The sun is perhaps the most enduring and important symbol throughout the mythological and religious tapestry of time. The ultimate symbol of authority, it is also the great bringer of life, ushering the land out of the death of winter and into the renewal of spring. It is a constant, never-changing force and a wellspring of hope and guidance.
The use of the sun and its aspects grounds a world’s mythology in a constant primal force. Focussing on the sun creates an instant familiarity and connection for players involved in such a campaign. While the sun is traditionally personified with a variety of traits, a noteworthy few bear mentioning.
Masculinity: The sun is frequently portrayed as a masculine figure in many cultures, such as Apollo in the Greek and Roman pantheons and Ra of Egyptian mythology. As such, the sun is often assigned the attributes of strength, stamina and virility.
Light is Life: Life is the gift the sun brings to the world. The growth of plants and thus the foundations of animal life are directly tied to the sun’s presence. Ever since mankind learned the ways of agriculture the importance of the sun as a life-giver has been understood.
The Mind: Reason and knowledge have always been the province of the sun. Knowledge and learning are often described as a light or illumination. Wisdom and willpower are also traits of the sun. The sun governs the aspects of the ego and man’s control over his baser instincts. It is also associated with the gifts of wisdom and the ability to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Authority: The double-edged sword authority represents is a hallmark of the sun. Tt rises high in the sky, above everyone and everything, casting its light down upon the whole of the earth. It is the largest heavenly body and wields the greatest power over the land. The sun’s presence brings great joy with its regenerative properties or a terrible curse through its oppressive heat.
Hope: Hope is as everlasting as the sun, and indeed is often associated with it. The fearful unknown of night is dispelled when the sun arrives to begin the day. People look to the sun to provide life-giving light and are joyous at the resplendence of a warm sunny day.
A Solar calendar is simply a calendar that is dated by the position of the world on its revolution around the sun. On Earth, solar calendars are generally 365 days long, but depending on the campaign world they might be longer or shorter. Those creating solar calendars for their own campaign should determine how for away the sun is from the planet, how long it takes tor the planet to make one rotation (thus, the length of one day) and how long it takes the planet to revolve around it (thus, the length of one year). Shortening or lengthening the time it takes for the world to revolve around the sun (or the sun to revolve around the world, depending on how celestial bodies work in your campaign) has a dramatic effect on climate and seasons. To keep things easy and provide some familiar ground, it might be best to have the primary world of the campaign mirror Earth’s celestial movements.
If you’re creating your own fantasy campaign, you should consider how the cosmology of that world takes shape. A good place to start is with the sun itself — and deciding exactly how many hang in the sky.
A world created with multiple suns might be a desolate place, blasted by furnace-like heat with little respite from the light of day. It could also be a lush world, teeming with forests and jungles, with one or both suns being farther from the planet than on a desert world. This is a great way to introduce an “alien” world to plane-hopping characters. Using a multiple-sun world as a primary campaign setting poses a number of challenges, especially when changing the length of the day. If this is done, sleep cycles may need adjustment, as well as rules dependent on the length of a day. For simplicity’s sake, it is easiest to tie the day to one of the suns, and all daily effects refresh on its schedule.
Aside from rising and setting each day, other solar events might occur throughout the year. Although modern astronomers can forecast these events, their infrequency makes them seem almost random, allowing them to be placed where appropriate on a fantasy calendar, Some of the effects presented here are simple to use, but others are very rare. These unusual occurrences are seen as the sign of a great event, be it good or evil, such as the rousing of a great dragon, the birth of the next king, or the discovery of a lost magic.
A solar eclipse, when the moon’s shadow crosses the surface of the earth, seems as though the moon itself blocks the sun. Throughout recorded time, solar eclipses — especially total solar eclipses (where the sun’s light is completely blocked) — were events of surprise and terror.
While partial solar eclipses are fairly common, total solar eclipses are relatively rare — occurring about once per year somewhere in the world. A total solar eclipse is a time of great dread and fear, for the aspect of night swallows the sun during its time of dominion. It is a time when chaos overturns law, and the hopeful nature of the sun is overshadowed.
A solar eclipse bestows a -1 caster level on divine spells cast by druids, rangers, paladins and clerics who revere the sun or a sun deity, or feature it as a prominent part of their philosophies. Once the eclipse passes, this penalty is lifted. Solar eclipses last from a few minutes to a number of hours.
A total solar eclipse is a dark and powerful omen for those who venerate the sun or a sun deity. Spellcasting levels are halved (round down) during this time. As with other solar eclipses, once it passes, the penalty is lifted. Total solar eclipses are very short, lasting only a scant few minutes. However, total eclipses remain in another stage of eclipse for a good deal longer, both before and after the total eclipse.
Campaigns set on worlds with multiple suns face the possibility of going for days or even months without a true night. Perhaps the suns typically travel together, giving a semblance to day and night except for one day of the year where their dusks and dawns correspond with one another. Such a day would be greatly celebrated by those who worship the sun, who are at +1 caster level for the entire day and can use any of their domain powers one additional time per day.
The opposite of this is a world that is accustomed to the unending day with one of their many suns always in the sky (although one or more of these suns might be dim and ineffective, making an effective night-time). In such a world, a true night might come only rarely, making for an evening full of evil omens and true darkness. During this infrequent night, divine spellcasters who venerate the sun are at -1 caster level and all undead gain turn resistance +2 (this stacks with any turn resistance they might have).
Worlds with only one sun might still see either of these solar events, but they would be very rare indeed.
Campaigns set in worlds with three or more suns have the possibility of the rare solar conjunction, where two or more of the suns line up in lhe sky or even overlap. Such occurrences should be extremely rare, depending upon the number of suns, A larger number makes total conjunctions (where all the suns align or overlap) extraordinarily rare, however lesser conjunctions involving only some of the suns would be more common. When such events do occur, they might only last for a few rounds or minutes at most, making nearly any effect possible. See below for some possibilities.
During a solar conjunction, great events and powerful portents occur with some frequency. The following effects are just some of the possibilities.
Rather than a sun-based religion focussed on an anthropomorphic deity, the Order of Eternal Light worships of the sun as its own divine power. Venerating the sun itself, the order does not assign it the qualities of a physical being. It is a thing of energy, light and sustenance, and cannot be ascribed a true physical form. However, the sun shows good omens through its favoured beasts — the lion and the hawk. In the monstrous world, the gold dragon is said to be the sun emissary, the only creature that has touched the sun and brought back its wisdom to share with those who seek it out. The spear is the physical embodiment of the shafts of light the sun brings down upon the world, and devout followers of the order carry one whenever they are away from home.
Greater Deity (Lawful Neutral)
Shining down upon its loyal subjects, the Eternal Light is venerated in many surface cultures. Although many names for it exist, the sun is known for its wisdom, lawfulness and the life-giving light and warmth it sheds.
The Order of the Eternal Light’s symbol of the sun has eight rays projecting out from its centre. These eight rays form the principal tenets (known by the faithful as “The Gifts”) of the sun’s religion; Hope, Inspiration, Justice, Life, Order, Reason, Station and Wisdom. Even lay worshippers learn the importance of The Gifts and how to incorporate them into their lives.
The Order of the Eternal Light is broken into two sects, known only to those initiated into the order. To lay worshippers and common folk, the order appears as a unified church, wihch is exactly the image it wishes to maintain. The largest sect of the order is the “Resplendents”. These clerics are usually lawful good or lawful neutral in alignment, and many paladins and monks fill their ranks as well (see the illuminated monk and paladin of light substitution levels). They are equally accepting of both men and women as they believe the sun does not favour one gender above another. Most Resplendents strive to live up to the tenets of The Gifts, believing them to be the core of their faith.
A slightly smaller sect known as the “Caretakers” emphasizes the Justice, Order and Station aspects of The Gifts. These clerics arc usually of lawful neutral or lawful evil alignments (commonly choosing the Law and Sun domains), and their doctrine is often laced with male chauvinism. They believe that only men can become true priests in the order, and that the full knowledge of The Gift of Reason is only imparted to men by the sun. Women can become initiates or acolytes, but cannot advance any further in this sect of the order.
Portfolio: Life, reason, knowledge, order, hope and leadership.
Domains: Hope, Knowledge, Law, Plant, Sun.
Cleric Training: Prospective members are brought into the order as initiates, where they learn the importance of The Gifts upon their society. Initiates wear orange robes, wooden holy symbols painted yellow, and typically wind up in service to clerics. After a term of service lasting two years, initiates undergo tests of faith and learning. If they pass, they become acolytes and are bestowed yellow robes and brass holy symbols. Acolytes are then usually selected by elder clerics to learn from (or languish under) for a period of four years. If they prove themselves worthy and pass more tests, they are awarded the title of cleric. Their yellow robes are replaced with white, and they are given bronze holy symbols. Clerics typically go out in the world and proselytize, bringing glory to their community, rulers and the order. Clerics are the most visible face of the order encountered outside their enclaves, and many are adventurers. If a cleric spreads the tenets of the order and accomplishes great things in its name, he might be awarded the title of radiant, wherein he receives a golden trim on their white robe and a solid gold holy symbol. Radiants typically act as advisors to powerful nobles and community leaders.
Quests: Every year, major temples dedicated to the Eternal Light send out eight members on sacred quests, each tasked with one of The Gifts to spread across the land. These quests usually involve bringing the tenets to those who lack them, such as bringing hope to the rich, inspiring artisans to achieve their full potential, and showing the path of humility to those who lack it.
Prayers: Those who venerate the Eternal Light pay homage to the sun god just before dawn each day. Such prayers last throughout the sunrise, concluding once the sun has fully risen. Additional prayers are offered when the sun is at its peak and just before dusk. On worlds with multiple suns, the Order of the Eternal Light prays during each sunrise and when all of the suns are in the sky together.
Temples: Temples of the Order of the Eternal Light are typically the largest buildings in their communities, blessed with golden sun adornments, stained glass, and incredible vaulted ceilings. Windows arE ever present, and the variety and craftsmanship of the stained glass used in their construction is among the greatest in the world. In addition to a large worship area, the temple typically has an extensive library. In many communities, the Order of the Eternal Light’s library is the largest, and the biggest among them rival the greatest secular libraries found at bardic colleges, wizard schools or universities.
Rites: The Order of the Eternal Light communes with the sun and receives its wisdom in the form of rigorous edicts. As keeper of the secrets of agriculture, history, lineage and invention, the sun’s inspiration provides the order with the power to enrich and strengthen communities. As such, those who follow the Eternal Light often preside over agricultural festivals and give blessings to farmers and their fields, They also keep important records in most communities concerning the history and genealogy of the townsfolk.
Heralds and Allies: The herald of the Eternal Light is Corona, an awakened 18 HD celestial dire lion who radiates light like the daytime sun. The Eternal Light’s allies are all manner of lions, hawks and flying celestials (especially lantern archons).
Favoured Weapon: Spear.
A substitution level is a level of a given class that you take instead of the level described for the standard class. Selecting a substitution level is not the same as multiclassing — you remain with the class for which the substitution level is taken The class features of the substitution level simply replace those of the standard level.
For each class with substitution levels, you can select each substitution level only at a specific class level. When you take a substitution level for your class at a given level, you give up the class features gained at that level for the standard class, and you get the substitution level features instead. You can’t go back and gain the class features for the level you swapped out — when you take your next level in the standard class, you gain the next higher level as if you had gained the previous level normally.
In campaigns where the sun is a significant force in the world, some classes might function a bit differently, gaining power and wisdom from the sun’s rays. Two examples are presented here as substitution levels, the illuminated monk and the paladin of light.
Some monks find focus in meditation, cloistering themselves away to hone their intellects as well as their physiques and wits. Illuminated monks often serve as archive-keepers in libraries and teachers in schools and universities. Just as the sun personifies reason and wisdom, the illuminated monk studies all varieties lore and passes on his knowledge to others.
Class: Monk.
Hit Die: d6.
To take an illuminated monk substitution level, a character must come from a sun-centred society or worship a sun deity, and must be about to take his 1st, 2nd or 6th level of monk.
Illuminated monk substitution levels grant the same class skills as the standard monk class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four limes that number as a beginning character).
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus | Unarmed Damage | AC Bonus | Unarmoured Speed Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +2 | +2 | Bonus Feat, Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Strike | -2/-2 | 1d6 | +0 | +0 ft. |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Bonus Feat, Evasion | -1/-1 | 1d6 | +0 | +0 ft. |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +5 | +5 | Meditative Focus, Slow Fall 30 ft. | +3/+3 | 1d8 | +1 | +20 ft. |
All of the following are features of the illuminated monk’s substitution levels.
Bonus Feat: At 1st level, an illuminated monk may select Skill Focus as a bonus feat. At 2nd level, an illuminated monk may select either Investigator or Negotiator as a bonus feat.
These substitution features replace the standard monk’s bonus feats gained at 1st and 2nd level.
Meditative Focus (Ex): At 6th level, the illuminated monk can use meditation to focus his mind on the details of a particular skill. Every day at dawn, the illuminated monk may spend 15 minutes in quiet contemplation, meditating on the specifics of a certain skill. He cannot be interrupted during his meditation or he must start the process over again. Until the following dawn, he receives the skill mastery ability (see the Rogue class feature) for that skill. Each morning, the illuminated monk may change the skill mastery he receives with meditative focus.
This substitution feature replaces the standard monk’s bonus feat gained at 6th level.
While the paladin usually focuses his holy crusades against the forces of evil, some paladins find themselves drawn into the war between darkness and light. While there are certainly similarities that can be drawn between darkness and evil, the paladin of light sees darkness as a force that transcends the evil of mortals and encompasses loss, suffering, and woe. The paladin of light, being an ally of the sun, also receives gifts to help withstand its heat.
Class: Paladin.
Hit Die: d10.
To take a paladin of light substitution level, a character must come from a sun-centred society or worship a sun deity, and must be about to take her 1st, 2nd or 6th level of paladin.
Paladin of light substitution levels grant the same class skills as the standard paladin class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier (or four times that number as a beginning character).
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spellcasting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Aura of Good, Detect Night Creature, Smite Evil 1/day | Same as Paladin |
| 2th | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Cooling Touch, Divine Grace | Same as Paladin |
| 6th | +6/+1 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Remove Curse 1/week | Same as paladin |
All of the following are features of the paladin of light’s substitution levels.
Detect Night Creature (Sp): At will, a paladin of light can detect night creature, as the spell.
This substitution feature replaces the standard paladin’s detect evil class feature gained at 1st level.
Cooling Touch (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin of light with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can provide creatures with fire resistance by touch. Each day she can grant a total number of points of fire resistance equal to her paladin level × her Charisma bonus. This fire resistance lasts for 10 minutes per paladin level. For example, a 7th-level paladin of light with a 16 Charisma (+3 bonus) can provide up to 21 points of fire resistance per day. A paladin of light may choose to divide her points of fire resistance among multiple recipients, and she doesn’t have to use it all at once. Using cooling touch is a standard action.
This substitution feature replaces the standard paladin’s lay on hands class feature.
Remove Curse (Sp): At 6th level, a paladin of light can produce a remove curse effect, as the spell, once per week. She can use this ability one additional time per week for every three levels after 6th (twice per week at 9th, three times per week at 12th and so forth).
This substitution feature replaces the standard paladin’s remove disease class feature.
Some characters bom under the light of the sun attribute some of their strengths (and weaknesses) to the time of day they were brought into the world. Characters may select one or more of the following feats to represent a unique connection with the sun.
See Secrets of Dusk.
See Spirit of Dawn.
See Vengeance of Noon.
The following spells fit well in a sun-themed campaign, but certainly could be available in any setting.
See Sunlight.
Source: Dragon Magazine #340 (Page 43)