Cult of the Eternal Flame

Emphasizing personal power, perseverance, and surviving in a land marked by war, the Cult of the Eternal Flame has grown to be one of the most popular religious organizations in Shuar . Worshiping Cerenis, this cult emphasizes fire as a destructive and transformative force.

Structure

The cult is made up of a many loosely affiliated local cults of Cerenis. There is no hierarchy amongst the cults but members of one sect are expected to aid the others. Most of the local cults are divided into a loose hierarchy based on one's initiation but have no former leader.

Those who wish to become iniated are called Acolytes of Embers it can take years before one is considered ready to be initiated into the cult. In the first initiation the acolyte is tested on the cult's rituals and doctrine by senior members. If the acolyte proves their knowledge they are lead into a darkened room where a burning alter provides the only source of illumination. They strip off their own clothes and dresses in robes marked with flame patterns provided by the cult. The acolyte's old clothes are sacrificed on the alter along with some of the acolyte's blood, drawn from the arm or palm with a knife that had previously been passed through the alter's fire ritually purifying it. The rest of this ritual various from sect to sect but common elements are the creation of patterns on the skin either with makeup or the heated knife and the acolyte being given some sort of token signifying their membership in the cult. The acolyte is then considered remade by the flames and now a Cleric of the Flames and an official member of the cult.

There are a few members of the cult called the Exalted of the Flames who were able to commune with Cerenis herself through great devotion to her and a ceremony that includes ritual combat a metal weapon heated in the alter or ideally a weapon made of flame touched wood .

Public Agenda

The cult focuses on empowering those in lands marked by conflict even those who are not members. They generally have poor relations with Kohri and the Ostarian Empire as the two competed for control of Shuar while the cult advocated for the Shuar driving both sovereignties from their lands. Recently the cult has also come into conflict with the sovereignties ruling the Kalakirs as many Kalakirin rebels draw inspiration from the cult or even are members of the cult.

Assets

The cult has around 150 iniated members spread across Shuar and around 40 in the Kalakirs.

Tenets of Faith

The Flames Endure

Just as the flames can survive as long as there is fuel you can survive as well

Destructive Power

Everyone has the potential of great power within them and this power should be unleashed and let burn bright

Transformative Power of the Flames

Just as the flames reshape items, one should let the flames of hardship and experience transform them into a better version of themself

Martial Ability

To survive and thrive in lands shaped by war you must be able to properly defend yourself and fight when needed

Defense of Others

As you have the power to defend yourself you should provide defense to those to who have not discovered their own power yet

Worship

The cult meets regularly to offer up prayers and sacrifices, usually in blood, to Cerenis. The bodies of a cult member's defeated enemies are especially valued. During these meetings they also train together as a form of further worship and veneration. Repairing items especially weapons and armour is also a form of veneration.

The fire always burns

Founding Date

~20 AE

Deities

• Cerenis

Location

Ostari

Related Ethnicities

• Shuaris