Temple of the Steady Flame
History
The Temple of the Steady Flame is located in the northern foothills of the Hammershard Mountains, not far from both the Great Jungle of Gerule and the Fallen Sea desert. It was established in 3356 as a strong position for reconnaissance against the marauding minotaurs of the mountains and trading with desert nomads and gnomes. There had been a small community of dwarves in the area, dating back as far as 3075, but it was a hard place to live until the arrival of Halfar’s devoted. Though established in 3356, construction of the temple was not completed until 3384, largely due to the size of the temple and the limited number of workers employed. Located at the top of Mt. Badkur, a large foothill, moving the stone to the construction site was also a difficult task. They were quarrying the stone from Mt. Saknit, one of the foothills to the east. The quarry had a good deposit of gneiss, which the temple was largely constructed from. They were also able to quarry some of the quartz banding, which they used for decorations and windows. The expedition was largely comprised of members of the Order of Craft, though it was run by the Order of Justice. The rationale behind this decision was that they would be moving through hostile territory, and the Order of Justice better knew how to protect those present. During the expedition of devotees and workers sent to claim the site and build the temple, it was Holy Vanguard Major Kiggy Sekkinfur who was placed in charge. Though she was a Major of the Vanguard of the Order of Justice, most of the military personel under her command here were Holy Sentinals. She fought fearlessly against minotaur raids on the burgeoning temple, and led many successful missions to root out their control of the surrounding area. Unfortunately, she fell in 3378 in a particularly vicious assault on the temple, and her sacrifice was what allowed the battle to be won. Sadly, she never got to see the temple finished. Lady Kiggy was sainted as Saint Kiggy of Palisades by the Clan Dergus and serves as The Temple of the Steady Flame’s patron saint. A statue of her was also placed in the central courtyard, her gleaming brass form a reminder of the sacrifices not only made by Halfar’s clergy, but also expected and encouraged. Holy Vanguard Major Kiggy was succeeded by Lady of Holy Flame Francilier Fleurique, a gnomish convert that hadn’t been on the initial expedition, but had joined as they journeyed through the Gerulian Jungle in 3351. Her appointment, though clearly rushed, solidified strategic relationships with gnomish settlements and ensured favorable trade rates and access to some of their war engineering. She was eager to prove her devotion to Halfar, despite the reputation she was earning as a political appointment. Her studies of the Hammered Book (the teachings of Halfar primarily focused on smithing and crafting) were intense and insightful, and she could soon quote and reference the book better than most dwarves. She took many of its teachings to their natural conclusions and practiced them. One example was her refusal to wear armor or wield weapons that she had not forged herself. In the early days of Lady Francilier’s appointment, much of the actual day-to-day was taken care of by Sir Flame Cersax Minenarc of Ash Ink. His organizational skills were exemplary, due in no small part to his desire to use the ink that he put so much effort into. Even when she was capable of handling the temple better, she relied on his help to keep things rolling smoothly. He had volunteered to come on this expedition so that he could write an account of the temple's construction and efforts for the Orders' official records. Due to the harsh conditions of the surrounding area, the Gnomes’ war with the Orcs, and the lack of similar services nearby, Lady Kiggy commissioned an orphanage to be built within the temple grounds. The orphanage did go largely empty, as many gnomes wanted their young to be trained in the traditions of Quetminook. While never completely empty after 3362, it never reached capacity, which many viewed as a good thing. After the completion of the Temple of the Steady Flame, there was only one minotaur raid. The walls held, and all of the aggressors were cleansed in early 3385. After that, the minotaurs largely vacated the area surrounding the temple. Lady Francilier was committed to the founding purposes of the temple, one of which was surveillance of their most vicious foes. She commissioned several lenses from the gnomes, who had invented them for use in the warforged, in order to be able to better learn of the minotaurs’ activities. They were installed in 3387, though their effectiveness was not quite as potent as hoped. Many of their sneakier members were sent out on patrols into minotaur territory. These missions were put under the purview of the order of Justice. Their efforts have managed to secure an area 20 miles in every direction, though they still undertake long-term missions in order to surveil and track the movements of Minotaurs in the mountains. Occasionally, a contingent of Order of Justice Vanguard will come through and hit targets that the Temple has been keeping track of. While they are staying in the temple, either on their way to the mission or returning from it, there are often celebrations held. These are large events, with days or even a deima being spent in preparation. When the Vanguard are returning, if they were victorious, the merriments were much more joyful. Alcohol is consumed by the barrel, and the feast is enormous. In the rare scenarios of failure, things take a much more somber tone. Gone is the cheering and merriment as the survivors sit and drink in silence, picking sparingly at sparse meals. Often, a veil is placed on the statue of Saint Kiggy, so she will not have to look upon the dishonor brought upon her temple.
Type
Temple / Church
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