Temple of the Sun

Article Contributed by Silverlite_Sword

After he was nearly killed by a heart attack, local billionare Richard Sounterlund sold his successful furniture business and used the money to fund the erection of a massive temple in the heart of New Artemis. Sounterlund took on a new name - Father Illune - and claimed that his near-death experience granted him the metahuman power of prophecy. Although many "metahuman experts" across various fields are skeptical of his claims, his church in New Artemis is completely full of adoring worshipers every Sunday. Father Illune claims that Sol gave us metahuman powers for a reason, and he often speaks of a "great trouble" coming to the world. If humanity can collectively break through into our enlightened state, Sounterland claims that we will unlock unfathomable powers such as immortality and the ability to travel space "as the stars do." Services at the Temple of the Sun often involve collective chants or meditation, sometimes stretching on for hours at a time. Believers say that they can feel Sol "speaking to them" and that humans are "Sol's children." Many believers claim that they unlocked metahuman abilities via meditation rather than through breaking, as has been seen previously. Every week, dozens of believers come forward and take to the stage, sharing stories of "unlocking their inner light" through the power of their faith. There are even accounts of people who went through extremely traumatic experiences and remained 'normal,' people who say they were told by experts that they would never have any metahuman abilities at all, who later came to faith in Sol and eventually unlocked their gifts. Solarians - those who believe in Father Illune's teachings - also speak in hushed whispers about "the Earthbound." These poor souls - metas and non-metas alike - will never embrace enlightenment, and their souls will never be able to travel the stars. While Father Illune stresses that there is yet hope for even the darkest soul, he often rants and rambles at length about "dark forces" in society that are trying to prevent our enlightenment. These "enemies of light" cannot be reasoned with, and Father Illune warns that these "dark souls" will even turn Sol's own gifts - metahuman abilities - against the faithful. When that day comes, Illune stresses that all of Sol's true children may be asked to fight to ensure their future, as the fate of humanity rests on the shoulders of the faithful.

C: Credible