Fire Maiden
The Wandering Flame
I have studied all kinds of wild, interesting and sometimes bizarre stuff. You wouldn't believe how many silly facts I learned through my first 5 years.
One of the most well-known religious figures, the Fire Maiden is the head of the Wandering Flame's Church. Chosen by the faith and appointed the mouthpiece of Fasma, she is the one that forms the connection between the material and the world beyond.
Requirements
Little is known about the inherent requirements of what makes a Fire Maiden. Despite there being over couple dozen, not public records dictate what Church officials look for in a new one.
There have been a few reoccurring traits though:
- All female
- Deep blue eyes
- Anywhere between late teens to young adult
- Above-average literate skills
Appointment
A Fire Maiden gets chosen from the population, either Luxaltar itself or the surrounding area. With guidance from the old one, a new one is appointed from the crowd. Most presume that the Fire Maiden gets guided by Fasma to decide who will be next.
Once chosen, the new one moves into the Church of the First Flame, becoming an apprentice to the Fire Maiden. There they learn the lifestyle and duties of what it takes to be the oracle of Fasma.
Apprenticeship can take anywhere from a few months to a few years, depending on when the choosing is done. Duties can be both mundane tasks to learning to communicate with Fasma. Most of it stays within the church walls though, not being public knowledge to the populace.
The final part is a ceremonial transfer of power, done in privacy. The former Fire Maiden offers a hand-made dress and a torch staff, removing her own garments as well. After the old one dresses up in clergy attire, they make their way to the First Flame.
There, with the torch staff they take a bit of the fire emitting from the meteor, bringing it to the church's balcony. With a ceremonial speech, she lights a lantern that will shine for as long as her term goes, hanging above the main entrance of the church.
Duties
The main duty of the Fire Maiden is to act as a mouthpiece of Fasma and as her eyes and ears for the material plane. Most of their daily tasks is to learn and study, partaking in deep research of legend and lore alike. Sometimes such sessions go from sunrise to sunset with few pauses.
Every week or so, she reports back to Fasma as well to make note of discoveries or particular things that caught her interest. Such sessions are done in meditation, requiring complete concentration with no outside influence.
Alongside that, she also serves in Luxaltar's council, having veto over most decisions made.
Benefits
Political & Religious Power
The life of a Fire Maiden is one with lots of responsibilities, but also many advantages. As the head of the Wandering Flame's Church, they sit just below the will of Fasma to do as they please. In most cases their authority is absolute, with some exceptions existing to avoid a dictatorship.
Even in Luxaltar's politics do they have power, wielding the right of a veto in the council.
Luxuries
Most live a life of a scholar, learning and studying tomes and legends as old as time itself. To be a Fire Maiden is to live in the luxury of higher education and expansive knowledge. As such, they find themselves specialised in all sorts of research: astrology, history, biology and arcana.
All live within the convines of the First Flame's Church, having an entire wing dedicated to them and their servants. Anything the Fire Maiden wishes her servants provide, whether it be a mere meal or an ancient tome from the city archives.
Divine Gifts
I technically can go around naked without any issues, but I don't think Fasma would like her repesentative to be known as the "nudist oracle".
As a mouthpiece to Fasma, it's no surprise they also have a divine gift as well. While their powers share similarities to other Clerics of the faith, they also have a slew of traits unique to them:
- An immunity to fire, both normal and magical.
- A body that regulates to any temperature, avoiding both freezing to death or heatstrokes.
- Multilingual understanding allowing her to speak, read and write in most living languages.
- Conjuration magic allowing the creation of lesser objects.
Accoutrements & Equipment
There are two significant items given to the Fire Maiden upon her appointment:
- Her dress, an iconic part of her appearance. Each one is tailor-made, designed in mind of the new Fire Maiden. Upon a transfer of power, the old one is ceremonially burned and the ashes stored in an urn.
- Her torch staff, a crucial part of many rituals she is part of. With it, she lights up other sources with the First Flame's fire, most noticeable during the Week of Warmth.
History
Origins
The Fire Maiden began when Iscah discovered the First Flame. Upon touching the burning meteorite, she came in contact with the Celestial creator, Fasma. There, she learned about the past of Fabulae and the forgotten truths of the world.
Afterwards, Fasma offered Iscah a gift to compensate, giving her the divine gifts of all Fire Maidens. Only years later did the Celestial suggest the idea of the Wandering Flame's Church. Graceful for the gift, Iscah accepted it, becoming officially the first Fire Maiden.
Early Years
The first few centuries were a golden age for the Fire Maiden, as Luxaltar's growth helped as well. Stories about the oracle spread across Nexu and beyond, even finding popularity in Origionne for a while. There was a time where no scholar couldn't discuss the existence of the Fire Maiden due to her close association with Fasma.
She showed up at scholarly debates across Nexu, even helping some in their research. And as the Maidens passed their role down to a new one, they built their work off one another. Combined with her power in Luxaltar's council, the Fire Maiden was a well-taught figure.
Age of Silence
Things changed when the Great Sangfroid War ended, as to the shock of many, Fasma severed the link between Maiden and the Celestial Realm. As such, starting from Wanesa, Fire Maidens ceased to have most divine gifts they were known of.
To avoid a panic, officials hid the truth, keeping up a facade against the public. Officials choose successors instead, often making deals with families for their child become the next in line.
Without Fasma though, corruption had no issue growing in the church. As such, to avoid the power creeping into the Maiden's head, power was slowly carried over to the church officials. By around the 800s, the Maiden was but a ceremonial title more than anything.
Modern Day
After Ori Santoro appeared, things changed for the rank of Fire Maiden. Restoring the former power of the title, she also tried to fix the problems centuries of corruption caused.
Nowadays Ori helps with updating the archives, changing information to fit modern, unbiased knowledge on the subjects. But as her term is drawing near, she is also preparing for the next Fire Maiden to take her place.
Cultural Significance
Sure, you can say you studied years of the world's history, but if your words fall on deaf ears there is not much to do than to move on hoping someone else will listen.
Amongst Sichelan's population, the Fire Maiden is a title known far and wide. Both followers of the faith and outsiders know of her existence, going by many names. Elves refer to her as child of the First Star, scholars as the Scholar Saint.
However, several centuries of the name being reduced to a mere decorative one has sullied it. While most still respect the title, the damage still exists in many circles. As such, her presence in the academic world is lesser than it ever was.
Notable Holders
- Iscah: The first Maiden, the one who discovered the First Flame.
- Wanesa: The last true Maiden before the Age of Silence, believed to actually have caused Fasma's dissappearance.
- Ori Santoro: The current Maiden, returning the Church to its former glory.
Scholar Saint
Child of the First Star
Comments
Author's Notes