The Church of the Flame
We are the Flame, and darkness fears us!
On the Nature of Heresy
The Church hunts those who would besmirch the churches teachings and worship the foul demons of the abyss and whatever damnable things may exist beyond our reality. Anything that is unholy or pagan is heretical and should be opposed. With the other gods, the church teaches that they are merely aspects of the Flame, and for the most part this has stuck and now most of the world considers the other main gods (excluding ones who are tied to specific regions) to be a sort of "sub pantheon" or more popularly, the Flames children. Those that are branded heretics are many, and it is the job of the witch hunters to find and burn them at the stake or free them of sin. Many heretics either those who do not believe in any divine being, or those of rival faiths, such as the pantheons of Orliea or the northern barbarians and their worship of animals, spirits, and ancestors. Some are more accepted then others such as the dwarven pantheon and Arrka in the south (though the many of the minor Djinn and Genies are surely demented demons according to the church). Some heretics used to be believers in the Flame who claim to have "witnessed the terrible truth of the Flame and its horrific countenance" but these words fall on the deaf ears of witch hunters and occasional angered mobs of wrathful peasantry seeking to lynch a heretic in their midst.Mythology & Lore
The Flame was always there, always waiting for the world to embrace its message of love and strength. It is the creator of the world, and the protector. It made the world and the stars in but a week, and rested for just one day. He would seed the world with life anew, and even summon the mighty world spear to help the process along. It is he who smite the demons away from this realm and cast them to the furthest reaches of hell, and it was he who watched over the living, as well as his minor gods that served him. Glory to the Flame, for it is our protector and our creator.
Divine Origins
The church was one of the first churches to be founded, hailing from deep within the land that would become the Kingdom of Ashenfeld. This religion was started when Heymon would unite the tribes under the Kingdom of Ashenfeld, and proclaimed that the Flame had guided his every move. As he was laid to rest by his entourage of warlords and closest advisors, some of the men in the group would recieve a vision from The Flame. This vision told the men to spread his word to prepare the world for the forces of evil and darkness itself. Soon after they began to preach of the flame, and soon after become the main religion of the forming kingdom. Over the hundreds of years, they would spread the word of the flame, with mixed success, and sometimes have tried to find similarities between some local gods and their own. Ustaria has been the nation the church has had the most success with. Holy wars define the Church of the Flame, despite preaching for peace. The Crusades being the most infamous.
To this day it remains the largest church in the world, though over time some of its political power has waned since the Crusade of Light, a fact that annoys priests to no end. The church's influence can be seen in nearly all walks of life, and with it, its holy preachers, and warriors spread the name to fight back the forces of darkness and heresy.
Cosmological Views
The Church of the Flame has a holy trinity, that being: the Flame, the Light, and the Kindler
The Flame is that which gives strength and power to those that would fight the forces of darkness and heresy, and is the bulwark of the faith
The Light is what the flame generates, and provides comfort, healing, and joy to those who believe.
The Kindler represents humanity and how it must make sacrifices in the name of the Flame to keep it alive and protecting the world
Tenets of Faith
The Church of the Flame has a set of rules and guidelines listed out in the Verses of Flame. Some examples being:
- Verse XII: Forbid thyself from incurring debts
- Verse CXI: The pure shall refuse all strangers' gifts
- Verse XXI: Heathens alone fear death...
- Verse LXI: When all is lost, stand firm. The Flame endures
- Verse XIII: Only the faithless fear death
- Verse VI: Preserve thine own virtue above all else
- Verse LXVIII: Pray to the Light, for it will grant you joy...
- Verse XXXIV: Pride is the path to foolishness...
- Verse CXV: When health wanes, only prayer can restore it
- Verse LXI: Always know -- never exceed -- thy limits
- Verse XII: Quick-burning fires herald pain and torture
- Verse XXXVI: The Light shines brightest in darkness
Worship
Worship typically takes place on the day of Khurn every week, with either a morning or evening prayer. Typically worshippers will try to worship at both services, which take roughly an hour each. Service commonly includes a priest of the rank of deacon or even just a humble monk to lead a service for the faithful, which involves prayer, ritualistically eating small bits of bread and wine, and to have the priest or monk have a small lesson or story to tell the audience to help them see god in their daily lives. In truth however while always hyped up and emphasized, going to church isn't required to pray to the flame, as soldiers far from home or adventures can simply hold a symbol of him to their forehead as they kneel in prayer for a few short minutes or longer. However the church always emphasizes the need to go to church, as that brings in donations.
Priesthood
The priesthood can be anyone who goes through initiation into the church, and so can vary wildly in temperament and life experience. The lowest rank a priest can begin holding service is Deacon, with anything lower then that being an Initiate and so normally follows a Deacon or priest around as training. IT is said only priests of the order can read from the holy book, and so the regular peasantry rely on the priesthood to teach them how to live a good and just life. The highest rank one can achieve is the Pope, spiritual leader of the faith and said to be chosen by the flame itself.
Granted Divine Powers
The Flame grants power to those who serve in its faith, from being able to smite the followers of Darkness and heresy to healing the sick and injured.
Political Influence & Intrigue
For much of its history, the church has been able to piggyback off the powers of the King of Ashenfeld, and the areas of Rasko and Bolsilva, and it is common to see a small church here and there across the world. Orliea is the one place they have had less luck in introducing to the faith, as the people there have their own gods they very staunchly cling too. The church has tried to push into Vebastonne but has seen little success, however some scholars are arguing if Lilia is simply a different interpretation of the Flame.
The Church's power is massive and unending. It encompasses a huge area of the known world, and its watch is eternal. Through its gaze the world is kept in order, or at least so they claim. It has large armies of holy crusader orders, and witch hunters that roam the world in search of heresy and corruption.
Sects
There are three official sects of The Church of the Flame: The Vestal Sisterhood, the Crusader Orders, and the Flagellant cults.
The Vestal Sisterhood is an order of virgin warrior woman who swear vows of chastity and tend to the holy flame, the holiest sight to the church said to house the first flame lit by their god. Other flames exist in many other churches, but these will usually only have one or two sisters tending to it. They are taken in as children as young as 8 and trained in the ways of battle and taught to never let the flame die out, lest it invite destruction and turmoil. They are punished severely if they break their vows or let the flame die out. Their chastity in life is said to allow them to be closer to the Flame.
The Crusader orders are less a single organized group and more a collection of orders spread across the world that fight in the name of the church and the Light.
The Flagellant cults are a sect dedicated to the mortification of ones own flesh in penance or simply as a belief that it brings them closer to the flame. That if they go through all the pain and sacrifice needed they will become closer to the flames holy light. They will usually go around on various holy days and hold grand presentations where they flagellate themselves so that they may be freed of sin. Their numbers have grown as of late due to a large portion of the orc population become overcome with a religous awakening of the need to flagellate in penance for their past crimes against the followers of the light
“IN HOC SIGNO” – By this sign
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Alternative Names
The Church of Light
Permeated Organizations
Deities
- Aslir, Deity of Fertility
- Ibium, God of Seasons and Change
- Inos, God of the Hunt
- Khulo, God of Retribution and Revenge
- Phitima, Goddess of War
- Rudvite, Goddess Of Mercy
- Shomjir, God of Travel and Curiosity
- The Flame
- Vandarr, God of Death
- Voenta, Goddess of Courage, Duty, and Loyalty
- Vuyaja, Goddess of knowledge
Divines
Related Professions
