The Drowned God himself is believed to have brought flame from the sea and sailed the world with fire and sword. The Drowned God's eternal enemy, the Storm God, resides in a hall within the clouds and ravens are his creatures. It is said the two deities have been in conflict for millennia and the sea roils in anger when they engage in battle. However, much like the Drowned God, no one aside from the ironborn believe in the Storm God.
* The Old Gods - Tied to the earth, are the gods of the forest, mountains and streams, the Old Gods are nameless deities worshipped by the Northern population of Westeros, symbolised by weirwood trees. They are the oldest religion in Westeros, worshipped by the magical children of the forest before the First Men came to the continent and later adopted the religion.
* The Lady of the Waves and the Lord of the Winds - The goddess and god of old worshipped by people of the Three Sisters. Sacred storms were the result of the Lady mating with the Lord of the Skies. Worship of both ended with the arrival of the Andals and the Faith of the Seven. The similarities between the Three Sisters and the Deities of Zhoza and Waro in Summer Islander culture have been noted, although few consider it to be more than a coincidence.
* Mother Rhoyne - The chief goddess of the Rhoynar, Mother Rhoyne is associated with the river Rhoyne, which the Rhoynar revere. Her waters nourished the Rhoynar since the dawn of days.The giant turtles known as the Old Men of the River, named after a Rhoynish lesser deity, are held as her consorts.The Orphans of the Greenblood in Dorne still worship Mother Rhoyne.
* R'hllor and the Great Other - The religion of R'hllor is based on a dualistic view of the world: R'hllor, the god of light, heat, and life, and R'hllor's antithesis the Great Other, the god of ice and death. They are locked in an eternal struggle over the fate of the world; a struggle that, according the ancient prophecies from the books of Asshai, will only end when Azor Ahai, the messianic figure, returns wielding a flaming sword called Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and raises dragons from stone. It has a limited following within Westeros, and considered by many to be savage to those that follow the Seven. The faith is currently split into two sects, Orthodox R'hllorism which denies that Azor Ahai has come again, and Azorian R'hllorism which believes in 300 AC the Long Night came again and Beric Dondarrion was Azor Ahai reborn.

## **Essos and the Rest of the Known World**

* Aquan the Red Bull - A lesser kept god that is often held in high regard by the poor, due to the charity received by priests of the religion. His priests, clad in robes of brown and scarlet, sacrifices a pure white calf in every thirteenth day and offer bowls of blood to beggars.
* Bakkalon - Sometimes also known as the Pale Child, statues of Bakkalon throughout the Known World are carved of marble and depict a child wielding a sword. Of particular popularity amongst soldiers, Bakkalon is said to promise victory to those that are faithful, and when their time finally comes, a swift but honourable end.
* The Black Goat - Of limited following outside of the Free City of Qohor, the Black Goat is depicted as a large long-haired beast near the size of an auroch. The Black Goat demands daily blood sacrifice and as such the Qohorik bring calves, bullocks, and horses before the Black Goat's altars. However, on holy days it is condemned criminals who go beneath the knives of the god's cowled priests, and, in times of danger and crisis it is written that the high nobles of the city offer their own children to placate the Black Goat, that he might defend the city.
* The Chainmaker - A vengeful and cruel deity used by the Masters of Ghiscar to instil fear into those recently enslaved, statues of the Chainmaker are common through the flesh markets of Yunkai, Astapor and Meereen, as well as New Ghis and the settlements of the Skahazadhan. Many believe that the Chainmaker is simply an aspect of Juun, the daughter of Zuulmar and Vishmun.
* The Church of Starry Wisdom - Worshipped almost exclusively in the lands to the Far East, the Priests of the religion are easily identifiable, clad in robes dyed dark blue-black, dabbled with spots of white and yellow.
* The Crab King and Old Man of the River - Lesser Gods of the Rhoynish Faith, the Crab King and the Old Man of the river continuously feud for control of the nourishing and rich waters of the Rhoyne and its tributaries.
* The Deities of the Summer Isles - The religion of the Summer Isles is based primarily around the worship of three major gods, and a myriad of minor deities. The stories that depict the beings can be found carved into trees and stones across the isles. At their head is Sallar and Shanta, the Two Halves, lovers split by the Spider God, Isana, and reunited by the rising of Zhoza, The Goddess of the Waters and Waro, Spirit of the Winds against the trickster god.
* The Father of Waters - Among those with temples in Braavos, the Father of Waters in often portrayed as a jovial and portly individual, capable of floating safe in even the stormiest gales due to the bouyancy of his rotund frame. An annual feast is thrown in his honour, after which his temple is rebuilt anew.
* The Great Shepherd - Held by the Lhazareens and often referred to as the Lamb God by outsiders, the Great Shephard shared tenants of peace, explaining that all peoples of the World are of one flock, and thus worthy of love and peace. Statues to the Great Shephard are piled high outside the walls of Vaes Dothrak.
* The Gods of Ghis - The Gods of Ghis, worshipped primarily in the cities of the Bay of Dragons and the rest of Ghiscar, are as numerous as the stars, with patron Gods for everyone and everything from newborn children to pit fighters, farming to locksmithing. However, some Gods are more powerful and well known than others, none more so than Zuulmar, who is known by many names, amongst them the Conqueror of Worlds, The Lightning Queen and She Who Rules the Heavens.
* The Gods of Old Valyria - The Gods of Old Valyria are numerous and convoluted in their stories and backgrounds, with their roles, responsibilities and personalities varying considerably between storyteller. Despite this, they remain popular within the Black Walls of Volantis, and within the ruined cities where the Empire of New Valyria is attempting to find its footing. They share their group name with the fourteen volcanoes that once surrounded the city of Valyria, and it is said that the Gods once resided within the great mountains themselves, before the Doom.
* The God of Sea, Stone, and Sky (Kagak) - It is believed that Kagak has riddled the world with great hardships to test the faith of its people. In this line of thinking it is believed that sailing rough seas, and conquering the great beasts of the sea is proof of faith - a belief reflected in the lifestyle of many Ibbenese.
* The Hooded Wayfarer - Found in shrines in the ports of the Free Cities, although most are often in a poor state of repair, owing to the fact that most of his worshippers are considered amongst the penurious, and thus have not the coin or means to keep the statues well-kept. He is depicted as a man, face obscured by a long hooded cloak, leaning against a walking staff.
* The Lady of Spears - The great goddess of the Unsullied is called by many names, including the Lady of Spears, the Bride of Battle, and the Mother of Hosts. Her true name belongs only to the ones who have burned their manhoods upon her altar and her name may not be spoken to others.The Unsullied purify themselves according to the laws of their great goddess; one way is to bathe in the salt sea.
* The Lion of Night - According to tales told by the priestly scribes of Yin, the Lion of Night fathered a son on the Maiden-Made-of-Light. This son was the God-on-Earth, who ruled the Great Empire of the Dawn for ten thousand year before ascending to the heavens. The descendants of the God-Earth ruled the empire after him, each ruling a shorter time than the previous one, until the brother of the Amethyst Empress usurped her in the Blood Betrayal and crowned himself as the Bloodstone Emperor, ushering in the Long Night. The Maiden-Made-of-Light turned her back upon the world and the Lion of Night came forth in all his wroth to punish the wickedness of man.
* The Lord of Harmony - The Lord of Harmony, regarded as the only true god by the Naathi, is said to be the one who always was and always would be that made the moon and stars and earth, and all the creatures that dwelt upon them. He is attended by butterfly women. It is believed that the sacred butterfly spirits of the Lord of Harmony protect their isles against those who would do them harm. Many conquerors have sailed to Naath, but all of them sicken and die if they stay for any extended period of time. The Naathi are unaffected, claiming it through their offerings and praise that the Lord of Harmony grants them continued safety.
* The Many-Faced God of Braavos - The founder of the Faceless Men came to believe that all the diverse slave population of Valyria prayed for deliverance to the same god of death, just in different incarnations. Thus, in Qohor, the Many-Faced God is called the Black Goat; in Yi Ti, the Lion of Night and in the Faith of the Seven, the Stranger. This belief of a single god with many incarnations is reflected in the Guild's House of Black and White, which contains a public shrine with idols of many death gods.
* The Merling King - A deity worshipped by sailors, the Merling King may be inspired by a real-life King of the Narrow Sea. Ursula Upcliff of Witch Isle, who is said to have been a sorceress, called herself bride of the Merling King during the Andal invasion and the Velaryons claim they received the Driftwood Throne from the Merling King to conclude a pact. Within Blackwater Bay there is a rock formation known as the Spears of the Merling King, a feature that is avoided by all by the most naive sailors, for the hidden monts beneath the waters will rip the bottom of any passing vessel.
* The Faith of the Moonsingers and the Moon Mother - The Moonsingers, originally hailing from the plains of the nomadic Jogos Nhai, are the followers of the most prolific religion within the Free City of Braavos. Their temple is the largest in the city, a mighty mass of snow-white marble, topped by a huge silvered dome whose milk glass windows show all the phases of the moon. A pair of marble maidens flank its gates, tall as the Sealords' statues, supporting a crescent shaped lintel. Priestesses lead all services of worship, and are clad in bland robes of pure white, their hair tied in place with twists of silver thread.
* The Moon-Pale Maiden - In the earliest tales of the Moon-Pale Maiden, she is a devious and wicked deity, leading men astray, shattering their ships upon the rock or leaving them stranded in doldrums. Accounts then talk of her demeanour changing drastically, becoming benevolent and good, shining the moon at night to guide them to nearby ports when no watchtowers shone. A dozen tales and stories describe the reason for this change of heart, but few agree on anything beyond a single universal theme. The Moon-Pale Maiden had fallen in love with a sailor.
* Pantera - Pantera is a six-breasted cat goddess most popular in the city of Lys, where worship is offered by nobleblood and baseborn alike. It is believed that like a newborn, strength can be found at the teat of the goddess, a gift she grants freely to all those that truly believe. Cats of all kinds are revered by those that follow the teachings of the Priests and Priestesses of Pantera, and so the creatures are paid obeisances as befitting of the messengers of a deity.
* The Pattern - The Patternmaker's Maze is located in Braavos, and the priests of the Pattern claim that only those who learn to walk the labyrinth properly will find wisdom. Archmaester Jaime, in his book *Beyond the Common: A Study of the Lesser-Followed Religions of Essos* theorised that the mazemakers of Lorath may be directly linked to the Patternmakers, as well as the labyrinthine constructions beneath the Hightower of Oldtown.
* R'hllor and the Great Other - The religion of R'hllor is based on a dualistic view of the world: R'hllor, the god of light, heat, and life, and R'hllor's antithesis the Great Other, the god of ice and death. They are locked in an eternal struggle over the fate of the world; a struggle that, according the ancient prophecies from the books of Asshai, will only end when Azor Ahai, the messianic figure, returns wielding a flaming sword called Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and raises dragons from stone. It is one of the most prominent religions in Essos, especially the Free Cities of Volantis and Lys. The R'hlloric Tembyr is considered the official holy-book of the religion, but it is steeped in mystery. It is a collection of books written by followers of the so-called Azor Ahai. The follower who collected the books is believed to be an exiled dragonlord of Valyria, known as Gael the Gallant. The original copies of the books are said to be in Asshai, but they have not been seen for centuries. The faith is currently split into two sects, Orthodox R'hllorism which denies that Azor Ahai has come again, and Azorian R'hllorism which believes in 300 AC the Long Night came again and Beric Dondarrion was Azor Ahai reborn.
* Saagael - Also known as the Giver of Pain, is a god worshipped throughout the Free Cities, but most commonly in Lys and Tyrosh. Saagael is most commonly depicted as a horned man with a whip of thorns in one hand and a curved knife in the other. It is customary for worshippers of Saagael to draw blood at the altar of their god, and offer it into the mouth of deity. Other customs among believers are self-flagellation and more rarely in the most devout, self-immolation.
* Semosh and Selloso - Brother gods with twin temples that overlook each other on either side of Black Canal. They are joined by an ornately carved stone bridge that dips close to the waters, although few walk it, for most worship at one shrine, but not the other.
* The Silent God - The only known shrine to the Silent God is the Stones of the Silent God in Braavos, which to a non-believer might look like little more a pile of smooth black stones arranged in perfect balance. Although no incense burns around the shrine, it is said the cairn draws in visitors with an otherworldly scent said to be reminiscent of both the gooseberries grown in the hills of Braavos and Norvos, and the aroma of lilac flowers.
* The Stone Cow of Faros - The people of Faros centre much of their lives around servitude to the towering statue found at the centre of the town. Offerings of fish, spices and gold are given each day at sunrise, and again at sunset, the services led by priests clad in tunics and cloaks of slate-grey fabric. As long as respect is upheld, any and all are welcome to attend the offering ceremonies, or place items of their own before the statue.
* Trios - A three-headed deity that is most commonly depicted as a triplet of twisting serpents, shrines and statues to Trios are common in the Free Cities. In Tyrosh and Lys there are temples dedicated to him, and in Braavos a three-turreted tower can be found. It is said that the first head consumes the dying, the second head greets them in the afterlife, and it through the mouth of the third that they are eventually reborn.
* The Weeping Lady of Lys - Visited predominately by older women, the Weeping Lady is said to cry for her lost love. Her statues often depict her sitting amongst waves, a cloak of tears streaming in the waters. She is said to take the weight of her follower's grief and sadness as her own, granting them some brief happiness. In the House of Black and White, the effigy cradles a bowl, into which real tears that glimmer like silver seem to fall.
* Yndros of the Twilight - Male by day and female by night, Yndros of the Twilight inspires much speculation among non-believers who state that the acolytes of Yndros are capable of changing their gender just as fluidly through the act of love-making as their god. Whether this is truth, or simply a perversion of the supposed hermaphrodite nature of the High Priests is uncertain.