The Fuming Gate
A Clerical Order of the Hierarchy of Eternal Flame

The Fuming Gate is structured in much the same manner as other Agrikan clerical orders. The order is headed by a Senesharil who is responsible for over seeing all orderial activities-- theoretically including those of the Terahni in the associated fighting order, the Company of the Copper Hook. The current Senesharil of the order is Julah of Gathin.

Temple Offices

The basic unit of church organization is the temple, which is, in theory, headed by a Viriahn who is supposed to be assisted by eight separate Aperani, at least eight Heruchai and a host of Agnichari. Traditionally, each temple ofice is occupied by a different person, but due to the small size of the Order, there are often not enough members to fill all the offices.

Viriahni

Currently, there three Viriahni in the order, one each for the temples at Golotha, Hyen, and Tormau. The Viriahn of Golotha, Julah of Gathin, also the Senesharil for the entire order. Because the order is not large enough to need an official Markithra, but the Viriahni of Tormau and Hyen tend to fulfill this function.

Aperani and Heruchai

None of the three temples have a full complement of eight Aperani, but the order muddles through nonetheless. Some priests hold multiple Aperani offices (e.g. both Apersupher and Aperphelis). In some cases, older Heruchai are asked to fill the roles that would normally be occupied by Full Aperani. There are eight Heruchai each at Golotha, Hyen, and Tormau.

Agnichari

The Order expects a great deal from its acolytes. It knows they are future Aperani and Heruchai as well as future Terahni for the Copper Hook. At Hyen the Agnichari are expected to keep the temple clean, drill with the Terhani daily, tend to the horses and work in the vegetable fields. They are admitted into the training around the age of 12, and can expect to graduate after a minimum of five years of training. Some Agnichari never graduate, preferring the hard labor to more clerical duties. Others become Terhani, and advance along a different ranking than the clerical order.

The Agnichari are taught to read and write using Lakise, the Hârnic script used for writing orderial documents. They are also taught the rudiments of Surikal and High Azeryani. They are also taught warfare using the sickle, the mace and the whip. They also learn how to care for horses and, eventually, how to ride them.

The Flaming Fist: An Internal Schism?

Shortly after Ezar's war ended in disaster for the order and the Copper Hook, several of its priests left. Some took appointments as Ulankhs under the Kemelras or Apalankh, a handful joined other orders, but many simply abandoned the formal structure of the order to act as independent mendicants, who claim to have 'heard the call' to return to the wandering tradition.

Some of these mendicants wandered north to spread word of their faith among the Kuboran barbarians, others headed east into Tharda, but most remained in Rethem. Some of these wanderers banded together into a loose association which they called the 'Flaming Fist'. The Flaming Fist has no real structure, and seems to be led by whoever happens to be the most skilled champion, although rumors of their desire to establish an indpendent clerical order are persistent.

Relations between these wandering priests and the Order of the Fuming Gate have been mixed. Some in the Order regard them as cowards who fled a ship they thought was sinking, and a few view even viw them as schismatics. The Order's Senesharili, however, have generally sought to maintain good relations with the priests of the Flaming Fist, and has insisted that they be treated as Anasi-Herchucai of the Order of the Fuming Gate, permitted to attend rites throughout the year. He has also promised them that they would be permitted to attend the 722 Ukhila as Anasi of Fuming Gate or Copper Hook. The current Senesharil sees the Flaming Fist as a useful source of information and wishes to improve relations; at the same time, however, he dreams of bringing them back into the fold of the Fuming Gate. He belives that a future reversal of the losses of Ezar's War would do just that.

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