Religion in A Song of Ice and Fire

This is a description of the various religions found in George R. R. Martin's fantasy novel series, A Song of Ice and Fire.

There are numerous religions named in the series, but only a handful are expanded upon: those being the Old Gods, the Faith, the followers of Rh'llor, and the servants of He of Many Faces.

The old gods
The old gods were worshiped by the children of the forest, who populated Westeros in the Dawn Age before the arrival of men. Most of the great houses of the north, such as the Starks, still worship the old gods. The names of the old gods are secret; according to Maester Luwin, they are "the gods of forest, stream and stone." Weirwoods, giant trees with white bark and dark red leaves, are sacred to the worshipers of the old gods. The wise men of the children, known as greenseers, carved faces into wierwoods to keep watch over the forests. The carved faces are stained red from dried sap.

The First Men arrived from the east approximately twelve thousand years before the events of A Song of Ice and Fire. Their war with the children of the forest was ended by the forging of the Pact, a peace treaty that granted the coastlands, high plains, meadows, mountains and bogs to men and left the deep woods to the children. The signing of the Pact ended the Dawn Age and began the Age of Heroes. The peace lasted four thousand years, and in time the First Men abandoned their gods and began to worship the old gods. and Osha believe they still exist north of . but beyond the Wall they are the only gods. Every great house keeps a godswood in its castle, a garden or forest with a heart tree at its centre. In the north, the godswood is a place of worship: every castle's godswood has a weirwood for a heart tree. Worshipers of the old gods pray For houses that worship the Seven, godswoods are places of leisure rather than worship. and believe that the moon goddess is wed to the sun. The Mother of Mountains, a great purple mountain in the Dothraki Sea, is sacred to the Dothraki; only men may set foot there, and khals ascend it to sacrifice to their gods. The Dothraki believe that stars are a herd of horses made of fire, ridden by dead horselords.

The Black Goat of Qohor is a god of death worshiped by the Qohorik of the . The Black Goat is the sigil of the sellsword company the Brave Companions, who are captained by the Qohorik Vargo Hoat.

The Lion of Night is worshipped in Yi Ti.

The Great Shepherd is worshipped by the Lhazareen, whom the Dothraki call the Lamb Men.

The Moonsingers are a religious sect who led the first settlers fleeing the dragons of Valyria to . The Moonsingers have the greatest temple in Braavos. They also have followers amongst the Jogos Nhai.

The Father of Waters is a deity worshiped in Braavos. His house is rebuilt when he takes a bride.

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