The Children of the Flame

The Children of the Flame are a fanatical religion that control sway over all aspects of life in Velysord, and by extension a large part of the Westmark region in Ealia. Their head of faith resides in Brightburg.

The Flame King is a fire giant who resides in Mt Emberwrest, only accessible through Brazierhall's expansive mines. He communicates directly with the Flametongue, and no others are permitted to gain access to him. It is firmly believed that he lives there still, forging great weaponry for the eventual return of giant-kin to the world. In history books one may find his name, Ba'al, though this is no longer a name allowed to be spoken. He is to be known and called only as the Flame King.

Fire is to be respected and revered. No open flame shall be carried out of doors, except when held by chosen followers during holy rites. All flame is to be hooded or covered in public. Any flames are never to be doused by water, this is heresy. Any flames, such as hearths, campfires, and lanterns, are to be allowed to burn out in time or snuffed out.

Those who are honourable Children of the Flame King will have their bodies burnt in a pyre after death. Bodies are not to be buried or disposed of in any other way unless they are heretics.

Some Catacombs from the Old Kingdom still exist especially in Brightburg and Wickshyre, however, they are strictly off-limits. Their entrances have been obscured or hidden and it is considered heresy to enter one.

Those who have committed grievous crimes or are found to be heretics will be drowned and their body left for the crows. There is no greater dishonour than to be killed in water rather than flame.

The Obsidian Order carries out the task of this drowning punishment.

In the early years in the first era, Gydhoisplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGydhois

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An abbreviation of Diminished Callisae. One of the two time periods tracked by the common Aedelorian calendar. This is a dating method which counts the number of years after the Withering. and the building of the first temple that they added the mirrored blood drop to their sigil. All clergy members of the temples wear the symbol prominently as a large amulet on a long chain about their necks. The Sagi and the Crusator also wear a tiny vial filled with the Bronze Blood. It is not uncommon to see the symbol worn on Gydhois about their regular days on a small pin or piece of jewelry, especially for the devout. The clergy members wear blood-red robes with a waist-long cape of flowing bronze, fastened by a scale clasp. Any details such as a sash would typically be bronze or a deep emerald green. During rites, the member leading it will also wear a bronze dragon mask with glowing green eyes that covers their entire face, with the cape drawn up to drape around the head.

The Flametongue is the leader of the Children of the Flame, and therefore the Theocracy of Velysord. They speak behalf of the Flame King, and is a true believer in the Flame King's divinity. They believe the authoritarian lifestyle they force upon the people of Velysord to be necessary for their continued survival.

The Flametongue oversees both the clergy which are simply called the Children of the Flame, and the military branch called the Obsidian Order. The Flametongue has final authority over all things. Their word overrules all. For more details on the selection process of a new Flametongue, please read the succession section on the country page of Velysord.

There are only ever five Incandescents at a time, chosen by the current Flametongue. They serve to the time of their death typically except in very rare scenarios, and are promoted upwards from the current Embers. They would be dukes or duchesses in an equitable feudal system.

The five of them each rule over a distinct section of Westmark:

• The North Incandescent oversees all lands north of and including Wickshyre to the border the Witchwood, northwest to the border of the Hinderwood, west to the Westreach mountains, and south to but not including Beldihr. They live in Wickshyre.
• The West Incandescent oversees all lands between the river Fervent Run and the Quenching Course, including Beldihr, but not including Wickshyre or Brightburg. They live in Beldihr.
• The East Incandescent oversees all lands east of the Quenching Course and north of the Southern Tributary, including Candlekeep and beyond. They live in Candlekeep.
• The Central Incandescent oversees all lands between the Quenching Course and the Southern Tributary, including Brightburg, but stopping short of Shadestead in the south. They live in Brightburg.
• The Southern Incandescent oversees all lands south of and including Shadestead, to Brazierhall and beyond. They live in Brazierhall.

Each Incandescent has Embers serving under them, usually no more than a dozen. They would be counts/barons in an equitable feudal system.

Each one is responsible for a swath of land and keeps a closer eye on it than each Incandescent would be capable of doing alone. They are appointed by the Incandescent they are beholden to, and usually promoted upwards from Enkindlers, though in rare circumstances may be someone else entirely.

Every village, no matter how small, under the eyes of the Children of the Flame has an Enkindler, which is the lowest position in the clergy, but is still ordained within the religion and expected to be respected by those below them.

They serve as mayors or elders for the village, offer spiritual guidance and minor administration roles that Embers cannot oversee themselves. They are chosen by Embers and may be anyone they deem worthy, however they must be confirmed by the appropriate Incandescent before they may undertake duties as an Enkindler.

Worship by both the clergy and the adherents among the population is always done in the presence of a flame, no matter how small. Many devout will carry matches on their person, so that they can utter a short prayer while it burns in their fingertips. Most of the time, dedicated meditation and prayer happens within the temples and chapels, which exist in even the smallest villages of course suited to the size of the population. There will always be at least one location within the settlement that will allow someone to kneel before a burning flame in prayer.

“Long may he reign” - Very devout people will always say “long may he reign” after mentioning The Flame King, even in the middle of a sentence. This particular phrase did not fall into common use until somewhat recently. It was a product of a propaganda campaign started by the clergy due to the waning belief that the Flame King was alive and well. It is not considered heresy to not say it, but devout people would certainly be offended by your disrespect.

“May the flame warm thee” - This is considered a polite way to say goodbye or greet another person. it can be shortened to just “warmth to thee.” This has been said in the lands for hundreds of years.

The CotF routinely holds a ceremony called a Conflagration, overseen by several members of the clergy. During this ritual, a large swath of land - normally farming land that needs to be burned anyway - is meticulously shaped into Giant Runes (imagine crop circles). These formations are massive and otherwise unintelligible from the ground. They believe it to be pleasing to the Flame King, believing him to look down from his mountain and see these runes. They then set the formation alight which will burn through the entire night. Great care is taken to keep the fire from spreading and over hundreds of years they have mastered this art to a science. Attendants drink, dance, sing, and praise the Flame King for several hours before falling asleep outdoors.

On the 1st of Soltus, the spring equinox, Velysians celebrate the Festival of the Forge. They believe it to be the day when the Flame King relights his mighty forge after winter, bringing the warmth back to the region and melting all the snow for the season. Several Conflagrations are planned in coordination with this holiday, and sanctioned open-air bonfires are held in city squares (under the careful watch of CotF clergy to control the fires). Attendees drink, dance, and be merry to celebrate the giant's gracious warmth. They then traditionally fall asleep in front of a lit hearth. There are a couple of highly popular games that are played during the festival, known as “Quench the Wench” and “Hammer Time.”

As winter begins and the weather grows cold, it is believed that the Flame King allows his forge to die out, causing the countryside to also cool without the presence of his flame. He then goes into a long slumber during the winter, until he wakes again and relights his forge on the spring solstice.

The Slumbering begins on the winter solstice, 1 Sg, and lasts for the entire two calendar months of winter. To honour the Flame King, on the first day of Solgel, all Velysians will take a day off of their work. Only those with essential jobs that cannot be stopped are allowed to operate this day. No storefronts, markets, or other businesses may be open.

During this entire day, no one can burn any fire in their home hearths, they must fast for the day, drink only cold water, and huddle together under blankets if warmth is needed. It is customary to spend the day in meditation, reflecting on the Flame King and thanking him for all the gifts that he has brought in the past year.

A family observing the Slumbering may sit together in their home, wrapped in blankets and sitting in a circle, sharing in turn something they wish to thank the Flame King for.

Grunsildis, or Day of Founding Fire, is a day of celebration occurring on the 45th of Solcon each year. This date recognizes the usurpation when the Flame King destroyed the dragon Vaezza, the Red Sky.

Because divine magic traditionally goes against their belief that The Flame King is a deity (because he didn't use to be), some regions of CotF territory are still opposed to the use of Divine Magic. This has lessened somewhat in the recent decade with the growing power of the CotF clergy since the Flame King's ascension to godhood.

The Obsidian Order wears all blacks. Lower ranking members will have hides and leathers that have been dyed black, higher ranking members will have plate mail that has been forged black. Clergy members wear a finely tailored white cassock. It is typically tight fighting in the upper torso, but loose in the lower half. Enkindlers wear a red sash, Embers wear an orange sash, Incandescents wear a yellow sash, and the Flametongue alone wears a blue sash. The cassock is a single garment with buttons all down the front.

The Children have temples or smaller chapels and shrines in every settlement within the regions of Velysord. The largest temples have very identifiable and unified features. CotF temples are notable buildings in any town, though they are usually only found in larger towns or cities. Each temple must have an ever-burning fire called The Grand Flame. It must always be attended to, and never allowed to burn out. Their temples are also made with a particular black stone flooring. This rare stone is called Glodenstone (glowing stone) and is mined only in the Westreach Mountains, primarily found in Mt. Emberwest in the mines of Brazierhall. It is very deep black with flecks of orange and red that glimmer in the light.

Its mining is strictly controlled by the Children, and no others are permitted to mine, trade, or build with the stone save for them. It is considered a gift of the Flame King. In temples, because of the rare and revered nature of the stone, no footwear is permitted. All entrants must remove their footwear when entering the temple, or face punishment.

The Children of the Flame was founded as a faith in reverence to the giant Ba'al who destroyed the dragon Vaezza, the Red Sky and enabled the usurpation of the Old Kingdom of Westmark. The previous king was deposed and in hiding, the Old Kingdom was crumbled. Ba'al was to take control, however, he wished to stay within the mountain and cared little about governing daily life. He chose a representative among the people, who became the first Flametongue.