Sune

Love has many forms. This is also true of Sune, the goddess of love in all its iterations, whose cults exist in abundance all across Talonn. It is said that Sune was one of the first gods to take shape in the age of Silence, and is often referred to as Istus's sister goddess, although the truth of that cosmology is a bit more complicated than that.
The myth of the birth of Sune holds that the goddess Istus, who came into being in the Abyssal Void as a singular sentience, pondered the meaning of existence fruitlessly for many years. As the other gods began to take shape, she stayed apart from them, and when the first living, mortal things were made by Melorae, Istus observed them. She saw that every existence had one natural end: to return to the abyssal void, the space and time before birth and after death. The annihilation of meaning in the face of the void made Istus ponder why life continued to struggle to survive. Eventually, watching many lives pass, Istus suddenly split in two upon having the realization that the mere act of creating meaning justified existence; thus, Sune, the goddess of love was born. Love, for others, the world, and oneself lent meaning that Istus alone could not find.
Thus, it is more accurate to say that Sune is a separate, powerful aspect of Istus; the pearl to Istus's shell. The goddess's worship has been a consistently large part of Talonn's pantheon and her followers have often taken very active civic roles as advisors, healers, educators, and leaders. The city Chandris was built by the Gnoll followers of Sune, and every God-King is symbolically married to the goddess through the Courtesan of the Gods. Her worship takes many forms, and many regions have spring festivals devoted to Sune. Aside from Chandris, which boasts the largest and most ornate temple devoted to Sune in Talonn, Cirta's Conclave of Sune and Hatupis's Temple of Sune are also cultural and religious landmarks of unparalleled beauty.
Sune's followers are uniquely gifted with the ability to become farseers. This ability is bestowed by the goddess for mysterious reasons, the only sure recipient being the Courtesan of the Gods. Her followers may randomly receive glimpses of the future, sometimes only once in their lives, sometimes many.

Spread

The clergy of Sune are widespread and have a generally horizontal organizational structure outside of Chandris. Like many cults, the first followers of Sune likely came to be in the age of Glory when the goddess herself still walked the Material Plane. The nature of their domain made them a welcome sight in almost any settlement across the ages.
However, in the Golden City, the priesthood of Sune is incredibly influential and hierarchical. The official seat of the Courtesan of the Gods is the Vase in Chandris, which is one of the largest temples in Talonn, beaten only by the ancient Pyramid of Istus in Sarkhaan. Because of its grandeur and resources, the Vase is a popular pilgrimage for clerics and paladins of the goddess. There, many go to be initiated by the Courtesan and participate in the world-famous dance rituals dedicated to the aspects of Sune, although it is not a requirement for priesthood. The current Courtesan is still young, and said to be exceedingly beautiful.

Variations & Mutation

Sune has four aspects: the lover, the mother, the child, and the crone. 

• The Lover Sune appears as an object of carnal or romantic desire to her followers. She governs romantic, companionate, and sensual love, even as they are separate and distinct. The Lover will often appear as a beloved friend, lover, or an idealized form in dreams or visions. 
• The Mother, who is also the Father or Parent, is the aspect that governs a parent's love for their children. She often will appear as a parental figure, or idealized form of such, to her followers in dreams or visions.
• The Child is the aspect who governs filial or familial love, that of the love a child has for their parent or community. Like the Mother, the Child's power has no regard for blood relationships, merely the emotional bonds a person carries in their heart. The Child will often take on the appearance of a person's child-self or as a young, dark-skinned girl in dreams or visions.
• Lastly, the Crone is the aspect of self-love and passions. The Crone's dominion is over the love we hold for ourselves and the things we love-- be it a love of learning, nature, animals, or dance, or any other thing in this world. The Crone Sune is one of the most powerful and difficult aspects of the goddess, and appears as a hooded old woman in dreams and visions.

In Art

There are numerous idols of Sune across Talonn. Many an artist has depicted their muse in the guise of the goddess in paint, stone, song, and tapestry. Because she often appears as a beautiful woman, she is a popular subject, and her idols are said to bring good fortune.