"The oldest? So the gods aren't all the same age?"

"I suppose not! According to the lore I was taught, anyway, though our histories do not give numbers for any of it." 

"How do new ones start, if they haven't all just been around forever?"

"- Honestly I am not sure that anybody knows! It is not as though any mortal has been able to observe it." A wry chuckle. "I read a theory once that powerful extraplanar beings who are not quite at the level of gods can grow to become gods. And legend says that our Nameless God of the Eternal Flame arose from the chaos of the Void itself, so that it would have a voice. But it is a very old legend, passed down through many generations, and I cannot say if it is literally true or more figurative." 

"What does the Void have to say?"

"That all living things are precious - each moment of our existence is snatched from the void, something where there could have been nothing. That to be alive, and to have a mind, is to be capable of growth and change - and of finding forgiveness, and redemption. That is the core of our temple's teachings." 

"Forgiveness and redemption?"

"Sometimes people do bad things, that harm other beings. Sometimes they are...shaped in a way such that they do this over and over and over. But - this does not make them any less the kind of being that the Eternal Flame sees as precious. They are still moments of existence snatched from nothingness, and - because they are living, and changing, there is always a possible path ahead where they stop harming others. And it is worth helping them find that, no matter what evils they have committed." 

"How does the Eternal Flame do that?"

"- Well, not directly! They are - too distant from the kind of entity that we are. But that is the core of our temple's mission and teachings, and we do our best to carry it out in the world." 

"How do they - help you do it, then, or explain to you how it's what they want?"

"Those are two different questions, I think. The mission was conveyed to our order centuries ago, by a series of visions to our founders." The priest makes a face. "...Unfortunately, gods - are not really a shape that can speak safely with mortals, and repeated visions of that kind tend to drive people mad. So it is a rare thing, nowadays. But! Now that we know our sacred mission, we can mostly direct it ourselves, which we are better placed to do, as mortals among other mortals. And we pray to the Eternal Flame when our temples are in particular need of good luck, for an important venture, and if that venture is according to the will of the Eternal Flame, then good luck is granted." 

"- mad how? I'm a Mindhealer so I know more than laypeople about kinds of madness."

"Goodness, are you? I probably cannot answer that question to your satisfaction, then, I know very little about any kinds of madness! Perhaps you could read the historical text for yourself and tell us what you think?" 

"If you'd let me borrow it I'd really like that!"

"I think we can arrange it! If you want the original historical records you may need to wait, though, I am not sure we keep copies of the original sources here." Pause. "Anyway, I would still be delighted to answer whichever other questions you have now." 

"What kinds of things do you do in this religion?"

"Our core mission is to see the value in all sentient beings - and even in all nonsentient but still-living beings - and, in particular, to try as hard as we can to provide all such with the support needed to find growth, and forgiveness for the harms caused when they had not yet grown. ...We run free kitchens for the impoverished, because people are better able to grow and improve themselves when they are not starving, and we also run free schools and offer an education to anyone who needs it." 

"That's pretty cool. Is the Eternal Flame just particularly altruistic or do they get something else out of this?"

"...Hmm. I think that 'altruistic' is an odd framing to apply to gods, here. They are not beings like us, who have separate sorts of motivation for selfish needs and for altruistic endeavours. I...think that what the Eternal Flame wants, insofar as the word 'want' as we conceive of it can even be applied to Them, is - a world vibrant with livings things, taking actions and working together and simply...being alive, with all that entails." 

"- how was it discovered that gods don't have motivations like that?"

"-Well, it is what was written by our founders, who received vision from the Eternal Flame directly." 

The crazy ones? Those founders? "Oh, so there'll be more about it in the books, okay. Does the Eternal Flame want anything else or mostly just that?"

"I believe that this is Their core mission that They ask of us. Of course, there are secondary necessities, here, such as having a functional temple order, and missionaries to convey word of the Eternal Flame's doctrine." 

"Does the Eternal Flame sometimes talk to other gods, too?"