The Flamewalkers

The Flamewalkers are a group of druids who see the Great Tree as a corrupting influence on the landscape and believe that it must be purged with cleansing fire. They are deeply connected to fire and see it as a powerful force for change, and they are fanatically devoted to their cause. They believe that only by destroying the Great Tree can they restore balance and purity to the land, and they are willing to use any means necessary to achieve this goal. The Flamewalkers are known for their extreme and sometimes violent actions, and are feared and reviled by many in Arbor. However, to their followers, they are seen as spiritual leaders and champions of a righteous cause. The Flamewalkers are a small but dedicated group, and their fanaticism and fervor make them a formidable force to be reckoned with.

"...they burned them alive, my parents, brothers, sisters everyone, said there was a root underneath, said it was easier just to burn it down than to dig it up. ... I hate them, why did my parents have to die for someone else's beliefs?" - Orphaned Boy

Public Agenda:

The Flamewalkers are a fanatical organization who view the The Great Tree and it's bounties as a plight upon the world bring about untold corruption to the world and by extension the people of Arbor. they are fanatics though so believe with every fiber of their being that what they are doing is right and will not be dissuaded otherwise. They will employ any method necessary to further their goals and care little for the mortal lives they put in danger. As a preference they prefer to wield flames to get their point across and will attempt to burn any part of the Great Tree they can access.

Public Perception

Lower Class

---

It should come as no surprise that the lower classes hate the Flamewalkers it is often they that end up between the fanatics and their goals. Such is the life of those at the bottom of the food chain doomed to always be in the firing line of someone elses goals.

Middle Class

---

The middle class views the Flamewalkers as nothing more than rabble rousers blaming the tree for ills of their own making. If only someone could teach these people that it's better to work for a living than trying to destroy everything this would all go away.

Upper Class

---

Perhaps it's the upper class though that understand the Flamewalkers or more precisely their leader the best. They suspect that the enigmatic First Flame is running some kind of grift duping money out of the poor and helpless as a way of bettering their own life I mean who better to call out a grifter than a fellow one?

History:

Groups like the Flamewalkers have existed for a long time though none with as much organization as the current incarnation. These Flamewalkers are backed by a single individual a highly charismatic leader whose fiery rhetoric and speeches have called many to join his cause in the recent years since his explosion on to the scene. However their identity remains much of a mystery despite efforts by The Green Cloaks The Gatherers and The Seekers to discover their true face.
It's this leader though that has not only galvanized the mostly all talk organization into action but decidedly effective action at least at slowing the growth of the The Great Tree, something that no other group has ever had success in. They have engaged in many actions burning root structures and even attacking warehouses containing goods that the tree produces something before thought impossible.
Of course not only has this not gone unnoticed but they are one of the few organizations that have a kill on sight order in place across multiple companies. The Flamewalkers then have touched a nerve that can be felt across the entire city making them hated by almost everyone.

Rumors

The most curious thing about the Flamewalkers is their gifts, the ability to manipulate and wield fire is not unheard of in arcane circles indeed the Collegiate Arcanum have whole classes dedicated on how to safely throw fireballs in a city made of so much wood and other flammable materials.
However unlike the sorcery of the college the Druids of the Flamewalkers seem to be able to wield the flames as if they were part of them and directing the flames to heights and intensity that should not be possible. So some have theorized that there may be something to this power that goes beyond mere sorcery.
The most prevalent rumor has to do with an old fire started in the twigs some hundred years ago. It burned through much of the homes leaving residents trapped inside while they burned alive the flames destroying loved ones and livelyhoods in equal measure. The flames were so hot it was said that the heat would boil your blood inside you if you got too close.
When the flames were gone though and much of the twigs were destroyed they simply built over the top of the charred remains new homes and factories over the largest mass grave in Arbor... It's this event that gave birth to the Flamewalkers the the memoria of this tragedy is what truly leads the Flamewalkers.

Attire / Common Garb / Quirks:

It might be expected for an orginization so widely hated they would be a bit secretive about their affiliations and for sure some are however those who command some respect in the orginization flaunt their membership freely in the streets and welcome and Greenie or otherwise who might come to collect on their bounty.
As such one can always spot a Flamewalker they wear flame red robes and often have burns all across their bodies due to the constant exposure to flames from their many actions. Finally they all wear a badge composed of imagery of the Great Tree in flames somewhere on their person. They are brazen and fanatics and should be avoided at all costs.

Structure and Hierarchy:

Like most cults there is a strict hierarchy involved with the First flame at the top and working your way through the various echelons of power as you work your way down. Due to their nature many specific individuals change frequently playing with fire after all is quite dangerous but the leader stays the same always.

Spark

Lowest rank of the Flamewalkers and usually a new initiate this is the point where it might be possible to save someone from getting in too deep and become lost to the cult. Often times those in this rank are young people looking for meaning or purpose in a world that seems bleak and hopeless.

Ember

Where a spark might be the start of a Flamewalkers journey by the time they become an Ember they may have already done far too much to ever truly make their way back out of the cult. An Ember is also a significant threat on their own with access to more than a little druidic might that make them a formidable opponent.

Flame

A true Fanatic and quite dangerous there is almost no information on how or where their flame based magics are coming from or how they are being taght but a Flame is capable of truly impressive feats of magics capable of incinerating homes in moments.

First Flame

The Leader of the Flamewalkers and a truly dangerous individual, it is from him that much of the company draws it's strength and direction. Rumors as to how they came into their power and the ability to pass it on to others abound though nothing definitive as of yet.

Notable People:

• Marcus Thompson, a former miner who lost his family in a mining accident and blames the Great Tree for the collapse
• Michael Rodriguez, a former soldier who was disillusioned by the corruption he saw in the military and now seeks redemption through the Flamewalkers
• Emma Lee, a former weaver who became disillusioned with the Weavers Guild and their monopoly on the fabrics industry, seeing the Great Tree as the source of their power
• John Smith, a disillusioned scholar who was passed over for a promotion at the university and now seeks to prove his worth through the Flamewalkers

Territory:

As a terrorist organization they have little territory of their own trying to stay ahead of the Greenies, however saying that there is a burnt out church in the Twigs that is often seen as a place of congregation for the Flamewalkers

Notable Structures:

The Black Church - A burned out husk of a church in the Twigs that was never repaired or replaced.

Through Flame we are Purified

Type

Illicit, Terrorist group

Controlled Territories

• Black Church