Church of the Sun

Mythology & Lore

The Firelord liberated the humanoid races from the constant plagues and famine brought on by The Reaper by waging a war to remove the Lord of the Dead from their throne and imprison them in The Abyss. The Firelord was severely injured in this struggle, and followers make burnt offerings during services to symbolize this sacrifice.

Tenets of Faith

Followers of the Firelord revere life above all else, and as such are directly opposed to The Reaper. They also recognize the light and warmth of the sun as being the source of all life on earth.

The Church of the Sun also believes strongly in maintaining societal order, and it believes that faith in the Righteous Divines should be the basis for this order. The church encourages monogamous, faith-based marriages and openly advocates for its doctrine to be passed into law.

The church also maintains strongly that the Righteous Divines and their servants are the only acceptable sources of divine power. Any and all divine magic from any other source is considered witchcraft and strictly forbidden by church doctrine.

Worship

Devout followers of the Firelord usually attend a worship service at least once a week. Most large temples have a service multiple times per week at dawn and high noon.

Priesthood

The Church of the Sun has a strict hierarchy within the priesthood, from regular priests, to bishops, all the way up to the Solar Pontifex.

Granted Divine Powers

Those who are blessed by the Dawnfather with divine power are usually great healers, although there have been a few great paladins throughout history who were given the power to smite evil with the holy fire of the sun.

Political Influence & Intrigue

The Church of the Sun is the largest of the churches of the Righteous Divines, and also the most active in maintaining the unity of the Church. Although the representatives of each church technically make decisions as a ruling council of equals, it's well-known that the Solar Pontifex is the de facto head of the Unified Church of the Righteous Divines, which makes the Pontifex one of the most powerful political figures in Gelland.

The church openly advocates for its doctrine to become law in the various states of Gelland, and due to its level of influence, it has had great success. For this reason, witchcraft is outlawed in much of Gelland.

Sects

Some particularly fanatical followers of the Firelord have been known to brand or burn themselves to show their devotion, but the church does not officially condone this practice.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Parent Organization

Unified Church of the Righteous Divines

Deities