The Fire and Brimstone Preacher

Ezren Hark turned his eyes upon the interlopers. They stood before him with steel in their hands, and righteous fury in their hearts. They bore the tabards of the Order of The Griffin, and they were festooned with holy symbols and prayer circlets. Hark smiled, his thin lips pulling back over his strong, white teeth.

"And here in our midst, brothers and sisters, we find outsiders. We find interlopers, yes we do, come with hatred in their hearts and violence in their fists," Hark said. His voice grew in volume as he spoke, the cadence of his words filling the chamber, and reverberating. The congregation behind him murmured, their fear draining away as the voice of their dark minister took hold. "And what awaits those who trespass upon us? What fate is in store for them?!"

The answer that came from the congregation was a single word, called out with all the force and ferocity of a storm. It was so loud it drowned out the knights' battle cry, and as they rushed Hark and his followers, he smiled, and raised his hands as well as his voice.

"Yes, brothers and sisters!" he cried. "Fire!"

No sooner had the word left his mouth, then fire appeared from thin air. Waves of heat danced around it, and it consumed the warriors. Most didn't even have time to scream, their skin splitting and fat running down their charring skin as their armor cooked them alive. They fell, one by one, until there were none left.

"So is the fate of all," Hark said, bowing his head and making the sign of his lord. "None escape the flames, my friends. And they will consume this world soon enough, yes they will."

The Fire and Brimstone Cleric

The phrase "fire and brimstone" refers to a very particular kind of preaching that was popular in America and Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. Rather than focusing on messages of love, community, forgiveness, or good works, these preachers used vivid, visceral imagery of terrifying punishments, of an angry god waiting to bring down retribution, destruction, and damnation on those who opposed his will.

These sermons were traumatizing, to say the least, and they were typically used to force obedience through fear, painting god as an angry and vindictive force... and you can adapt this for your clerics, if you wish to.

Any deity who has fire in their portfolio could have a fire and brimstone follower. Whether it be a sun goddess, a demon lord, a neutral nature god, or even a chaotic god of fire, it is the energy of these clerics that marks them out. They are harsh, they are violent in their goals and ends, and they are able to call down, well, fire and brimstone upon their foes.

For bonus points in making the character stand out, consider adopting the mannerisms and style of the more modern versions of these styles of preachers. The speech patterns often associated with tent revivals and traveling preachers, for example, could make for an unexpected character... particularly if this is not a style of sermon you would expect for their deity in question.

It's also important to tailor the message for the cleric (and deity) in question. For example, this message of fire and destruction could be used as a way to describe the wrath that will fall upon the god's enemies, if they are a traditionally good deity who protects their followers, making it clear that though the faithful have nothing to fear, those who would harm them do. Alternatively, if the cleric is a servant of a powerful demon, daemon, or devil, then perhaps these flames aren't just a punishment... they're the goal! Something to be embraced as they seek to climb the ladder in hell, and to gain more power, making it clear that though flames will hurt you, they will purify you, and forge you into something greater than you are now.

There are a lot of different ways you could go with this concept, all of which will make for a unique, interesting, and memorable character!

For more advice about clerics, and making them stand out at your table, make sure you also check out:

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Clerics

- The Wine Snob Cleric

- The Chosen

- The Convert

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That's all for this week's Unusual Character Concepts post!

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