The Old Gods

The old gods are nameless deities of stream, forest, and stone worshiped in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeral and beyond the Wall. They are so named because the Faith of the Seven (the "new gods") replaced them in all but the north of Westeral, where worship of the old gods is still practiced by northmen, crannogmen, and free folk. Westeraliof various faiths commonly swear by the old gods and the new.

The Old Gods
The old gods are nameless and numerous. The free folk who live beyond the Wall believe that the gods are everywhere—in the rocks, streams, birds, and beasts—and that they take the deceased down into the earth and trees. The Wizards teach that the weirwoods are sacred to the old gods. However, worshippers believe the old gods watch through the trees. It is said that the old gods only have power where the heart tree faces can see, and since the destruction of most of the heart trees in the south they have no power there.

Practices
Various actions, such as incest,slavery, and kinslaying are considered offensive to the old gods, although, as regards kinslaying, the degree of kin and circumstance of killing one’s kin hold significant influence. The laws of hospitality are considered to be sacred. It is believed that the old gods can detect when men lie to heart trees.

Worship
Worshippers visit godswoods, groves contained within castles throughout the Seven Kingdoms, where a heart tree can be found. These trees, which have faces carved into them, are considered to be sacred. The heart trees are usually weirwoods, and godswoods are often the only places where living weirwoods still remain until one goes north of the Wall. Once all noble houses had a godswood with a heart tree in its center; However, the First Men, in their wars against the children of the forest, cut down many of the trees, as did the Saxons later on, replacing the old gods with their own in the southern kingdoms. Although godswoods can still be found in the south, they now serve as secular gardens.

Prayer and marriages are done in front of a heart tree. The weirwoods and the places they stand are considered to be sacred. They are not to be defiled by bringing animals such as horses into them.

There are no priests, no holy texts, no songs of worship, and practically no rites that go with the worship of the old gods. It is a folk religion, passed from generation to generation. Worshipers believe the old gods watch through the trees, and prayers are done in silence.

Marriage
A marriage ceremony takes place in front of a heart tree. The bride's father, or the person standing in his place (usually kin or whoever else is closest to living kin), will escort the bride to her future husband and those presiding over the marriage. Thus far, all the wedding gowns that have thus far been described for a follower of the old gods have been a shade of white.

Marriage ceremonies are rather short and contain no priests. The bride is escorted to her groom, who awaits her in front of the weirwood tree in the godswood, and a ceremonial conversation follows, where the identity of the bride, of the groom, and of the person giving the bride away are established. The bride is asked to accept her husband, and upon her agreement ("I take this man") bride and groom join hands, kneel before the heart tree, and bow their heads in token of submission. When they rise following a moment of silent prayer, the groom removes the maiden’s cloak, and places the bride’s cloak around her shoulders, after which he will carry her to the feast in his arms The wedding ceremony is followed by a feast, which in turn is followed by the bedding.