Sarenrae

Titles and monikers: The Everflame, the Dawnflower, the Eternal Flame, Lady of Redemption, the Daybreak Scimitar, the Shield Maiden, the Saviour, the Merciful
Areas of concern: Redemption, mercy, fire, Zalia
Followers: Zalians, healers, guardians, redeemed evil-doers
Domains: Light, Life and Forge
Alignment: Neutral Good

Sarenrae is a goddess of boundless love and exquisite kindness, a caring friend, mother, sister, and protector of all in need. She delights in healing the sick, lifting up the fallen, and shining a guiding light into the darkest hearts and lands. She brushes off insults and deflects attacks, patiently trying to convince those who perceive her as an enemy that their belief is false. Yet there are those who have no interest in redemption, who glory in slaughter and death. From the remorseless evil of the undead and fiends to the cruelties born in the hearts of mortals, Sarenrae's doctrines preach swift justice delivered by the scimitar's edge. To this end, she expects her faithful to be skilled at swordplay, both as a form of martial art promoting centering of mind and body, and so that when they do enter battle, their foes do not suffer any longer than necessary: if it becomes clear that their efforts are wasted, they respond to violence and predations upon the innocent with cleansing fire and scorching light. Sarenrae dislikes cruelty, lies, needless suffering, and thoughtless destruction. Ancient and timeless, she stands fearlessly against the full tide of darkness, promising that the dawn will always come, and with it, hope, truth, and kindness will triumph.
Religious art depicts the goddess as a woman with bronze skin and hair of dancing flame; in some cases this flame trails behind her for a dozen or more yards. One of her hands offers the light of a sun, while the other wields a scimitar against those who would spread darkness, hatred, and pain. The church does not identify Sarenrae with the suns, which is Pelor's dominion; rather, she is light and fire herself, a premise and consequence that is ever present and can be conjured by her faithful, and while fanciful art may show her as associated with any source of light, including the suns, the mainstream faithful recognize the difference between a star and the goddess. Sarenrae's favored animals include doves, falcons, the mythical phoenix, fireflies and moths who are attracted to light, seen as a metaphor for the faithful who look for her even in the darkness.

Territories

The Faith of Sarenrae is the State religion of Zalia. While her Church is present everywhere, in no place is as strong as in Zalia. There only those who adhere to the Church of Sarenrae can be crowned, hold public offices or serve in the Immortal Order, and in all of Zalia her temples rise to the skies, though the Church's emphasis on kindness, joy, healing and redemption makes it popular across the continents, and shrines to the Dawnflower dot every nation.

Mythology & Lore

Sarenrae is one of the most popular deities on Cevasia, and followers of many other faiths respect her power, dedication, and generosity. Once a powerful angel known as an empyreal lord, Sarenrae led the heavenly hosts in the charge against the Rough Beast, Tharizdun, and it was she who dealt him the great blow that led to his chaining.
According to the Testaments, Sarenrae was one of the first eight deities of this incarnation of the multiverse. She marvelled at the stars created by Selune and Pelor, and chose some of them to give life so creation could begin.
According to the teachings of the followers of Asmodeus (whose motives should always be questioned), Sarenrae is one of the oldest gods in existence, having been created by one of the two primordial deities in the time before time. She comforted this primordial deity when his brother Asmodeus castigated him for giving free will to mortals. Sarenrae served as his right hand in the first war between the gods of chaos and the gods of law. Asmodeus when the Prince of Darkness slew his brother and was nearly killed, but Asmodeus realized that he could never quench her resolution and that his battle was hopeless. He then abandoned the war and retreated to Hell.
Sarenrae also took part in the next war between gods of good and evil, and while not much is known of this period her Church derives a very dualistic vision of good and evil, seeing evil as a curse by evil gods, and evil mortals as victims of this curse who should be set free when possible, and swiftly put down when impossible, to save the world from further sufference. 
Near the end of the Age of Creation, when Rovagug descended upon the Material Plane to wreak havoc, Sarenrae took note and called upon an alliance of gods to oppose him. During this magnificent war of prehistory, the Dawnflower cast down Rovagug to the Dead Vault at the center of Golarion. It is believed that after Asmodeus bound the Rough Beast there, Sarenrae was given permission by Pelor to place therein the raging flames of the suns as an eternal torment. Sarenrae repaired the gash in the earth and commanded her followers to avoid the smooth scar that remained.

Tenets of Faith

1. Lead with mercy, patience, and compassion. Inspire others to unite in fellowship.
2. Aid those who are without guide. Heal those who are without hope.
3. Those who are beyond redemption, who revel in slaughter and remorseless evil, must meet swift justice.

Worship

The Dawnflower’s faith is a broad one, and the majority of her worshipers are everyday folk who recognize the power of the light, take comfort in the idea of a deity’s love and compassion, and believe strongly in both redemption and righteous action. Her faith attracts those with kind hearts who are nevertheless willing to harden them when kindness is a dangerous weakness. The faith makes few demands of its everyday adherents beyond these tenets, and its clergy are usually seen as valiant protectors and enlightened teachers. 
Since the Church of Pelor is far more popular in farming communities, the Church of Sarenrae is stronger in towns and cities and among rural communities who rely on animal husbandry rather than farming. The Church is also popular amongst healers, diplomats and mediators of all kinds.

Priesthood

Her clergy believe wholeheartedly in redemption, and are patient and compassionate in attempting to persuade evildoers to mend their ways. Hers is not a passive faith; the Dawnflower’s servants teach that goodness is more than simply not doing harm. They see no point in punishment for its own sake—loving kindness and acceptance draw the lost back to the path of goodness far more effectively than threats or pain—but they do not confuse patience with allowing evil to work its will unopposed. Force may be a last resort for a priest of the Dawnflower, but when she draws her scimitar, her justice will be swift, implacable, and complete. Those who wage war in Sarenrae’s name attempt to ensure that it is as clean as they can make it, and that it ends as quickly as possible. Sarenrae’s acceptance of all who strive toward virtue attracts a diverse clergy. Her warriors tend to be adventure-seekers, many of them searching out downtrodden innocents to defend or questing as penance for past failures or perceived flaws. Sarenrae’s status as an angel who ascended to full godhood makes her church an attractive choice for those with celestial heritage, and clergy so blessed are often a source of pride for their congregations. The church’s message of redemption for all also makes it a compelling choice for those struggling to remain virtuous despite fiendish blood. Whatever their origins and skills, those priests who devote their lives to Sarenrae’s service rarely seem to sunburn, even if they have fair complexions, and they tend to tolerate heat, even if they hail from cold climates, because of their training. Sarenrae’s clergy are devoted to serving their communities, administering to their flocks with a gentle hand and wise words. They provide healing and counsel to those who need it, listen to the confessions of those who wish to bare the wounds of their souls to Sarenrae’s healing light, expose injustice where they find it, arbitrate disputes, and rehabilitate criminals. They promote law and order as long as these benefit everyone, but are not afraid to help organize communities against unjust rulers. Priests view casual cruelty or thoughtlessness as genuinely harmful, and if they accidentally engage in one of these behaviors themselves, they seek out the wronged person and attempt to obtain his forgiveness. They understand that goodness takes practice, and regular daily acts of kindness and virtue aid one in building the moral strength to do what is right when one’s goodness is challenged in more serious ways.
Such kindness vanishes, however, when the church is stirred to action against an evil that cannot be redeemed. At such times, Sarenrae’s priests become dervishes, dancing among foes while their scimitars mete out final justice, and even lay worshipers may take up arms. Swordplay, particularly with the scimitar, is considered an art form among Sarenrae’s priests, and martial-minded priests train rigorously in its intricacies. The church sometimes uses enchantments to help guide malcontents toward goodness; while they don’t wish to take away free will, they aren’t averse to providing extra encouragement to help others choose the correct path.
The outer façade of a Sarenite fire temple is almost always intentionally nondescript and free of embellishment. This may reflect ancient tradition that the principal purpose of a fire temple is to house a sacred fire, and not to glorify what is otherwise simply a building. The basic structure of fire temples is always the same. They have a standard floor plan, on entry one comes into a large space or hall where congregation (also non-religious) or special ceremonies may take place. Off to the side of this (or sometimes a floor level up or down) the devotee enters an anteroom smaller than the hall they have just passed through. Connected to this anteroom, or enclosed within it, but not visible from the hall, is the innermost sanctum the 'place of the fire', in which the actual fire-altar stands.
A temple at which a service may be celebrated will always have, attached to it or on the grounds, at least a well or a stream or other source of 'natural' water. 
Only priests attached to a fire temple may enter the innermost sanctum itself, which is closed on at least one side and has a double domed roof. The double dome has vents to allow the smoke to escape, but the vents of the outer dome are offset from those of the inner, so preventing debris or rain from entering the inner sanctum. The sanctum is separated from the anteroom by dividers (or walls with very large openings) and is slightly raised with respect to the space around it. The wall(s) of the inner sanctum are almost always tiled or of marble, but are otherwise undecorated. There are no lights – other than that of the fire itself – in the inner sanctum. In non-Zalian tradition the temples are often designed such that direct sunlight does not enter the sanctuary.
In one corner hangs a bell, which is rung five times a day at the beginning of each 'watch'. Tools for maintaining the fire – which is always fed by wood – are simply hung on the wall, or as is sometimes the case, stored in a small room often reachable only through the sanctum. Offerings are sometimes presented by the clergy on behalf of lay people: this is a frequent ritual, that requires the priest to cover their head with a veil to avoid inhaling the fumes of the holy fire while it consumes the offering for Sarenrae.