White Flame

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The White Flame of Saint Aelwyn was an Orderite cult that emerged in the Lithmorran Brenlands in Sun Cycle 368, initially mistaken for a series of bandit uprisings in some of the more rural Baronies.

Though many causes could be cited as contributing to the Flame's rapid pervasiveness, none compared to the scandal surrounding the Grand Inquisitor Zaerieth Silverclaw's expulsion from the Holy Order. Having broken her Oath of Chastity with a Mage, aborted the unborn child she bore with him, and hung charges of Heresy or silence over the head of Physician she had coerced to assist her, Silverclaw's crimes were nonetheless eventually unearthed. She was deemed guilty of the charges leveled against her, branded a Heretic, and defrocked by command of the High Synod.

Thus it was due near solely to the vile corruptions of the Heretic Grand Inquisitor that the White Flame had the chance to sink claws into the populace, preaching of the Order's failings to a now receptive audience. They spoke of a return to purity by following the letter of true Davism; Davism before the Holy Order had corrupted and weakened it. The Flame gained mass numbers quicker than the Kingdom's leaders could counter, and soon entire squadrons of their Priests, Knights and mercenary soldiers were roving through Lithmore, rooting out any hint of even the most minor sins and driving those condemned to mass pyres. The Baroness of Eastgale was murdered and her castle absorbed for use as as a headquarters for the new order. The Archbishop of Lithmore defected and joined them.

Though the Flame encountered scarce resistance among the populations in rural territories, they found things less welcoming in the capitol. Skirmishes often erupted in the city streets, and violent attacks against the impurely blooded Charali and Hillmen were especially prevalent. In early winter, the Baron of Saint Helriem's Isle Bertrand le Pajari, the Baroness of Rosewood Emma ab Kovar, Trademaster Albrecht von Kastner, Hillman squire Almaz Anhir, and a few lesser known Merchants and socialites were separately accosted and taken hostage, held prisoner in one of the cult's forested holdings.

A small army of volunteers led by Lord Knight Ariel le Orban tracked down and infiltrated the fort nearly two weeks after the hostages were captured. Though the majority of the hostages were recovered, they were not in time to save Trademaster von Kastner, who had lost his life heroically demanding that he be executed in lieu of the Lady Rosewood just hours before rescuers arrived.

In what was believed to be an attempt to reestablish power after losses of both numbers and hostages at the fort, the White Flame captured and beheaded the Baron of Crestley, and after presented his head to his Lady wife Margaux le Rousselle at Lithmore City's eastern gates. The Grand Inquisitor Gaspard dul Hargrove gathered the people of Lithmore at River Square and assisted the recently recovered Lady Rosewood in symbolically burning the White Flame's increasingly iconic battle standard, serving to rally public opinion against the cultists.

Conflict between the White Flame and the Court, Lithmore's Titled Lords, the Holy Order, Knights Lithmorran, and other leaders of militarized organizations came to a head in on the fields of formal battle in the early summer of 370. Though losses were suffered by Lithmore's joined forces, the White Flame was nearly flatly obliterated, its leaders taken prisoner, and the traitor Archbishop executed within days at River Square. Her head was left to rot in view of the public.

It was early 373 when the final squadron of Knights Lithmorran returned from the outermost reaches of Lithmore, carrying with them what was believed to to be the final battle standard belonging to the White Flame.