Faith of the Sacred Flame
When the Bright Father bestowed our ancestors with the imperishable flame of souls, he gave us clarity, immortality and the power to burn away the darkness! He saw something in us… A power like his own and he sought to elevate us to a higher state! As bearers of Maeor's light, it is our duty to fight the darkness that corrupts this world! We must cast the light of the Sacred Flame upon the weak, the poor and the sick! As you walk the path of destiny, I want all of you to keep your flames burning strong! Keep faith with the Bright Lords, and the light shall never abandon you! May your flame burn bright! Forever and always! - Warin of NamosThe Faith of the Sacred Flame is the dominant religion in Archaelia. It is the largest of the magian religions and is among the world's oldest and most powerful institutions. It has played a pivotal role in the development of Archaelian civilization and culture and is a dominant force in politics and government. The Faith is headed by the Supreme Magus and its central administration is located in the Holy Citadel of Astalorum.
Structure
The hierarchy of the Faith consists of its magi, priests and servitors. The religion is comprised of one hundred and forty-eight Orders and each is overseen by a magus. The five highest ranking Orders of the Faith are called the High Orders. Four of the five magi responsible for the oversight of the High Orders share the title of Arch Magus. The magus of the High Order of Astalorum holds the title of Supreme Magus. The Supreme Magus holds the highest office in the Faith and is considered to be the leader of the magians.
Each Order of the Faith is responsible for the management and upkeep of its temples. The term "temple" is used to refer to the territorial entities managed by the Faith, the communities that live within them, and the buildings of worship at their centers. Along with worship and religious rites, temples provide several important public services. Temples dedicated to charity often serve as hospitals for the sick and housing for the poor. Temples dedicated to law house trials, officiate marriages and host naming ceremonies. Temples dedicated to knowledge serve as public libraries, laboratories and colleges. The function of any given temple depends largely on its geographic location, the occupational backgrounds of its clerics and the duties assigned to it by a magus.
The largest and most powerful temples are the five Arch Temples. Arch Temples serve as the primary base of operations for the High Orders and are managed by the Arch Magi. Each Arch Temple possesses a massive flame tower with a holy fire representing Maeor's presence on earth and the power of the Sacred Flame.
History
The Faith originated four thousand years before the War of the Chosen King in the continent of Carthas. According to legend, the Bright Lords appeared before the magi on the shores of Lake Radab where they revealed the Lost Histories and the Eternal War. Afterward the magi embarked on holy pilgrimages to share their divine knowledge and holy wisdom. Thousands of magi sailed north to eastern Archaelia and preached the glory of their gods to the native inhabitants of Atyria. The magi became an influential group in eastern Archaelia and the Faith of the Sacred Flame served as the state religion of the Atyrian Empire until the Makasite Conquests of 243 BJ.
Hundreds of magi and thousands of their followers fled from the east following the destruction of the Atyrian Empire and traveled west where they took up residence in cities and settlements controlled by the Lenovans of Merros. The violent history between the Republic of Lenova and the Atyrian Empire caused many Lenovan citizens to distrust the magi and many believed them to be the servants of malevolent gods and evil spirits. Persecution of magians was common in the Republic until the ascent of Galedon of the Great, who became the first Emperor of Lenova in 14 BJ. Galedon later converted to magism in 5 BJ and issued the Fifth Decree which granted magians legal protection and citizenship rights.
Galedon's reforms were largely rejected by western Lenovans who favored the primacy of traditional Lenovan religion. Unable to resolve their differences, Galedon and a group of western patricians lead by Maxos of Thessa engaged in a civil conflict that would come to be known as the War of Two Faiths. Despite many victories, Galedon was ultimately defeated in the Battle of Merona in 3 BJ where he was slain by three of his own generals. Galedon's son Galedon II became the second Emperor of Lenova and continued the war in his father's place. In 2 BJ, Galedon II and his remaining allies were forced to flee the Capitol after Maxos's victory at the Battle of Eleria. By 1 BJ, Galedon II had lost more than half of his forces and nearly two thirds of his empire. Just when all hope seemed lost for Galedon II, Mount Tythos erupted and destroyed the Capitol, crippling Maxos' forces and shifting the tide of the war. An event that would change the course of history, the Judgement of Lenova would be interpreted as an act of divine punishment and proof of the Bright Lords' power.
Weakened by civil war and devastated by the Judgement, Maxos and his supporters struggled to maintain control of the west as various Brentic tribes and Stromish kingdoms seized the opportunity to strike at their weakened foe. Maxos abandoned his pursuit of Galedon II and attempted to restore Lenovan rule on Merros during the summer months of 2 AJ. He was ultimately unsuccessful in this endeavor and was killed in the Battle of the Burning Mountain, effectively ending the War of Two Faiths.
In the east, Galedon II consolidated his forces and made the city of Astalorum the capital of his empire in 5 AJ. Galedon would spend the next three decades reclaiming Lenovan cities and enabling the spread of the Faith in the western regions of Archaelia. By 32 AJ, Galedon II reclaimed most of Merros and central Archaelia. Galedon II's successor Aelianus would complete the restoration of the Empire and make Lenovan magism the state religion in 46 AJ. Following a series of internal conflicts within the Faith, the most powerful and influential magi in Archaelia convened in the Council of Lith in 57 AJ where they constructed the The Divine Tenants and the Holy Constitution. The Divine Tenants established the core principles of Lenovan magism and clarified the orthodoxy of the Faith. The Holy Constitution outlined the basic governmental structure of the Faith and restored the primacy of the High Orders.
The Faith of the Sacred Flame thrived in the imperial era and dramatically reshaped the culture of western Archaelia. The Faith continued to be a dominant force in Archaelian politics long after the collapse of the Leonovan Empire in 417. By 572, the Faith possessed more wealth than every Archaelian kingdom combined. The Faith's role in Archaelian society greatly expanded in the following centuries as members of the clergy assumed the roles of judges, doctors and scholars.
Work in progress...
Mythology & Lore
The Faith holds that there are two classes of gods, the Bright Lords of Astaloth and the Dark Ones of Ebiloth. The gods of Astaloth lead by Maeor the Bright Father and the gods of Ebiloth lead by K'Som the Dark Father wage an endless war over control of the cosmos and the power of the Sacred Flame. Maeor the Bright Father is the principal deity of the Faith and is responsible for the creation of the world and the human race. It is said that Maeor sacrificed a portion of his own life force to create the imperishable souls of mankind, granting humans immortality and spiritual clarity. Magians believe that Maeor rests deep within the earth and is destined to return during the events of the Final Prophecy.
Lesser deities among the Bright Ones include Anon of the Skies, Naya of the Seas, Arel of the Mountains, Alon of the Valleys and Maraz of the Underworld. Each rules over various aspects of nature and can be invoked to perform various magical feats. A myriad of mystical beings collectively referred to as angels serve the Bright Ones and defend the world from the forces of Ebiloth.
Work in Progress...
May your flame burn bright.
Founding Date
57 BJ
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Demonym
Magians
Controlled Territories
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Comments
Author's Notes
I quickly came to the realization that it would take me several months to write a comprehensive article about the Faith and its history in the world of Taela. Considering the limitations time has placed on me, I decided to publish something more concise than what I originally planned. Consider this article more of a general summary of the Faith than a compendium. The Faith plays a central role in the story I have planned and is largely analogous to the Catholic Church of medieval Europe. It is a polytheistic religion, but it has more in common with Zoroastrianism and Abrahamism than European paganism. Most of the characters with close ties to this organized religion often struggle to reconcile their beliefs with the logistical needs of their respective Orders. A recurring theme in my stories is "Faith vs. THE Faith." Can a system of government charged with the well being of millions stay true to its primary ideals in this face of great adversity? Is ideological devotion more important than human life? These are the kinds of questions I want to explore.