Church of Sol Invictus

Despite being one of the youngest churches among humans, the Unconquered Sun is a new take on an ancient tradition. Sun worship is a common feature of human civilizations, and Sol Invictus lends both a martial and spiritual bent to these beliefs. The religion is rapidly gaining popularity in the Republic but has spread to other human nations as well.
Central to the faith is the idea that the sun is the source of all life, serving as a supreme (if distant) deity and as a well from which all spirits are drawn. When anything dies, its essence returns to the sun, and new life draws from the sun in order to exist. Cleansing fire awaits the ego and promises to burn away that which is impure. This suffering is finite, though assiduous practitioners strive to cleanse themselves as much as possible in this life to not only allay suffering in the next, but also to manifest purity in the world, drawing everything closer to the sun from which it originated.


Despite being a religious order, the Church has attracted a somewhat militant arm of warriors pledged to the sun's ideals. Though mostly informal bands united against certain threats or for common cause, the Republic and Emperor have had to consider what validity they might lend these organizations, and whether to try and make them a state apparatus or not. For their part, the warriors are committed to civilization and order, though they strive to maintain a culture of harmony and respect.
The average practitioner attends a sunrise service once a week, with four major holidays in the year corresponding to solstices and equinoxes. Though not strict vegetarians, many worshippers eat little meat, prefering that which grows in sunlight for sustenance.

Mythology & Lore

In the beginning, there was only the sun. Never static, the source of all reflexively began to divide itself into more and more distant manifestations, that it could observe itself and grow. The furthest of these manifestations became stones and water and other objects without animus; closer to the source of the Divine are plants, animals, mortals, gods, and more. When the sun has grown fully, all will be drawn back into it, and the final change will occur, that change after which nothing can be known.

Divine Origins

Sun worship and animism combined with a philosophy that caught on in the Great Continent.

Tenets of Faith

Tenets of the Church are nuanced and the result of several philosophies merging together, but are simplified as follows for the majority of lay worshippers:

All life flows from the sun and returns to the sun. Honor all living things, even that which you kill.

All things will return to the sun in time, regardless of your actions. If your duty dictates that you send something to the sun, do so without inflicting unnecessary suffering and without guilt.

The sun and stars and all things move in accordance with the Law set by the sun. The constructs of mortals are most prosperous when made in accordance to that same Law, to the extent that we understand it.

That which has died yet persists, or has entered the world from beyond the sun's domain, must be purged. We are the sun cleansing itself.

Ethics

Church members are expected to treat all living things (and special objects) with respect. Taking life is not forbidden, but casually inflicting suffering is forbidden and stains the soul. Suffering can be alleviated by disciplining the self and purifying one's own soul sufficiently that it may remain with the sun upon death.

Worship

Sunrise services are held once a week, though aren't mandatory. Worshippers still venerate their ancestors, and one sect even believes that fervent prayers of intercession will cleanse their ancestors' souls more swiftly.

Priesthood

Priests tend to remain humble, prizing beautiful art but doing little with the money the church receives. Priests tend to individual buildings and bishops oversee cities or large areas.

Political Influence & Intrigue

Though an acknowledged church of the Republic, the faith has yet to catch on with any prominent political figures and has little political capital.