▣ INCANTATIONFire's Deadly Sin
Prophecy of the burning Erdtree: the first cardinal sin, no domain of mere men
Fire's Deadly Sin
Fire's Deadly Sin is an incantation 'originating from a deeply ominous prophecy', and its description preserves that prophecy word for word. Cast, it 'sets both the caster and the surrounding area ablaze with raging flames', and the caster's own body 'will remain engulfed in flame for a while, burning them and any who draw near'. A prophet 'despaired, looking up at the Erdtree, for soon the kindling would burst into flame, bringing ruin', and the words of that despair are quoted directly: 'The burning of the Erdtree is the first cardinal sin. That is not the domain of mere men.'
This cursed fire must be distinguished from the black flame of the Godskin Apostles, which has its own history and its own mistress. The Gloam-Eyed Queen, 'an Empyrean chosen by the Fingers', led the apostles; the black flame they wield 'could once slay gods', channeled from her Godslayer's Greatsword, and the apostles were 'once said to serve Destined Death', until the Queen was defeated by Maliketh the Black Blade, 'Queen Marika's loyal half-brother', whose blade was imbued with Destined Death. 'When Maliketh sealed Destined Death, the true power of the black flame was lost.' The black flame is a weapon, a god-killing instrument whose chain of custody the texts spell out. Fire's Deadly Sin is placed differently by its own wording: it comes out of a prophecy, as do Catch Flame and Flame Sling, incantations 'originating from a sinister prophecy' whose description names what such a vision costs the one who has it. 'The flame of ruin is anathema to the Erdtree. But prophets sometimes glimpse it within the faith all the same. Sadly when this occurs their sole reward is banishment.'
The prophecy is fulfilled by the Tarnished's own hand. The terms are set out by Gideon: 'You must find kindling. Only the smoldering flame in the Great Forge of the Giants, on the highest peak in the Lands Between, can burn the Erdtree. But special kindling is required to reignite the flame. For the flame to burn the Erdtree, a sacrifice is needed. Of one who envisions the flame.' Melina lifts that half of the task off the Tarnished: 'Think not, of the kindling. I shall see to that. All I ask of you is to make the journey.' At the burning itself, her words are addressed to the tree: 'O Erdtree, you shall burn. Burn, for the sake of the new Lord.' When Maliketh is slain and the Rune of Death unbound, the death-rune's text is exact: 'Black flames have devoured the Erdtree, and the Lands Between are shrouded by Death's dark fate. But the flames will also burn the impenetrable thorns.' Reading those black flames as the apostles' own is an inference laid over that sentence rather than a line of it: what the sentence ties the burning to is the unbound Rune of Death, and Maliketh's own call, 'O, Death. O Destined Death... Become my blade, once more.'
A reading, widely held but nowhere confirmed, binds these threads to Melina herself. The clues are textual. Her farewell as the Erdtree burns, 'The one who walks alongside flame, Shall one day meet the road of Destined Death', is the same couplet carried by the Blade of Calling, 'Dagger given to one who set out on a journey to fulfill her duty long ago', whose former owner that description calls 'the kindling maiden'. The Lord of Frenzied Flame ending closes on a vow to hand over Destined Death itself, the very Death the apostles were 'once said to serve' : 'I will seek you, as far as you may travel... To deliver you what is yours. Destined Death.' The Godskin Swaddling Cloth, meanwhile, speaks of the Queen in the present tense: she 'cradles newborn apostles swaddled in this cloth'. None of the lines quoted here joins the two names; they only refuse to close the distance between them.
'That is not the domain of mere men.' The prophecy's warning is borne out on the roads where the Tree burns. On the road of gold, the sacrifice Gideon names is a person, one 'who envisions the flame', and Melina answers for it herself: 'I shall see to that.' On the road of frenzy, the same price falls on the seeker's own body, and it is Shabriri, 'the man who calls himself Shabriri', who states it: 'Spare the poor girl, and singe your own flesh in her stead', then 'If you inherit the flame of frenzy, your flesh will serve as kindling, and the girl can be spared.' On both these roads the fire is paid for in flesh. Fire's Deadly Sin puts that rule into the caster's hands: it 'sets both the caster and the surrounding area ablaze with raging flames', and the body that called it keeps burning, 'burning them and any who draw near'.
Incantation originating from a deeply ominous prophecy. Sets both the caster and the surrounding area ablaze with raging flames. The caster's body will remain engulfed in flame for a while, burning them and any who draw near. The prophet despaired, looking up at the Erdtree, for soon the kindling would burst into flame, bringing ruin. "The burning of the Erdtree is the first cardinal sin. That is not the domain of mere men."
Superior black flame incantation of the Godskin Apostles. The Gloam-Eyed Queen led the apostles. It is said that she was an Empyrean chosen by the Fingers.
A black flame incantation of the Godskin Apostles. The black flame could once slay gods. But when Maliketh sealed Destined Death, the true power of the black flame was lost.
Godslayer's GreatswordSacred sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen who controlled the Godskin Apostles before her defeat at the hands of Maliketh. The black flames wielded by the apostles are channeled from this sword.
Maliketh's ArmorBeast's armor made of black iron and decorated with gold. Worn by Maliketh the Black Blade. Maliketh, Queen Marika's loyal half-brother, bore a blade imbued with Destined Death, and there was not one demigod who did not fear him.
Godskin Apostle BraceletsBlack bracelets of the Godskin Apostles. The apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, are wielders of the god-slaying black flame.
Sacred cloth of the Godskin Apostles, made from supple skin sewn together. The Gloam-Eyed Queen cradles newborn apostles swaddled in this cloth. Soon they will grow to become the death of the gods.
Blade of CallingDagger given to one who set out on a journey to fulfill her duty long ago. The power of its former owner, the kindling maiden, is still apparent. The one who walks alongside flame, Shall one day meet the road of Destined Death.
The Rune of Death is unbound. Black flames have devoured the Erdtree, and the Lands Between are shrouded by Death's dark fate. But the flames will also burn the impenetrable thorns.
Lord of Frenzied Flame... I will seek you, as far as you may travel... To deliver you what is yours. Destined Death.
