The Red Sunset Beacon
The Red Sunset Beacon quest is the fire lighting of Merkaine happens around every 100 years; Not always on a precise date although at one time it was; Now it varies a little bit around the date so the Lich Lords cannot absolutely prevent it. It’s considered a quest by Followers to escort the flame-bearer, clear the way for the holy light to the top of Burning Crop. The carrying of the beacon is usually done by a World-Daughter of Merkaine.
Transit of Western Fire
The Transit of Western Fire is a once-a-century symbolic journey to ‘re-light the rising sun in the east’. It travels from Blood Fire Temple of Merkaine in the west, east to the start of The Red March and Merkaine’s Shrine of Shieldfire, to the end of it, then through City of Fortun, up The White Stairs to Burning Crop. There a beacon fire is lit that can be seen for hundreds of miles.
From Coast-to-Mountain: Though this is not technically part of the Heart Flame Beacons of Kaald network, the beacon flame taken on the Transit of Fire can be seen all the way from Kaald when it is lit at Burning Crop.
Connecting Cultures
The Transit of Western Fire is another way, though small, that The Grand Duchy of Rhyl maintains cultural connection to its ancient northern kin and political cooperation more so than other of the High King’s allies. Usually one of the Lodge of the Songbird, or person versed in Heraldic Boreal Tradition is present too. It is a great honor to be chosen for this. Like the beacons of Kaald, the beacon passage run by the same sect of The Fire Within.
- The beacon-flame of Merkaine is escorted through Rhyl by a member of the Order of the Green Garter (as a local guide and representative of the nobility) from the members of the Tea Lodge of Fortun.
Chronicle/Facts of the Red Sunset Beacon
Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability & Meticulous Record Keeping may improve usability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these. Specific Lores may increase the chance of knowing specific elements.
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore
For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.
Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty
Stolen Blood-Fire
CY 8600 On one of the Transit of Western Fire quests, a vampire blood knight of the Lich Lords sought to take in the blood of the World-Daughter. Trishin, the daughter of Merkaine, was killed by the vampire spilling the blood-fire on the ground; This is the eternal fire at Trishin’s Withering in the town of Tranmere.
Afterward the Killing: The World-Daughter of Merkaine was killed by the vampire minion of the Lich Lords, with some of the blood of Merkaine held captive and bent to the will of the Lich Lords, her fire-within sect power was lessened. Aerna gained in popularity and influence in the north.
The Hunt for Revenge: For six years, the new World-Daughter of Kaerslein – Elemental Consort of Water hunted the vampire known as “Flame-Ender” in the north – using all her power to bend the elements to shield her. She fought and slew it near Ara-Luu, leading a force of vampires they turned with their corrupted power trying to cross the mountains. She drew on her elemental power, freezing the vampires in place. Each one fought her individually as she freed them, until her sister’s killer was revealed. She pierced him with an ice spike, and drank all the blood that came out, finishing the vampire. She used her elemental power to grind the corpse into pulp, and its bones to dust. She melded with the snow once her sister’s blood had been freed and cleansed of corruption through her taking it in. She sacrificed herself to keep the flame alive and finish her journey. She returned to the site where her sister was killed, burning on the inside the whole way. She finally succumbed at the site of her sister’s death. Her burned bones are as a saint in a local church at Tranmere..