Sun Cult

"We all return to the Sun, child, whether as light or as kindling."

The Sun Cult rule the lands in the North of Eira. Both a religion and a nation, the zealous Sun Cult work tirelessly to root out heresies within their borders, and spread their religion beyond it.
The territory of the Sun Cult stretches from the edge of the great Enkuri desert in the south, to the white cliffs and pale beaches at the northern tip of Eira. Though a seafaring nation, they typically remain around the rich shorelines, where squid and mackerel are fished in great quantity. On land, the fertile soil is well-suited for growing figs, dates, and grain, as well as grazing sheep.
Though sun-worship is not uncommon in Midara, the Sun Cult are unique in that they revere the Sun not as the flaming chariot or unblinking eye of some other god, but as the luminous sphere that it appears as. They believe that in death, all things go to the sun, and whether they become kindling or light depends on their actions in the Mortal Plane.
As described previously, the beliefs of the Sun Cult are not all-encompassing across their land, and heresies that rise up must be swiftly quelled. Two such heresies currently active in the lands of the Sun Cult are those of the Children of Selene, and the Shadowkin. The Children of Selene believe that long ago, the jealous Sun stole its power from the Moon, its kind and graceful sibling. They now work to bring the betrayal committed by the usurper Sun to light, and restore the Sun Cult's worship to its rightful owner. The Shadowkin are more radical, and they believe that to wallow in the light of the Sun as the Sun Cult do is indolent and repulsively decadent. They believe that in order for the people of the Sun Cult to reach their full potential, they must reject the Sun, cast it down from the sky, and allow themselves to blossom in the dark.

Demography and Population

The people of the Sun Cult, its heresies, and any non-aligned factions within its borders number in the region of 660,000 souls. The ruling and religious body of the Sun Cult are all Halfling (whose diminutive size is compensated for by their impressive presence and large ornamental headdresses). Orc and half-orc tribes roam the plains, and are frequently hired as retainers or bodyguards for their diminutive masters. Orc and Half-Orc tribespeople are not considered citizens of the Sun Cult by birth, so many earn their citizenship through servitude. Humans are also present, and form the majority of the merchant and peasant class. Other races can be found in Sun Cult territory - Elf, Dwarf, and Genasi - but are few in number, and are not native to the land.

Neighboring Nations

• Kingdom of Enkur