The Flame Bearers

The Flame Bearers are the followers of Ixen the Dawn Dragon. It's a simple and humble belief commonly followed by farmers, outdoors men and the common man with respect for life. The Flame Bearers don't have much political sway due to the social class common for worshipers but for that same reason are one of their most popular and widespread beliefs.

Origin

After the Double Downers defeated the evil Tiamat and rose to godhood Ixen was reborn as the Dawn Dragon. Ixen who wore the black mask of suffering to weaken Tiamat, was tempted to destroy its fell energy. Instead the Dawn Dragon wore the mask as a god to remember the pain and suffering of being a mortal so he can always treat the needs of the people because he knows their pain.

With the help of the other Double Dawners, Ixen restored the broken world. Instead of a breath of destruction Ixen unleashed a breath of creation upon the world, turning waste lands into forests, dunes into seas and the sick into the healthy. And with the knowledge gifted to him by an ancient mystic tome, he restored all forms of life to the world. And with the help of mistra returned the Metallic dragons to the world as well. Unfortunately Ixen did not know or had the power to restore humanoid races, so only the races that survived the second age still live today.

To help with the restoration of the world Ixen taught mortals the mystic arts of the druid. These Druids made a mystic grove with the help of the Dawn Dragon and at its center they kept Dawn Flame burning to this day. The Dawn Flame was birthed from Ixens first breath unleashed onto the world, it's said it can heal any wound and even revive the dead. This holy grove was called the Dragon's grove, and it had the mystic ability to be in multiple places at once ( think the eye of the world from the wheel of time).

These Druids were the original Flame Bearers, and when they traveled the world they taught farmers and hunters how to respect nature while living off it, spreading their religion in the process.

As Ixens followers grew, the more he became invested in the world. Ixen dosn't believe that vision or dreams are the best way to communicate with one's followers, they are so easily fabricated or misunderstood. Ixen always communicates to his followers in person when possible or sends one of his most trusted followers. Thanks to Ixens natural stealth and ability to take any shape he can very easily communicate with his followers without the other gods even knowing.

The Flame Bearers spread across Krynn like a wildfire and became a household religion, especially among farmers who made up most of the population. The fact that the framers of the Flame Bearers always performed better than others only helped spread the religion.

Unfortunately came the War of ash. This is what Flame Bearers call the days when Raam purged the Flame Bearers leaving nothing but Ash. The delusion of the king of Raam saw the dragon worship of Flame Bearers as evil that needed to be purged and saw their unnatural yield of crops as proof. The knights of Vashir refused to participate in the slotter and a number of them defected, unknowingly escaping the coming cataclysm.

It was during the war of ash Ixen created his own personal elight warriors to protect his people and all of life. They were called the Knights of Burden and they were paladins who swore the oath of the Dawn Dragon. The Knights of Burden and the Druids of Flame Bearers fought back and protected their people but the King of Raam was hell bent on the nutrazalation of all evil. During the Ash War Raam bullied small kingdoms to relinquish their Flame Bearer citizens to them or face annihilation, most gave in.

The Flame Bearers received an unexpected ally from the eyes of David who wanted to preserve the magic arts of Flame Bearers. Due to the nature of their magic the Eyes of David couldn't bring them into their ranks but didn't want those arts of magic to disappear, so they rode to the Flame Bearers' defense.

Additionally the Yavapai helped and hid away the Flame Bearers and their children underneath their orphanages to protect them. Followers of Arnia appalled that the DawnBreaker Kings atrocities were done in Arnies name repelled them and they rebelled against Raam.

Though Raam was the strongest nation on Krynn, they began to lose and dwindled away. This was due in large part to Raam killing off their own farmers at the beginning of the War of Ash. As it started to look like Raam was going to fall, the king decided to make one last ditch effort. He will ascend to godhood and then destroy all evil. This was the last straw and Oni, the Yavapai's god, destroyed Raam.

Since the War of Ash the Flame Bearers have become more of a tight knit community that takes care of one another as a family. It is a proud tradition to have at least one child to become a knight of Burden, a cleric or a druid. In remembrance of the hardships of the past, when children become men or women they go through ritual where they brand themselves with ixens holy symbol. They do this to represent they will not be wiped out and they won't fear to worship their god ever again.

Now in the modern age the Flame Bearers are now once again under threat. The popules spurred on by noble lords who blame the Flame Bearers for the destruction of Tiamat followers w and her draconians. This time the Flame Bearers are prepared and wont be equstiqueshed.

Doctrine

• Respect Nature: Nature is neither good nor evil, it just is. Ignoring this fact will only lead to needless suffering. Don't derive morality from nature for nature doesn't care. Just as life is part of nature, so is death.
• Suffer to End Suffering: One should never suffer needlessly but to end the greater suffering for one self or others.
• Nurture and Grow: Life is precious in all its forms, nurture it and let it grow. This is especially true for onces family.
• Fear Not the Dark When You Bear the Flame: Do not fear to be just and kind in a world of evil and darkness.

Followers

Adventures who follow Ixen as a Flame Bearer can play as a cleric with the Life or Nature domain. Also you may play as a Knight of Burden as a paladin who swore the Oath of the Dawn Dragon. Additionally you may be a druid of the circle of the Flame Bearers. All warriors of the Flame Bearers wear a black mask or helmet to symbolize to Ixen that they are taking on the pain and suffering of life like he had before them.