What is the Splendor of Fire?

Splendor of Fire is the online journal of the In Hoc Signo Society, a union of Christian wargamers and adventure gamers.

Splendor of Fire is a throwback to the Golden Age of the Internet, when everyone had their own websites and centralized platforms with their pay-for-play and algorithmic censorship were only a glimmer in the bright, dead, alien eyes of the technocrats. We are dedicated to the hobbies of miniature wargaming and tabletop RPGs, not shilling for big companies. We use miniatures from ‘unapproved’ manufacturers, make our own army lists, and play out of print games and ‘obsolete’ editions.

Here you will find hobby journals, tactical studies, battle reports, miniature and book reviews, essays on gaming philosophy, commentary on the passing scene, and whatever else our membership finds notable. We will also host periodic online wargaming campaigns and chronicle them here.

Membership & Submissions

Christian Wargamers?

Submissions are only accepted from members of the In Hoc Signo Society. Membership is open to any Christian wargamer or tabletop adventure (RPG) gamer who will profess the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. You may apply by joining our Guilded server.

All organizations need an ethos, something our membership can cohere around and identify each other by. Tabletop gaming is only a theme, and says nothing in particular about the kind of people we are. Our ethos is belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly the profession of faith as set out in the First and Second Ecumenical Councils. On this common bond we base our fellowship.

And open profession of faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit helps guard against infiltration by the weirdo anti-cultural political activists that are trashing our hobbies, too.

Where there is beauty, there is God. Our hobby is small effort at contributing to the world’s beauty, whether through miniature spectacle and the camaraderie of family and friends gathered around the game table.

Our Namesake

The name Splendor of Fire is taken from the the Lorica, or Breastplate, of St. Patrick, an ancient prayer of protection composed by the Irish saint.

I bind to myself today
The strong power of an invocation of the Trinity,
The faith of the Trinity in Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

II.
I bind  to myself today
The might of the Incarnation of Christ
with that of His Baptism,
The might of His Crucifixion with that of His Burial,
The might of His Resurrection with that of His Ascension.
The might of of His Coming on the Judgment Day.

III.
I bind  to myself today
The power in the love of the Seraphim,
In the obedience of the Angels,
In the ministration of the Archangels,
In the hope of Resurrection unto reward,
In the prayers of the Patriarchs,
In the predictions of the Prophets,
In the preaching of the Apostles,
In the faith of the Confessors,
In the purity of the holy Virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.

IV.
I bind  to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The brightness of the Sun,
The whiteness of Snow,
The splendor of Fire,
The speed of Lightning,
The swiftness of the Wind,
The depth of the Sea,
The stability of the Earth,
The firmness of Rocks.

V.
I bind  to myself today
God’s Power to pilot me,
God’s Might to uphold me,
God’s Wisdom to guide me,
God’s Eye to look before me,
God’s Ear to hear me,
God’s  Word to speak for me,
God’s Hand to guard me,
God’s Way to lie before me,
God’s Shield to shelter me,
God’s Host to secure me.
    Against the snares of demons,
    Against the seductions of vices,
    Against the lusts of nature,
    Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
 Whether few or with many.

VI.
I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul.
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths and Druids,
Against every knowledge that blinds the soul of man.

VII.
Christ protect me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
That I may receive abundant reward.

VIII.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
 Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ when lying down, Christ in sitting,
Christ in rising up.

IX.
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

X.
I bind to myself today
The strong power of an invocation of the Trinity,
The faith of the Trinity in Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

XI.
Salvation is of the Lord,
Salvation is of the Lord,
Salvation is of Christ;
May Your salvation, O Lord, be with
us forever.