The Ebon Flame

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The Ebon Flame

Ten thousand years ago the goddess Elune bestowed upon a group of Highborne elves, who turned their backs on their demonic masters a portion of her essence, the mystical Ebon Flame. The magical black fire cleansed their souls of the taint of the Burning Legion and let them be reborn as protectors of ancient Kalimdor. Overcome with the power of the Flame, the Highborne took an oath and bound their souls to the fire. On that day the Order of the Ebon Flame was born.

In ancient times if someone wanted to join the Order, they had to go through a the Three Trials of the Flame to prove their worth. These -often lethal- trials ensured that only the most dedicated and skilled warriors became members of this mystical order. After the trials the initiates go through the Ritual of Joining where their souls are forever bound to the Ebon Flame. Joining the Order was a great responsibility, for one had to abandon his past dedicating his entire life to the eternal battle against the evil that constantly threatens Azeroth.

Once a bond is formed between the host and the Flame, it cannot be broken. Even after death, the members of the Order are not granted peace in the afterlife: they remain in our mortal world, forever bound to the ever-burning Flame, destined to aid their living brethren. It is with this curse that Elune reminded the ancient ones of the magnitude of their sin, a sin so grand not even death can cleanse it from their souls.

Although the Ebon Flame binds the souls of its warriors together, there is always one individual whose task is to watch over it. They are the Keepers of the Flame. Traditionally the leaders of the armies, the Keepers possess a special bond to the Flame, above that of the ordinary members. The two exist in a symbiosis, neither letting the other die prematurely. Traditionally, if a Keeper's time has come, the Flame is passed on to his successor, who then becomes the new Keeper. Should a Keeper fall in battle the Flame quickly seeks the nearest mortal to use as a new host and binds itself to his soul. In its ten-thousand years long history the Ebon Flame has burned brightly and the legends say that only the betrayal of the ancient oath by a Keeper can extinguish it completely.

The Ebon Flame grants the host an increased resistance to demonic magic and the ability to sense any demons in their vicinity. It also serves as a mythical bond between the members of the Order, allowing them to sense the presence of each other over greater distances.

Although the Order's triumph over the Lich King was absolute and Thalos redeemed himself for his sins of the past, the Flame did not come back to life. As the Spirits have explained, the Flame only remained alive, as long as the Order was free of any corruption, it's Keepers forever true to their duty. With Thalos's betrayal, the ancient oath was irrepairably broken and the Flame forever extinct.