The Altar of the Morning

History

When the First Apostle Varas first sought to heal the planet, he needed to find places of power from which the ritual that would save the planet could be held. His first stop was amongst the Dead Groves in the Eternal Desert. Wandering for days, he stumbled upon the grove, falling face first into the oasis nearby. When he looked up from the pool of life-saving water, he saw the petrified trunk that would go on to be the beginning of every Pilgrim's journey, the Altar of the Morning.
Over the centuries, as the religion grew, so did the Altar. What was once a simple hollowed out stump with a single flame and a cot became so much more. It was grown over the years, taking over the nearby trunks as well. It has gradually grown to a larger and larger permanent population as well, with many followers living their full time as part of their worship.
In the modern day, the Altar is watched over by the current Apostle of the Morning, Clar'dsol. The temple has avoided the attention of Ra's forces almost entirely. While many followers thank the blessings of the sun for this and take this as proof of their divine mission, the more likely truth is that Ra recognizes that a a person occupied with worship is less likely to oppose him in any meaningful way.

Description

The main temple, being the first and original, is a large grand stump with the roof and upper walls completely comprised of gems and stone. With the sun blaring down on them, it gives the entire temple interior an ethereal, illuminated look as the light passes through. The first thing any traveler is likely to notice is the large central brazier in the center of the room. This flame is said to be the same flame that Varas lit with the suns rays in this very location all those centuries ago. All flame ceremonies, whether it be the first lighting of a Pilgrim's torch of their eventual gift of the Final Blessing, use this flame. This main trunk only houses the main flame and the quarters for the Apostle, with the bulk of the space being used by the main atrium.
The nearest trunk to the main temple is used for record keeping, day to day worship services, and leisure spaces. The bulk of the record keeping at the Altar of the Morning is merely keeping the minutes of the services and day to day activities, with these records going back centuries, day by day. Any special sermon's of the Apostle, either past of present, is preserved here. There is also a large room with a clear view of the open sky from which the majority of the religious services take place, with only the special events taking place near the central flame. Finally, as of late, the most recent Apostle, Clar'dsol has converted space of this trunk into a leisure space. As he maintains that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind, the followers who stay here are encouraged to spend time here every day exercising with their fellow suntouched.
The last trunk is closest to the oasis that Varas fell into upon the temple's founding. The trunk has petrified into a dark stone that blocks most light, which is precisely why most of the living quarters for both followers and guests are located here. Most of the bedding remains in the darkest rooms, actually relying on luster to illuminate the space when necessary. A rudimentary water system has also been set up to allow for bathing and cooking, making the trunk moderately comfortable by Hesper standards.

Alternative Names

The Altar of the Mourning

Type

Temple / Religious complex

Parent Location

The Eternal Desert

Owning Organization

The Church of the Broken Sun

Characters in Location

• Clar'dsol