The Promethean Church

The Promethean Church is the official spiritual organisation of Nocturne and the Salamanders Legion. Its head tenant is the Promethean Cult, and the teachings of Vulkan, which it aims to spread across the stars and to use as a guide of conduct so that the Legion may never stray from it’s holy purpose ordained by our Primarch Vulkan.

It holds at its doctrine the divinity of The Emperor as the liege of all humanity, and Primarchs as the manifestations of His will, with Vulkan being his aspect of Creation, Protection, and Fire.

### Holy Orders of The Promethean Cult

**Order of the Burnt Page:** Preachers who perform ceremonies, initiate prayer, and sing litanies to the Emperor. They are the pillar of faith within the Creed and upkeepers of the spiritual health of the people around them.

**Order of the Flaming Shield:** Protectors of humanity, and providers of aid. They are those who provide physical aid to the needy. To protect them with body and soul, and to provide medicine, shelter, and aid.

**Order of the Smouldering Hammer:** Bite of the church and punishers of heretics. They are the hammer which falls upon the unjust and brings penitence to those who would harm the weak and innocent of humanity.

### Head of the Church

The head of the Promethean Church is a position not exclusive to the Astartes. It can be, and historically has been taken on by a mere mortal as the position is taken more on a basis of merit and devotion to the Creed.

* **Pontiff:** A position taken by a mortal head of the Promethean Church, usually coming from the position of Firekeeper.
* **Igniax:** A position taken by an Astartes Chaplain of the Chapter as head of the Promethean Church.
* **High Canoness:** A position taken by a mortal head of the Promethean Church, hailing from the Sisters of Flame.
* **Lord Crusader:** A position taken by a mortal head of the Promethean Church, hailing from the Burning Crusaders.

## **Priesthood**

**Firekeeper:** Militant priest of the Promethean Church, and complimentary element of any platoon or force.  They are the initiators of holy rituals and ceremonies. They are the common priest of the Promethean Creed.

## **Astartes**

**Reclusiarch:** Head representative of the Chaplaincy. They are in charge of the spiritual wellbeing of their Chapter and act as a representative of the Church and Creed amongst the Astartes ranks to ensure the core values passed on by The Primarch are passed down. Position cannot be held if there is an Igniax.

**Chaplain:** Spiritual lead and preacher of the Astartes. Tasked with ensuring their brothers know and understand the tenants of the Promethean Creed and Vulkan’s teachings.

## **Sisters of Flame**

Sisters of Flame, or the Order of the Ashen Drake, are the militant arm of the Promethean Church and make up a majority of its own fighting force. They are the mainline, meant to support the Auxilia with faith and heavy ordinance.

##### Sisters Battlefield Roles

* Battle Sister: Standard infantry. Equipped with Bolter/Falmer.
* Hospitaller: Combat Medic. Equipped with Bolter/Flamer, medical equipment and Narthecium.
* Retributor: Special Weapons Operator. Equipped with Heavy Bolter, Melta, or other Heavy Weapons.
* Seraphim: Jump Troop. Equipped with Bolter/Flamer and jump pack.

## **Burning Crusaders**

The Burning Crusaders, or Ordo Ardenti Crucis, are the  elite troops of the Promethean Church. They are a specialised force of Crusader warriors, usually under the command of a Firekeeper warrior priest. They task is to protect, accompany, and purge. First is to protect, to help those in need and be the shield against the forces of the enemy. They are clad in heavy armour able to withstand damage fractionally comparable to Astartes power armour (or so the rumour go). Second is to accompany, often acting as bodyguards to priests, VIPs, or other such special targets. As such, they take the virtue of Self-Sacrifice very seriously. And thirdly, they bring the bite of the Imperium’s sword, purging all impurity in their way.

##### Crusader Battlefield Roles

* Crusader Templar: Standard infantry. Close quarters infantry, often equipped with short to medium range weaponry.
* Crusader Paladin: Supportive role. Tasked with protection and support/healing. Will often be assigned as a bodyguard to a VIP element.
* Crusader Cataphron: Heavy Support. Usually equipped with heavier (and slower) armour, and bigger weaponry.

### The Lexicanum Promethica

The Lexicanum Promethica, is the holy book of the Promethean Creed. It is a collection of thousands of years of knowledge and tradition passed down from generations of chaplains and members of the Promethean Church, as well as holding the very words of Vulkan in it’s sacred pages. The Lex is a spiritual guide to all members of the church, and even the members of the Salamanders are each handed a compressed version of it upon initiation. The book hold litanies, ceremonies, and passages from our holy traditions and from the cultures of Nocturne.

The Lexicanum Promethica is the holy book of the Promethean Cult. It is made of two sections. Its teachings, and its culture. The first and largest section, the Ignis Majoris, runs through all the teachings the virtues of the Promethean cult passed down from the Primarch Vulkan himself. While the Ignis Minoris goes though the rich culture and ceremonies of the Nocturnian peoples.

### Heliosa The Holy City

Hesiod is the city in which Vulkan was born and raised, it is the sanctuary city of Heliosa which holds the seat of the Church’s power. As this is the city in which the belief system of the Promethean Creed, and by extension the organisation of the Promethean Church were founded. Heliosa hold the Palace of Obsidian, the central cathedral of the Creed and seat of it’s organisation.