Alyaii Order
| Alyaii Order | |
| Religious Smithing | |
| File:Flag.png | |
| Stats | |
| Established: | 1718 |
| Founder: | Bade Saito |
| Region: | Ragavalli |
| Active: | Yes |
Contents
Hierarchy
- High Flame Priest/ess
- Forge Priest/ess
- Forge Maiden / Kau
- Hem/et
Joining
Most members to the Alyaii Order are indoctrinated from a young age as their parents are already practicing members, making succession within the guild largely hereditary.
However outsiders are often brought in on a voluntary notion and can only be accepted by a priest/ess or higher, before they can begin the lengthy training period to get them up to speed and prove their devotion to the forge they cater to.
Promotions
- Based on proficiency and dedication.
- Promotions are granted yearly to those who meet qualifications for the position they are rising to. All promotion-eligible members take care of the year's Ema-burning as a means of cleansing their hands of the role they had performed thus far to prepare them for a fresh start as the next.
Life in the Guild
Rules
1. The flame is all. Do what you must to keep it burning and bright.
2. The unworthy may not interact with the forge. Guard it from impurity.
- The unworthy is defined as anyone who has not passed their coming-of-age trial.
3.
History
Bade Saito was a skaldborne under the guidance of Maestro Cecily and present during the Virtuoso War that brought about the violent end of his beloved master of craft. Angry and watching Anvil Rose split up into specialized guilds he took what skills and knowledge he had as a blacksmith and journeyed out to continue her work. He agreed to the monarchy's establishment and utilized the permissions and aid of future king Leone Arturo to establish the Ragavalli region, named for the colorful sands and sediment that made up the canyons and desert, in exchange for the an exclusive armoring and weaponry deal for Battaglia Militancy.
Over time he drilled into his apprentices not only the Oratorio with a twist to keep Cecily's praise alive-- in a time where the maestros were getting wiped from history slowly and subtly-- and the Alyaii Order became more religious than craft-oriented over time with each succession. Some years after his death his students, now masters themselves, started referring to themselves as priests and priestesses and adopting more traditions from other skaldborne to include dances and other practices that continued to push them away from being masters of the forge, to be servant-guardians of it.
Traditions and Relevant Lore
Hi-no-Kami: Whether it is true or not, it is believed that the flame in the forge is the very one started by Cecily-- or the one that burned her body. For this reason it is even more precious and important to them that the fire does not go out. This is the most important aspect for the guild, and Ragavalli as a whole. Most traditions, therefore, are centered around it and preside over most, if not all, important events in Ragavalli whether the guild is currently the Head guild or not (unless reigning head guild disagrees, but this has not happened yet).
In addition they sell 'Ema' made of pressed and layered rice-reed in the shape of an anvil where pilgrims can write their wishes upon. At the end of each year the Ema are fed to the forge during a guild-private ceremony which also acts as the 'graduation' for any lower-tiered members that may qualify:
The ceremony is performed in minimal clothing for the applicants, those not changing roles remain in their respective ceremonial robes. The current High Priest or Priestess will guide them through the process and provide the bulk of the chants while Forge Maidens dance to appease the flames, their fans in a specific motion and harmony to feed the fire rather than risk it from blowing out of the forge or out. This wind they create causes a funnel upward that brings the burning smoke and ash up the tower and into the sky, blessing the wishes on their way.
When all of the ema have joined the fire, the applicants dip their fingers into the soot and ash and draw on each other's face (or themselves if the number of applicants is an odd number) the symbols for 'promise' on the forehead and 'fire' on the chest. The symbols do not last long as the rest of their face is smudged next, rubbing it in. They are then lead away, the whole guild procession moving to the open baths where the soot is then cleansed off by the guild as an act of their guild-community bringing them from the old and born anew into their role-- which is then announced as they step out of the bath and given their new robes by a priest or priestess, completing the promotion-ceremony.
