Sune
Sune (pronounced: SOON), also known as Lady Firehair, is the deity of beauty, with governance also over love. Traditionally, her dogma primarily concerned love based on outward beauty, but more recently (as of 224 AL) her followers in Kauvet have begun preaching an open-minded perspective that can focus on inner beauty and find it in many places, rather than only in what is aesthetically pleasing in a society’s mainstream (see
Neumara). Her symbol is that of a beautiful woman with red hair.
Description
When Sune appears to mortals, she does so as a human female of unearthly beauty dressed in only a near-transparent gown of silk. She is known for her lustrous, impossibly long red hair, the color of which persisted regardless of any other permutations in her appearance, and which often assumed the appearance of flames. Aside from this, her physical manifestation would change from time to time. Her skin might be golden, mahogany, reddish, or ivory, and her eyes might be sky-blue, forest green, almond-shaped, or of the darkest amber. She occasionally wore ruby gemstones in her hair.
Personality
Sune is a benevolent goddess that abhorred the destruction of beauty and truly loved and protected her followers. She is also one of the most vain entities in the cosmos, enjoying attention and sincere flattery while avoiding the horrific and boorish.
The sometimes whimsical Princess of Passion alternates between deep passion and casual flirtation with others. When she is truly interested in a person or god, she wholeheartedly believes in these deep-seated feelings, but though she is one of the most passionate beings in existence, her focus lasts only a short time (as long as the subject continued to be enticing) before she loses interest and moved on. Recently, she’s been noted to be less flighty, taking a more hands on approach to guiding her followers.
Relationships
Sune had been romantically linked with many other deities in the many myths of the realms; for example she is said to have been smitten with Torm for a time. She was served by both Lliira and Sharess and allies with Milil,
Lathander, and
Selune, the latter of which was also a servant of Lady Firehair in the past before going her own way, though they are still extremely friendly and cooperative. She’s also given her aid to Mystra and is considered an enemy by the Nightbringer as a result.
By her nature, it is difficult for any being to be angry at Sune for long, and so the goddess has few true enemies. Those foes she does have include the Gods of Fury and their leader Talos, Talona goddess of disease, and Tempus god of battle, as these beings frequently bring destruction and rage to the world. Other deities of love and beauty have derided her low station, while deities such as Umberlee envy her for her beauty.
History
Sune's history is mostly told in myth regarding her various romances and flirtations with other gods. Tales exist of her relationships with practically every god except Talos, Umberlee, Malar, Auril, Tempus and Talona, whom Sune abhors for their acts of destruction. Despite this, there is no known origin given for the goddess. Some say followers of Sune emerge when a land faces great tragedy or destruction, seeing hope for a prosperous future in her embrace of love. History surrounding the Church of Sune suggests some of the most beautiful and beloved figures of record have been secret followers of Sune, but it is little more than conjecture and fantasy.
Legends say Sune once rescued Sharess from death at the hands of Shar and restored the corrupted deity to her original state before Shar's influence affected her. During the Spellplague caused by Cyric’s murder of Mystra, Sune's plane of Brightwater was destroyed, but Selûne invited Sune and her exarchs to join her in the Gates of the Moon. During this period of transition, it was revealed that many lesser powers of love in the realms were all aspects of Sune. Sune, along with Tyr and Lathander, was one of the triumvirate of deities who declared that Cyric should be imprisoned for the apparent death of Mystra, allowing
Kelemvor the opportunity to usurp him as the god of the dead.
Worshipers
Sune's clerics seek to bring beauty to the world in many forms, all of which are pleasing to the senses. They create great works of art, become patrons for promising actors, and import exotic luxuries like satin and fine wines. Her followers also enjoy looking beautiful, and hearing tales of romance. The stories ranged from star-crossed love, true love overcoming all else, to following one's heart.
Her temples usually hold social salons and display mirrors for use by lay parishioners. Some of them, like the Sunite headquarters in
Acropolis, even have public baths for the local populace. Her shrines often stood on the corner of busy city streets. They would have a small ornate overhanging roof with a mirror underneath. They were used to check one's appearance while honoring Sune with prayer. Some shrines even held perfume and cosmetic items for those who could not afford such luxuries themselves.
Hierarchy of the Church of Sune
Heartwarder: The leader of the Church of Sune as a whole.
Beautykeeper: the unknown council
Rubyholder: The leader of an individual church
Firebringer: Highest ranking clerics in a church
The Lady’s Consuls: Laurels who have ascended to the role of mentor
The Lady’s Laurels: Priests and artists
The Lady’s Votary: students, heralds, and associate clergy, commonly known as acolytes
The Hierarchy Explained
As a moderate to large sized sect, the Church of Sune in Acropolis holds one Rubyholder, 14 Firebringers, approximately 180 Consuls, approximately 440 Laurels, and approximately 920 members of the Votary as of 228 AL.
The Heartwarder
Typically, there is one Heartwarder in any given world. They and their council are responsible for overseeing all sects of the religion across the planet. However, in cases where communication between a Heartwarder and one of their chapters is impossible, such as the closed borders of Kauvet, a Heartwarder for that specific cluster of Sunites can be appointed by the Beautykeepers. The Heartwarder, in general, is responsible for piloting the ship on which all Sunite doctrine sails. Their word is as good as the word of Sune herself in matters of church construction, outreach, instruction, and all else. The term length of a Heartwarder, as well as the requirements to become one or the specific rules they follow, are a mystery, as is the selection process for this almighty position of power. In the past, Sune’s tenets of beauty and vanity have led many Heartwarders to gain celebrity status among the mainstream populace regardless of the citizens’ religious affiliations. Similarly to Sune’s own flights of fancy, however, these bouts of celebrity are short-lived. This is due to the mysterious ways in which Heartwarders are selected and replaced.
One hard and fast rule of the Heartwarder that is clear: they are prohibited from occupying any other position in the church while operating as Heartwarder. It is common for Sunites to share duties. A Laurel can take over an apprentice’s cleaning, a consul can lead a worship ceremony, a firebringer can instruct a wreath or accompany a detachment of knights on a quest, and a Rubyholder can engage in Firebringer assignments. But someone appointed to the role of Heartwarder effectively vanishes, their previous life erased, and they must maintain rigid execution of specific duties. No Heartwarder’s affiliation with the church prior to their appointment is public knowledge. A Heartwarder could have served as Rubyholder of a significant church for decades when suddenly all evidence of them having done so, including people’s memory of them, evaporates as they begin their life anew in the church’s highest office.
When a new Heartwarder is required, their appointment comes without warning. The people and church personnel are aware that a new Heartwarder is beginning their appointment, but memory of who they have replaced is foggy at best. This lapse in memory makes it possible for former Heartwarders to resume work in the church in other capacities, but they rarely do. Most often, they disappear. Perhaps they retire to a quiet life. Perhaps they are absorbed into the council of Beautykeepers. Perhaps they are called to the goddess’s side as an exarch. Their fates are unknown. Notably, the role of Heartwarder can be turned down. If the Beautykeepers select you for appointment, it is well within your respected rights to refuse without repercussion. However, according to general knowledge, almost everyone approached through the church’s history has immediately accepted the assignment.
The Beautykeepers
The Beautykeepers are a mysterious force that guides the trajectory of the Church of Sune’s highest offices. The name first appears in texts from centuries before the
Age of Lavandin when Sunites began trying to ascertain the nature of those powers that moved Rubyholders and Heartwarders into place. Common belief now is that the Beautykeepers are a council of individuals with some connection to the Church of Sune who are not currently operating within the church in some other capacity. The political ramifications of having current Rubyholders or Firebringers acting on the council could be disastrous. Since no such cataclysm has occurred, it is believed that Beautykeepers maintain a certain level of professional detachment from the rest of the church. They’re regarded as watchers, constantly surveying different sects, storing information for when a shift needs to be made. Of course, just because there is a consensus doesn’t mean other ideas don’t pop up.
Other theories for who might make up this mysterious council include aspects of Sune herself, supremely powerful beings from other planes of existence such as archfeys or angels, representatives from other churches, or even other gods, but none of these theories seem to hold up as well in the court of public opinion. There is no information, aside from rumor and conjecture, of who may be on this proposed council, how they arrive at such a position, or how long they hold such power. It is unclear how the Beautykeepers operate in Kauvet due to the unusual structure of their hierarchy, but it seems whatever force acts as this council on behalf of the rest of the world still holds power in this land even if the traditional Heartwarder doesn’t. This could speak to the magnanimous level of power they possess, or it might signal cause for concern.
The Rubyholders
The Rubyholder of a temple is in charge of shepherding their followers. They select the assignments for the Firebringers, assess who should rise from the Laurels to the consulary, lead special services, maintain communication with the other sects of the religion, dictate community outreach, and disperse organization funds throughout Kauvet. The extensiveness of their responsibilities tends to limit their ability to travel. Face to face meetings between different temples are usually carried out by Firebringers on their holders’ behalf. However, things being as they are with Kauvet’s national borders, there is currently no communication between Heartwarder Avec Mori and the leaders of other Sunite churches, but internal communication with the southern church and the holy knights still operates this traditional way.
No one truly knows how Rubyholders are appointed. The designations always come from the office of the Heartwarder, but it is not often the Heartwarder who makes these decisions. Some say it is the Heartwarder’s personal council or that it is the Beautykeepers who make such appointments, which may be one in the same for all that’s known. Some say it is an amalgamation of Firebringers from different churches. Some say the Heartwarder speaks directly to Sune and that she makes all high-level appointments herself.
The Firebringers
Firebringers of Sune are unparalleled in their grace, beauty, power, and respectability. They can preside over any number of matters in the church such as marriage ceremonies, Laurel ascensions, wreath instruction, and advising the Rubyholder. Though a Firebringer can provide instruction and training to the wreaths of a church, as well as Laurels and Consuls seeking advanced education, their core duties typically keep them far from the walls of their home temples. Firebringers serve as goodwill ambassadors of the Sunite religion. They travel in their home cities and venture far and wide, introducing people to Sune and her teachings, working to enhance the natural beauties of the world, resolving conflicts, and spreading ideals of love and acceptance throughout civilization.
Firebringers are often called to settle domestic disputes that threaten one or more citizens of a given civilization. They have also led soldiers in battle against those who would bring destruction. As such, it is not unheard of for Firebringers to be welcomed into the Order of the Ruby Rose or the reverse where order members are accepted into the rank of her lady’s Firebringers upon returning to the church.
However, as the Ruby Rose is an extremely honorable and respected order of knights engaged in dangerous activities as well as ruthless study, those few foolish enough to join the order in an attempt to advance beyond the rank of Laurel and Consul have all either realized their error in judgment and withdrawn from service, perished as a result of their misguidedness, or been rooted out by other knights. Since no one knows how Rubyholders and Heartwarders are appointed, Firebringers are the highest office most Sunites tend to aspire to.
Another task that can fall to the Firebringers is overseeing preparations of special events such as the Summer Nights Festival. If none are available, this task falls to the Consuls. It is important to note that, while Firebringers have traditionally been clerics, it is not required, although some special type of training is expected among this high rank.
The Lady's Consuls
The Lady’s Consuls are those who have garnered enough esteem and experience as Laurels to provide personal tutelage to members of the votary. Acolytes act as shadows to their consuls, accompanying and assisting them in their daily tasks as well as any special assignments in service to the church. Especially in the late Age of Lavandin and onward, wherein the church of Sune teaches the beauty of individuality and openness to new ideas, each Consul’s own ideas and experiences greatly influence the kind of training acolytes receive.
It is common practice for one acolyte to receive instruction from multiple Consuls throughout their time as “wreaths,” however each has a Prime Consular. This is the individual directly responsible for a wreath’s training. They have the final say in what lessons they learn and what assignments they undertake. It is their responsibility to keep a diligent record of their students’ experiences and avancements, a record which is presented as evidence an acolyte is ready to ascend to the rank of Laurel at such a time the Prime Consular deems them sufficiently prepared for the position.
The Lady's Laurels
The Lady’s Laurels denotes the main body of disciples within a church devoted to Sune. Any priest performing a ceremony, any cantor singing at the altar, any cleric healing the sick and injured in the temple are all members of the Lady’s Laurels. After gaining a credited amount of experience and knowledge, the acolyte’s Prime Consular may present their learning record to the Firebringers who then have the power elevate them from the votary to the laurels. Despite the sheer multitude of Sunites at this rank, very little of their work happens outside the temple walls. They provide assistance during festivals, have the authority to make house calls to the sick and attend conferences, but they leave most of the clerical administration of the church throughout the city and larger landscape of Kauvet to the Consuls and Firebringers.
The Lady's Votary
The Lady’s Votary is the Church of Sune’s body of acolytes. These students and associate clergy act as assistants to the rest of the church's disciples whilst training and gaining experience to advance in the ranks. They’re duties include study and research, cleaning and upkeep, assisting Laurels during worship ceremonies, funerals, weddings and the like all in the name of the Lady of Love. As a result, acolytes rarely leave the walls of the temple in the early stages of their servitude. In order to rise to the rank of Laurel, a member of the votary must be assigned to a Prime Consular. Only after extensive study with mentors of the church will acolytes advance. During this training, a pin in the shape of a gilded wreath is worn on their robes to denote their status, leading to the unofficial nickname “wreaths.” Not all members of the votary rise to a Laurel. Some depart the church to seek a life of adventure, while others may be welcomed as initiates in
The Order of the Ruby Rose.
Notable Sunites in Kauvet
Avec Mori
A bronze
Dragonborn, he leads Sune’s followers in Kauvet. With the Acropolis sect established as the head of the Church of Sune in close-bordered Kauvet, Mori is the Kauvetian Heartwarder. Mori is the first known case of a
Druid ascending to the church’s highest ranks. Citizens of Acropolis define him as fun-loving, uplifting and “cooky.” His face is his most distinguishing feature from the shimmering scales atop his bald head to his gorgeously upkept fangs, the tips of which adorably hang out from his upper lip, defining his trademark smile.
Mori is in their early 60s and has led the Kauvetian Sunites for over a decade. He was part of the most momentous occasion in the kingdom's recent history when he presided over the marriage of Queen Everly Lavandin and King Consort Jaeks Lavandin. The royal importance of this wedding combined with the surprise amongst the general populace that the queen would be married under a deity other than Hecate very well could have irreparably shaken the nerves of any individual, but Mori happily greeted the festive occasion with as much joviality and wonder as he would have a wedding between his best friends from youth.
Clanire Xyrna
A low level consul in the Acropolis church, Clanire served as second to the cleric Neumara at the 26th annual Church Picnic in 228 AL. Roughly 5’5” and over 500 years old, this aging, but intangibly beautiful high elf has served the Church of Sune in Kauvet for centuries. Once, she was the pinnacle of what a follower of Sune should be. Her slicked blonde hair and piercing gold eyes made her the envy of everyone who gazed upon her, and her vanity made it obvious she knew it. She had no doubt her rise to Rubyholder was an unspoken guarantee. Unfortunately, she loathed the idea of being a mentor. She spent many years attempting to advance in the ranks of the church without having to become a Consul to no success.
Eventually, she conceded that to achieve her dream of being Rubyholder, she would have to suffer the “drudgery of education,'' as she put it. Things were back on track it seemed. However, as new ideas of what beauty and love mean and where they could come from have begun to guide the church, acolytes no longer see value in Xyrna’s staunchly traditionalist views. Immediately following the Praser Nea, students began going out of their way to avoid being mentored by her, and it's been years since she was assigned as Prime Consular to anyone. Newer members of the votary regard her as a common Laurel, to her consternation. The absence of any willing students results in her consulary rank existing more on the books than in actual practice, which has stalled her ascension through the ranks of the church.
Neumara
Neumara’s interfacing with the goddess Sune, her preaching in the city streets and subsequent induction into the Acropolis church heralded a new age for the Kauvetian Sunites. Together with her new friend and mentor, Heartwarder Avec Mori, the church of Sune set about shifting their views and teachings from a focus on surface beauty and vanity to acceptance, open-minded perspectives and the different forms of love and beauty that are constantly visible in the natural world. Neumara was inducted as a member of the votary as tradition dictates but almost immediately promoted to Laurel without undergoing a proper wreathing period. She quickly ascended to Firebring after this.
She enjoys these privileges and responsibilities due to the attractiveness of her new ideas and her personal connection to the goddess, as well as her direct hand in shaping church doctrine. Many believe she is a natural fit for the Beautykeepers to elevate higher. Some like Avec, many of the acolytes, and much of the citizenry admire Neumara and her teachings. Others, like Clanire Xyrna, find disdain for her whether it is based on her challenging ideas, meteoric rise, or historically stereotyped appearance. Neumara represented the Church of Sune as its lead representative at the 26th Annual Church Picnic in 228 AL.
Brandash Alkite
A member of the Order of the Ruby Rose who held the rank of Knight-Captain during the reign of King Amias Lavandin. A frequent guest at court, the
Paladin of Sune was often dispatched as an emissary or liaison responsible for increased partnership between the crown and the church of Sune. Despite great success and high popularity, he was killed in 150AL after leading Sunite warriors in an assault on civilians and insurgents against the crown in the kingdom's capital city of Acropolis. Though some have speculated the crown's involvement in this onslaught, the official story is that the Order of the Ruby Rose acted of its own accord, which led the crown to distance themselves from the order. The church and followers of Lady Firehair saw a significant drop in reputation as a result.
Major Events in the Church
Wreathing
‘Wreathing’ is a nickname for the oft occurring promotion ceremony where a member of the votary officially ascends to the rank of Laurel. A wreath, as the acolytes at this stage are commonly called, sits in silent vigil in a small antechamber below the church. They wear their traditional acolyte garments and their wreath pin as they sit, silently contemplating the altar upon which sits an offering of some personal nature from both the acolyte and their prime consular.
Along with the offering sits an empty jewelry box, a broken hairbrush and a small brazier lit with common flame. The altar, adorned so, and the student in vigil are then surrounded by tall mirrors, enclosed in this space of reflection to contemplate the items, as well as their own future in the church. They must not let the flame go out. During this time, the Firebringers of the church review the record of the acolyte’s training as presented by their Prime Consular. If the Firebringers deem them unfit for ascension to the rank of Laurel, the vigil is ended and the wreath returns to their duties to spend more time training until they attempt the vigil again.
If the Firebringers approve the apprentice for ascension, there is one final test. A single Firebringer accompanies the student’s Prime Consular to the antechamber where their student waits. The wall of mirrors is removed save one, which the student stands in front of. The Firebringer then picks up the flame the acolyte has been tending and holds it over the acolyte's head. If the flame changes its color in the mirror to bright red, then the student’s ascension is considered blessed by Sune. They are then taken to an audience chamber with the Firebringers and presented with a box. The wreath pin they have been wearing acts as the key to unlock this box. The acolyte removes the pin, places it in the center of the box, and opens it to reveal their new robes, specifically designed to denote their new status as a Laurel. They will experience similar ceremonies to this one as they continue to rise through the ranks.
**Note that in the event no Firebringers are present at the time of a wreathing, their duties are taken on by the Rubyholder.
Summer Nights Festival
An annual celebration is held in Acropolis as the seasons transition from Spring to Summer. This festival lasts three nights and is dedicated to Sune. All citizens take part in the immense beautification of the city streets. There are games, libations, contests, a grand feast attended by royalty, and it all leads to a grand dance. At the end of the third evening, the festival concludes with the Summer Nights Dance. Attendees gather in a large open space in the center of town, under the stars and decorations, and partners dance together. All manners of relationships make their way onto the dance floor from pairs with decades-long relationships to young people in courtship with one another. Some people make it their goal to use the three-day event to find those special dance partners, giving the festival a reputation as a place to find love (of one kind or another).
At the end of the event, a representative of Sune stands before all the gathered dancers and bestows their goddess’ blessing upon them. It is said that those who receive Sune’s blessing in this way are destined to be together forever. Citizens joke that it brings a new meaning to the phrase, “summer of love.”
Praser Nea
It is said that in the year 224 AL, in an event that came to be known as the Praser Nea, the goddess Sune presented herself to Heartwarder Avec Mori to confirm that she had indeed sent the one called Neumara to help guide them in updating the teachings of her church. After this divine revelation, Mori officially invited Neumara into the Acropolis sect of Sunites and the two began collaborating on how best to impart Sune’s new ideas to the citizens of Kauvet.
In an ancient language most often found in old Kauvetian religious texts, ‘Praser Nea' translates to ‘new presence’ or ‘new present.’ This minor discrepancy in translation has led to some internal debate. Some say it should be noted as the ‘new present,’ wherein the times in which we’re living are changing with new ideas. Others argue that it is faulty and ignorant to place the beginning of this new age for the Sunites at Sune’s revelation to Avec Mori when Lady Firehair had been in contact with Neumara for years prior apparently crafting this new ideology, and that Neumara’s return from her hermitage to Acropolis and subsequent preaching prior to her invitation into the church constitutes the ‘new presence’ that heralded this great change.
The Wedding of Everly Lavandin
As the highest regarded deity of love in Kauvet, the Church of Sune performs most of the marriage ceremonies in the kingdom from commoners to royalty. It is tradition for all members of the ruling family to be married under Sune, a tradition upheld by over two centuries of Lavandins. Queen Everly’s lifelong connection to the Church of Hecate led many to believe she would break from this custom, but she holds value in upholding such centuries-old practices. Queen and Everly and King Consort Jaeks were married under Sune as have been all their wedded children.
Other Worshipers
Order of the Ruby Rose: A knightly order affiliated with the Church of Sune. Their roster is usually comprised of Clerics, Fighters and Paladins, but there have been deviations from this norm.
Important Locations
There are two major temples in Kauvet dedicated to Lady Firehair.
One is in Acropolis. It acts as a headquarter for the Kauvetian sect of the faith and focuses on celebrating the beauty of culture, of different peoples intersecting, of architecture and of numerous other elements of the metropolis.
The second church is located in the south of the continent due east of
Rockshire. Notably smaller in both its physical size and the breadth of its congregations, this temple rests in the wilderness of the valley near the border where the land meets the sea. Thus, where the Acropolis church celebrates the beauties of life in the capital, this church focuses on the natural beauties of the valley and the sea. Both churches contain enough accommodations to provide room and board for their followers, ill & injured, and any visiting knights. Smaller, unofficial temples and shrines may exist throughout the nation.
The Stronghold
The Rou Acropoli is a midsize fortress set beyond the northeast border of the city of Acropolis. It is the main headquarters of the Kauvetian chapter of the Order of the Ruby Rose.
The Garden
The Lady’s Bed is a hidden garden, a natural oasis ripe with divine energy, dedicated to the goddess Sune. It is said to lie near the northwest corner of Kauvet at an intersection between
The Redwillow Forest and
The Tundra. Sune’s divine energy combines the two clashing environments to form the garden's unique climate where natural beauties incapable of blooming anywhere else in the known world can be found. Sunites believe finding this location is a sign you have been blessed by the deity. Many of her followers make pilgrimage in search of it. The dangers involved mean most do not attempt it unless they are a Firebringer or a knight of the order.
Trivia
- The Church of Sune, as a religion dedicated to a goddess of love and beauty, presides over most of the marriages in Acropolis.
Most information about Sune has been taken from here.
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