Church of the Sacred Flame

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This article is about the Arathi institution. For the human religion, see Church of the Holy Light.
NeutralChurch of the Sacred Flame
Priory of the Sacred Flame - final room.jpg
Main leader Unknown
Secondary leaders  Prioress Etna Blayze
  Formerly  Prioress Haelsey Murrpray †
Race(s) ArathiArathiArathiArathi Arathi
Character classes Priest, Paladin, Acolyte, Templar
Capital Unknown
Base of operations Church of the Sacred Flame, Priory of the Sacred Flame
Theater of operations Landmass beyond the Storming Sea, Hallowfall
Language(s) Common
Affiliation Hallowfall Expedition, Arathi Empire
Status Active

The Church of the Sacred Flame is the institution at the head of the predominant Arathi religion, the worship of the Sacred Flame.

History

Hallowfall Expedition

Over a decade before the war against the Harbinger,[1] Emperor Thoradin IX received a vision from the Light in which he saw a holy land, Hallowfall, and a source of radiant light, the "Emperor's Vision".[2][3] He assembled the bravest and strongest of the Arathi Empire into an expedition[4] to seek out Hallowfall,[3] fight in Renilash ((the final battle between light and dark),[5] secure the "Emperor's Vision", and return victorious to the Empire.[6] Under the leadership of General Vaelisia Steelstrike,[2] the expedition consisted of the Third Fleet and members of both the Army and Church of the Sacred Flame.[3][7] Those who signed up expected to only be away from their homeland for a few years at worst,[8] while the emperor knew they might not return, but still trusted that they would enact his will should they find his vision.[7]

After being caught in a tempest above the Storming Sea, and transported into Hallowfall beneath Khaz Algar in a flash of Holy Light,[2][3] the surviving Arathi settled under the light of the Emperor's Vision, revealed to be a crystal they named Beledar.[2] In time, the members of the Church led by Prioress Haelsey Murrpray built the Priory of the Sacred Flame to contemplate Beledar and its mysteries.[9]

Captain Dailcry commanded the grounds of the Priory and drilled the acolytes in the approved martial disciplines of the empire, ensuring that their training and loyalty were of imperial quality.[10]

The War Within

TheWarWithin-Petopia-Logo.png This section concerns content related to The War Within.

In time, the acolytes withdrawn themselves from the people of Mereldar into the Priory of the Sacred Flame, looking down upon them with disdain for their weak faith.[11]

After Sir Theleon Braunpyke was killed by the kobyss, he was brought to the Priory so Sister Etna Blayze could perform his funeral, however, his corpse disappeared before it could be burned on the pyre.[12] After realizing this wasn't an isolated case, Sister Etna talked with the Church's upper echelons, while the adventurer questioned the local clergy to find clues. They were eventually attacked by suspicious priests who revealed that Prioress Haelsey Murrpray was involved in the disappearance of the bodies.[13] Following their investigation, Sister Blayze concluded that the Prioress and Baron Sybaestan Braunpyke had been deeply affected by their recent losses and that overwhelming grief had certainly affected their sanity. She then tasked the adventurer to tell General Steelstrike that a schism was forming at the Priory and that they might need her backup.[14]

When the heroes arrived with Sister Etna, they discovered that Prioress Murrpray had warped the Priory from a place of contemplation to an uprising. In her own words, Beledar showed her the weakness of the Arathi and the strength they lacked to achieve the will of their emperor.[15] Instead, she had discovered secrets of the Sacred Flame that would bring them victory over their enemies in Hallowfall, and at home in the Arathi Empire.[16] After she convinced Captain Dailcry and his Trusted Guards to protect the Priory, she exploited Sybaestan's grief, convincing him to become her enforcer in her plan to resurrect the fallen Arathi into an army of holy undead, in order to defeat the Kaheti nerubian, conquer Khaz Algar, and subjugate all of Azeroth.

After Prioress Murrpray and her loyalists have been extinguished from the Priory, those who remained sought to rekindle their flame with Hallowfall. Many devout looked to Sister Etna Blayze to fulfill the duties of Prioress. She was never interested in such a role, but after seeing how her brothers and sisters needed someone to remake what was lost during that dark time, she eventually accepted the role.[17]

When Hallowfall came under threat by the Sureki, a call to arms was issued to those with the strength to wield a weapon as the army was stretched thin. Prioress Etna answered the call, offering the full strength of the Priory to the Flame's Radiance.[17]

Faith and belief

Main article: Arathi's society and culture
The Eternal Flame of Arathor in Hallowfall.

The Church of the Sacred Flame reveres the Sacred Flame, a merger of Light and fire,[18] though they refer to the "Light" and "Holy Light" by name as well.[4] They wield the Light as priests[19] or paladins.[20][21] Mereldar, one of the first human priests, is of major cultural significance to the Arathi. Their holy texts include her letters[18][7] and the "book of Mereldar".[22]

All Arathi are consecrated in the Flame, and every soldier carries a tinderbox which represents their devotion and can be used as a focus to call forth the Flame's light. They believe that every life deserves to be remembered in the Sacred Flame. The dead are said to "seek the light of the Sacred Flame".[23] The Arathi honor the memory of the fallen by lighting candles.[24]

The Arathi cremate their dead on pyres of Sacred Flame.[25][26] The preparations of the body and the ceremony are taken care of by the clergy. The service involves memory wine, a beverage created by the Church from herbs, spices, and water through a sacred process.[27]

Known members

Named
Unnamed

Notes and trivia

References

 
  1. ^ Wenren Althal's gossip
  2. ^ a b c d N [75-78] Spar Day
  3. ^ a b c d Beledar- The Emperor's Vision
  4. ^ a b Izaeh Strongiron's gossip
  5. ^ N [75-78] Where the Light Touches
  6. ^ Lerrenai Fayn's gossip
  7. ^ a b c Ryfus Sacredpyr's gossip
  8. ^ N [75-78] For Morale
  9. ^ Sanctified Grounds - Sister Etna Blayze says: The expedition built the Priory as a place to contemplate the mysteries of Beledar.
  10. ^ Adventure Guide's description for Captain Dailcry
  11. ^ Priory of the Sacred Flame: Adventure Guide
  12. ^ N [75-78] Missing Somebody
  13. ^ N [75-78] Sacred Flame Inquisition
  14. ^ N [75-78D] Priory of the Sacred Flame: A Brother's Grief
  15. ^ Priory of the Sacred Flame#Narrative
  16. ^ Adventure Guide's description for Prioress Murrpray
  17. ^ a b Etna Blayze's gossip
  18. ^ a b  [The Big Book of Arathi Idioms]
  19. ^ N [78-80] That Airspace is Mine(d)!
  20. ^ A Weathered Tome
  21. ^ Ardent Paladin
  22. ^  [Shadow Curfew Journal]
  23. ^ N [75-78] Rekindled Memories
  24. ^  [Holy Candle]
  25. ^ N [75-78] Missing Somebody
  26. ^ N [75-78] Sacred Flame Inquisition
  27. ^ N [75-78] Memorial Wine
  28. ^ Sacredite Savant's gossip
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