High Septon

The High Septon is the head of the Faith of the Seven. Historically the High Septon ruled from the Starry Sept in Oldtown. However, after the invasion of Aegon I Targaryen, the High Septon at that time threw his support behind Aegon and the position was eventually relocated to the new capital of King's Landing. Following the events of the Starry Schism, there were for a time two High Septons; and to this day the Septon in Oldtown often emerges as a rival to the High Septon of King's Landing.

Position
The selection of a new High Septon is traditionally in the hands of the Most Devout but the will of past Targaryen kings has sometimes influenced their choice. This was most notable during the reign of Baelor the Blessed, who had a stoneworker and later an eight-year old boy chosen for the office.

A new High Septon extends the practice of septons giving up their family names by renouncing any kind of individual name. This is due to the belief that the individual becoming High Septon is no longer a man but an avatar of the gods. This leads to trouble distinguishing between various past holders of the office, as one can only refer to them by descriptions such as "the stonemason one" or "the fat one" or the "one before the fat one." High Septons usually wear a great crown made of crystal and gold while performing their duties.

The Most Devout
The Most Devout are a council of the highest ranking clergy of the Faith of the Seven. They can be identified by their cloth-of-silver vestments and crystal coronals. Although the High Septon is usually elected from among the Most Devout, this is not a requirement. The High Septon and the Most Devout convene in the Great Sept of Baelor in King's Landing, a vast building of white marble with seven crystal towers.

Naerys Targaryen, daughter of King Aenar I Targaryen and Queen Patrice Hightower, is currently a member of the Most Devout.

In 346AC the Most Devout, who had largely fled to Oldtown, declared their previously chosen High Septon reprobate and crowned a new High Septon in the Starry Sept. This prompted what is commonly called the Southern Schism.

The Starry Sept
Prior to being stationed in King's Landing, and before the arrival of the Targaryens, the seat of the Faith was the ornate Starry Sept in Oldtown, which was constructed of black marble with stained glass windows set in pointed arches. Following the events of the Southern Schism the Starry Sept has since returned to prominence, becoming the second-most or often times the preeminent sept in the Faith.

The office of the septon of the Starry Sept is often called the Starry Septon, most especially to differentiate between that figure and the High Septon in King's Landing. The High Septon in Oldtown is often also used, when such a figure exists.

Recent Events
Though there have not been two High Septons at once since 349AC, the power of the Starry Septon has only grown in recent years. The Hammer Uprising, the Great Famine, and the Scarlet Winter have all inspired renewed piety and zealotry in many commonfolk and nobles alike; this, coupled with the ineffectual and oftentimes offensive High Septons that have recently reigned in King's Landing, have caused many to see the Starry Septon in Oldtown as the true and rightful figurehead of the Faith.

The List of Septons
For the sake of clarity, the High Septons of King's Landing shall be displayed in sequence, whilst the High Septons crowned in Oldtown will beneath.
 * High Septon "the Dainty One", was the High Septon during the events of the Red God Revival. He was most famous for refusing to visit the slums of Flea Bottom, even while the red priests of the newly arrived foreigners walked barefoot through its streets in shows of piety.
 * High Septon "the Proud One", ascended to the title in the year 340AC. Well-liked by the people of the city and known for his piety and charisma, he preached loudly against the Targaryens and their dragons, and was eventually murdered. His death sparked riots, and many threats against the Most Devout, who raised in his place a man they hoped would appease the people of the city.
 * High Septon "the Mummer", was appointed in 342AC, and though initially amiable and personable he quickly revealed himself to be corrupt. A horrible spender, a terrible drunk, and often prone to fits of anger, he was nonetheless beloved by the people of King's Landing for his generosity and love of the arts. Partially as a response to the murder of previous High Septon, pseudo-militants began to roam the streets, aiming to secure the new head of the Faith.
 * The Starry Septon "the Pious One" was the figure in Oldtown who rose to oppose the High Septon, largely at the behest of the Most Devout who had fled King's Landing months before. After being excommunicated by the High Septon of King's Landing, he was raised to the office of the High Septon by the Most Devout.
 * The Starry Septon "the Towering One" inherited the Starry Sept in the year 347AC. Attempts to reconcile with the High Septon of King's Landing proved fruitless, and thus he was raised to the office of High Septon by the exiled and original Most Devout. So named for his height, imperious features, and Hightower blood.
 * High Septon "the Militant One" was made High Septon in King's Landing in 348AC following the execution of the Mummer, and quickly set out to quash the dissent from the opposing branch in the Starry Sept. His efforts to increase and arm the faithful proved too close to breaking the ancient restrictions upon the Faith Militant, thus drawing Aenar to act at last and banish him to the Night's Watch.
 * High Septon "the Northern One" was appointed by King Aenar himself, in an effort to end the feuding and mend the Schism. The first High Septon to ever come from the North, he was a neutral figure in the rivalry and managed to keep things fairly calm. Largely regarded as a wise and kindly figure, he would reign all throughout the Mead Summer and into the latter days of 368AC.
 * High Septon "the Divisive One" rose to the title in 368AC, following the death of the previous Septon. Chosen by the Most Devout - most of whom had returned to the city after long negotiations with the Northern One - he was a man of piety, and greatly admired the Starry Septons of previous years. This greatly angered the Baelorian faction within the Most Devout and indeed the Faith at large, resulting in his tenure being fraught with infighting and ineffective rule.
 * The Yearling Septons are three separate High Septons who each ruled for only a year each.
 * High Septon "the Portly One" ascended to the title in 381AC, and followed the auspices of the Baelorian faction. He was so large that his rings could not be removed upon his death. Loud voiced and boisterous, he was vocal in his disdain for the southern disciplines and worked to remove those septons whose piety seemed to lean towards the zealotry of the Starry Sept.
 * High Septon "the Reclusive One" was the opposite of his predecessor, slim and quiet-voiced and generally meek. He ascended to the office in the year 387AC, but was rarely seen outside of the Sept of Baelor.
 * The Starry Septon "the Openhanded One" was the Septon of the Starry Sept during the events of the Hammer Uprising. He would come to laud the rebels who fought against he "rich and depraved" nobles of King's Landing in pursuit of rights and better lives for the common people. Though Brynden and his followers were Crownlanders, and thus most likely clung to the Baelorian method of belief, the Starry Septon held them up as examples of piety and virtue, strength and resilience.
 * High Septon "the Gregarious One" was a friendly, jovial, man, renowned for his charity, and keenly hunted down corruption within the Most Devout. It was his alliance with the Hand of the King Perceon Vance and the then Starry Septon that finally mended the Schism with the Synod of Lannisport
 * The Starry Septon "the Stalwart One" was a soldier-turned-Septon, a gruff and taciturn man who, to the surprise of many, initiated what would become the Great Synod
 * High Septon "the Clever One"