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| “ | R'hllor is the source of all good. | „ |
| ~ Melisandre to Davos Seaworth |
| “ | What would you call this red god that Stannis worships, if not a demon? The Faith should oppose such evil. | „ |
| ~ Cersei Lannister, pleased that 2,000 Sparrows are preaching against "demon-worshipers." |
| “ | Dawn. Another day is given us, R'hllor be praised. The terrors of the night recede. Melisandre had spent the night in her chair by the fire, as she often did. With Stannis gone, her bed saw little use. She had no time for sleep, with the weight of the world upon her shoulders. And she feared to dream. Sleep is a little death, dreams the whisperings of the Other, who would drag us all into his eternal night. She would sooner sit bathed in the ruddy glow of her red lord’s blessed flames, her cheeks flushed by the wash of heat as if by a lover's kisses. Some nights she drowsed, but never for more than an hour. One day, Melisandre prayed, she would not sleep at all. One day she would be free of dreams. | „ |
| ~ Thoughts of Melisandre, including her fear of dreams and darkness. |
R'hllor, known as the Lord of Light, the Heart of Fire, the God of Flame and Shadow and R'hllor the Red, is a supporting character in the A Song of Ice and Fire franchise. He is a deity that is mainly worshipped in the eastern continent of Essos, though there are a some worshippers in Westeros, such as Stannis Baratheon, Selyse Florent, Melisandre, the Queen's men, and some members of the Brotherhood without Banners. In said continent, R'hllor is commonly known as the red god. His symbol is a fiery/flaming heart.
In Essos, the faith of R'hllor is constant expansion, especially in the Nine Free Cities.
Biography[]
Religion[]
The religion of R'hllor has a dualistic and manichean view of the world; R'hllor is the god of light, heat, and life and his antithesis (and nemesis) is the Great Other, whose name may not be spoken, and is the god of ice and death. Both gods are locked in an eternal war with each other over the fate of the world, a struggle that, according to prophecies from Asshai, will only end with the return of the legendary hero/messiah Azor Ahai, who wields the magical sword Lightbringer and who will raise dragons from stone.
Red priests, the worshippers of R'hllor, associates fire with life and they see shadows as creations of the Lord of Light, servants of light and children of fire. According to Melisandre, the Lord of Light cherishes innocent, beautiful people and items, making them the most precious to sacrifice. In the TV series Game of Thrones, R'hllor is also worshipped by the assassin guild known as the Faceless Men, who see the Lord of Light as a deity of death and believes him to be one of the many forms of the Many-Faced God.
The religion of R'hllor is primarily found in Essos. However, R'hllor is also worshipped in Asshai. Red temples, which are dedicated to the Lord of Light can be found in most of the Free Cities, including Braavos, Lys, Myr, Pentos, Qohor, Tyrosh, and Volantis. Selhorys, a town ruled by Volantis, has a red temple as well. However, out of all the red temples in the Known World, the Temple of the Lord of Light in Volantis is known as the greatest temple in the world and is exceptionally large. According to Archmaester Gramyon, it is about three times the size of the Great Sept of Baelor in King's Landing.
Organization[]
Red Priests[]
Red Priests, both male and female, wear loose red robes. They are taught prayers and spells and are trained to see visions in fires in their red temples. However, to see shapes beyond the flames it will take many years of training and even more years to learn how to interpret them.
Known red priests are:
- Benerro, High Priest at the Temple of the Lord of Light in Volantis
- Ezzelyno of Braavos
- Melisandre of Asshai, now counselor of Stannis Baratheon and currently residing at Castle Black, at the Wall
- Moqorro, from the Red Temple of Volantis, sent to Meereen to convert Daenerys Targaryen, and currently serving under Victarion Greyjoy
- Thoros of Myr, currently an outlaw in the Riverlands
Temple of the Lord of Light[]
The Temple of the Lord of Light in Volatnis is called the greatest temple in the known world. All who served there are slaves, who were bought as children and then trained. Whether if this is the case for other red temples is unknown. Thoros of Myr states that he was given over to the red temple as a young child.
Benerro, the high priest of Volantis, holds the titles of Flame of Truth, Light of Wisdom, First Servant of the Lord of Light, and Slave of R'hllor. As per Volantene custom, all the red priests, who are all slaves, of the Temple of the Lord of Light, have their cheeks, chin, and forehead tattooed with flames. however, red priests from other places, such s Thoros and Melisandre are not known to have such tattoos.
The Temple of the Lord of Light is known to have guards of its own, similar to that of the Warrior's Sons of the Faith Militant. The thousand slave soldiers that guard the temple are known as the Fiery Hand. Aside from having guards, the temple is also known to train some of their slaves into becoming temple prostitutes. Many worshippers of R'hlor in Volantis pin scraps of red cloth of their sleeves or tie them around their brow.
Practices[]
Prayers[]
Followers of R'hllor pray before a nightfire, thanking the Lord of Light for ending of the day while beseeching him to bring the dawn and banish the darkness. Nightfires are lit at sunset and the prayers continue for more than an hour afterwards. At first light, fires are also lit each morning, where the Red Priests welcome the sun. Other priests might attend to their fires for the entirety of the night. A common phrase of prayer is "the night is dark and full of terrors".
An example of a prayer sequence to R'hllor is :
Call: Lead us from the darkness, O my Lord. Fill our hearts with fire, so we may walk your shining path. R'hllor, you are the light in our eyes, the fire in our hearts, the heat in our loins. Yours is the sun that warms our days, yours the stars that guard us in the dark of night.
Response: Lord of Light, defend us. The night is dark and full of terrors. Lord of Light, protect us.
Call: R'hllor who gave us breath, we thank you. R'hllor who gave us day, we thank you.
Response: We thank you for the sun that warms us. We thank you for the stars that watch us. We thank you for our hearths and for our torches, that keep the savage dark at bay.
Red priests might also pray before a trial by combat:
Call: Lord of Light, look down upon us.
Response: Lord of Light, defend us.
Call: Lord of Light, protect us in the darkness.
Response: Lord of Light, shine your face upon us.
Call: Light your flame among us, R'hllor. Show us the truth or falseness of this man. Strike him down if he is guilty, and give strength to his sword if he is true. Lord of Light, give us wisdom.
Response: For the night is dark and full of terrors.
Marriages[]
During one example of a wedding ceremony, a red priest or priestess would recite ceremonial prayers, which are answered by the wedding guests. By a ditch fire, the red priest or red priestess await the bride, who would then be escorted to the priest, who will first ask the bride to identify herself and next asks who comes to claim the bride. Both the bride and the groom are asked whether they will share their fire with their spouse-to-be, to warm him/her "when the night is dark and full of terrors". Both the bride and groom will then leap over the ditchfire together to emerge as one. Following this, the groom removes the maiden's cloak and places it around the bride's shoulders. Following the ceremony is the wedding feast.
Death[]
It is believed by priests of R'hllor that "life is warmth, and warmth is fire, and fire is God's and God's alone." When a person has died, they are said to have ascended to the Hall of Light, to sit beside the lord". The death rite administered by priests to the dead known as the last kiss. The priests fills his mouth with fire and breathes the flames inside the deceased person, down their throat to their lungs, heart, and soul. All red priests are required to perform this rite.
Visions and magic[]
Red priests are trained to see visions in the flames of their nightfires. These visions could be about the past, the future, or things happening far away from the location of the priest. Visions cannot always be seen in the flames, however, and even though they believe their visions are never wrong, it is not always easy to see the vision.
It would take years of training to see shapes beyond the flames and even longer to distinguish the visions about the past from visions about certain future and a possible future. Even after such long training, it still remains complicated, and priests might still err in their interpretation; as a result of incorrect interpretations, many red priests were brought down as a result.
R'hllor is said to give his priests the power to see through falsehoods, as the servants of The Others oft hide black hearts in gaudy light.
Melisandre the Red Priesttess claims that shadows are servants of light and children of fire. She does not feel the need to eat food, believing that R'hllor provides her with all the nourishment she needs.Melisandre claims that glamors are given by the Lord of Light to his servants for them to use.
Quotes[]
| “ | Selyse: Lady Arryn owes you her allegiance, as do the Starks, your brother Renly, and all the rest. You are their one true king. It would not be fitting to plead and bargain with them for what is rightfully yours by the grace of God. Thoughts of Cressen: [God, she said, not gods. The red woman had won her, heart and soul, turning her from the gods of the Seven Kingdoms, both old and new, to worship the one they called the Lord of Light.] |
„ |
| ~ Selyse Florent and Maester Cressen. |
| “ | Selyse: He has an ally. R'hllor, the Lord of Light, the Heart of Fire, the God of Flame and Shadow. Cressen: Gods make uncertain allies at best, and that one has no power here. |
„ |
| ~ Selyse and Cressen arguing. |
| “ | May the Others bugger your Lord of Light. | „ |
| ~ Cortnay Penrose to Melisandre. |
| “ | It is night in your Seven Kingdoms now, but soon the sun will rise again. The war continues, Davos Seaworth, and some will soon learn that even an ember in the ashes can still ignite a great blaze. The old maester looked at Stannis and saw only a man. You see a king. You are both wrong. He is the Lord's chosen, the warrior of fire. I have seen him leading the fight against the dark, I have seen it in the flames. | „ |
| ~ Melisandre claiming that Stannis is R'hllor's avatar. |
| “ | Thoros: Lord of Light, look down upon us. Brotherhood outlaws: Lord of Light, defend us. Thoros: Lord of Light, protect us in the darkness. Brotherhood outlaws: Lord of Light, shine your face upon us. Thoros: Light your flame among us, R'hllor. Show us the truth or falseness of this man. Strike him down if he is guilty, and give strength to his sword if he is true. Lord of Light, give us wisdom. Brotherhood outlaws: For the night is dark and full of terrors. The Hound: This cave is dark too, but I'm the terror here. I hope your god's a sweet one, Dondarrion. You're going to meet him shortly. |
„ |
| ~ The Brotherhood without Banners forces Sandor Clegane in a trial by combat under R'hllor's judgement. |
| “ | It is R'hllor who brings you back, my lord. The Lord of Light. I am only his instrument. | „ |
| ~ Thoros of Myr to Beric Dondarrion. |
| “ | It was not me who raised him, my lady. It was the Lord. R'hllor is not done with him yet. Life is warmth, and warmth is fire, and fire is God's and God's alone. | „ |
| ~ Thoros of Myr to Arya Stark. |
| “ | Axell: It was the Lord's wrath that slew him. It was the hand of R'hllor! Selyse: Praise the Lord of Light! Stannis: Is the hand of R'hllor spotted and palsied? This sounds more Walder Frey's handiwork than any god's. Melisandre: R'hllor chooses such instruments as he requires. His ways are mysterious, but no man may withstand his fiery will. Selyse: No man may withstand him! Stannis: Be quiet, woman. You are not at a nightfire now. |
„ |
| ~ Stannis Baratheon, Selyse Florent, Melisandre, and Axell Florent. |
| “ | They said Stannis was ensorceled, that Melisandre had turned him away from the Seven to bow before some demon out of shadow, and... worst sin of all... that she and her god had failed him. And there were knights and lordlings who felt the same. Davos had sought them out, choosing them with the same care with which he'd once picked his crews. Ser Gerald Gower fought stoutly on the Blackwater, but afterward had been heard to say that R'hllor must be a feeble god to let his followers be chased off by a dwarf and a dead man. | „ |
| ~ Davos Seaworth's thoughts as he chooses ally King's men to smuggle Edric Storm to Lys. |
| “ | Melisandre: R'hllor. You are the light in our eyes, the fire in our hearts, the heat in our loins. Yours is the sun that warms our days, yours the stars that guard us in the dark of night. Selyse: Lord of Light, defend us. The night is dark and full of terrors. Lord of Light, protect us. Melisandre: R'hllor who gave us breath, we thank you. R'hllor who gave us day, we thank you. Selyse, Axell, Devan Seaworth, and other queen's men: We thank you for the sun that warms us. We thank you for the stars that watch us. We thank you for our hearths and for our torches, that keep the savage dark at bay. Melisandre: We thank you for Stannis, by your grace our king. We thank you for the pure white fire of his goodness, for the red sword of justice in his hand, for the love he bears his leal people. Guide him and defend him, R'hllor, and grant him strength to smite his foes. Selyse and queen's men: Grant him strength. Grant him courage. Grant him wisdom. |
„ |
| ~ A nightfire at Dragonstone, after Joffrey Baratheon's death. |
| “ | He is with them, but not of them. | „ |
| ~ Thoughts of Davos, about Stannis and the believers in R'hllor. |
| “ | I won't go pray to the Lord of Light. I am a Warrior's man, like my father. | „ |
| ~ Edric Storm. |
| “ | Jon: I am still a brother of the Night's Watch. I knelt before a heart tree and swore to hold no lands and father no children. Melisandre: Jon. R'hllor is the only true god. A vow sworn to a tree has no more power than one sworn to your shoes. Open your heart and let the light of the Lord come in. Burn these weirwoods, and accept Winterfell as a gift of the Lord of Light. |
„ |
| ~ Jon Snow and Melisandre after Stannis offers legitimization and lordship to Winterfell for the former. |
| “ | He could hear singing too, beneath the pealing of the bells. Each morning at first light the red priests gathered to welcome the sun outside their modest wharfside temple. For the night is dark and full of terrors. Pate had heard them cry those words a hundred times, asking their god R'hllor to save them from the darkness. The Seven were gods enough for him, but he had heard that Stannis Baratheon worshiped at the nightfires now. He had even put the fiery heart of R'hllor on his banners in place of the crowned stag. If he should win the Iron Throne, we'll all need to learn the words of the red priests' song, Pate thought, but that was not likely. Tywin Lannister had smashed Stannis and R'hllor upon the Blackwater, and soon enough he would finish them and mount the head of the Baratheon pretender on a spike above the gates of King's Landing. | „ |
| ~ Thoughts of the novice Pate, while walking in Oldtown at dawn. |
| “ | Septon Meribald: Do you have no love for the gods, son? Gendry: Not for your gods. I have work to do. [walks out] Hyle Hunt: Is there some other god he loves? Orphan boy: The Lord of Light. |
„ |
| ~ Gendry after becoming a believer in R'hllor. |
| “ | Haldon: Benerro has sent forth the word from Volantis. Her coming is the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. From smoke and salt was she born to make the world anew. She is Azor Ahai returned … and her triumph over darkness will bring a summer that will never end … death itself will bend its knee, and all those who die fighting in her cause shall be reborn … Tyrion: Do I have to be reborn in this same body? Who is Benerro? Haldon: High Priest of the red temple in Volantis. Flame of Truth, Light of Wisdom, First Servant of the Lord of Light, Slave of R'hllor. |
„ |
| ~ Haldon Halfmaester and Tyrion Lannister discussing Benerro and R'hllor's followers in Volantis. |
| “ | The red temple buys them as children and makes them priests or temple prostitutes or warriors. Look there. The Fiery Hand. The Lord of Light's sacred soldiers, defenders of the temple. | „ |
| ~ Jorah Mormont showing Tyrion slaves of R'hllor and warriors of the Fiery Hand in Volantis' Red Temple. |
| “ | Shouts erupted from the crowd. Women were weeping and men were shaking their fists. I have a bad feeling about this. The dwarf was reminded of the day Myrcella sailed for Dorne and the riot that boiled up as they made their way back to the Red Keep. | „ |
| ~ Tyrion Lannister feeling intimidated by the unresting enormous crowd of believers gathered to listen to Benerro. |
| “ | Jorah: Daenerys stands in peril. The dark eye has fallen upon her, and the minions of night are plotting her destruction, praying to their false gods in temples of deceit ... conspiring at betrayal with godless outlanders ... | „ |
| ~ Jorah Mormont translating Benerro's preaching from High Valyrian to the common tongue for Tyrion. |
| “ | Widow: I think that red R'hllor has more worshipers in this city than all the other gods together. Have you heard Benerro preach? Jorah: Last night. Widow: Benerro can see the morrow in his flames. Triarch Malaquo tried to hire the Golden Company, did you know? He meant to clean out the red temple and put Benerro to the sword. He dare not use tiger cloaks. Half of them worship the Lord of Light as well. Oh, these are dire days in Old Volantis, even for wrinkled old widows. But not half so dire as in Meereen, I think. |
„ |
| ~ The widow of the waterfront and Jorah. |
| “ | He could hear the faint murmur of voices coming from outside, although the sound was too weak to make out words. They sound a thousand leagues away. It was Lady Melisandre and her followers at their nightfire. Every night at dusk the red woman led her followers in their twilight prayer, asking her red god to see them through the dark. For the night is dark and full of terrors. With Stannis and most of the queen's men gone, her flock was much diminished; half a hundred of the free folk up from Mole's Town, the handful of guards the king had left her, perhaps a dozen black brothers who had taken her red god for their own. | „ |
| ~ Jon Snow hearing the daily nightfire at Castle Black in early morning, always concluding at dawn. |
| “ | 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. Melisandre had practiced her art for years beyond count, and she had paid the price. There was no one, even in her order, who had her skill at seeing the secrets half-revealed and half-concealed within the sacred flames. | „ |
| ~ Melisandre being convinced she can interprete her visions better than anyone else. |
| “ | We thank you for your sun that keeps us warm. We thank you for your stars that watch over us as we sail this cold black sea. | „ |
| ~ Moqorro, his guards, and other believers, preaching to R'hllor during a nightfire aboard the Selaesori Qhoran. |
| “ | Light our fire and protect us from the dark, blah blah, light our way and keep us toasty warm, the night is dark and full of terrors, save us from the scary things, and blah blah blah some more. | „ |
| ~ Tyrion's "prayer" to R'hllor. |
| “ | Lord of Light, bless your slave Moqorro, and light his way in the dark places of the world. And defend your righteous slave Benerro. Grant him courage. Grant him wisdom. Fill his heart with fire. | „ |
| ~ Moqorro's nightfire. |
| “ | Tyrion: So those are fires of the Fourteen Flames we're seeing, reflected on the clouds? Moqorro: Fourteen or fourteen thousand. What man dares count them? It is not wise for mortals to look too deeply at those fires, my friend. Those are the fires of God's own wrath, and no human flame can match them. We are small creatures, men. |
„ |
| ~ Moqorro and Tyrion, while sailing too close near the Smoking Sea, noticing the red sky above Valyria. |
| “ | Melisandre, you and your red god have much and more to answer for. | „ |
| ~ Thoughts of Jon Snow. |
| “ | Corliss: The gods of the north have unleashed this storm on us. Godry: False gods. Clayton: R'hllor is with us. Justin: Melisandre is not. |
„ |
| ~ Ser Corliss Penny, Ser Godry Farring, Ser Clayton Suggs, and Ser Justin Massey. |
| “ | Clayton: A sacrifice will prove our faith still burns true, Sire. Godry: The old gods of the north have sent this storm upon us. Only R'hllor can end it. We must give him an unbeliever. Stannis: Half my army is made up of unbelievers. I will have no burnings. Pray harder. |
„ |
| ~ Stannis refusing to give sacrifices to R'hllor in an attempt to end a snow blizzard against his army. |
| “ | Lord Stannis has turned from the truth of the Seven to worship a red demon, and his false faith has no place in these Seven Kingdoms. | „ |
| ~ The High Sparrow. |
| “ | Corliss: You northmen brought these snows upon us. You and your demon trees. R'hllor will save us. Artos: R'hllor will doom us. Asha's thoughts: [A pox on both your gods.] |
„ |
| ~ Conflict in religions between Ser Corliss Penny, Ser Artos Flint, and Asha Greyjoy. |
| “ | Godry: Lord of Light, hear us. Queen's men chanting: Lord of Light, defend us. For the night is dark and full of terrors. Godry: We thank you for the sun that warms us and pray that you will return it to us, Oh lord, that it might light our path to your enemies. We thank you for the stars that watch over us by night, and pray that you will rip away this veil that hides them, so we might glory in their sight once more. Queen's men chanting: Lord of Light, protect us, and keep this savage dark at bay. [Corliss steps forward with a torch to burn prisoners] Godry: R'hllor, we give you now four evil men. With glad hearts and true, we give them to your cleansing fires, that the darkness in their souls might be burned away. Let their vile flesh be seared and blackened, that their spirits might rise free and pure to ascend into the light. Accept their blood, Oh Lord, and melt the icy chains that bind your servants. Hear their pain, and grant strength to our swords that we might shed the blood of your enemies. Accept this sacrifice, and show us the way to Winterfell, that we might vanquish the unbelievers. Queen's men chanting: Lord of Light, accept this sacrifice. |
„ |
| ~ The queen's men in Stannis's army burning four Peasebury prisoners alive as a blood sacrifice to R'hllor, to placate the snow storms. |
| “ | Clayton: We have harbored this demon worshiper amongst us too long. Justin: The king has other plans for his prize captive. Clayton: The king? Or you? [snorts in contempt] Scheme all you like, Massey. She'll still be for the fire, her and her king's blood. There's power in king's blood, the red woman used to say. Power to please our lord. Justin: Let R'hllor be content with the four we just sent him. Clayton: Four baseborn churls. A beggar's offering. Scum like that will never stop the snow. She might. Alysane: And if you burn her and the snows still fall, what then? Who will you burn next? Me? Asha: Why not Ser Clayton? Perhaps R'hllor would like one of his own. A faithful man who will sing his praises as the flames lick at his cock. |
„ |
| ~ Ser Clayton Suggs, Ser Justin Massey, Alysane Mormont, and Asha Greyjoy, during Stannis's march to Winterfell. |
| “ | Victarion: Your red god will have his due. But the seas are ruled by the Drowned God. Moqorro: There are no gods but R'hllor and the Other, whose name may not be said. |
„ |
| ~ Victarion Greyjoy and Moqorro. |
| “ | Two gods are with me now. No foe can stand before two gods. | „ |
| ~ Victarion Greyjoy to the dusky woman, noting how much power both R'hllor and the Drowned God are giving him. |
| “ | With this gift of innocence and beauty, we honor both the gods. Let these girls be reborn in light, undefiled by mortal lust, or let them descend to the Drowned God's watery halls, to feast and dance and laugh until the seas dry up. | „ |
| ~ Victarion sacrifices seven Lysene bed slaves to both R'hllor and the Drowned God, putting them on a captured fishing ketch, burning it with them tied in it, and letting it sink in the sea. |
Trivia[]
- R'hllor has a counterpart deity in Yi Ti, which is the goddess known as Maiden-Made-of-Light. She is married to the Lion of Night, the YiTish counterpart god of the Great Other.
