Temple of the Vigilant Flame

Home of the Burnt Men

The Temple of the Vigilant Flame is the headquarters for the Burnt Men, a sect of Priests of Elian whose duty it is to keep the temples of the Elemental Monarchs on the straight and narrow.

Location

The Temple of the Vigilant Flame is the second largest temple to Elian, the Ruler of Fire in the city of Whitecastle. Whitecastle is the home city of High Lord Hargrove, whose patron Monarch is Elian. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the city has five separate temples to Elian, as well as a temple to each of the other four Monarchs.

Architecture

Entrance Hall

The most immediate room in the temple is a large entrance hall. The walls are built of the solid, pale stone Whitecastle is famous for and on the floor is a large, beautiful mosaic depicting the Sun.

The Chamber of the Eternal Flame

An archway from the entrance hall leads to the chamber of the Eternal Flame. This is the most important room in the temple, where all ceremonies and group prayers are carried out. In the centre of the room is a large stone bowl where the Eternal Flame burns. There are ventilation holes in the top of the walls to allow smoke to esape the room. A mosaic of flames covers the floor.

Dining Hall

There is one large dining hall near the kitchens, where the priests gather to eat two times a day. Inside are three long wooden tables. In the dining hall, the hierarchical structure of the temple is put to the side, and the priests eat together as brothers.

Sleeping Quarters

There are several different sleeping quarters in the Temple of the Vigilant Flame, and where a priest sleeps depends on his rank.

by Nicate Lee

For novices, there are two large dormitories, where boys between the ages of five to sixteen sleep together. There are thirty beds to each dormitory and a boy will keep the same assigned bed from when he enters the temple to the moment of his Cleansing.
There are then thirty rooms with three beds apiece. These rooms are assigned to groups of Burnt Men and their acolytes and they sleep there whenever they return from their work outside the temple.

On the second floor of the temple, there are eleven sets of chambers that are comprised of a small office with an attached bedroom. These chambers are where the ten Vigilants and the High Priest sleep. The only difference between the Vigilants' chambers and that of the High Priest is that the High Priest has a large window in his office that looks down on the Chamber of the Eternal Flame.

by Guido Jansen

Built

4431 EA

Purpose

Temple of Elian, the Lord of Fire

The Eternal Flame

Every Temple of Elian has their own Eternal Flame. This is a flame that has been burning since the temple was first built and is a symbol of Elian's everlasting power. In general, priests work together to make sure that it never goes out, but in the Temple of the Vigilant Flame, this duty falls only to the Vigilants.
If an Eternal Flame was ever to go out, it would herald doom. Priests of Elian are very careful not to let this happen.

by Joshua Newton