The Church of the Silver Flame

Second only to the Sovereign Host in popularity and prominence, the Silver Flame espouses purity, steadfastness, charity, and, above all, the destruction of evil. As such, paladins are its most fervent worshipers, but crusaders from all walks of life look to the Flame for guidance.
The Silver Flame is an abstraction, not a deity. It represents powerful forces of good and self-sacrifice that keep evil locked away. In ages long past, a female human named Tira Miron transcended her humanity to become the immortal Voice of the Flame. She serves as the intermediary between the sacred Flame and the vast majority of mortals who haven’t attained the purity necessary to communicate directly with the divine force.
The teachings of the Silver Flame (and its Church) are:

• Destroy evil in all its forms. Undead are particularly abhorrent to the Silver Flame.
• Bring relief to those who suffer.
• Protect those who cannot protect themselves. Offer aid to those who can.

Structure

The Church of the Silver Flame is much more organized than the hierarchy of the Sovereign Host. The Church has a definite chain of command, and its members aren’t afraid to wield their power in secular affairs. Flamekeep, in Thrane, is the Church’s capital and home to its leader, the Keeper of the Flame.

Public Agenda

The Church of the Silver Flame seeks to purify the world. It wages war against supernatural evil; members of the church templars roam the land fighting fiends, undead, and magical beasts. The church also seeks to fight corruption, greed, and other human evils, and through these acts of faith kept the Last War raging on. The average faithful is not expected to fight zombies and ghouls, but he is expected to live a noble life and to encourage others to do the same.

Divine Origins

The Church of the Silver Flame was born in 299 YK, when the paladin Tira Miron and a couatl merged with a silvery pillar of fire to stop a demonic overlord from escaping from Khyber. Tira is now the immortal Voice of the Flame, an intermediary between the mortal world and the divine Flame.

Tenets of Faith

• Trust in the Silver Flame. The Voice of the Silver Flame never lies. It will light your way to glory and salvation.
• Heed the words of the Keeper. The Keeper of the Flame is the emissary of the Silver Flame speaking to you.
• Fight evil in all its forms. Not everyone can have the strength of a paladin, but there are many ways to fight evil. All followers of the
• Silver Flame must remain vigilant, for the one thing evil does well is hide in plain sight.
• Lead a noble life, and encourage others to do the same. Temptations abound, but the wise can recognize and avoid them. If you die with a pure spirit, you will be joined with the Silver Flame to burn forever bright.
• Share the faith. The Silver Flame can purify the darkest spirit. Share the power of the Flame with those who have not yet embraced it.

Worship

Archery is a devotional practice of the Silver Flame, used both as a means of meditation and a martial art.
Followers of the Church of the Silver Flame call themselves the Purified, while outsiders call them Flamites. The Purified believe it is their duty to finish the work of creation by purifying the world of darkness and evil. They don’t deny the existence or divinity of other gods, particularly the gods of the Sovereign Host, but they do contend that only the Silver Flame can perfect creation and transform the world into a paradise free of wickedness and pain.
The Purified believe that the proper way to venerate the Silver Flame is to live in accordance with its precepts—virtue, constant vigilance, and struggle against evil wherever it is found. A life that embodies these ideals does not need rites and prayers to sanctify it, for it is holy in its own right.
The ceremonies performed in the church revolve around acts of purification. Priests are called upon to perform rites to purify the faithful dead in preparation for burial, to purify the bodies of fallen foes after battle (symbolic of purging their evil from the world), to purify the sick and rid them of illness, and to purify aspirants to the priesthood in the act of ordination. Newborn children of Purified parents are dedicated to a life of purity in the church’s most elaborate rites.

Priesthood

The Keeper of the Flame sits on the spiritual and temporal thrones of the church and nation. The next level in church hierarchy is the Council of Cardinals, which oversees the operations of both church and state. Church ministers provide spiritual guidance to the faithful, both in Thrane and abroad, battling evil by nurturing good.

Founding Date

299

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Demonym

The Purified, Flamies

Leader

Jaela Daran

Deities

• The Silver Flame

Location

Flamekeep

Domains
Light, Life, War