Order of the Burning Crown
The Order of the Burning Crown (often 'Burning Crown') is a relatively young polytheistic religion dominant in Ustraria and Iyr, with a moderate following in Balaqalneyis. It is largely absent in Seyis-Gol, Unenshuut, and Kiva. It is (half-consciously) an offshoot of Sehndism, the link which is most evident in the presence of Goas, the water deity, but its creationist nature tends to disguise its roots.
Its central creation myth, The Placing of the Crown, and The Great Ones (its deities) form the axis for its teachings and culture. This concept of having once been 'below' and now 'above' informed the choice of calendar terms -- Belowcloud (BC) and Abovecloud (AC) -- that have been adopted universally, with the Burning Crown believing that Year 1AC began as soon as the chosen were placed on Icalar by Ieb. Non-Crownists use the same date system merely out of convenience. The first recorded use of the name 'Order of the Burning Crown' ironically only appears in 843AC; Crownists reluctantly accept this as their formal founding date but like to emphasize that the core tenets of their faith is far older.
The House of Leavings is often aligned with the Burning Crown, but it behaves and is treated more as a secular profession. Children predisposed to becoming Shepherds of Leaving are often identified in Holdings.
Its symbol is a burning crown, stylized as an unbroken central ring (occasionally along which are written the names of the Great Ones) and nine openwork flames on its outer edge.
Structure
Current Heralds: Skodis Issedel and Adoqinn Erish
In order of rank, highest to lowest: Herald, Hand, Minister, Chaplain, Servant, Initiate
In order of size, largest to smallest: Glory, Temple, Cloister, Holding Initiates are educated at a Holding; they graduate as Servants into a Cloister, which is a basic church overseen by one to two Chaplains and concerns itself with the welfare of the surrounding community. Larger communities usually have a Temple, which is typically overseen by a Minister; cities are designated such by the presence of a Glory, which is the largest type of temple and is overseen by a Hand. A Herald -- of which there are currently two -- oversees all Burning Crown proceedings across Icalar. All Burning Crown structures have some level of sanctum, the holy space where services are conducted. In the case of Cloisters, often the whole building is considered a sanctum, while in Holdings and Temples and Glories these are dedicated rooms of varying grandeur. Connected to all sanctums is a far smaller room known as the treasury, where ritual tools are kept and service-givers change clothes.
In order of rank, highest to lowest: Herald, Hand, Minister, Chaplain, Servant, Initiate
In order of size, largest to smallest: Glory, Temple, Cloister, Holding Initiates are educated at a Holding; they graduate as Servants into a Cloister, which is a basic church overseen by one to two Chaplains and concerns itself with the welfare of the surrounding community. Larger communities usually have a Temple, which is typically overseen by a Minister; cities are designated such by the presence of a Glory, which is the largest type of temple and is overseen by a Hand. A Herald -- of which there are currently two -- oversees all Burning Crown proceedings across Icalar. All Burning Crown structures have some level of sanctum, the holy space where services are conducted. In the case of Cloisters, often the whole building is considered a sanctum, while in Holdings and Temples and Glories these are dedicated rooms of varying grandeur. Connected to all sanctums is a far smaller room known as the treasury, where ritual tools are kept and service-givers change clothes.
Public Agenda
Community philanthropy and wider world harmony and progression through veneration of the pantheon.
Mythology & Lore
Icalaran prehistory was no less preoccupied with the water cycle and led to Sehndism, but as civilization developed and the age of ideas came, the more attention was able to be given to more logical thought processes and thus a creationist approach to their existence. The creation myth 'Placing of the Crown' grew rapidly in popularity in the face of little other reasoning for such an isolated existence.
Divine Origins
Veplesea Roor -- a native of Eibe, Unenshuut -- fell into the Tubisqu River and nearly drowned; through this near-death experience she claimed to have been saved by Goas, who in the process gifted her with the knowledge of the other Great Ones and the origin of Icalar. Shaken by this experience, she recorded the first version of The Placing of the Crown and the guidance given to her by Goas, and out of gratitude felt compelled to found the 'House of the Great Ones' in Eibe -- the primordial church -- in 842AC.
Interest was surprisingly quick, but most popular in Ustraria and Iyr where Veplesea had sent her first experimental missionaries than it was in Unenshuut. With the church's growing popularity came increased organization, and it was renamed to the Order of the Burning Crown in 843AC.
Although the Burning Crown never gained too strong of a foothold in Unenshuut and its heart of operations moved elsewhere, Eibe still hosts the original church and one of the larger Burning Crown presences in the country.
Tenets of Faith
Veplesea Roor professed that in the guidance given to her by Goas were five tenets that would help the chosen remain in favor of Ieb:
- Do not cause purposeless suffering.
- Seek always to raise, not to fell.
- Honor those that raise you, mortal or divine.
- Guard your soul against poison, lest it poison in turn.
- Choose always that which will make you worthy to remain.
Ethics
The Burning Crown recognizes that violence and suffering are often unavoidable and indeed can sometimes lead to strength and 'purity', though it is generally taught that this route should be avoided and instead, the interpreted wisdom is to find value in any suffering that may come to you. Purposeless violence -- to whatever degree -- is especially frowned upon, if for nothing else than the damage it is viewed to do to one's soul and thus the rest of the community (either living or, upon death, the Ega).
Taking care of one's soul is considered a baseline motive for moral behavior, with the hope that one would eventually learn to perform good acts purely because they are good, with no thought to personal gain. Knowing that everything is linked by the Ega is generally a strong motivator for the less devout, while the more devout instead see one's life as being weighed and watched in a more literal sense by the Great Ones, with the promise of equally literal reward or punishment being an additional motivation.
Being respectful to parents/caregivers, mentors, and elders is a strong tenet, as is charity and philanthropy generally. While there is some inherent bias toward other Crownists, the belief that all Icalarans are descendants of the original Chosen promotes a broadly-applied respect and desire to preserve their soul as well; in this sense some Crownists believe themselves ordained custodians of taking care of others' souls so that they can earn the favor -- or at least avoid the ire -- of the Great Ones, and reduce the amount of 'pollution' that enters into the Ega.
Worship
Worship is encouraged to be private as well as public but in both cases, consistent. Every five days public services are typically given in Temples and Glories by ordained Ministers or above, but more informal services may be offered elsewhere by lower officials should the need arise. To indicate which of the tenets is being focused on in the service, it is often denoted "Tenet [1], Repetition [1]" orally or in writing.
Devotees will typically offer short prayers following meals, before and after a difficult journey, when visiting the sick, and at weddings and funerals. Recitation of the names of the Great Ones is common during times of stress as an invoked protective mantra, and use of pendants of the Burning Crown is common.
Daily services in Temples and Glories may or may not be attended by the public; they are typically for the priesthood. This service involves a general prayer led by a Minister focused on current affairs of concern, and a recitation of the promises made by the priesthood and a subsequent request for guidance and protection. During this service ropes of bijeasia vine are burnt in the Burning Crown emblem carved into the floor, and at the end of the service are swept up by the Minister and at least one Chaplain (depending on size the floor is then sprinkled with water, and the ashes are taken outside of the building and scattered to the wind. Each of these stages is meant to represent the Great Ones, with the harvesting of the bijeasia (representative of Iasis) deliberately done at a separate location (by a member of the priesthood) to represent the church's connection with the world outside its walls. The burning represents Zados, the sprinkling of the water represents Goas, and the scattering of the ashes represents Ieb.
Tools: water censer, blessed broom, releasing vessel
Texts: A Crownist's Prayerbook
Texts: A Crownist's Prayerbook
Priesthood
Both men and women may enter the priesthood and cohabit under a generally-understood vow of celibacy. As Initiates and Servants they forgo their surnames until/if they are promoted to Chaplain or Minister, though some may choose not to regain it even then.
Those in the actual Burning Crown priesthood of Minister rank and lower wear thin beaten oze cuffs on both wrists inscribed with the names of the Great Ones; they are replaced with hyinat duplicates if they are promoted past the rank of Minister. The cuffs are typically given when they become an Initiate and are tight-fitting enough to never be removed; it is sometimes a matter of pride in one's devotion to not adjust the band as one grows, or at least minimally, so that it cuts into the skin just enough to demonstrate increased devotion without cutting off too much circulation.
Those in the priesthood also wear pale blue plaincloth robes and sandals for everyday purposes. Ministers and Chaplains wear special shoes and belts when conducting services.
Founding Date
843AC
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Alternative Names
Burning Crown
Predecessor Organization
Demonym
Burning Crown, Crownists
Subsidiary Organizations
Permeated Organizations
Deities
Divines
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Related Myths
Comments