The Divine Flame
Overview
Location:
The faith in the Divine Flame is one of the most widespread and popular religions in Arboria and The Middle Realms. It is a Human faith, born from the fires of the Cataclysm. The Divine Flame is the parent faith of the offshoot religion that is the Church of the Mason.Gospel:
The Divine Flame is the worship of fire. Ever since an individual is born on to the world, one takes from the fire it's warmth and it's light, they bind the service of the flame to themselves, and they are likewise bound to the service of the flame. It is because of the flame that Humanity has come to not just survive, but thrive. The flame cooks thine food, warms thine home, lights thine way, and frightens off the creatures of darkness to keep one safe. The flame can be used to protect that which is good and just, as well as to purify that which is vile and corrupt. The Divine Flame views The Cataclysm that bathed much of the world in fire as a new beginning, a cleansing of the world of it's corrupt and power hungry empires who were reaching too high. Particularly, the old Elven empire of Kleriel, which called all of the known world it's dominion, and who's most prominent mages were aiming towards achieving godhood. Because of their Arcane ability, and greedy for yet more power, they were struck down by the Divine, and the world was reset. As such, the faith in the Divine Flame views Arcane magic as a sacred force of otherworldly origins, and is not meant to be used by mere mortals, less they succumb to temptation once again, leading them down a dark path of corruption and greed for power. It is unsurprising then, that the people following the Divine Flame swear on Elemental magic, particularly on the element of fire, for their own needs. Arcane magicians meanwhile are frowned upon if not prosecuted, and in lands following the offshoot faith of the Church of the Mason, they are even being hunted and killed. But the Masonite Cult rejects all forms of magic, not just the Arcane.Symbolism:
The Divine Flame is represented as bright burning flames over a brazier. The brazier holds no fuel, and the flames hover over the surface, burning from nothing, burning eternally.Diety:
The faith of the Divine Flame is the worship of the flame itself, or it's believed spirit, the one will behind every flame which is, was, and will be. The flame is a gift from the Divine. Who or what this Divine may be, is not known, but the common belief is that the flame itself is the embodiment of the Divine. It can be benevolent in nature, as well as cruel. They say wherever the flame is, the Divine can see, which is why the faithful always keep a fire lit somewhere in their homes, even if just a candle, and why there is always a brazier kept lit in churches and chapels, a source of light, warmth, and a feeling of protection. Followers of the Divine Flame only pay heed and worship the flame itself. No one individual is glorified, the victories of the faithful are communal, as are their struggles.Traditions & Practices:
Blessings of the Seed
Blessings of the Seed is on the 7th day of the month of Sow. On this day, farmers gather to have the seeds of their crop blessed by the local clergy so that they may bore a plentiful yield.Week of First Harvest
The Week of First Harvest is, as the name would suggest, the 1st week of the month of Harvest. It is early summer, and the first crops are springing from the earth. During this time, festivals and farmers markets are organised.Week of Last Harvest
It is the last week of the month of Wind, from the 25th to the 31st. The cold winter is not too far away, and the last the earth will bare this year has been reaped. It is celebrated much the same as the Week of First Harvest, but mainly aimed for farmers and craftsmen to push out their excess before winter.Night of Hearths
The Night of Hearths is celebrated on the last night of the old year, and the first day of the new, which is supposed to be the coldest. Symbolically, large communal bonfires are lit around which folk gather to socialise and sing praise. Naturally, merchants exploit these town gatherings to set up vibrant, warmly lit stalls where they sell holiday goods through out much of the night.Day of Courage
The Day of Courage is celebrated in the middle of the month of Thaw, usually on a Sunday, when the winter cold is in full retreat with spring just on the horizon. It is celebrated with dressing up in vibrant red and valiantly marching down the streets with lit torches in hand, while making as much noise as possible by ringing bells or blowing horns, in an attempt to scare away the winter frost with life and fire.Cremation
Cremation is the practice of burning one's body after death. All men, through out their lives, have taken from the fire, now at their very end, they must return to it. It is not only ceremonial, but practical as well, as it prevents the deceased to rise again due to foul necromancy or some supernatural curse.Mass
The mass is, as the name would suggest, the mass-gathering of the faithful to join in prayer. They are organised for a variety of purposes, such as to say farewell to a recently deceased, to offer prayer for someone who has long been gone, to bless a newborn child, or bare witness to a marriage. These are the more private masses, while public masses are held regularly for general prayer.Hierarchy:
Patriarch
The Patriarch is the religious leader of a nation. Patriarchs convene in a yearly Sacred Circle, which is as much ceremonial as it is political, in which they discuss topics and issues regarding the faith at large, and cooperate to overcome obstacles.Bishop
The Bishop is the religious overseer of a sector or province who coordinates efforts and pools resources. A Bishop is then the one who herds his flock, so to speak.Priest
The Priest is the leading figure of a church or chapel. They lead ceremonies and spread the good will of the Divine Flame.Scribe
The Scribes are the bureaucrats of the faith's institutions. They handle documentation and accounting.Auxiliary
The Auxiliary is a secondary figure, a trainee, a helper, they act as servants within a church or chapel, keep it tidy, tend to the fire, and aid priors or scribes in the execution of their tasks or during ceremonies, all the while learning from them, so that they may one day be elevated to their place.Rhymes & Prayers:
''Come, weary traveler, sit by our fire, rest thine soul, and lend thine ear to our holy choir.'' ''By the light and warmth of the holy fire, may our spirits never tire, let the world test our resolve, even when times turn ever so dire.'' ''Divine Flame, i beg thee, let not the darkness come for me, i shall for ever have a candle lit, i shall forever do thein work till thee see fit.'' ''Never fear, for the Divine Flame watches over all who lend it their ear, let it's light guide thee through life, less it becomes a mire of strife.'' ''Oh Divine Flame, guard me down my humble path, towards the fire of the furnace, the water of the chalice, the winds in the mill, and the seed of the earth, all from which we make our bread.'' ''Be grateful, bow, and dust thein head with ash, as it is the Divine Flame around which the world revolves, for it is warmth that makes the waters flow, and warmth of air that makes the winds blow, and if the earth too cold, it would host naught but ice and snow.'' ''Divine Flame, shield me from the chaotic ones, those who pervert the forces of life and the heavens, ones who lure with power and promise of plenty. Tis' a ruse, and tis' my soul they're after, to rob me whole, to leave me empty.''History
Origin
The faith in the Divine Flame came in to being in the aftermath of the Cataclsym which shook the world and plunged it in to a swift ice age. Like many cultures around the world at the time, the Humans fleeing the encroaching cold swallowing their lands whole in the far north found their greatest ally in the flames of their fire, which provided them with warmth, warded off foes, upon which they cooked their food, and which sparked hope, and to an extent, faith. Not all of Humanity adopted the worship of the Divine Flame, as the western culture of the Jermane were partially saved by Elven magic and were taken under their wing, while eastern Humanity, who would become known as the Slaya, a spin on the word ''slayer'' due to their long and bloody conflict with eastern Elvendom during their migration south, would firmly embrace the Divine Flame not only as their benefactor, but as a weapon against their enemies as well. The Heimer people were the last to migrate, and were trapped in the western region of Drakkenheim, with neither an Elven miracle to lead them across the Nord Sea and make them an ally, nor any Elves to oppose them and make them an enemy. As such, they remained, and they survived, and are today the only ones who still follow the Old Gods. The Slaya and the faith in the Divine Flame spread like wildfire across eastern Arboria, and was quickly adopted by the Humans of Nemedia and their migrants flooding south in to the barren lands of what are today known as Kophir, Turran, and Shah'raj. The Elves of the east could barely resist the invading Humans, as the Cataclysm rendered them powerless, their once godlike Arcane powers were no more, and they did little to hold their advance south. The wars of the Great Migrations were as long as they were bloody, born out of desperation, and they formed a deep hatred between Humanity and Elvendom in the region. In time, the Elves reorganised and adapted, but they had already lost a whole third of their dominion, not just because of invading forces from both the north and south, but due to numerous internal conflicts as well. It is because of this that the faith in the Divine Flame believes that the Elves were purposefully stripped of their power as punishment, they reached too high towards the Divine, instead of humbling themselves before it. As such, followers of the Divine Flame reject Arcane magic all together, believing it is a power that corrupts, and only make use of simple elemental magics and runes.The Masonite Cult
The Masonite Cult, officially known as the Church of the Mason, is an extremist offshoot belief from the Divine Flame which idolises the acts of prominent early individuals in their continued struggle against the Arborian Elves as they pushed westwards in to what is today Ardechia and Vishigrad, and who had deified them after their eventual passing. The message of their prophet, known simply as The Mason, and his disciples was clear: the age of Elves is over, reject all magic, and embrace the forge. Unlike the Divine Flame, the Masonites brand all forms of magic as heretical and have instead turned towards technology. They are technocrats and industrialists united in faith against the evil that is magic and those who pervert their lands with it. They believe it is unnatural, a false promise made by trickster gods that would lead them to damnation, just as it did Elven kind when the Cataclysm crippled their power, and saw their mighty civilisation fall because of their dependency on it.Present time
The Divine Flame in todays time is fairly peaceful. It's main mandate is to protect and guide it's flock of followers and offer an anchor for people to hold on to in dire times. It is well known for it's humanitarian efforts in poorer regions, and it puts great effort in locating, collecting, and burning the dead in an effort to prevent the spread of the undead plague. It has missions in foreign lands to attempt and spread the faith, for the beacon of light and warmth that is the flame to offer guidance to lost souls elsewhere, but they have mixed results, and sometimes even run in to trouble. In most realms, the Church of the Divine Flame is secondary to the state itself, except in Kassaria, where the faith and the state are one and the same.
Followed by:
- Tsardom of Kyrus
- Dutchy of Groziya
- Dutchy of Lavonia
- Kingdom of Arnhall
- Kingdom of Kassaria
- Kingdom of Kophir
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Subsidiary Organizations
Comments