The Cult of the Gift

## Cult of the Gift

The Cult of the Gift, also known as "The Gifted" is a sect of the Drowned God in the Iron Islands that emphasizes the importance of 'the gift' that the Drowned God provides every man. They are patronized by House Greyjoy.

## **History**

As the rest of Westeros found itself in a growing religious crisis from Dorne to the Wall, so did the Iron Islands.

Ever since the Cobblist Rebellion ended, though some say even before, there had been religious rumblings on the Isles. As priests were trained through oral tradition, it was only a matter of time that regional cults began springing up. One in particular appeared in 118 AC. In this year, a group of radical Septons and Septa’s had arrived from Westerlands to aggressively preach to the Ironborn.

Exceptionally hated by the natives, Lord Rodrik deliberates on what to do with them. At the urging of his son who had returned from Essos several moons ago to restock briefly, as well as his advisors, Rodrik orders all the Septons and septa’s that had come to be killed.

Leading an angry mob was a priest named Dalton the Gifted, who was the personal priest of Rodrik’s son, led his believers in slaughtering the foreigners. The Septons were killed and the septa’s violated, eventually too being killed, their bodies and heads were displayed outside Lannisport as a warning to all who dared to spread their false faith in the Isles.

### **Rise of the Cult**

This was not the end of Dalton the Gifted. Having preached for many years, he had always stressed the importance of every man discovering their “gift” from the Drowned God. This increased emphasis of the ‘gift’ slowly became distinguished from mainstream worship of the Drowned God. Already obsessed with the belief of the ‘gift’, the Heir to Pyke was well known for affiliating with the cult, becoming a member himself.

Though only starting small, they began spreading and becoming more popular all across the Iron Islands when Lord Vickon ascended to Lord of the Iron Islands and officially promoted the “Gifted” as the primary form of worship of House Greyjoy. The popularity began growing during the great plague that ravaged the Iron Isles in the early 120’s, turning many peasants towards finding their “gifts” to try and survive.

## **Beliefs**

The cult of the Gift, also known as “The Gifted” do not appear different to an untrained eye. To a Greenlander, they seem to worship the Drowned God, partake in ritual drownings, preach the same tenants and offer sacrifices of thralls all the same. However, to those that worship the Drowned God, they have stark differences.

While it is true that the Gifted do not alter the tenents or worship of the Drowned God, what they do is emphasis, perhaps even above all other tenents, the belief of the ‘gift.’ All Ironborn believe the Drowned God gives everyone a ‘gift’, something that they excel in. The Cult of the Gift extols this belief and proclaims that every man must strive to find their “gift” as it will provide them their place in life. The cultists often perform divinations within the waves to “discover” gifts of their adherents. They believe the only way to achieve happiness is to discover and follow one's gift.

However the biggest issue this creates is that it potentially opens the Drowned Faith to being spread to the rest of Westeros, as the cult stresses that ALL men have a gift. Opponents of the cult believe this will create changes in their faith and would become more like the Greenlanders faiths, while others fear that if the Drowned Faith begins being preached, then the Isles will no longer be permitted to expel Septons.

## **Divide in the Isles**

### **Houses that follow the Gifted**

House Greyjoy

House Harlaw

House Orkwood

House Tawney

House Sunderly

### **Houses that oppose the Gifted**

House Blacktyde

House Goodbrother

House Wynch

House Volmark

House Saltcliffe

### **Neutral Houses**

House Drumm of Old Wyk

House Farwynd, both branches

House Kenning

House Codd

House Stonehouse

House Merlyn

House Myre

House Botley