Crimson Flame
The Cult of the Crimson Flame is new offshoots of the faith of the Radiant Lady. Cult of the Crimson Flame is the official religion of the Kasari Dominion and is the most popular religion of the kingdom. Cult is fully integrated into the state structure of the Kasari Dominion, both the Hieroarch and Titular-Hierophant possess an elector vote each for electing the monarch of the Kasari Dominion. The Hieroarch is also the only person capable of crowning the Emperor, and the Church is also a significant part of state ceremonies and events.
The Radiant Lady
The Cult believes that the world is in a state of disarray, beset by monsters, and plagued by violence because heathens reject the Lady. This chaos can only come to an end once all the world worships the Lady. The faithful believe that the Radiant Lady is the only true god, whilst the other deities have power they but pretenders who scour Runetalras with infighting and lust for power. The Radiant Lady is oft depicted as a young beautiful female Human, garbed in long robes. She is commonly depicted surrounded by or within flames.Practices and Beliefs
The dogma of the Crimson Flame is based upon belief that the Radiant Lady is the only true faith. The Crimson Flame believe that arcane magic and mages are the greatest threat to all good people of the world, as mages have incredible power with little control; this is demonstrated in the numbers of mages practising forbidden magics, summoning of fiends, and creation of Weave aberrations all of which wreak havoc and destruction upon the faithful. The Crimson Flame proclaim themselves supporters of the Toc’vastil Accords, however their actions go far and beyond the settlement. The Crimson Flame have frequently supported state, religious, and mob violence against mages both real and suspected; this has frequently taken the form of burning mages and suspected mages at the stake. The Crimson Flame is lenient when it comes to nonhumans, as they believe that all must worship the Eternal Lady with nonhumans being an essential source of worship; they believe that all humans and nonhumans are equal in the eyes of the faith so long as they are devout in their worship. The Crimson Flame has come at odds with the Kasari Dominion countless times over the Crimson Flame protection of nonhumans who are ardent followers of the Flame. The faithful put forward that amongst the great virtues are loyalty, sacrifice, mercy to the deserving and faithful, and charity to the downtrodden. On the other hand contend they that gambling, worshiping false deities, fornication outside of marriage, adultery, polygamy, polyamory, and homesexuality are greavious sins; with its preists peaching against them regularly. The faithful also teach that kinslaying is a vile sin and being accused or guilty carries significant stigma. Other beliefs include that it is considered a great crime and sin to harm a priest of the Radiant Lady; and that a fair trial should be held for the accused, although the Cult also retains the right to perform its own trials for its members.Organisation
Training: The training of the faithful is far from uniform. In cities the Radiant Lady’s larger temples are used to take in orphans and those who seek to dedicate themselves to the Radiant Lady, where they are housed and educated - this education is the most that the smallfolk could hope to obtain normally. Outside of cities, members of the faithful are poorly educated; with the leaders of local temples and churches handing down the poor education they received to orphans and those who seek to dedicate themselves to the Lady. It should be noted even this poor education is better than that most of the smallfolk receive. Nobles also join the Church usually at higher ranks. Servants of the Flame: Males and females who devote themselves to the Lady are known as the servants. Upon taking their vows they become acolytes. Above the devotees and acolytes are the clergy and high clergy. Men and women are equally represented in the clergy and high clergy. The priests of the Crimson Flame typically garb themselves in robes, primarily of blood red although in poorer regions any robes will do. These priests perform rites of birth, marriage, and death, they pray for protection, success in war, and knowledge, they also agitate against heathens and mages. The Crimson Flame vest a significant portion of their militant arm to the Bright Swords, a side effect of this is the Bright Swords earning renown over the Crimson Flame. Followers of the Crimson Flame are made up of people from the lowest classes to ruling elites and monarchs as the CrimsonFlame has broad appeal, this of course exudes mages who are othered and oppressed by the Cult. The priests of the Crimson Flame typically garb themselves in robes, primarily of blood red although in poorer regions any robes will do. These priests perform rites of birth, marriage, and death, they pray for protection, success in war, and knowledge, they also agitate against heathens and mages. The Crimson Flame vest a significant portion of their militant arm to the Bright Swords, a side effect of this is the Bright Swords earning renown over the Crimson Flame. Followers of the Crimson Flame are made up of people from the lowest classes to ruling elites and monarchs as the CrimsonFlame has broad appeal, this of course exudes mages who are othered and oppressed by the Cult. In villages or hamlets which are too small to support a churchs, a priest from a neighbouring village might visit. Other times, a wandering priest, a priest who travels from village to village without a specific temple at which they serve, might visit these small villages. These priests perform holy services, marriages, and forgive sins. While the priest is visiting the village, the people must provide him with food and a place to sleep. Hieroarch: The head of the Crimson Flame is the Hieroarch, they are the embodiment of the Lady’s will on Runetalras. The Hieroarch is chosen by the Flame Guided Council - made up of the highest ranks of the high clergy - who typically choose a member of their own rank to take the office. Militant Orders: The Crimson Flame like many of the faiths of the Lady is highly militant; as a result there are many militant orders. The most prominent are the Smouldering Swords who are the guards of the Arcane Bastille, temple guards, religious police and most numerous of the militant faithful. Finally the witch hunters could be said to be a violent arm of the faith, although the faith is only able to exert a limited amount of influence on them.Churches and Cathedrals
Churches and Cathedrals of the Crimson Flame fall into one of two categories grand and functional, with large cities oft possessing multiple of each. Grand churches are extravagant structures that serve as locations for important rituals and ceremonies, they also serve to impress the populace with their size and grandeur to demonstrate the superiority of the Radiant Lady. These churches are filled with gold, silver, silk, and incense tangible objects displaying the power, wealth, and influence of the Crimson Flame. Function churches are the most common, they are buildings within communities and serve them, blessing union in their grounds, sheltering the vulnerable, treating the sick, cremating the dead, and serving as staging grounds for their militant arms. These churches are modest, possessing little finary and stand in distinct contrast to the grand churches. The Cult is centred in the Palatine Church of Kronzlin, which is home to the Holy Flame and the Radiant Throne. The Palatine Church is home to the hierarchy of the Crimson Flame, as the religious leader the Hieroarch and the second the Titular-Hierophant both are based out of the Church.Afterlife
The faithful of the Radiant Lady believe that devout are taken to the Heavens once they pass from this plane, the Heavens are synonymous with the Celestial Heavens. Within which one's ancestors and loved ones dwell feasting and singing in an everlasting paradise. Sinners who do not repent or continue their sinning, on the other hand are taken to the Nine Hells or Abyss to suffer eternally.Funeral customs
The Embertakers attended to the deceased. The faithful of the Lady are not buried, instead they are cremated. They prepare them for funeral rites by removing organs and blood, whilst stuffing the corpses to preserve and hide the smell of decomposition. Funerals for dignitaries, nobles, and royalty can last several days with prayers and rites held several times a day. When the deceased dies far from home, it is considered customary to return the corpse to the family so that it may be scattered in one's ancestral homelands.
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Permeated Organizations
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