Faith of the Seven

The Faith of the Seven is a broad term for the religious beliefs of the Andal peoples, who migrated from the Axe to eventually occupy the entire western coast of Essos. Worshippers of the Seven at the time of the Andal Invasions generally regarded themselves as 'Servants of the Star'.

Star of the Faith. Author: Abjiklam.

History and Culture

The Andals claim the Seven Who Are One once walked among them in Andalos, and thus passed on their teachings. It is also said in the Seven-Pointed Star that the Seven crowned Hugor of the Hill, and promised the Andals great kingdoms in a foreign land. These apparent events would be used as encouragement and justification for the Andal migrations into westeros that began during what the Westerosi term the Coming of the Andals.

The history of the Faith is synonymous with the development of Andal culture and society. The faces of god shape the values of the lives of men and women, and their lives revolve around certain rituals and holy days. The Faith has successfully coopted several of the key development of Andal technology, such as the Rhoynish traditions of ironworking, reworking them as the providence and gifts of the Seven.

The ideas of chivalry and knighthood are also intrinsically tied to the Faith. Just as a marriage is only legitimate if officiated by a Septon, a knight is only an annointed knight if he is touched with holy oils by the same.

Organisation

The Faith is predominantly organised around septs, places of worship which takes responsibility for the religious life of a set domain. Each of these septs is overseen by a septon. Andal rulers also usually have a septon on hand to provide religious instruction, read from the holy text, and to perform sacred ceremonies. Septas are the female equivelent of Septons, who often also reside with Andal rulers to raise and instruct female children. In addition to these duties, Septas also lead motherhouses of novices.

The closest thing to a Head of Faith are the Most Devout, a council of seven septons who reside in Andalos, chosen from the ranks of septons and septas. These septons are responsible for ruling on matters of doctrine and such matters that concern the entire faith.

Other communities of the Faith exist, known as Septries and Motherhouses respectively. These are often found in remote places, where brothers and sisters of the faith separately seek out a pious life, whilst also often tending to the dead, or producing goods to the benefit of themselves and others.

Originally, the beliefs of the Faith were passed down orally, taking them form of lessons, sermons and religious edicts memorised by the Septons. Nonetheless, by the time of the Andal Invasions, these teachings had been codified into a single work; the Seven-Pointed Star.

Theology

The core belief of the Faith of the Seven is that the Andals are a chosen people, whose lives and destiny is guided by a single god, with seven aspects. These aspects reflect the different roles moral men and women should aspire to and emulate in their lives. These aspects are as follows:

The Father

The Father Above is said to sit in judgement on the lives of the Andals. He is seen as the protector of his people, and the embodiment of justice and just rule. He is usually associated with the color yellow, though some make out the color red as his sphere.

The Warrior

The Warrior is the patron of courage and martial valour and skill. He is called upon to protect soldiers in battle, and lend his strength to men fighting in pursuit of just causes. He is often invoked to give peace to the fallen, and surcease to those left behind. Most worshippers and Septons associate him with the color orange.

The Smith

The Smith represents the creative side of men, who build and shape works to better the lives of their people. The Smith is the aspect Andals pray to in hopes of setting the world aright. His is often seen as a more humble patron, for the men who toil in honourable crafts that lack the perceived glory of warfare and battle. He is usually associated with the color red, alike to the Red Wanderer, which is said to be his special sphere and star.

The Mother

The Mother Above is the embodiment of compassion and mercy. She is also called upon for the protection of loved ones within this context. She is often associated with the color green, though sometimes with blue.

The Maiden

Purity, Innocence, and Virtue. The Maiden is most often invoked by young women in hopes of finding strength in their innocence, and protecting their virtue. The Maid is encouragement for men to see the divine in the beauty of maidens, and resist the calls of their carnal lust. Most faithful associate her with the color blue, but some prefer green.

The Crone

Representing the spheres of the wisdom that comes with age, knowledge and experience, the Crone is prayed to almost solely for such guidance. The Crone also serves to demonstrate to Andal society that the old still have value in society. She is associated either with indigo or violet.

The Stranger

The face of outcasts and wanderers, the lost. The Stranger is neither female nor male, neither entirely more or less than human. They are the face of death, and the one who guides the dead from this world to the next. The Stranger is rarely prayed to, save by those who feel themselves a pariah to society. Faithful differ on whether they are associated with the rainbow's indigo or violet hues.

Variations of Worship

The southern Andals who occupied the lands now seized by the Valyrian Freehold differ markedly from their northern counterparts, especially as a result of having lived amongst Rhoyish and Valyrian folk for many centuries. They have different names for certain figures in Andalosi history - and are less dogged in their belief in the sole legitimacy in the Seven over all other forms of worship.