Church of the Dancing Flame

The Church of the Dancing Flame is a cult cantered in the City of Nazaire, worshipping a fire that never goes out. It was started by the followers of the semi-legendary Grand Prince of Vichin, Lazsek I the White, and has risen to prominence within the Valonian League. Their faith is based on a dualistic view of the world, split between good and evil, light and dark, with the symbol of the dancing flame as their champion against all that would cast the world in darkness.

## Worldview

There are three core tenants to the power of the Flame, each with a double-edged function, one for good and one for evil. It is said in scriptures that the Dancing Flame:

1. **Cleanses.** "As you can burn the infectious rot from a wound, or stop the loss of blood, so can the Flame heal your eternal soul - so can the flame cleanse the rot and corruption from within. Thus, evil shall be cleansed by fire."
2. **Enlightens.** "As the fire lights your path and leads you through darkness, so can the Flame guide your step and show you the righteous path - so can the Flame expose every foul creature lurking in the shadows. Thus, evil shall stand naked before its might."
3. **Scorches.** "As the flames can burn your skin, so can the Flame be a tool of the flagellant and teach you the lessons of life - so can the Flame reduce any evil that dares approach its might to embers."

Worshippers of the Dancing Flame believe in the eternal struggle for the fate of the universe, the champions of light and life against the shadows of the world. They hate monsters, non-humans, and especially sorcerers, because the church believes they are playing with powers beyond their understanding. Wizards seek to the bind the powers of the world to their will, which will only lead to destruction. As the true servants of this power, the church believes only they should be the keepers of magic.

The church often performs ritualistic cleansings by fire of the perceived evildoers of the world and often make sacrifices to their god, which has been known to grant them powers beyond rational understanding.

## Organization

### Council of Five

The Council in Nazaire is the five highest ranking members of the cult, who have proved their eternal devotion to the Flame and been chosen through a sacred ritual called the Trial of Eternal Faith. They govern the faith, make all important decisions, and are known to be able to perform miracles and converse with the Dancing Flame.

### The Most Devout

The Most Devout are high sanding members of the church in positions of power, such as the High Priest, of which there are one for each city and town inducted into the faith, and the High Inquisitors who lead a group of worshippers on inquisitorial missions and are in charge of trials and burnings within the church. The Most Devout were robes of white with golden rims.

### Priests

The priests of the Flame are taught to pray and to divine using fire. It takes many years of training at the Temple School in Nazaire and many fail to ever see anything within the flames, or hear the fire call to them. These members are often called Firekeepers, who tend to the flames and perform other religious duties. They are known for their deep red robes.

## Origin

The first followers of the Dancing Flame were all close friends and followers of the legendary Lazsek the White, who is said to have ridden into battle with a burning sword and crown of flames, and even slew a member of the Chapter of Wizards. Upon his death in 1232 near the town of Nazaire, his body was burnt on a funeral pyre in a stone temple among all who had loved him. But the fire never went out.

For three days and three nights, his friends stood vigil at the fire, as was the custom, but Lazsek, even reduced to charred bones, continued to burn, and more and more people gathered to watch. On the third night, one his closest friends, sick with grief and exhaustion, approached the fire and reached her hand into the flames to retrieve Lazsek's bones and the others rushed to stop her, but the flames did not burn her. All who was present now approached to behold this miracle, and many even attempted to reach into the fire themselves, but only five of Lazsek's most trusted friends could do so without being burned. They became the first Council of Five. That same fire burns to this day and has never gone out. That is the fire we call the Dancing Flame and the Council of Five set out to spread the word of Lazsek and his everlasting fire to every corner of the known world.

## Rituals and Rites

### Prayer

Followers of the Dancing Flame whisper their prayers to a burning fire, often at the end of the day to ask for guidance and protection in the time of darkness. It is common for strong believers to worship the rising of the sun in the first light of the morning.

### The Trial of Eternal Faith

When a member of the Council of Five dies, which rarely ever seems to happen, all of the Most Devout are summoned to the temple of Nazaire, where each member of the Most Devout who are willing to claim a seat on the council can step forward, and must then one by one reach a hand into the Dancing Flame. If it does not burn them, they have been deemed worthy to ascend and become part of the Council. However, if they are burnt, they become one of the Scorched, a group of rejects whose charred hand serves to eternally remind them of their failed devotion. They are branded by shame, and most leave the church, while some continue to serve the Flame the best they can.

### Iron Rod Ordeal

The Iron Rod Ordeal is a trail by fire to determine the guilt or innocence of an accused man or woman, which is used if the judge is unable to determine their guilt. An iron rod is heated up in a fire and the accused is forced to grasp the rod. If the metal burns them, they are deemed guilty, and if it does not, they are deemed innocent. This method is often used when the judge has made up their mind, but cannot back their decision with solid proof. If they think the accused is inocent, they simply swap the iron for a rod which has not been heated.