As the sun shines down upon man, so too the Church of Light illuminates the soul. Worshipers of the twin solar deities, Solaron and Minrhet, adherents of the Church of Light, who call themselves the Lucent, seek to bring the light of day to all the darkened corners of the world, driving Darkness from the hearts and minds of all they meet.
Doctrine
Though twins, the two solar deities are quite different, as each embodies different aspects of the sun. The Lucent seek to find a balance between them within themselves that the Light may shine through them ever brighter.
Shine the Light!
The greatest doctrine of the Church of Light is quite simply to always bring Light and never Darkness. This is interpreted both literally and metaphorically. The Lucent are known to carry light with them at all times, carrying lanterns and magically glowing items throughout the day and night. Their temples are filled with suffuse light from many sources to eliminate all shadows, so that all may equally share the embrace of Light.
So too do they root out all that is Dark within themselves. Hate, avarice, deceit, and all manner of dark thoughts and emotions are viewed as a betrayal of the Light. Hidden within, the Lucent meditate to internalize the Light and drive away their inner Darkness. Though some believe that happiness and joy are the only proper thoughts, the Church recognizes that sorrow and grief are good and proper responses to the acts of Darkness and seek to overcome those who cause such harm to others while embracing those who suffer.
Souls and the Afterlife
The Lucent believe that each soul is a small spark of pure Light which must be nurtured and fed to shine its brightest. The sun is viewed as the greatest embodiment of the soul, the visible result of a soul’s light which has attained perfection. The faithful among the Lucent who achieve enlightenment become one with the Light, passing through to the Shining Lands and increasing its Light. All others are condemned to realm of Amensi, where their light is torn from them and either consumed by Darkness or reforged as a new soul to live again.
Servants of the Church of Light
The church appeals to a broad range of people. Its message of hope and joy is especially appealing in times of hardship. A faith based on driving out evil through the simple act of being good to one another is easy to grasp and gives meaning to those who desire to make a difference. While the most devout often undertake quests to actively oppose evil, most common worshipers live out their simple faith, understanding that by living a virtuous life, their personal Light opposes the Darkness of evil.
Priests of the church are typically Adepts or Mystics who use their limited spellcasting to benefit their congregations. The church tends to appeal to those more charismatic and optimistic and tends to have few true Clerics. Priests of the church serve as religious leaders as well as community organizers, seeing their duty as extending to their entire community rather than merely their congregation. After all, the Light touches all that live under the sun.
The Church of Light has grown to become a sizable religion across the known world, becoming as much a cultural or social organization as it is a religious one. Unfortunately, there is a minority of the Lucent who seek to use the church’s position and influence as their own. Though there are still many active converts, the majority of those who follow the church were raised to do so. Many of these individuals treat it as simply a source of general encouragement rather than truly seeking the Light.
Becoming a Priest
Joining the priesthood of the Church of Light is a very formal and ritualized process. The petitioner must first serve under an active priest of the church, learning the tenets of the faith and the sacred rituals they will be called upon to perform. This period of service is variable, as their mentor priest must determine them to have the proper motivations and temperament before recommending them for entry into one of the church’s theological schools. Even after receiving a formal recommendation, the petitioner is required to undergo several tests of knowledge and faith.
Those who pass the examinations are expected to enter into a monastery or nunnery and take several sacred vows, which last for the duration of their formal education.