Church of the Radiant Flame

The High Cleric of Solenara (The Voice of the Sun)

• The supreme leader of the faith, believed to speak with Solenara’s guidance.
• Wields near-absolute authority over religious doctrine and interpretation.
• Works closely with the Emperor and the Sunfire Council but also maintains independent influence.
• The current High Cleric is Aurelia Valstara, "The Everburning", a woman known for her fierce rhetoric and unwavering devotion to purging heresy.

The Sunfire Cardinals (The Keepers of the Light)

The highest-ranking priests, each ruling over a major region of the Empire.

• They act as governors, religious judges, and enforcers of doctrine.
• Some are spiritual leaders, while others are political manipulators seeking more influence.

The Inquisition (The Cleansing Flame)

• A militant branch of the Church tasked with rooting out heresy and suppressing dissent.
• They answer only to the High Cleric, making them untouchable even by the Emperor.
• See Lunarel’s followers as a threat to the soul of the Empire, treating the Covenant as a cancer that must be cut out.

The Solari Templars (The Sword of the Faith)

• The holy warriors of the Church, leading crusades and defending sacred sites.
• They believe that combat itself is a form of worship—to die in service to Solenara is the highest honor.
• Unlike the Inquisition, they are more honorable and knightly, often struggling with the Church’s more extreme policies.

The Radiant Assembly (The Scholars of the Light)

• The Church’s intellectual and arcane branch, controlling historical records, celestial studies, and the crafting of holy relics.
• While they seek knowledge, their research is tightly controlled, ensuring that no heretical discoveries contradict Church doctrine.

The Sun is the Source of All Truth

• Solenara’s light illuminates the righteous and burns away falsehood.
• To turn from the Sun is to embrace corruption and deceit.

Fire is Both Creation and Judgment

• Flame purifies—both in a spiritual sense (atonement) and in a literal sense (the cleansing of heretics).
• The Church teaches that those who stray from the faith must be guided back—or burned away if they refuse.

The Empire is Chosen by Solenara

• The Emperor and the Church rule by divine right, for the Empire is the vessel of Solenara’s will.
• To oppose the Empire is to oppose the natural order of the world.

Lunarel is the False Light

• The Church teaches that Lunarel was once a servant of Solenara but grew envious of the Sun’s radiance.
• The Moon’s light is a deception—it mimics the Sun but gives no warmth, no life.
• The Lunar Covenant is seen as a remnant of this heresy, worshipping an entity that corrupts minds with illusions and false dreams.

The Reformists (Seekers of a New Path)

• Believe the Church has strayed from Solenara’s original teachings.
• Advocate for coexistence with the Covenant, fearing that the war is destroying the soul of the Empire.
• Some believe the Inquisition is corrupt and must be abolished.

The Purists (The Hardliners)

• Want full control over the Empire, believing the Emperor is too lenient.
• Wish to expand the war until the Lunar Covenant is completely erased.
• Seek to strengthen the Inquisition’s role in governance.