Order of Craft
The Order of Craft is a religious order founded alongside the Order of Justice. This Order is defined by its projects. Members higher up in the order undertake bigger projects and have more assistance. These projects can range anywhere between a beautiful and practical dagger to an entire temple.
Members of the Order may earn epithets based upon what they are best at creating. For example, a member well known for creating steel through tempering might be known as Lord of the Holy Flame Mahraq of Hardened Steel. These epithets are often granted by the Goldenflames, a council serving under the Orders leader, the Everflame. They are usually only given to members of the Order that have distinguished themselves in other ways.
The Order of Craft follows the teachings of the Hammered Book. This is one of Halfar's holy books, and the one that is focused most on crafting and smithing. It contains not just a great many techniques for making works of art and practical items, but also crafting philosophies. These teachings are simultaneously rooted in self sufficiance and relying on one's community.
This disparity has been the subject of a great many writings of scholars, both in the Order and in the Clandom at large. Some of the most acclaimed arguments have been those that do not choose one side over the other, but rather show that the two ideas are not as opposed as it might seem at first glance. The central argument to Goldenflame Harouq Minenarc's 3284 seminal work, Grains of Sand in the Desert, was that each of Halfar's followers should aim to master as much as they can so that when the community comes together, they are able to provide their expertise along with all of the others to build something that they would be incapable of alone. Being able to take care of one's self is just as important as being able to contribute and being able to accept help from others in areas where they are more knowledgeable.
Structure
The head of the Order of Craft is known as the Everflame. The Everflame has the last word on any subject in the Order, be it approving expeditions or the creation of new weapons, if the Everflame choses to intercede, their decision is final. Below the Everflame, there are the Goldenflames: a group of five members of the order who help them shape the future of the Order and focus on big-picture plans.
Below the Goldenflames, there are several ranks of the Order. In order of rank, they are the Holy Flames, the Flames, the Coals, and the Embers. As new members climb the ranks from Ember to Holy Flame or beyond, they learn more of the Order's secrets, techniques, and ceremonies.
Holy Flames are often leaders in the Order. They run everything from temples and monasteries to councils and projects for the Goldenflames. Many of their duties are administrative, though to achieve their positions, all are requiced to be expert combatants. Within the ranks of the Holy Flames, rank is determined by seniority. This can be disrupted by a dictate from the Glodenflames or by the Everflame. This is true of all ranks, but it is nearly unheard of for any but the Holy Flames. Holy Flames are often given discretion to pursue their own projects as well. When it comes to the Holy Flames, these projects are generally large in scope, and can involve several teams of Flames and Coals.
Flames act as assistants to Holy Flames. They spend much of their time going over the projects with the Holy Flames, bringing up points of difficulty and figuring out solutions, and directing the efforts of Coals involved on the project. When Flames are given leave to pursue their own projects, the scope is generally limited to what they and a handful of Coals can accomplish.
Coals work as detail-focused members of the Order, doing much of the grunt work of projects. From measuring to construction, Coals do much of the physical labor needed to complete projects. When allowed to pursue personal projects, they are often small, unsophistocated items. Occasionally their projects won't actually do anything, they simply exist to show mastery over certian techniques and tools. When the Order of Justice needs some small thing done, it is most frequently Coals who are sent to complete the task.
Embers are very limited. They spend most of their time learning how the Order works, its history, and its most basic techniques. If they are allowed in on projects at all, it is with supervision and as an opportunity to demonstrate the skills they have learned. Coals are often in charge of their education, but if one shows great promise or talent, a Flame or Holy Flame might take over their instruction instead.
To put it metaphorically, if the Holy Flames are architects, Flames are the foremen, Coals are the builders, and the Embers are apprentices.
The Lowlight also reports directly to the Everflame. The Lowlight is in charge of the Seared: dishonored members of the Order who sought repentance as servants of the Order. They take care of the day-to-day as well as the menial duties required by the Order. Not all who are dishonored become Seared. This is only for those who have committed the worst of offences and who have sought to repent in Halfar's eyes. Those who refuse to atone or who deny their crimes despite inquiry are labeled Lightless and excommunicated from the Bound Orders, and often exiled from the Clandom. The Lightless are considered the worst apostates, and even their remains are denied traditional Dwarven honors.
Divine Origins
The Order of Craft was founded at the same time as the Order of Justice, just a few years after the founding of the Dwarven Clandom. The founders of both organizations were friends in the service of Clan Dergus. They felt the need for religious organizations that would protect Halfar's teachings and bring his justice across the world. Hektun Dergus founded the Order of Craft with the desire to show the great works that those following Halfar could achieve. Meanwhile, Arqual Dergus founded the Order of Justice to see Halfar's morality enforced.
Tenets of Faith
That which we create venerates Halfar.
Our creations can show people the wrongs of their ways.
Whatever is destroyed, we can rebuild, and improve.
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