[hider=Red Cult]
[color=darkred]
The Followers of R'hllor

[i]The night is dark and full of terrors.[/i]
[/color]


[color=darkred]Description:[/color]
The Red Priesthood can be found all across every major city in Essos, but with an exceptionally large presence in Volantis. Worshipping the Lord of Light, the faith is much more in line with the traditions of Essos with things like human sacrifices still commonplace, making its tenets somewhat alien to the Westerosi, and in turn having many dub it a demonic cult. Nonetheless its devotees of all classes are some of the most fervent followers of any faith in the world, their sincerity rarely matched by the followers of the Seven.



[color=darkred]Recent History:[/color]
While the followers of the Lord of Light do not have absolute control or recognition as a state religion anywhere, it is undeniable their evangelical efforts have guaranteed them recognition as an important actor within Essos. In Volantis in particular their temple is a gargantuan construct that lets all see its import within the city and the continent. 

Recently their spread has become somewhat of a matter of concern. While not outright preaching any kind of sedition, people's devotion to the faith has begun to undermine the other power structures in Essos. 

Now, with the rise in import of Lord Maelys Blackfyre, they see an opportunity. If they can convince him of the value of the faith and assure his claim to the throne of Westeros, they would be able to attach themselves to a powerful force to evangelize the West.

[color=darkred]Notable Members:[/color]

[b]Ronko[/b]: The High Priest of Volantis for the Followers of the Lord of Light, his position makes him the closest thing to a centralized authority in the religion. With control of the single largest coffer of the faith and the largest congregation the Priesthoods his decision is very often seen as final in any action of the faith. Any effort of R'hllor's worshippers needs at the very least his indifference to find any success, but ultimately all seek out his aid and favour. If he looks well upon a cause, he may shower it with gold and men to ensure its success. If he sees no fruit to be born of it, he would ensure not a single coin or Red Priest from Volantis comes to it and in turn it would likely wither and fade.

Ronko is somewhat skeptical of the mission to the Band of Nine. While it would be splendorous for the Red Cult to put its favoured man on the throne of Westeros, the plan has many issues. For one, Maelys Blackfyre has not yet been converted, and his disposition to the faith has yet to be seen. Second, the success of the new Blackfyre rebellion as some dub it is very, very dubious. Should it fail, it would simply aid the existing power structures in Westeros in demonizing the religion and hence make supporting Maelys not only a useless, but outright counter-productive proposition. However, the fervour of some of the Priests supporting this have come to interest him. He has permitted the use of some funds and resources of the Volantene Red Priesthood, but he demands that first there be results before he releases much more. Conversion of Maelys and his victory in the Stepstones would be ideal, but for now he at the very least wishes for some assurances from the Blackfyre pretender and his supporters about what might be granted for the glory of R'hllor should they throw their support behind the band of Nine.

[b]Mara:[/b]
A Westerosi woman that was once enslaved after being captured by pirates, she was liberated by the Volantene Priesthood. Since then, she has been positioned as being one of the vanguards of evangelizing Westeros. Her efforts are to be complementary to that of Koloth, ministering to the smallfolk and nobility alike in Westeros that might work as a fifth column in support of Lord Maelys should he come to worship the Lord of Light, or to simply lay the seed of converting all Westeros more organically if that fails. In particular, she is valued because she diligently kept the old Gods and the new. Having been immersed in both religious cultures she is well aware of how to best evangelize the different people of Westeros according to what they might find best convincing to follow the Lord of Light. 

[color=darkred]
Koloth
[/color]
[color=darkred]Age:[/color] 39

[color=darkred]Appearance:[/color]
Dark skinned and dark haired, his eyes have a milky green tint that might have been a proper green once, but is now just a symbol of his blindness. His skin has the texture of a a very old leather boot, stretched across a broad and meaty frame that is still ready to take on the duties of the Fiery Hand. 
[hider=The Western Missionary]
[img]https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/004/709/782/large/sanjay-charlton-lothar2.jpg?1485708365[/img]
[/hider]


[color=darkred]Description & biography:[/color]
Koloth was born a slave to slave parents. His early life bore nothing of note. Inevitably being broad shouldered as he was he served many years as a galley slave, his back turning into a carapace of whipped scars and his body a lot of cords of muscle to better push ships across the sea. On one unfortunate journey, the ship he was on crashed on the rocks, him being among the few survivors. Nonetheless he was still property, and gladly sold to the Volantene Priesthood of R'hllor. 

As the catechism of Koloth began, he took to the faith earnestly. He had quite literally nothing in his life before, and suddenly he had the whole of infinity presented before him in the form of the Lord of Light. He strived with every passing moment to better serve the Lord, and with the death of one of the Fiery Hands he was presented an excellent opportunity.

It was the first moment in his life that Koloth felt pride, when he finally donned that armour and saw a reflection of himself in the point of his spear. Now he was something, now he was not mere property of another man. 

Yet as the years passed, his service felt... unfulfilling. Night after night at his post he would stare into flames, his vision seemingly dulling. Until one day, vision was gone outright. But to Koloth, this was not blindness. He had gained sight. He saw a vision of the war upon the Stepstones, and immediately came to High Priest Ronko. Visions weren't an entirely uncommon thing in the Red Priesthood, and so he was not very skeptical of Koloth's words. When the conflict between the Westerosi crown and the Band of Nine began, the affirmation of Koloth's vision gave him great credence. Thus, while somewhat reluctant, the high Priest was willing to spare some resources in the form of faithful souls and coin to support them for Koloth's vision of bringing Maelys on the crown of the Seven Kingdoms with the burning heart behind him. 

So the man departs, eager to bring the Blackfyre claimant into the fold and unto the Throne. 

[/hider]