Sunpriests

A Sunpriest from Storm Rising

Sunpriests worship the Sun Lord Vkandis. Although the Sunpriests are based in Karse, they also have churches within Valdemar. They have one leader, a High Priest or Priestess called the Son of the Sun, who is supposedly chosen by Vkandis himself. Several are mages and have the ability to call demons.

Ranks

There are several levels within the Sunpriest hierarchy which are designated by the color of the clerical robes. Kerowyn was pursued by priestesses in white, blue, black, and finally a red robe. Only a gold robe would be a higher rank.

Under the False Son of the Sun

A Sunpriest and firecat as depicted on the cover of Storm Warning

During Vanyel's time, corruption among the higher ranking Sunpriests rose and a false Son of the Sun was selected, starting a trend that lasted for centuries.

"Far more interested in temporal power, Hanovar had gathered priests around him who told him exactly what he wanted to hear, all eager to increase whatever powers and positions they thought were rightfully theirs."

Under Hanovar, magic became outlawed as heresy and witchcraft, yet the newly-powerful black-robed priests were summoners of demons and possessed evil magic. They took over the Feast of the Children, formerly a rite of passage into adulthood, coming to each village to check the children for magic abilities. Anyone displaying magic or Mind Magic was taken by the priests to be burned; cleansed by the Sunlord. If they had committed sins against Vkandis of their own free will they would perish in the flames; if they did not, they would rise unharmed. Unknown to the rest of the country, if a child young enough to be manipulated and controlled displayed any power, they were taken by the Priests and trained to be weapons.

Also during this time, the False Son declared war against Valdemar for dealing with witchcraft and summoning demons. Ironically, during the war, the same Sunpriests did this themselves. They used the demons they summoned not only against Valdemar but against their own country, to keep it locked in a state of fear.

The firecats, Avatars of the the Sun Lord and apparently former Sons of the Sun themselves, disappeared during this time. Many of the signs of Vkandis' presence among his people became faked by magic in order to control the population. Many of the old traditions of the Sunpriests were thrown away and eventually forgotten during the reign of the False Sons.

Alberich was found guilty of "witchcraft" and nearly burned to death, but was saved by the Companion Kantor, who Chose him and took him to Valdemar for safety, during Exile's Honor.

Demon summoning

During the time of the False Sons, Mage-Priests summoned demons to patrol the lands at night, ensuring that the people will stay indoors. This was another measure for controlling the populace. The demons could kill, they could also corrupt the minds of those they encountered, causing them to act like demons themselves. The demons are referred to as "Dark Servants" or "Vkandis' Furies".

This practice was absolutely banned by Solaris, and the order of demon-summoners was abolished.

Under Solaris

The corruption continued until Vkandis himself intervened during Selenay's reign in Valdemar and named Solaris as the new Son of the Sun, the first female to hold the position. Many of the corrupt Sunpriests were struck down by Vkandis. Solaris reformed the Sunpriest order, outlawing the summoning of demons, even against enemies, along with the burnings. Magic was allowed again. Solaris had several Priests, including Ulrich and Karal who are featured in the Mage Wars trilogy, research the old traditions in the hope that they could be brought back.

The firecats returned as a sign of the Sunlord's approval of their new actions. Due to the invasion by Hardorn, Solaris ordered an alliance with Valdemar, ending the generational war.