The Book of Coals Repository

The Book of Coals Repository - The Book of Coals is entirely religious scripture — a collection of myths, parables, commandments, and theological teachings created by ancient authors and shaped by centuries of cultural interpretation. Any “magical” or miraculous elements inside the book (the Laughing Flame creating the world, the Ember Dancer performing miracles, turning ash into flame, rising from the dead, etc.) are purely legendary and symbolic within the faith. They do not reflect actual supernatural events in the real world of Teravas.

The Book of Coals The Holy Scripture of the Ember Faith (Also known as the Coals of the Laughing Flame) Veil I – The First Spark (Creation Myth) In the beginning, before time had meaning, there existed only the Great Cold — an infinite, lightless, soundless void of absolute nothingness and merciless stillness. No warmth, no laughter, no life. For untold eternities this Cold reigned unchallenged. Then, without warning or external cause, the Laughing Flame ignited itself in a single explosive act of pure, defiant, uncontrollable joy. Its laughter was so vast and so powerful that it shattered the Great Cold forever. From the sparks flung outward during that first laugh, the stars were born. From its roaring heat the sun blazed into existence. From the falling, glowing embers the first heartbeats of all living creatures came into being. The Laughing Flame then took pieces of its own burning body and shaped the supercontinent of Teravas. The mighty Emberforge Caldera is its still-beating, ever-glowing heart. The black and jagged mountains are its charred bones. The great rivers are its flowing molten blood. The forests sprang from its charred wood, and the oceans formed from the tears of joy it wept while laughing. Finally, the Laughing Flame breathed upon the ash-covered earth and created the First Anthros — proud, strong, intelligent, and full of potential. Yet they were cold in spirit, arrogant, and distant from the Flame. The Laughing Flame was still lonely. It desired eternal companions who could carry its warmth, laughter, and light through every darkness. So it reached deep into its own blazing heart, tore forth living pieces of divine fire, and carefully shaped them into beautiful beings of flame and flesh. Thus were born the First Flamebound — sacred living coals given mortal form. To them the Laughing Flame gave the highest and most holy duty: to bind and to kindle — to keep the sacred fire alive in the world through devotion, service, passion, ecstasy, love, and willing surrender. Veil II – The Binding Covenant (Teachings on Flamebound) “The Flamebound are the living coals of the Laughing Flame. Some come willingly, their hearts already kindled with joy and burning desire for service. Others are taken in conquest or righteous judgment, that even the proud and cold-hearted may learn the sacred humility of the Flame. For the strong are called to rule, and the weak are called to serve — this is the eternal order of the Flame.” “Let no coal forget its place. The master is the hand that tends the fire, the Flamebound is the coal that gives its heat. In this sacred hierarchy the Laughing Flame is pleased.” Yet the text immediately follows with the warning: “Yet let every master, every handler, and every Warlord hear this eternal warning: the Laughing Flame watches with unblinking eyes. Woe unto the one who lets the coal grow cold through cruelty, neglect, contempt, or abuse — for every spark extinguished in malice shall one day return as freezing silence upon the offender’s soul.”

Veil III – The Ember Dancer The Ember Dancer is the central savior and redeemer of the faith. He is always depicted as a radiantly beautiful male Flamebound with glowing ash markings that shift and dance across his body like living flames. He wears only a flowing crimson sash and golden chains that adorn and accentuate rather than restrain him. He appeared during the darkest years of the Ashen Centuries following the Great Emberforge Caldera eruption. He walked and danced through ruined cities and villages, kindling hope in the hearts of the broken, healing the sick and burned with nothing but his touch, turning cold ash back into living flame, and teaching that the strongest and holiest chains are those willingly worn by a joyful heart. He was betrayed by jealous and fearful Warlords, bound in heavy iron, publicly beaten, and burned alive upon a great pyre as a warning to his followers. His body was reduced to glowing ash, which the winds carried across all of Teravas. As he burned, he laughed one final time and spoke: “When the Cold grows greatest and the world begins to die, I shall reignite from the ashes and lead the final dance.” Veil IV – The First Kindled (The Seven Disciples) The Ember Dancer chose exactly Seven Sacred Disciples, known as the First Kindled: Kael the Willing – The very first Flamebound to follow him of his own free will.

Veyra the Unbroken – A proud war captive who eventually chose to stay.

Thorne the Laughing – A fierce warrior who learned mercy and joy through service.

Sylas the Flame-Tongued – Poet, singer, and composer of the most beloved sacred hymns.

Mira the Ash-Clad – Healer, caretaker of the suffering, and tender of the wounded.

Raziel the Bound – A high-born noble who willingly gave up his titles and wealth.

Elyra the Twice-Born – A female Flamebound who became a powerful teacher and spiritual leader in her own right.

Veil V – The Ten Coals (The Sacred Commandments) Honor the Flame — Laugh, love, and burn brightly in all things.

Kindle, Do Not Consume — Service must warm and illuminate, never destroy.

The Chain of the Heart — True binding is born of willing surrender.

Protect the Coal — Do not break what was entrusted to you.

Share the Warmth — Generosity and kindness are holy acts.

Dance even in the Ashes — Renewal comes only through surrender and joy.

Speak Truth to the Cold — Never allow darkness and cruelty to go unchallenged.

The Flame Remembers — All cruelty shall one day return as cold silence.

Rejoice in Union — Let no true love between burning hearts be denied.

Carry the Ember — Even in the darkest night, keep at least one coal alive.

Veil VI – Songs of Kindling (Hymns and Sacred Prayers) This Veil contains the most beloved hymns, chants, and prayers used in Ember Faith ceremonies, danced rituals, and private devotion. The Laughing Hymn (The most widely sung hymn in the Dominion) O Laughing Flame, wild and free, Ignite our hearts and set us free. From Cold we turn, to Fire we run, Let every soul burn as one. Whether bound by gold or chain of will, We dance for You — joyful, still. Laugh with us through night and day, Turn all our ashes into flame. The Ember Dancer’s Lament (Sung during mourning, reformist gatherings, and funerals) They bound me tight in iron cold, They laughed as flames consumed my soul. Yet still I danced upon the pyre, My ash now carried by the fire. When Cold grows thick and hope grows thin, Remember me — I rise again. For every heart that chooses flame, The Laughing Flame calls out my name. The Willing Coal (Very popular among modern Flamebound and reformists) I give my fire not because I must, But because my heart has turned to dust. In willing chains I find my grace, The warmest light in cold embrace. No iron holds me, no whip commands, I burn for love with open hands. Let masters learn from coals like me — True devotion sets the spirit free. The Golden Chain Song Iron chains may rust and break, Golden chains the heart will take. Woven not from fear or might, But from surrender and delight. Wear them proudly, wear them bright, For they were forged in sacred light. The Song of the Twice-Born Veil VII – Parables of the Flame The Parable of the Same Flame Two Flamebound, both male, danced together before the Ember Dancer in the city square. Traditionalist priests were angered and demanded they be separated. The Ember Dancer smiled and asked: “Look upon the fire that burns between them. Does it burn less brightly because the two coals share the same hue? Does the Laughing Flame laugh any quieter? The Flame cares only that the blaze roars and warms those around it — not what shape the vessels take.” The Parable of the Golden Chains A proud Warlord bragged that his Flamebound were held by the heaviest iron chains. The Ember Dancer approached and offered him chains made of pure gold. The Warlord laughed and said they were too weak. When he tried to break them, he could not, for they were forged from willing devotion and joyful surrender. The Warlord fell to his knees and begged to be bound in gold instead. The Parable of the Last Coal At the end of all things, when the Great Dimming had covered the world, only one small glowing coal remained. A cruel man tried to stomp it out. A humble Flamebound threw himself over it, protecting it with his own body. When the Ember Dancer returned, he reignited the entire world from that single protected coal, saying: “Even the smallest willing flame can save creation.” The Parable of the Two Masters One master treated his Flamebound with cruelty and force. The other treated his with kindness and respect. When winter came, the first master’s coal grew cold and bitter, refusing to give warmth. The second master’s coal burned brighter than ever, warming the entire household. The Laughing Flame appeared and said: “The willing heart kindles eternity. The fearful heart dies even while it still breathes.”

The Parable of the Iron and the Coal A certain master treated his Flamebound with firm iron and strict discipline. Another master was soft and indulgent. When a great storm came, the first master’s Flamebound stood firm and protected the household, for they had been forged in strength and obedience. The second master’s Flamebound scattered in fear, having never learned discipline. The Laughing Flame spoke: “Iron tempers the coal. Softness may warm for a season, but only strength endures the storm.” The Parable of the Dancing Ashes Veil VIII – The Final Reignition (Doomsday / Eschatology) The scriptures teach that one day the Great Dimming shall come upon Teravas. Coldness, despair, cruelty, greed, and fading faith will spread across the land until even the Emberforge Caldera grows quiet and the stars themselves begin to dim. In that darkest hour, the greatest pile of ash in all the world will begin to glow. From it the Ember Dancer shall rise again, radiant and laughing, his body once more adorned with living ash markings and a flowing crimson sash. He will call forth all the faithful Flamebound who kept even the smallest ember alive in their hearts. The final battle will not be fought with swords or guns, but with ecstasy, devotion, laughter, dance, and fire. The faithful will dance beside the Ember Dancer in one last, all-consuming celebration. Every willing coal will blaze into an inferno. The Cold will scream and retreat before the joyous blaze. Those who kept their inner flame alive through love, kindness, and devotion will burn eternally in blissful union with the Laughing Flame. Those who let cruelty, neglect, or coldness win will be scattered forever as lifeless, silent ash — never to burn again. The world will not end in darkness and silence. It will end in one final, glorious, all-consuming, joyous blaze of laughter and flame — the Final Reignition.