T.he Fires of Cleansing, also known as the Fires of Purification, were the bonfires the corrupted Sunpriests of Karse used to burn people at the stake. Anyone who possessed inconvenient Gifts, or that the priests believed they could not control, was denounced for possessing "witch powers" and was sent to the Fires.[1]
The people of the villages could often tell which children were likely to be denounced by a Voice of Vkandis during the annual Feast of the Children Festival. Those living near the border with Valdemar sometimes smuggled the children out, or escaped across the border with them.[2] That was how Father Henrick came to Valdemar. He had been ordered to burn a group of children, and ran with them instead.[3]
When she was crowned Son of the Sun, Solaris put an end to the practice, outlawing it throughout Karse.
References[]
- ↑ Examples in anthology stories such as "What Fire Is", "Sunlancer"
- ↑ Examples in anthology stories such as "The Feast of the Children", "Of Crows and Karsites"
- ↑ Exile's Honor