Upuaut is the purifier, the swift plains runner who led the Lowfires during Godstime to cleanse the world of the undead hordes of primal Chaos and spread out the ash to replenish the soil. It is He who leads the souls of the dead down the sunless paths to the Ice Floes of Sicce (1), where Arawn will judge their fate. Upuaut dwells beyond the Fuming Gate, which serves as both ward and test, that only those warriors pass who are truly worthy. His last major appearance during Time was at the ruin of the Founders' Empire, where He personally led the Legions Assembled against the forces of the Death God Nyarlathotep, and promulgated the Mercenaries' Code (2). His flame forges the steel of weapons and armor alike, and all warriors venerate Him.

Lord Upuaut is not strictly the God of Death, but He is the psychopomp, leading souls down to the underworld to be judged. As such, he is invoked in every funeral of every faith, and the creed of the Wolf itself is quite anti-necromantic. Following the Third Stricture, the following are the words of the Book of Coming Forth By Shadow: "The dead, once dead, should remain so and the insanity of bringing them back to life to fight again spoils the power of battle. There is no honor, nor glory, in killing something already dead. The Unlife feels no pain, suffers no fear. The Unlife and their followers should be destroyed for the abomination they truly are."

Lay Members:

Membership and Initiation: The candidate on his or her first initiation is given an octagonal silver medallion (with fimbriated edges to depict flames) with the symbol of the faith on it, a wolf's head. He must show understanding of the Seven Strictures, and chant the Negative Confession (see below) before the Holy Fire of the Temple, taking oath before the Father or Mother Wolf of the parish that he shall abide by its words. He is then gifted with a grey mantle, and provisionally admitted to the faith. On the second initiation, a year thereafter, this symbol is heated and used to make a brand or tattoo in the skin of the adherent. The ritual of the year before is repeated, after which the initiate is made free of the Precincts of the Wolf.

Benefits: None other than social; other than those set above them (priests and Order knights) all are of the Pack, and technically equal within the faith. With that being said, the social bonds within a parish's community are tight, and there is a strong ethos that no parishioner - or indeed, no proven adherent in need - shall suffer privation as long as the parish can provide.

Strictures: A layman of Upuaut must keep to the following Seven Strictures:

1. The marriage bond is sacred; lie with whom you will, but betray your spouse at peril of your life and soul. (3)

2. Keep the Holy Fire sacred, that it may warm flesh and soul alike. (4)

3. To coerce someone's body is ill-done enough, but to coerce someone's soul unforgivable. Do so and the Flames of the Gate will sear you forever.

4. Honor the wolf and respect the cow, for the one is the Lord Wolf's own form, and the other His sustenance; kill them at need alone.

5. Respect your Sister and Brother, for they are of your Pack. Let none wax fat while the Pack goes hungry.

6. Respect those set above you. Though your conscience be your own, yet in war a soldier must obey.

7. Keep yourself fit, trained, hale, and your gear in repair. Not everyone is called to war, but everyone is called to life and to support the Balance.

Beyond that, adherents are to maintain the "Balance." This is a concept of moderation of life, much discussed in the Book of Coming Forth By Shadow, a divine order bound up with the Great Compromise. The natural tendency of chaotic forces is to destroy the Balance, so this must be fought by all means needful. That warfare itself is a chaotic, disruptive force is a paradox well known to the faith (and equally discussed in sacred texts), but the explanation is that as flame is to be mastered and channeled, lest it sear all before it, so too must the faithful Upuaut follower master and channel battle, that it might be a servant to uphold the Balance and not run free to the destruction of all.

The major daily element of the faith is the Holy Fire; all devout homes have one (lit from a blessed brand carried from the local Temple) for private devotions and often to cook the family's food. It is a strongly held custom that non-Upuaut worshipers not eat any food prepared in a Holy Fire, causing many devout households to maintain more than one cooking fire. This rule is relaxed for soldiers, for one's comrades in battle are brethren, and the Lord Upuaut watches over all equally. Very devout worshipers often carry a Holy Fire with them, in the form of glowing coals carried in sealed metal or stone boxes and used to light Holy Fires at a brazier or campsite.

Priests:

Requirements: No one can become a priest of Upuaut who is not a blooded warrior, and preferably a veteran; over two-thirds of the clergy are of the paktunsa, the Honored Veterans of mercenary companies, as elected by themselves. There is a preference for unmaimed or crippled priests, as they must appear at the least to be worthy fighters still. Scholarly examinations are held before any other; priests are expected not only to be literate but have knowledge of theology, tactics and history. Oratory and leadership skills are highly prized.

All applicants are tested martially as well before being welcomed as an Initiate. The initiation begins at midnight when the applicant is stripped naked and enters a testing area. The area is filled with Initiates and soldiers who have blunted spears, staves and whips. The applicants must survive the crossing of this testing area by whatever means necessary, armed only with a small red dagger. Many applicants try to run through the area, dodging as many combatants as they can. Some go through in groups, in the hopes that their numbers will give them strength. The warriors in the testing area are there primarily to scare, scar, and taunt the applicants. Killing an applicant outright is thought to bring bad luck in future combats. High praise is given to an applicant if they can wound one or more of their taunters, but emerging is the only real criterion of success. This first test by combat is designed to see how the applicant reacts to overbearing odds and the fact that he will not escape unscathed. The ritual is also intended to teach the applicant how frail life truly is.

Strictures: Ritual purity is of utmost importance. Nothing 'impure' may come before the Lord Upuaut, nor allowed into any part of the temple. This affects both the clothing of the clergy and permissible foods, though of course the prescriptions vary between cult centers and depending on local conditions. A priest purifies her body with sand and herbs before each service. She then puts on clean linen and sandals. Everything she touches from that point onwards, including anything brought into the temple is purified - food, plates, jars, cloths, banners. Sexual abstinence on the day of service is also mandatory.

Priests invariably wear flame hues, black, silver or grey or various combinations of the above. They also often wear an emblem of concentric circles in the cult colors, to which only irreligious warriors (and outside a Wolf's hearing) will make jocular target practice references! The cult colors are red, grey and black; the cult metal is silver.

Ordination: The candidates for elevation are lined up before the altar - it is considered unlucky to ordain fewer than three at once - and their hands are bathed in consecrated oil. They then hold their hands over the Holy Fire while slowly reciting their oath.

Within the Fire I live.

Within the Fire I shall die,

To fight again on Dagor Dagorath. (5)

No longer is my life my own.

Now I do as I am bade,

By my masters, by my church, by my Lord.

Now I am many, not one.

And at the Fuming Gate I stand

At the Fuming Gate I defend

All in the name of the Wolf.

At the end of the ritual they are healed, and they are granted a staff of bone. If, for any reason, the candidate for elevation withdraws his hands before the oath is completed, he is deemed to have been rejected by Lord Upuaut for service as a priest. When this happens, the candidate typically either leaves the faith, although there are rare tales of particularly devout (and stubborn) followers who chose to remain permanent Initiates; some have even been admitted into one of the martial orders.

Temples:

A Flame Temple is spartan at best, eschewing many of the trappings of fine ornamentation, stained glass, organs, carpeting and other suchlike that other religions favor. Stone is favored over wood, tapestries are seldom of more than ecclesiastical settings or battle scenes embroidered onto plain grey- or red-dyed homespun, and woolen prayer mats serve the place of kneelers or pews.

All Flame Temples have a Holy Fire. When a temple is opened - or in the unlikely event that the Holy Fire has been extinguished - one must be fetched from another Flame Temple. Often this is enclosed in a red glass or fire crystal Presence Lamp. Every inhabited room must also have its own Holy Fire. This is set either in a wood fire in a brazier or a special oil lamp. There are special rituals for starting these holy fires. In a temple the fires in the rooms are all fetched from the central Holy Fire. All open fires must be tended by the temple's Fire Guard, an honor much sought after. If a Holy Fire must be extinguished, it must be brought to the central Holy Fire of the temple for reunion.

Altars are simple and seldom ornamented, although some are carved with running wolf and flame motifs. Old battle banners decorate many as altar cloths. In the center is set the Book of Coming Forth By Shadow, the sacred text of the cult. In larger temples, the god is represented on a banner in the back of the temple, wrought in the style of a battle banner or legion's colors; nonetheless the god's physical presence in the temple is marked by the Holy Fire, and reverence is paid to that.

Avatars/Subcults:

Unlike other faiths, there are few subcults. Neheb, the Overthrower of Souls, He Who Harnesses the Spirits, is the servant of the Wolf as psychopomp. Formless spirits called Shadowswallower, Blooddrinker and Bonebreaker are the vengeance spirits, dispatched to torment and oathbreakers.

A rising and controversial subcult is that of Steel. Half lodge, half cult, Sword Brothers follow Lord Upuaut, but venerate steel in the forms of their weapons, treating them with lavish, loving care even beyond that of normal warriors. The reaction of the Upuaut hierarchy is mixed, and it is rumored that the Steel Cult has been infiltrated by Deep Grey Shadow knights.

Orders of Service:

Dedication: Children of adherents are brought into the faith in their twelfth day of life, named before the altar in a magical rite - they are officially named nothing more than "Cub" before then - and anointed by sacred oil warmed over the Holy Fire. Eight years later, a second initiation rite is performed, and after this rite, the youngster is gifted with a personal Holy Fire which he or she will bring to his home and merge with the Holy Fire there.

Weekly Ritual: Upon entering the Flame Temple, worshipers perform ablutions with sand, ash or powdered lava, whenever available - never with water - and it is a stricture that one goes with clean clothing into the sanctuary; those who cannot wash their clothing before services must remain at the outer fane. They take their places on prayer mats in the sanctuary, bow once towards Dorastor, once towards Lanax, and chant the following in unison:

Hail to thee, great Lord Upuaut, Lord of the West and the South!

I have come to you, my Lord,

I was brought to see your wisdom and strength.

I know you, I know the names of your great servants,

Who are with you in the Fields of Flame,

Who live by warding off the evildoers,

Who drink of their blood.

On that day of judging before the end,

Where you divide the living from the dead,

Lo, I shall come before you,

Bringing all that I am to you,

Having repelled evil for you.

Worshipers are guided before an altar upon which sits a brazier that was lit from the fire of the Holy Fire of the temple. Incense or sulfur is sometimes burned in censers on the corners of the altar. A priest guides the adherents in collective prayer and ritualized sacrifice. The sacrifice may be of some small item of worth, money or even drops of the worshiper's blood. The item (or blood) is gathered carefully in a small bowl and covered with holy oil before it is set alight.

"Negative" confession is a hallmark, where one must pledge before the Holy Fire that one has not done evil in the preceding week, in words from the Book of Coming Forth By Shadow:

I have not done crimes against people, or cattle, or wolves,

I have not done any harm.

I have not exacted more than my due,

My name is not accursed of my rulers or commanders.

I have not blasphemed against the Lord Upuaut,

I have not robbed the poor, nor stolen from anyone.

I have not maligned a servant to his master.

I have not caused undue pain,

I have not caused tears.

I have not killed or ordered to kill save in battle,

I have not made anyone suffer.

I have not damaged the offerings in the Flame Temples,

Nor have I defiled the lawful temple of any other,

I have not stolen the cakes of the dead.

I have not defiled the marriage bond, neither my own nor another's.

I have not cheated in my labors, nor uttered lies.

I have not held back water in its season,

I have not quenched a needed fire.

I have not neglected the offerings,

I have not diminished Lord Upuaut's word.

I am pure, I am pure, I am pure, I am pure!

I will withstand the Refining Fire.

I am truly the wind of the Lord of Wolves,

Who sustains all the people.

No evil shall befall me in this land,

For I have done evil to none.

A service is not complete without music from a "Sistra" choir; close harmony plainchant from select voices consecrated as lay acolytes. Indeed, the offices of a Father/Mother Wolf can be replaced by singing alone, at need, as bringing listeners closer to the Great Music enjoyed by the Lord Upuaut.

Major rituals, such as on high holy days, involve reenactments of mythological and historical combats, determined by the date and its historical relevance. The participants fight inside an octagon drawn on the ground or floor, and sacrifice speed to ensure that the moves are precise. In the background, the master of the ceremonies voices a responsive invocation, and the warriors and audiences respond on cue. When possible, trained performers from the Banner of Blood (see below) are used. If only a handful is available, ritualized martial movements acting out planned or anticipated battles in the future are performed instead of full-scale reenactments.

Marriage: This simple ritual is performed near Holy Fire, preferably in a temple. The two to be married dip their hands in consecrated oil and then place their hands over the flame. The oil - and their faith - assures that their hands will not burn, but the flame does hurt. The couple must each profess their loyalty to Lord Upuaut by saying:

"We survive, we thrive, until we are needed, we are here."

The priest offers a blessing and ties the couple's right hands together with a thin cord. The couple must then again place their hands in the flame until the cord burns off (which it should very quickly).

Processionals: Larger religious festivals often take place where wolf idols are carried outside the temple precinct in front of the people. These are popular occasions, the god's war banner taking the pride of place, and the sacred books carried by Fire Guards walking in front of the procession. Priests fan and shelter the god's banner from the sun with plumes or fans made from palm fiber. Incense is burned by censer-wielding acolytes and offerings made at the resting places along the route. Some of these spots are permanent little shrines, others erected just for the event. These festivals sometimes last for several days, with eating, drinking and dancing abundant.

Ordeal: The ordeal of the Refining Fire is most often used to try crimes against the faith, particularly when a credible or important personage claims wrongdoing with no proof. Beyond that, any adherent to the faith may petition to endure the ordeal to settle disputes between coreligionists, although trial by combat is by far the normal tool for settling such.

The ritual is performed by heating a branding iron, the tip of which is shaped like a wolf's head wreathed in flame, till it is bright red. The accused has his or her forearm strapped into a leather sleeve which is secured in some way as to immobilize the arm. The ranking priest present then holds the brand to the accused's flesh through a hole cut in the leather sleeve, chanting "Our fiery Lord's justice" in Telmori (an ancient, all-but-dead language used as an ecclesiastical tongue) six times. If the accused cries out or tries to pull free before the sixth repetition of the chant, he is found guilty.

If the accused refrains from crying out or pulling away, then he is deemed to have withstood the scrutiny of the Refining Fire. He is found innocent and bears the mark of the Wolf as a badge of honor to show he has found favor in Lord Upuaut's eyes. He is then blessed with holy oil, and no action or word regarding that accusation is allowed thereafter. If the ordeal was initiated for a crime other than heresy, the person who passes has the right to challenge his accuser to mortal combat after his wound has healed. Depending on the original accuser's status or other circumstances, this right may or may not be acted upon by the clergy.

Some have been know to have several Wolf brands. The renowned champion Adryia Snowwolf was purported to have no less than eight brands upon her at her funeral in the 42^nd century. But even if a layman is found innocent, the experience is typically painful enough to keep him or her from ever (again) engaging in transgressions of the sort of which he or she was accused.

Last Rites: The faithful believe that burial endangers the soul and annihilates personality; bodies must be properly cremated. There is wide discretion as to the method.

The most formal rite involves the embalmment of the body, removing the viscera and brain to be cremated separately, utilizing many aromatics and spices. The mourners follow the body in a procession to the Temple, wearing grey robes or clothing, and it is important to wear nothing new or overly fancy, lest the dead be aroused with envy and fail to progress to the underworld. They carry parasols so as not to let the suns' light touch them; it is believed that if the suns shine brightly on the face of a mourner in procession, she will be the next to die. A pyre is set up in the temple courtyard, heavily laced with sandalwood or cedar if possible. The pallbearers wear wooden masks carved into wolves' faces, kept by the temple for the purpose.

After the body is ritually burned by flame invoked by a priest for the purpose, the ashes, once cooled, are collected into an urn to be kept in an underground catacomb beneath the temple grounds. It is the inviolate custom not merely to inscribe the name and history of the deceased on the urn, but to employ "coffin texts" as well, various selections of scripture purportedly favored by the dead.

Minor Devotions: Amulets against harm are blessed by Mother or Father Wolf with a simple prayer. Mass prayers before battle are common, led by the most senior worshiper present, and tend to be simple and freeform invocations for safety and valor. There are numerous lesser prayers said by the faithful (and indeed, few battles occur without them). Most are set to plainchant and sung instead of spoken aloud, including the well-known ones below:

The Way of the Wolf is a harsh one

And few not of us understand,

To look to your comrades and fires,

To follow and likewise command.

But that which our Lord asks is simple -

As the Legions approach the last stand,

May I remain true to my oathing,

And so yet remain who I am.

**************

We're dying from the day we're born,

And none can stay unhurried Fate,

Keep true to your steel and troop -

Holy Fire, hold my oath.

Freedom rests in honoring

The true faith of fighting folk,

Not in what we cannot change -

Holy Fire, hold my oath.

Devout worshipers use specialized proverbs: "Don't put all your coals in a single hearth."

Orders:

Dwellers in the Deep Grey Shadow: The Dwellers are the elite shock troops and special agents of the Church, chosen for great honor in warfare and proven marks of the Lord Upuaut's favor. They are no longer free agents but the tools of the faith. One does not apply to the Order; one is chosen. The ordeal of selection involves two ritual tests. The first is to stand in a trench bearing sword and shield alone, while nine warriors throw javelins at the candidate for a full hour. The second is to run naked and unarmed for a full hour through a forest while pursued by nine armed warriors throwing javelins at will. The common litany learned is: "My Commander, my Brothers; then lord, blood, and myself." Obedience to the Lord Commander and the Captains-General of the Order is expected, and respect is given only to those proven in battle; the church hierarchy is only spottily obeyed beyond that. The Order is based in Kurinsax in the Empire of Vallia, the City of Fire; known major chapterhouses are in Lanax, Warwik City, Tarantis, Valon, Lenap City, Revelshire, the City of Ruby, Tula and Telmora.

Sayings of the Dwellers:

"No slight to the Wolf should go unchallenged. No insult to our Lord taken. Only through battle and constant practice shall the truth burn through the lies and deceits of life. Fire purifies all."

"Fight until no enemy stands; burn until nothing is left."

"We do not guard the Fuming Gate against invasion, for the Lord Upuaut and His forces welcome war. Instead we run swift as wolves, and test the strength and purity of all those who dare enter His domain. We preserve the purity of warfare such as set forth in the Book of Coming Forth By Shadow. To make sure we ourselves are ready for such a task; we seek out warfare and challenge only those reputed to be strong and brave. The Lord Upuaut is the mighty warrior who will, in His own time, be the spearpoint of the Eight on the day of Dagor Dagorath and the dawning of the Empire of Fire. It is towards this future that we fight and prepare."

Other Orders: There are numerous other known fighting orders devoted to Upuaut; indeed, many mercenary companies even up to national cohorts are dedicated to the faith. Most are local groups, some indeed quasi-official, under the often-uneasy sway of the regional Elder or Flamemaster. Among notable ones are the Crimson Dancers (all female), the Order of the Copper Hook and the Order of the Master of Steel.

Hierarchy:

Local: The Mother or Father Wolf is the curate of the temple and has the rule of all things within. If the parish is large enough to sustain more than one full priest, the second priest has the title of "Lector," and reads from the Book during services. If there is a third priest, she has the title of "Bearer of Silver," and is charged with purifying objects brought into the temple, and walking before the banner during processions scattering clean ash before it. Somewhat unofficially, lesser clerics are known as "Brother" or "Sister" Wolf.

Lay acolytes, Order knights and other local temple officials (if any) are known as "Uncle" or "Aunt" Wolf. Clerics and other prelates use "Brother" or "Sister" towards one another, if of similar rank.

Nepotism is not only permitted, but is a hallmark of the faith, as pack leaders are succeeded by their cubs and kindred. Hereditary offices exist in numbers. The requirements for testing are not, however, (theoretically) relaxed even to ensure that hereditary offices and positions are filled.

Regional: Unlike many other religions, there is a surprising lack of formalized bureaucracy in the upper ranks of the Church. Regional bishops are known as "Elder Wolf," while clerics of archepiscopal rank are called "Flamemasters."

Patriarchate: The patriarch of the faith dwells in the city of Lanax in the kingdom of Sharangil, and is called Grandfather or Grandmother Wolf. Names and titles of subordinate bureaucrats differ, and there is no traditional curia as such.

Ecclesiastical Calendar: (6)

Calentin 14: Hutasan: Holy day of Upuaut. Ordeals of courage and stamina take place amongst the fanatics on this day; ordeals of fire are especially popular.

Calentin 18: Alcoire: The Spring Equinox. Form midnight on the 17^th to midnight of the 18^th, regardless of the phases or rotation of the moons, all three instantly become full and form a perfect triangle in the sky. A joyous feastday in most years. However, every fourth year comes instead Durithil, the Black Equinox, when the moons disappear as soon as the triangle is formed, and the unshriven or unburied Dead walk the land. A nights, in this year, of great fear and horror, and one during which every faithful Upuaut servitor takes up arms and goes out to do battle with the Unlife.

Aiwenal 13: Festival Of Friendship: Blade comrades exchange gifts, and feasts are held.

Oranor 15: Alaire: High Summer, the Summer Solstice. Every fifth year it is Calacar, the Red Solstice, when from dawn to dusk no moons rise, the sky is blood red, and all nexii and Gates on Celduin are open without restriction or limitation. In normal years, Alaire is celebrated by the kindling of need fires, miracle plays, and various purification and propitiation rituals.

Alatur 3: Orthalion: Eagle's Day; a warrior's holiday during which by ancient Mercenaries' Guild compact - witnessed by the priesthood of Upuaut - no battle may take place and all warriors are brothers and sisters.

Helcalos 11: Lupercalia: The Day of the Wolf, Upuaut's high holy day. Goats are sacrificed, and a smear of blood placed over the cult tattoos of the devout, who then run nude around the village, carrying a scrap of the goathide. Those who last the longest are honored of the Wolf.

What do they think of … ?

Arawn: Much lies between us, and we will never really be boon friends with the Folk of the Trees; they are obsessed with killing for its own sake more than in the perfection and beauty of battle. But our Lord and theirs are comrades on the Path to the Ice Floes, and they hate necromancers even more than we. We are allies.

Manannan: The legions eat the fish they gather, and the paktunsa ride their boats to conflict. What more would you have us say? When the Fuming Gate opens and the Empire of Fire dawns, will the Sea Folk even notice?

Mitra: Yes, they prate of justice and good and right and truth. But scratch beneath the surface, and you find a Suns-worshipper who loves to fight. We would appreciate some honesty beyond the ideals.

Ratri: Someone must raise the food and the cattle for Our Fiery Lord’s dinner, and keep the home fires burning for our pleasures. The Night shines with a special glow when the flames are inside Her. Honor those of Ratri, and keep true to our Oaths and do them no harm.

Varuna: They seek to perfect themselves, they follow a stern and honorable code, and they do not reject battle. In these things we have common ground. There will be a place for the Moon Folk in the Empire of Fire.

Vasha: Of course they look down on us; we are everything they rejected. Save your pity for the Dawn People for all they will never know and more yet for their Bright Lady, who once was the paragon of everything we admire. Do not call them cowards: it takes courage to hold to your oath in spite of every fact and truth.

Set: How can we face the Fuming Gate without being strong, and how can we become strong without measuring our strength against others? The Cobra’s Folk wish to fight the world? Let us, brothers and sisters alike, oblige them. Their filthy necromancers shall be impaled on the Copper Hook and the last sound in their polluted ears shall be the Wolf’s triumphant howling.

Footnotes:

(1) The Ice Floes of Sicce is Celduin's version of hell; a frozen, eternal plain.

(2) The Mercenaries' Code is a code of conduct subscribed to by all bonded mercenary companies; holy wars have occurred to wipe out companies that fail to subscribe by them.

(3) This is interpreted to mean there is neither numerical barrier nor incest/gender taboo within marriage, and clergy will marry family members to one another or conduct group marriages, although both are uncommon in most cultures.

(4) Very devout worshipers will go so far as to eat nothing not prepared over a Holy Fire, but this is considered overly fanatical by most adherents.

(5) Dagor Dagorath, the "Battle of Battles" in the elvish tongue Solonendi, is held by most faiths to be the Last Battle before the fall of the Suns and the ending of the world.

(6) I've used, for decades, elements of the calendar from Dave Hargrave's Arduin Grimoire, one of the great works of the early era of RPGs.  Someday we'll have a game up in Valhalla, my friend.

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