Difference between revisions of "Bearded priests"

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The '''Bearded Priests''' are a militant order from the city Free City of [[Norvos]] and the true rulers of the city, for it is them who choose the members of its council of magisters. They were originally a sect that abandoned [[Valyria]], finding the religious tolerance of the [[Valyrian Freehold|Freehold]] intolerable.
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{{Organization
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| Name = Bearded priests
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| image =
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| image_caption =
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| Symbol = Beards<br>Axes
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| Type = Theocrats<br>Secret society
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| Seat = Unnamed fortress-temple
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| Region = [[Norvos]]<br>[[Valyrian Freehold]] <small>(formerly)</small>
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| Allegiance = Unidentified god
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| Current_Leader =
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| Founder =
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| Founded =
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| Disbanded =
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| Reorganized =
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}}
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The '''bearded priests''' are religious leaders in the [[Free City]] of [[Norvos]] and the true rulers of the theocratic city, for it is they who choose the members of its council of [[magister]]s through divine inspiration. The bearded priests control a fortress-temple in the upper city.{{ref|twoiaf| The Free Cities: Norvos}}
  
[[Areo Hotah]], the current captain of guards to [[House Martell]] was trained by the Bearded Priests.
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==Practices==
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The bearded priests are a sect so secretive that even the name of their god is revealed only to initiates. They wear hair shirts and untanned hides and practice ritual flagellation. Once initiated they are forbidden to shave or cut their hair. They are the only Norvoshi permitted to have beards.{{ref|twoiaf| The Free Cities: Norvos}} The bearded priests regard the [[Black Goat of Qohor]] as a [[demon]].{{ref|twoiaf| The Free Cities: Qohor}}
  
==Practices==
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Archmaester [[Perestan]] considers that the importance the Norvoshi give to the axe as a symbol of power and might is proof that the [[Andals]] were the first to settle Norvos, and suggests the bearded priests took the emblem from ruins they found as they established the city.{{ref|twoiaf| The Free Cities: Norvos}}
They are a sect so secretive that even the name of their god is revealed only to initiates. They wear hair shirts and untanned hides and practice ritual flagellation. Once initiated they are forbidden to shave or cut their hair. In Norvos only they are permitted beards.{{ref|twoiaf| Norvos}}
 
  
 
==Slave soldiers==
 
==Slave soldiers==
Like in the rest of the Free Cities, unwanted boys can be sold by Norvoshi families to the bearded priests.{{Ref|aFfC|2}}. This holy guard of slave soldiers enforce obedience and keep the peace of Norvos,{{ref|TWOIAF| Norvos}} and are trained in the use of longaxes. By sixteen, those trained by the bearded priests, "wed their axes", swearing vows which are said to be simple for the simple men who swear them: "Serve. Obey. Protect." They are branded across their chest with a brand shaped like an axe to remind them to keep their longaxes sharp.{{Ref|aFfC|2}}
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Like in the rest of the Free Cities, unwanted boys can be sold by Norvoshi families to the bearded priests.{{Ref|aFfC|2}}. This [[holy guard]] of slave soldiers enforce obedience and keep the peace of Norvos,{{ref|twoiaf| The Free Cities: Norvos}} and are trained in the use of longaxes. By sixteen, those trained by the bearded priests "wed their axes", swearing vows which are said to be simple for the simple men who swear them: "Serve. Obey. Protect." They are branded across their chest with an axe shape to remind them to keep their longaxes sharp.{{Ref|aFfC|2}}
  
 
Men trained by the bearded priests might wear heavy horsehair capes and studded leather tunics, along with iron halfhelms crested by iron spikes.{{Ref|aFfC|2}}
 
Men trained by the bearded priests might wear heavy horsehair capes and studded leather tunics, along with iron halfhelms crested by iron spikes.{{Ref|aFfC|2}}
  
==The axe==
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==History==
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The bearded priests were originally a sect that abandoned [[Valyria]], finding the religious tolerance of the [[Valyrian Freehold|Freehold]] intolerable.{{ref|twoiaf| The Free Cities: Norvos}}
  
Archmaester [[Perestan]] considers that the importance the Norvoshi give to the axe as a symbol of power and might is proof that the [[Andals]] were the first to settle Norvos, and suggests the bearded priests took the emblem from ruins they found as they established the city.{{ref|TWOIAF| Norvos}}
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[[Areo Hotah]] was trained by bearded priests and guarded [[Mellario]].{{ref|AFFC|40}} He accompanied her from [[Norvos]] to [[Sunspear]] when she wed [[Doran Martell]], and Areo now serves as [[captain of the guards]] to the [[Prince of Dorne]].{{Ref|AFFC|2}}
  
==References and Notes==
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==References==
 
{{references}}
 
{{references}}
 
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{{Template:Rulers}}
<!-- Categories -->
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[[Category:Clergy]]
 
[[Category:Norvos]]
 
[[Category:Norvos]]
 
[[Category:Organizations]]
 
[[Category:Organizations]]
 
[[Category:Religions]]
 
[[Category:Religions]]
[[Category:Clergy]]
 
  
<!-- language interwikis -->
 
 
[[es:Clérigos barbudos]]
 
[[es:Clérigos barbudos]]
 
[[fr:Prêtres à barbe de Norvos]]
 
[[fr:Prêtres à barbe de Norvos]]

Revision as of 10:49, 30 April 2020

Bearded priests
Symbol Beards
Axes
Type Theocrats
Secret society
Seat Unnamed fortress-temple
Region Norvos
Valyrian Freehold (formerly)
Allegiance Unidentified god

The bearded priests are religious leaders in the Free City of Norvos and the true rulers of the theocratic city, for it is they who choose the members of its council of magisters through divine inspiration. The bearded priests control a fortress-temple in the upper city.[1]

Practices

The bearded priests are a sect so secretive that even the name of their god is revealed only to initiates. They wear hair shirts and untanned hides and practice ritual flagellation. Once initiated they are forbidden to shave or cut their hair. They are the only Norvoshi permitted to have beards.[1] The bearded priests regard the Black Goat of Qohor as a demon.[2]

Archmaester Perestan considers that the importance the Norvoshi give to the axe as a symbol of power and might is proof that the Andals were the first to settle Norvos, and suggests the bearded priests took the emblem from ruins they found as they established the city.[1]

Slave soldiers

Like in the rest of the Free Cities, unwanted boys can be sold by Norvoshi families to the bearded priests.[3]. This holy guard of slave soldiers enforce obedience and keep the peace of Norvos,[1] and are trained in the use of longaxes. By sixteen, those trained by the bearded priests "wed their axes", swearing vows which are said to be simple for the simple men who swear them: "Serve. Obey. Protect." They are branded across their chest with an axe shape to remind them to keep their longaxes sharp.[3]

Men trained by the bearded priests might wear heavy horsehair capes and studded leather tunics, along with iron halfhelms crested by iron spikes.[3]

History

The bearded priests were originally a sect that abandoned Valyria, finding the religious tolerance of the Freehold intolerable.[1]

Areo Hotah was trained by bearded priests and guarded Mellario.[4] He accompanied her from Norvos to Sunspear when she wed Doran Martell, and Areo now serves as captain of the guards to the Prince of Dorne.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The World of Ice & Fire, The Free Cities: Norvos.
  2. The World of Ice & Fire, The Free Cities: Qohor.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 2, The Captain Of Guards.
  4. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 40, Princess In The Tower.