The Red God Revival

The Red God Revival encompasses a series of events, as well as a time period, that saw a sharp increase in the number of R'hllor faithfuls in the Seven Kingdoms.

Background
The War in the Narrows saw the power of Lys loom large over the southern Free Cities. Baelon Targaryen and his dragon upset the balance in the Disputed Lands, and drew the ire of Volantis and her armies with his aggressive and expansionist ways. After Baelon's death in 334AC, his ill-formed Triarchy at once collapsed, the resulting wars and struggles for power causing wide-spread hardship and troubles.

Within Volantis, the High Priest of R'hllor feuded with the triarchs and the Valyrian-faithful elite of the city, their struggles for dominance leading to bloodshed in the streets on more than one occasion. In early 335AC, Triarch Adonno of the Tiger Party hired mercenaries to storm the Temple of the Lord of Light. The ensuing battle with the Red Hand saw thousands dead, both in the fighting and in the riots and fires that would follow.

These events led many to depart the east for Westeros, hoping to find a better life. The High Priest of Volantis encouraged this move, hoping to gain a foothold in the west and begin its conversion.

The Crownlands
Used to the metropolitan life of the Free Cities, the majority of the refugees and travelers who emigrated to Westeros during the Red Revival made their way to King’s Landing, the chief city on the continent. Made up of not only small folk and commoners, but artisans and scholars as well, many soon found work and places of preeminence in those places where their faith did not prove an obstacle.

Hundreds of these new folk settled in Flea Bottom and other boroughs of the city, some converting to the Faith of the Seven whilst others kept to their old gods, even finding converts among the native population. This, of course, angered many of the more pious followers of the Faith, but the High Septon’s unwillingness to condemn these folk put hopes for a unified stance against them to bed. The Septon of the Starry Sept in Oldtown, however, was more than willing to speak out against the flood of unbelievers, and in time his harsh words of rebuke made their way to the city of kings.

Generations later, in 400AC, the continued hardships in the east combined with religious prosecution in Tyrosh saw another bout of immigrants making their way to the capital, urged by the High Priest of Volantis and their brothers-in-faith already settled into the landscape. These new Tyroshi faithfuls were a different breed than the last who arrived, their foreignness starkly plain in the vibrant colours of their hair. The sudden onset of the Scarlet Winter only served to deepen the hardships in the city, leading many who arrived looking for work and a new start to abandon their temporary homes and return to the East.

The Vale
Refugees fleeing the conflicts in Essos began arriving in port cities throughout Westeros in the year 335. The Septons of Gulltown banded together to denounce the Red Priests and their efforts to spread the faith of R'hllor. After several months of escalating tensions, riots broke out in Gulltown as followers of the Faith of the Seven attacked worshippers of the Red God. A third of the city was burned by fires set by the rioters, and House Grafton needed to request aid from Runestone to pacify the city and get the port open once more.

Following these riots, the presence of foreign priests in Gulltown declined dramatically. The resultant rise of zealous piety saw the Vale eager to lean towards the Starry Septon during the Southern Schism.

The Stormlands
Lacking any major cities and boasting only a few ports, the Stormlands at large did not see many Red God followers arrive upon their shores. Only Weeping Town bore any significant number of refugees, and indeed it was one of the most heavily affected settlements on the continent. Nearly seventy years after those first arrivals, estimates range between one third and a full half of Weeping Town feel some degree of knowledge or understanding of the eastern faith of R'hllor, though the Septons still boast control over the settlement in the eyes of most, and are wary of further arrivals.

With the fifth century came a dramatic uptick in converts across the Stormlands. Lady Argella Baratheon, Lord Gwayne’s sister, converted in the first decade and saw to the conversion of others around Storm’s End. Her husband, Lord Rodrik Connington, whose brother was already a member of the faithful, converted half a decade later, following the birth of his first son. Since, Griffin‘s Roost and its surrounding territories have seen a surge in converts and faithful arrivals; a small temple just south of the castle is currently in construction.

The Reach
Oldtown was one of the more heavily affected settlements on the continent, with the already-made temple to Rhllor attracting many worshipers to the city. The largest effect that the Revival had upon the region, however, was an increase in the zealousness of its people; the Starry Septon being one of the largest figures to speak out against the arrivals.

The Westerlands
Lannisport was one of many cities in Westeros that saw a surge of Red God faithfuls, as the events across the Narrow Sea and the legend of the saviour who fought the Others with a flaming sword began to spread. Though they did not prove as troublesome here as they did in other regions, the City Watch of Lannisport kept a careful eye, and the faith did not spread far from its centers within the city.

Dorne
Many red god faithfuls would flock to Dorne and Planky Town, its proximity and similarities to the Free Cities of the east making it an ideal new home for many. More often than not, however, these new arrivals would soon adopt the way of life they found in Dorne, creating a peculiar blend of peoples and cultures in the port city of Planky Town.

Though relations between the fire worshiping Rhlloric faithfuls and the water worshiping Orphans of the Rhoyne were often extremely strained, maneuvering by the Martells and the Masters of Planky Town were able to keep the tensions from boiling over.

Major Figures

 * The High Priests of Volantis
 * Methyso the Mage was the High Priest during the initial events of the Revival, and encouraged many to seek refugee in the cities of Westeros in part to facilitate its conversion. His feuding with the Triarchs of Volantis would see thousands dead.
 * Samarro Redbeard was the High Priest during the events of the Scarlet Winter and the Warmaker's Peace, when Tyroshi faithfuls fled to Dorne and King's Landing to escape persecution.
 * Alios the Brand was a red priest during the events of the Revival, and one of the key figures in Gulltown. He was slain in the ensuing riots that saw many of his followers ousted, the priest himself cut down in the streets by Andal knights.
 * Sisero the Stammerer was the preeminent priest in King's Landing during the Red God Revival. He was known for his oration, and for walking the streets of Fleabottom barefoot even whilst the High Septon refused to visit.

Aftermath
The Red God Revival saw large swathes of Westeros cling more closely to the Faith than they had in years prior, zealotry and piety increasing across the continent and influencing the later Southern Schism. Many lords and commonfolk alike were exposed to much more "foreignness" than they might otherwise have been, though the culture and atmosphere of most of the Seven Kingdoms has not yet been affected.