The Twin Suns

The Twin Suns

Sarenrae
￼Before the Madness, Sarenrae was a solar/stellar deity of the Everstar, a focal point of navigation, and she taught temperance and patience in all things. Even now, compassion and peace are her greatest virtues, and if enemies of the faith can be redeemed, they should be. Yet there are those who have no interest in redemption, who glory in slaughter and death. From the remorseless evil of fiends to the cruelties born in the hearts of mortals and gods alike, Sarenrae’s doctrines preach swift justice delivered by the scimitar’s edge. To this end, she expects her faithful to be skilled at swordplay, both as a form of martial art promoting centering of mind and body, and so that when they do enter battle, their foes do not suffer any longer than necessary.

Sarenrae is known to be among the early gods that battled in the defense of this creation. During this magnificent war, the Dawnflower cast down Illir to the center of the world. It is believed that after Asmodeus bound the Dark Sun there, Sarenrae placed therein the raging flames of the previous sun as an eternal torment for the treacherous god.

Sarenrae counts all non-evil gods as companions, and even communicates with evil deities in the hopes of converting them from their dark ways. She has some distrust for Asmodeus due to arguing over the souls of the dead. Her only true enemy is the Mad God.

Sarenrae manifests as a bronze angelic beauty, with golden hair composed of flowing flame. From one hand emits a holy light which trickles down like liquid luminescence, whereas the other holds a scimitar emblazoned with radiant fire. Her holy light provides healing and sustenance, while the scimitar creates gusts of winds that remove disease and fear.

Source: Pathfinder

Pantheon: The Twelve

Alignment: Neutral Good

Favored Weapon: Scimitar

Symbol: An angelic, female figure with wings framing a corona that is behind the figure’s head; the arms of the figure are spread to each side or an angelic ankh

Sacred Animals: Dove

Sacred Colors: Blue and Gold

Domains: Agathion, Day, Fire, Friendship, Glory, Good, Healing, Heroism, Light, Restoration, Resurrection, Revelation, Sun

Inquisitions: Banishment, Chivalry, Clandestine, Fervor, Final Rest, Heresy, Illumination, Order, Redemption, Reformation, Restoration, Revelation, Sedition, Truth, Valor

Mysteries: Flame, Heavens, Life, Solar, Succor

Blessings: Fire, Glory, Good, Healing, Sun

Worship of Sarenrae

The church of Sarenrae is mostly composed of altruistic priests who are also ready to be stern should it be warranted. The church is known for blessing crops, healing the sick, and reforming criminals and evil doers. They are often consulted to solve feuds and disputes among neighbors and family. The Empire of Kelesh holds her as their patron deity and is responsible for spreading her faith throughout the Inner Sea.

A large portion of Sarenrae’s priests are composed of clerics, but within their ranks are also paladins and rangers, as well as a few druids and bards. Some priests work as personal retainers or healers for the wealthy, while others survive on assistance from congregational worshipers. A common form of worship by priests is to awaken with the dawn and give thanks and praise to the rising sun. The scimitar is a favored weapon and its use is held in high regard. In battle, Sarenrae’s clerics become dervishes, ready to destroy irredeemable corruption.

The temples of the Dawnflower are open-air buildings. Priests often travel from one temple to the next. The Everlight Oasis in Kelesh is a popular site of pilgrimage for followers of the goddess. Church services are held outdoors and are joyous affairs that feature singing, dancing, and music.

The one book common to all churches of Sarenrae is The Birth of Light and Truth, is the principal holy book of Sarenrae. This text is unusual because it includes stories from times before Sarenrae was a true goddess, describing the creatures she faced and including a long list of names of fiends and horrors she destroyed long before mortals learned writing. The rest of the book is more practical than historical, explaining the beliefs of the church, offering advice on dealing with sin and temptation, and many parables of evil creatures seeing the light of the Dawnflower and turning to good, productive lives thereafter. The book also contains simple folk remedies for common illnesses and injuries, as well as helpful hints for dealing with common supernatural or monstrous evils, such as that vampires are vulnerable to garlic.

Most copies contain extra pages for the owner to record uplifting stories he experiences or hears in order to repeat them to others, and any copy containing a firsthand anecdote from a great priest or paladin is especially prized as a family or church heirloom. It is customary for a hero of the church who performs some great deed for a person or temple to write a brief account in or at least sign a local’s copy of Light and Truth (as it is commonly known) as a memento and historical record.

The most commonly celebrated holidays celebrated by the followers of Sarenrae are Burning Blades on the 10th of Sarenith, and the Sunwrought Festival, held on the summer solstice.

Lathander
￼Lathander is a deity of creativity, dawn, renewal, birth, athletics, spring, self-perfection, vitality and youth. He favors those who dispelled the undead and blesses those who planted new life. Lathander is also the god called upon to bless birth and fertility related ceremonies.

Lathander was the central figure in the Dawn Sedition, an ill-fated attempt by the Emperor of Dawn to reshape the Thousand Oceans pantheons and place them under his rule. Several of the displaced deities of the newly created world were killed during the events of the betrayal, including the human goddess of the heavens, Anshar, a death for which her brother, Neroth, never forgave Illir. When the dust settled and the Twelve were victorious, Illir’s powers were split amongst the two nearest stars, Lathander, the morning star, and Sarenrae, the ever star by which sailors all navigated.

Source: forgotten Realms

Pantheon: The Twelve

Alignment: Neutral Good

Favored Weapon: Light or heavy mace, Lathander’s personal mace is called Dawnspeaker

Symbol: Sunrise made of pink, red, and yellow gems

Sacred Animals: Rooster

Sacred Colors: Red and Gold

Domains: Aristocracy, Blood, Community, Competition, Cooperation, Day, Glory, Good, Growth, Healing, Judgement, Law, Leadership, Light, Nobility, Protection, Redemption, Restoration, Resurrection, Seasons, Soverignty, Sun, Time

Inquisitions: Banishment, Chivalry, Clandestine, Fervor, Final Rest, Heresy, Illumination, Order, Redemption, Reformation, Restoration, Revelation, Sedition, Truth, Valor

Mysteries: Flame, Heavens, Life, Solar, Succor

Blessings: Fire, Glory, Good, Healing, Sun

Worship of Lathander

Novices in the Lathanderian faith are called the Awakened, while clerics are known as Dawnbringers. The full priests take a new name in his service when they were ready to signify that Lathander personally recognized and accepted them. This new name could either be used instead of their old name or simply used only when addressing other Dawnbringers and when in solitary prayer. All followers were required to be of neutral to good alignment.

All of Lathander’s clergy respect art, liberty, nature, and culture; promote betterment of oneself; and strive to bring hope to their followers and others. Many of these followers worked in various creative arts prior to taking vows. They are intolerant of evil, especially evil undead and inaction that caused evil to prosper. Most ceremonies of Lathander were held at dawn and actions and contracts agreed to at sunrise were said to be blessed by him. Funerals, among his followers, are held at dusk, and followed by a wake that lasts until dawn.

A small facet of the Morninglord’s power is as God of Judges. All clergy members have to learn, understand, and know how to reap the benefits from (or exploit) the laws of the land, the city, and the province they live in. In order to completely understand the nuances of law and legislature, Awakened constantly drill each other, practice law in court whenever possible, and rehearse law in practice courtrooms before being accepted into the priesthood. Many Dawnbringers can not resist investigating the scene of a crime or taking part in the construction of new laws in their locale, and do so with great intensity and fervor. This has led to the uncomfortable respect between the Dawnbringers of Lathander and the Oathkeepers of Sarish, the two most legalminded of the faiths on A'tuin.

Images courtesy of DeviantArt

Edit of Pike and Sarenrae by Surugamonkey

Lathander from a Forgotten Realms sourcebook