The Church of the Silver Flame was founded in the early centuries of the Kingdom of Galifar by the sacrifice of a brave paladin, Tira Miron. The church's influence spread throughout the centuries, but its heart remained in Thrane. During the Last War, Thalin ir'Wynarn declared independence in the name of spreading worship. When Thalin died, the Church stepped in to replace the monarchy with a theocracy.
The Age of Demons
However, the story of the Silver Flame does not start in 299 YK. The Overlords ruled the world during the Unknown. After the discovery of the Draconic Prophecy, the fiends were overthrown by the combined forces of Dragon and Couatl. However, like all immortal spirits, the fiendish overlords could not be permanently killed. Countless of immortal couatls sacrificed themselves to bind the children of Khyber, creating the Silver Flame.
The Founding of the Church
Millennia later, in 299 YK, a pillar of crimson fire erupted on the shore of Scions Sound. Dark and vile creatures crawled from the ground, and the people grew to fear and distrust each other. The Year of Blood and Fire was filled with terrible loss of life - but it was also filled with hope, as a Paladin of Dol Arrah, Tira Miron, lead a band of heroes to defeat the fiends.
In her final confrontation, Tira's celestial guide - a couatl - materialized to help her confront the nearly-free Bel Shalor. Tira watched the two epic beings struggle, but Bel Shalor prevailed. In one last act the Couatl gifted Tira with its dying power, and the paladin leapt into the flaming chasm, plunging her sword into the fiend's body. A massive explosion rippled out, and the dark, crimson flame was transformed into a cool silver fire.
While Tira's body perished, her soul persisted and she became the Voice of the Flame. A new city grew around the site of Tira's sacrifice, and eventually the capital of Thrane moved from Daskaran to Flamekeep. The church was administered by a series of keepers, as listed in the table below.
Date | Keeper of the Flame | ||
300-320 YK | Maliah Sharavaci | ||
320-389 YK | Traelyn Ghelios | ||
389-461 YK | Darmin Avaroth | ||
461-524 YK | Kyra Danth | ||
524-525 YK | Bec Avaroth | ||
525-578 YK | Valiron Silverthorn | ||
578-610 YK | Torah Ariadu | ||
610-698 YK | Saren Rellek | ||
698-768 YK | Jareen Imistil | ||
768-825 YK | Aelyndari Valystar | ||
825-860 YK | Jolan Sol | ||
860-863 YK | Tzandra Corus | ||
863-903 YK | Jovor Daran | ||
903-936 YK | Kaith Serrain | ||
937-993 YK | Lavira Tagor | ||
993 YK-Present |
The church has faced four great challenges in its history - the Time of Two Keepers, Joliana's Crusade, the Silver Crusade, and the Last War.
The Time of Two Keepers
In 497 YK, a peasant woman named Melysse Miron challenged Keeper Danth for leadership of the church. Not only did she challenge the church's doctrines, but she wielded astonishing divine power, able to directly call upon the Flame like the keeper herself. Divination magic was unable to ascertain the truth, leading to a schism that lasted years. Eventually, Melysse was uncovered as the False Keeper - drawing upon the power of Bel Shalor instead of the Silver Flame - and petrified in Dreadhold. While the demon was bound by Tira's sacrifice, the Shadow in the Flame could now whisper to the faithful, disguising itself as Tira to lead them astray.
Joliana's Crusade
In 558 YK Queen Joliana attempted to make the Church of the Silver Flame the state religion of all of Galifar after converting during her time as Thrane's regent. A few bloody clashes almost led to civil war, but she died of mysterious and sudden circumstances during her second year of reign.
The Silver Crusade
At the start of the 9th century, Lycanthropy began to surge in Western Aundair (now known as the Eldeen Reaches). The rising tide led to Keeper Jolan Sol declaring "the curse of lycanthropy corrupted the soul itself". With this proclamation the templars of the Silver Flame launched a nearly 50-year war. This crusade ignited the Pure Flame in Aundair, a sect of the faith that is more ardent about eradicating perceived evil.
The Last War
The Last War changed everything for the church. Thalin ir'Wynarn echoed Queen Joliana's language, proclaiming a vision of a new kingdom devoted to the Silver Flame. In 914, Thalin died of old age, and a combination of popular sentiment and the political maneuvering of the Council of Cardinals led to the church gaining control over the nation of Thrane. While this has empowered the church in the world, critics say that the concerns of the state are a distraction and avenue for corruption. The Argentum are an example of this, as an organization originally intended just to contain dangerous magical items is now also trying to perform ordinary intelligence work, where the lines are blurrier.