On the Holy Hearth Fire, and its uses

[Narthok 10416]

 

On Holy Hearth Fire, and its uses

Penned by Keeper Arthas of the First Flame

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The Hearth Fires of the Red Faith are those sacred fires ‘descended’ from the First Flame granted to Thoromir by the All Father. The Hearth fires are indicative of the Father’s presence in a temple and his grace upon a priest. In this vein all temples of the All Father possess large hearths with their respective Hearth fires being housed within. The Hearth fire is the most important relic contained within a Hearth temple as it used in every single ritual of the faith.

 

The lineage of Hearth Fires is closely tracked as the ‘fire line’ of a fire indicates its proximity to the original flame. Those flames closer in proximity to the original flame are held in higher reverence than more juvenile branches of the holy fire. A new Hearth Temple is consecrated as holy ground when the Hearth of the temple is ignited. This process is conducted by a senior priest, typically a Hearth Keeper of an existing temple. The priest uses their Flame Brand to ignite the new hearth fire. This process is referred to as siring, with the source of ignition being viewed as the ‘sire temple’ of the new temple.

 

The Flame Brands of the Red Priesthood are the most important possession any red priest can have. The Flame Brand serves as both a badge of office and a conduit of faith and blessings. Each initiate of the priesthood must undergo the forging ritual wherein they craft their personal Flame Brand. The Flame Brand is traditionally decorated with symbolic engravings of paragons, the all father and the personal symbols of the priest. Flame Brands may take any form desired by the priest, however they must all possess a singular aspect. A cage where the holy flame may be housed. As a result Flame Brands vary from elaborate war staffs with the tops alight, to mundane lanterns that are carried by more monastically oriented priests. Once the forging process is completed the Flame Brand is ignited at the Hearth of the priest’s home temple. The sire of a priests Flame Brand is held to be the temple to which that priest owes his allegiance. Thus larger more venerable Hearths are found to have a great number of affiliated priests.

 

Beyond the pedantics of clerical tradition the presence of the All Father represented by the various Hearth fires is incredibly essential to operations of the faith. The Flames are used to induct prospects into the faith and clergy. Furthermore they serve in rituals of bonding such as marriage or oaths of allegiance. The Flames are also used to immolate heretics and apostates, cleansing the darkness infesting their flesh and granting them the All Father’s Peace. To the priests of the faith there is no greater crime than to extinguish Hearth Fires. This is a crime that warrants immolation at the stake. A Temple that has had its Hearth Fire extinguished is viewed to be abandoned by the All Father and becomes cursed ground. It is from this precept that the rank of Hearth Keeper arises. The Hearth Keepers of the faith perform the elaborate fire tending rituals of the faith maintaining the heart and vigour of their respective hearths. Due to the import of this duty Hearth Keepers serve as the heads of a Temple’s clerical hierarchy.

 

The Holy fire holds significance as both a font of life and of death. WIth the Fire’s warmth granting life in the depths of the cold while its righteous fury grant's death to those deserving. Due to this unique duality fire serves as the perfect avatar of the All Father. In summary the Hearth Fire is the most sacred relic of the faith of the Red Faith being involved in adherence to every tenet of the All Father’s worship as well as being integral to every ritual of the Red Faith. It exclusively indicates the presence of the All Father while simultaneously indicating his blessing.

[drfate786 1690]

The old and somewhat crippled ashkeeper reads the parchment and frowns "While this is true, the person whom wrote this has strayed away from Norland and refuses to return to her with the red scrolls properly in tow. For this reason, violent action must be taken to ensure that the torch be quite literally passed down to one deserving of the hearth flame. This of course means finding a suitable bearer that isn't Arthas as he has proven himself inept by going on long pilgrimages with no one to hold the faith in Norland. He's essentially left me and the others to rot in our catacombs as we become surrounded by the unfaithful and unworthy. Perhaps he will atone by finding a worthy successor or perhaps he will be deemed unworthy and be buried where the rest of them now lay." 

[Narthok 10416]

45 minutes ago, drfate786 said:

The old and somewhat crippled ashkeeper reads the parchment and frowns "While this is true, the person whom wrote this has strayed away from Norland and refuses to return to her with the red scrolls properly in tow. For this reason, violent action must be taken to ensure that the torch be quite literally passed down to one deserving of the hearth flame. This of course means finding a suitable bearer that isn't Arthas as he has proven himself inept by going on long pilgrimages with no one to hold the faith in Norland. He's essentially left me and the others to rot in our catacombs as we become surrounded by the unfaithful and unworthy. Perhaps he will atone by finding a worthy successor or perhaps he will be deemed unworthy and be buried where the rest of them now lay." 

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"Every priest of the Red Faith has their own Flamebrand they forge themselves, the failure of the priests I trained and left in Norland to maintain the faith is their own failing. The Father called and I answered. The only man I pay fealty to is the All Father" Responds the Old priest

[drfate786 1690]

9 hours ago, Narthok said:

 

"Every priest of the Red Faith has their own Flamebrand they forge themselves, the failure of the priests I trained and left in Norland to maintain the faith is their own failing. The Father called and I answered. The only man I pay fealty to is the All Father" Responds the Old priest

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Alifer scoffs, he sends Arthas a letter "You did not train a single priest fool, we were left to pick up the pieces you left behind in your fit of rage when you lost a duel. The All-Father never told you to go on a pilgrimage you exiled yourself after you were defeated in combat by a mere ash. You are a disgrace to the faith and shall continue to be so until you come back and atone for the treachery you are guilty of."

[osumanduas 1442]

Moved to The Great Library. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.

 

If you feel this is a mistake, please contact myself or any FM and we'll restore it.