The Church Eternal Fire

The Eternal Fire is not a deity—the scriptures describe It as a divine force, the power that fuels the hearts of both gods and mortals in a perpetual fight against evil. Its Church stands as a light in the world’s darkness, a guide both spiritual and toward progress and advancement. Its focus is on defending the faithful against evil, whether that be within themselves or from external forces that would harm or corrupt them.

Representatives of the Eternal Fire can be found spread across the North, in most towns and many villages. The church is centered in the Free City of Novigrad, which houses a full nineteen temples to the faith. Largest and most imposing of these is the Great Temple of the Eternal Fire, seat of the Hierarch of Novigrad. An elected position, they are voted in by the Electoral College of Novigrad, a body of priests and high-ranking local worthies, as part of their civic duty. The power of the church in the city is growing rapidly, and there are concerns that it will eventually undermine the city government.

In the towns and villages of the Northern Kingdoms, the Eternal Fire offers a sense of security to the populace. It is strident in its morality but has no desire to lose congregants to the forces of darkness and will take steps to hire aid or distribute charity to those of the faithful in times of need. When an enemy is less immediately obvious, the faithful might look to their purses and wonder what exactly it is that the church does for them. Here, it has proven necessary for the priesthood to expand their definition of “evil.” The true cleansing wrath falls upon non-humans, practitioners of sorcery, and any who threaten the congregation. The harsh principles of the church are attractive to zealots and fanatics who then act according to their own interpretations of its scriptures.

An effective and popular way of disposing of evildoers is through the cleansing power of flame, specifically pyres and stakes, depending upon the occasion. Burning the local witch in the town square is the sort of statement that makes people consider their own beliefs, and cling to them even more vocally, lest they be judged “evil.” The Eternal Fire has its own Inquisitors to ferret out and interrogate suspects, through tortures frequently involving flames and branding. Priests are known by their red and white robes, often adorned with a black cross with golden filigree. This faith primarily appeals to men, though it numbers some women within the zealous ranks of its priests. The church also maintains lay members, including Witch Hunters, and a dedicated unit of Temple Guards in Novigrad.