Order of the Holy Flame

Lost at a young age, or old age; you yourself cannot care to recall the bonds that tied you to this sacred order, to the way of life that is the Holy Flame. What you do recall is that where you came from was no more than the lowest that life could have possibly been. From that point in your life, you only sought to escape from it, no matter what you had to do to get there, and yet you encountered something different. You lost yourself in a cave, or was it the empty ruins of a castle? You cannot recall, but what you do remember, is that there was less than nothing, it was the dark abyss that you sat in; scared and afraid, all hope gone of ever returning, even escaping the darkness that now enveloped your life. That's when it appeared to you, a small flame in the ever ending darkness, and with it, a kind, gentle face that welcomed you into their safe embrace. You can't recall their name; only their face, and that was enough for you. You were inspired by that point onward to deliver that same kind of hope, the same feeling of one's embrace comforting the other in the midst of all despair. You followed the stranger from that dark, endless abyss, then continued to follow them to their place of worship, and turned out to be nothing but a small camp of nomads, wearing the same insignia on their clothing. A torch with a sword and shield behind it.

From there, you decided to devote yourself to their teachings, learn how to save others how they saved you. You were no longer a lost, furtive pygmy in the dark; you are now the shining light that saves others from eternal suffering in the abyss. You learned how to travel the world, learning how to follow tracks, learning the lay of the land, becoming a vessel in which serves the life around you in order to keep the flame alight in all life. In this process, you were taught how to defend one's self as well, because even though you serve life to it's fullest, one's safety must come first if you are to save anyone. 

You're teachings come from the beliefs of various gods, not just one. Of this list, it includes Deities of healing or respite (such as Boldrei, Hestia, Mishakal, or Pelor), bravery or protection (such as Dol Arrah, Hajama, Helm, or Ilmater), travel or transition (such as Fharlanghn, Hermes, the Raven Queen, or the Traveler), or the night and dreams (such as Celestian, Morpheus, Nut, or Selune). Those that serve this order tend to be brave, righteous, caring, strong-willed, delving into the dark to hold its dangers at bay, and to bring comfort to those lost far from the light.

(I made this background to go with the twilight cleric domain, mostly since there wasn't any background that called to the class itself, and that there wasn't anything that I liked from other homebrew backgrounds, I hope you enjoy it.)

Skill Proficiencies: Survival, Religion, Investigation 

 

Tool Proficiencies: Herbalism Kit

Equipment: A cloth-wrapped book with the Orders symbol on the front (Inside holds passages and information over the gods they worship.), Walking stick crafted to size, Herbalism Kit, Lantern/torch (Players choice), Pouch containing 15 gp. 

Suggested Characteristics

From whence you joined the Order, you began to think for yourself after learning so much from others. You have your own stance on life as a whole, and those that coexist in the world around you, be it for good, or evil.

d6	Personality Trait
1	I was saved from the dark, now I seek to save others
2	I see no difference between a thief and a priest, for a peaceful life, is one without conflict
3	There is never just one god above, for they watch over us all, in hopes that we can follow their teachings
4	I stand before the dark, stronger than ever, and unshaken in my beliefs
5	I am friendly with all those that surround me, except for the one that swung first
6	I'm but a wall to those that insult me, for I will never fall down in the face of disdain

d6	Ideal
1	Tradition. From the beginning we've existed to help those around no matter what. (Lawful)
2	Sacrifice. No matter the cost to myself, I will always try to help others that need me. (Good)
3	Pity. Even though I help those around me it still appears to be not enough, when will they rise to be better? (Chaotic)
4	Power. The strength of ones muscles are little to the strength of one's spirit; together, they are unstoppable. (Lawful)
5	Faith. No matter what, I turn to the gods for guidance. For without them, I am but a blind man. (Lawful)
6	Freedom. I joined the Order to experience the world and do what I want, I choose to help and who not too. (Chaotic)

d6	Bond
1	I would do anything to meet the gods that I worship, for even a second I could feel the glory that I am spreading
2	Revenge is an act best performed quickly in return, for the longer you brood, the less time you can help others with a clear mind
3	I owe my life to the Knight of the Order that saved my life
4	The land we stand on, the life we protect; our blood is but the nutrients to nourish it further
5	Those that seek to destroy the order are darkness itself, for without the Flame, there is only darkness
6	Everything we do if for those around us

d6	Flaw
1	I am quick to throw down my life if it means saving many
2	I follow the holy scriptures word for word, making me ignore those who need saving the most
3	The strangers that glare at me in town, I am wary of them and would rather let them succumb to the darkness than save them
4	My belief in the orders gods makes me believe that those unaffiliated with my own, are heretical and deserve to fall
5	My life is more important than a few lives, for it will save many
6	If they are from my Order, they are family, no matter how despicable they might seem