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What if Luceon Frey was elected High Septon?


Kaibaman

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Luceon Frey is a Septon of the Most Devout and one who in AFFC came very close to being elected High Septon. In fact after his rival Septon Ollider was publically humiliated by the Sparrows, he became the frontrunner for High Septon and on the day of the election was only nine votes away from taking the office. There is no doubt in my mind he would have become High Septon had the Sparrows not interrupted the conclave and forced them to elect the High Sparrow instead.

The reason I bring him up is because as a Frey Luceon would have given his family quite a bit of political and religious clout. If he did get elected, I do wonder how he could have used his position to help out his family who had recently made themselves pariahs to both the faithful and their peers. The amount of hate the Freys received after the Red Wedding was just legendary. Not only were the houses that were directly affected by their little purge party out for their blood, members of the Faith began a campaign of denouncing them to the public as an accursed clan for breaching guest rights.

So really post Red Wedding the Frey’s public image was at an all-time low. I’m quite certain Walder Frey would have realized at some point what a PR disaster it was and that they needed to do some serious damage control. Lucky for him the old High Septon had croaked at the hands of Cersei and he just happened to have a son in King’s Landing who is one of the Most Devout and was in a position to replace Tyrion’s High Septon.

Now had Luceon been elected it would have been a huge boon for the Freys. Having the highest position of the most dominant religion in Westeros meant he could have done something to help his family who were in dire straits. So I do wonder what could he have done as High Septon to reverse his family’s bad reputation? Could he have like issued like a bull of atonement for the Freys and would that have at lessened the degree of hate they got from worshipers of the Seven? Could he have used his new authority to make Septons from all over the realm start speaking well of his family or at least stopped them from damning them?

From what I can gather Luceon was a pretty respected member of the Fatih. He was also a pretty astute politician who unlike his dad knew the value of good publicity and was good at buying votes (no doubt paid for by his dad) and gain the love of the smallfolk.

Quote

“He feted thirty of the Most Devout on suckling pig and Arbor gold, and by day he hands out hardbread to the poor to prove his piety.” (Cersei IV, AFFC)

Then again even if he became High Septon, I don’t know if he was up to the challenge of making his family look good. Especially since at the time the Sparrows were already making quite a bit of noise about his family’s breach of guest rights and like everyone else were out for blood. There’s no way they would have taken the word of a Frey (even if he’s the ‘Avatar of the Gods’) at face value.

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I don´t think Septon Luceon would low himself to help his old family. He does look to be a smart career animal (no political known scandals in comparison to his opponents - no known brothel-history, nor obvious gluttony) and does indeed give the impression of being astute and to be respected. He isn´t mentioned after the High Sparrow election, but he doesn´t seem to have been punished like Raynard och Torben (Cerseis favored candidates) were - which is a strong sign in his favor. Nor do I necessary believe he is loyal to his old family. Why would he? He has reached so high that he doesn´t need them anymore. 

But even if he was, I don´t think he would have lessened the degree of hate. Words are wind after all and the common rabble soon finds another cause, I assume he would reason. Better to keep a low profile (he seems to be good at that) and maybe even give some damning speeches yourself, but with no force behind them. In the end, people will forget. 

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5 minutes ago, Protagoras said:

I don´t think Septon Luceon would low himself to help his old family. He does look to be a smart career animal (no political known scandals in comparison to his opponents - no known brothel-history, nor obvious gluttony) and does indeed give the impression of being astute and to be respected. He isn´t mentioned after the High Sparrow election, but he doesn´t seem to have been punished like Raynard och Torben (Cerseis favored candidates) were - which is a strong sign in his favor. Nor do I necessary believe he is loyal to his own family. Why would he? He has reached so high that he doesn´t need them anymore. 

But even if he was, I don´t think he would have lessened the degree of hate. Words are wind after all and the common rabble soon finds another cause, I assume he would reason. Better to keep a low profile (he seems to be good at that) and maybe even give some damnig speeches yourself, but with no force behind them. In the end, people will forget. 

I don't know how close he is to his family but I'm pretty sure he knows that their future is in peril. Already we have people killing them with impunity such as the BWB in the Riverlands because given just how much everyone hates their guts nobody cares. Even Cersei has considered punishing them for the sake of appeasing the mob. Right now the Freys are mostly untouched because they are powerful but there might come a day when they are not and then they will be free game for anyone out for their blood. No doubt Luceon is aware of this and even if he doesn't like them they are still his kin so he must feel some obligation to save them. 

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I am going to also assume that the first thing Septon Luceon thought of, when the sparrows stormed and the new political realities was clear, was "How can I use this in my favor". I think he would act friendly to the High sparrow, maybe praise his new, righteous way in private and maybe even some in public and make sure to come off as a part of the solution and not the problem for the puritans. 

If the High sparrows movement take hold, he can still profit from it and follow the "reformed church" up to the top, even be elected high septon later as a compromize candidate. If the High sparrows movement fails, he will be seen again as a compromize candidate, someone who could work with the sparrows but was more of a "uncorrupted person" from the "old guard" who never were that strongly affiliated with the Sparrows in the first place. He is pretty young after all to be a septon and will have more chances for the title. 

10 minutes ago, Kaibaman said:

I don't know how close he is to his family but I'm pretty sure he knows that their future is in peril. Already we have people killing them with impunity such as the BWB in the Riverlands because given just how much everyone hates their guts nobody cares. Even Cersei has considered punishing them for the sake of appeasing the mob. Right now the Freys are mostly untouched because they are powerful but there might come a day when they are not and then they will be free game for anyone out for their blood. No doubt Luceon is aware of this and even if he doesn't like them they are still his kin so he must feel some obligation to save them. 

I am not sure he is loyal to them and has that obligation, but even if he do - the Freys are a sinking ship who is seen as monsters. Luceon is a politically astute guy with no mayor scandals. I can´t see him sticking out his neck for this. If he actually would do something, I think its smarter to put all the blame at lord Walders feet and simply say that it is his personal crimes (not the crimes of House Frey) and he will certainly answer for it from the Father himself. Not only does that mean the Freys are not a worldly matter for the people themselves to deal with, it will mean that all other Freys are not responsible for the acts of one man. 

Minimizing the damage, blaming only one person or some persons for this seems to be the best solution. After all, people who want to take vengeance on innocents can be condemmed by the Seven. 

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19 minutes ago, Protagoras said:

I am going to also assume that the first thing Septon Luceon thought of, when the sparrows stormed and the new political realities was clear, was "How can I use this in my favor". I think he would act friendly to the High sparrow, maybe praise his new, righteous way in private and maybe even some in public and make sure to come off as a part of the solution and not the problem for the puritans. 

If the High sparrows movement take hold, he can still profit from it and follow the "reformed church" up to the top, even be elected high septon later as a compromize candidate. If the High sparrows movement fails, he will be seen again as a compromize candidate, someone who could work with the sparrows but was more of a "uncorrupted person" from the "old guard" who never were that strongly affiliated with the Sparrows in the first place. He is pretty young after all to be a septon and will have more chances for the title. 

I am not sure he is loyal to them and has that obligation, but even if he do - the Freys are a sinking ship who is seen as monsters. Luceon is a politically astute guy with no mayor scandals. I can´t see him sticking out his neck for this. If he actually would do something, I think its smarter to put all the blame at lord Walders feet and simply say that it is his personal crimes (not the crimes of House Frey) and he will certainly answer for it from the Father himself. Not only does that mean the Freys are not a worldly matter for the people themselves to deal with, it will mean that all other Freys are not responsible for the acts of one man. 

Minimizing the damage, blaming only one person or some persons for this seems to be the best solution. After all, people who want to take vengeance on innocents can be condemmed by the Seven. 

I do hope we get more about Luceon in the next book. He seems pretty interesting and I would like to know his thoughts on his family's sins and if he is apathetic or feels remorse for what they did and wants to atone for them. It might sound silly but seeing how the Freys are hated so passionately by readers, maybe he could somehow redeem them a little. That's assuming of course he is a good guy and has a big part in the next book. 

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3 minutes ago, Kaibaman said:

I do hope we get more about Luceon in the next book. He seems pretty interesting and I would like to know his thoughts on his family's sins and if he is apathetic or feels remorse for what they did and wants to atone for them. It might sound silly but seeing how the Freys are hated so passionately by readers, maybe he could somehow redeem them a little. That's assuming of course he is a good guy and has a big part in the next book. 

Oh, I don´t think he is a good guy - but a political animal, B). And I agree - I want to know what happened with him too and what will happen with him in the future. 

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