The Order of the Falling Sky is a band of mages who study the works of two mages who, two generations ago, learned the secrets of how to find and work Fire Bronze, also known as Sky Metal. The pair were originally part of the Shavik Order, a highly respected school of mages that deal in magic that involves manipulation and crafting of all manner of metals. Since Fire Bronze is thought to be the legendary armor of the sun that was sundered in the The War Against Earth and Sea and flung down into the sea by Vijo, Oshin, and others, there are many who find the Order of the Falling Sky to border on the heretical. Further, the metal is known to have been used by the Lizardmen during the Reign of the Lizards. While there are no scriptures that directly make Fire Bronze taboo, since it is a relic of a god that is considered evil in the legends, many assume that it's use should be banned. Essentially the Order has gotten away with their works based on the technicality that it is not specifically mentioned as being off limits. There are those who have moved in the past to have the priests declare the order a heresy, and twice the matter has gone to the highest authorities. On both occasions the authorities in question have simply decided not to rule on the matter, leaving the status quo in place. Despite not having been banned, those who are heavily invested in the religion of the Empire tend not to consort with the members of the Order.
The main grimoire of the Order is The Secrets of the Sky Metal, written by the founders. Members join the Order as an apprentice to one of the Masters of the Order, and the apprenticeships tend to be fairly arduous. Masters rarely have more than one apprentice at a time, and that apprentice has to essentially learn how to run a forge, and keep their Masters' furnaces running near constantly. Apprentices are often recruited from the Shavik Order, as this gives them a head start in understanding the workings of magical forges. One doesn't even get a look at The Secrets of the Sky Metal until one is appointed a Journeyman, upon demonstrating rather strong proficiency with the basics of the magical forge. Given the difficulty of the apprenticship, and that most have to leave the Shavik Order in the midst of training with that Order, and the aforementioned distaste that many have for the near-heretical nature of the Order, it's not surprising that there are few candidates brought in. In short, the Order has never numbered more than a two dozen members at all levels at any one time, most of those at the Journeyman level, where they begin to study the grimoire independently and learn how to manipulate the magic on their own. This, too, is unusual, as most Orders start study of their grimoire during apprenticeship, and keep it directed on through most of the members' time as journeymen.
Perhaps unsurpirsingly, given the competition for good apprentices, there is no love lost between the Shavik Order, and the Order of the Falling Sky. That said, the two Orders do manage to maintain some connections, often out of purely academic interest, and a grudging respect for each other's work.
