INTRODUCTION
The Sunseer sect is a Torvalan religious organization, noted for its zealotry and devout worship of the sun. The religion was established and nurtured by the Dragonkin of the region, to honor the God Leitos and subjugate the Humans of Torvala itself. There is a hierarchy with the organization with the current, Sun Priest, leader being the Champion Rhazma. The Dragonkin asserted a soft power initially over the region using the religion to win over the people. While the nation of Torvala holds its own government and King, almost all Torvalans believe that it is the Dragonkin and the Sun Priest of the Sunseer Sect who truly rule the land.
CHARACTERISTICS
Control through Belief
The Dragonkin control the upper echelons of the Sunseer Sect and use their positions to wield power over the Humans of Torvala. With so few Dragonkin compared to the humans in society, having them serve as high ranking members of the religious order allows the Dragonkin to assert control over the masses of humans in the region. Across Torvala many people believe devoutly in their god Leitos, and believe that in death their souls are reunited with Leitos. Throughout the years the Sunseer Sect has championed mummification as a process after death for the body and as such even outside of the order not providing mummification for a person when they die is a blasphemy akin to torture. The gap between the wealthy and the poor in Torvala is vast and as such education is primarily utilized by nobles and those with money. The Sunseer Sect at the Sun Priests design provides education to the common people, which in turn builds belief across the lower classes in Torvalan society.
Desire of the Sun
The goal of the Sun Priest and his followers is ultimately the revival of the Dragonkin as a power in the lands of Torvala. The current Sun Priest Rhazma has entwined the future success of the Dragonkin with the resurrection of the elemental dragons. He believes that only through the power of Dragons can the Dragonkin finally be free and he uses his position as the leader of the Sunseer Sect to drive this goal forward. While the Dragonkin in the present have amassed a wealth of power they still hold onto the painful memories of the abuse their kind received throughout history as their numbers dwindled. Ultimately the Dragonkin use the power of the Sunseer Sect in their attempts to bring back the power of the dragons to the world and reestablish the Dragonkin Empire. It is in this effort that Rhazma has pledged himself to above all else.
Position
There are numerous positions of power available to the members of the Sunseer Sect, and while officially the Torvalan Government and its King rule the land, the people consider the Sect to hold the real power in Torvala. Very little happens in the region without the express acceptance of the Sect and the guidance of the Dragonkin High Priests. There are several levels of leadership within the Sun Sect, beginning with the Lower Priests. These priests of the Sect are all humans raised over the years from their time as devout worshippers, though very few advance to the position of Medium priest or even High Priest within the order. The Dragonkin concede that allowing select humans to ascend the ranks of the Sunseer Sect provides hope to all believers that they too can elevate themselves. In the last one hundred years the only human to be made a High Priest is Narin.
Above them all is the Sun Priest, who has a strength of power to rival kings. With his army of worshippers and the actual army of the Dragonkin behind him, Rhazma the current Sun Priest is considered the true ruler of Torvala.
While the Torvalan region has numerous temples, places of worship and palaces connected to the Sunseer Sect, there are some holy sites such as the Great Pyramid of Leitos that are sacrosanct. Very few are permitted entry to the site on as it houses the ancient histories of Leitos and secrets of the Dragonkin. The Great Pyramid is not only the focal point of the religions power, it is also home to the great dragon Vadak.
HISTORY
The Age of New Kingdoms
The Sunseer Sect was established by the Dragonkin after the period of time when the humans and Dragonkin of Torvala began to mix in society. With the Dragonkin numbers dwindling after years of prolonged conflict with the growing human numbers in the region, they began to push the Sunseer religion and beliefs in Leitos upon human settlements to build sympathy and compassion for the Dragonkin. As time progressed the order grew larger and humans were given power to become priests bringing a sense of legitimacy to the humans and their authority over the lands.
The Sunseer Sect over time assumed power in Torvala, both in the hearts and minds of the people, and also on the world stage. The Dragonkin swayed the nation with the belief of life after death and for countless years the belief in Leitos and Sun found its way into the core of the Torvalan way of life. While individually many of the Dragonkin were despised and feared by the human Torvalan, but as voices of the Sunseer Sect the Dragonkin were adored and worshipped.
Throughout the years in Torvala human uprisings have occurred against the Dragonkin. The largest of which saw the current Sun Priest Rhazma rise to power in response to his efforts during the rebellion. Tens of thousands of rebel human soldiers pushed against the Dragonkin armies, making them desperate for a solution to the crisis. Rhazma sacrificed Dragonkin lives to temporarily reawaken the powerless dragon Vadak. The dragon was successful in decimating the rebel army and quelling further uprisings. For his actions defending the rebellion, Rhazma was elevated to the highest honorific a Dragonkin can hold.
The Current Age
Narin having given up her position of High Priest in the Sunseer Sect declared war on Rhazma and the Dragonkin. She raised an army of rebel humans to fight back against the iron grip of the Dragonkin Sunseers. Narin was successful in convincing the poor and disenfranchised classes of Torvala to fight with her and take back control of their lands. She was successful in inciting rage from the common folk who had suffered under the Dragonkin following centuries of stigma and discrimination and began making progress in her mission.
The Dragonkin armies led by Rhazma were of greater strength than the humans but were fewer in number as had previously hurt their war effort in battles of the past. Rhazma began to look for other ways to end the fighting beyond standard conflict on the battlefield. He planned to reignite the power of the great dragon Vadak. Rhazma tricked Narin and the giant spirit Ghamal to reveal the location of the source of elements, a powerful weapon capable of reviving the dragon of the Great Pyramid of Leitos. Rhazma's plan worked and Vadak bathed the deserts of Torvala in fire, wiping out much of Narin's rebel army. The Sunseer Sect bought peace with blood and once again proved the power of the religion and the Dragonkin on the land and people.
The Ages yet to come
The histories of tomorrow are awaiting an author, one who would tell the stories of the heroes and events not yet known. With Narin's rebellion reduced to nothing, Rhazma and the Sunseer Sect have won a great victory in the Dragonkin occupation of Torvala. The order goes from strength to strength with their power Lord, the dragon Vadak at their side to share with them the future. However for now, those stories are unwritten and the outcomes unknown as the looming threat grows larger across Vathria..