Order of the Sun
The Order of the Sun was a civilian-military order formed during the Damnation of Elturel in worship of Kelemvor with the goal of driving the vampire Klav Ikaia and his dhampir followers from Elturel.
Following Elturel's salvation, and Ikaia's departure from Elturel, the Order of the Sun formed the basis for the modern church of Kelemvor in Baldur's Gate and remained organized, launching regular sorties into the Western Heartlands to destroy undead and necromancers, in a sense, serving as a replacement for the now defunct artificial sun that once hung over Elturel.
Its curernt knight commander is Niri Whistlewood, who is also one of the order's founders.
Culture
"Soon may Ikaia come, /The Order of the Sun are zealous in their distaste for the undead, which reflects in all aspects of their culture, including their marching tunes, which often spoke of the necessity of hunting down the undead. This single-minded vision did keep the order from pursuing any political recognition beyond recieving the aid needed to perform their holy mission.
To turn our friends and eat our young. /
One day when the undead's gone /
we'll take our leave and go."-Order of the Sun marching song
History
During the Damnation of Elturel in 1497, the traditional forces that had defended Elturel for decades or centuries were thrown into chaos. Nearly all of the leaders of the Order of the Companion, who worshipped the artificial sun that had hung over Elturel since the Reign of Vampires, and the Hellriders, Elturel's prestigious mounted defenders, had been infiltrated by the cult of Zariel and turned into Hell Knights upon the city's arrival in Avernus. The defenses of Elturel's High District and Westerly were being managed by the few suriving Hellriders at Helm's Shieldhall and by Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard, the leader of Baldur's Gate, from the High Hall, and both locations were struggling.
Contrasting this was the Dock District, where the defenders were based in Shiarra's Market and led by the vampire Klav Ikaia, once High Rider of Elturel, and a large force of loyal dhampirs, half-vampires. A month into the damnation, the Lost Star Detectives, a group of adventurers, arrived in the city and stablized the situation, strengthening the civilian defenders and destroying most of the Hell Knights during the Siege of Helm's Shieldhall. However, as things stood, it appeared that Klav Ikaia had the greatest chance of once again ruling Elturel should the city be saved. During the months where the Lost Star Detectives traveled Avernus attempting to free the city, groups of civilians and former followers of the Order of the Companion began preparing for the final defense of their city by training. However, these individuals were motivated by more than seeing their city returned to the Material Plane; they wanted to expel all evil from it. The memory of the brutal Reign of Vampires in 1447 still loomed large for many, and many of the trainees started preparing for an assualt against Ikaia's forces, to be launched the moment the city is saved. In reference to the sun's harmful effects on vampires, and in recognition that the Companion, Elturel's "second sun," was an infernal tool, these trainees called themselves the Order of the Sun, and put their faith in Kelemvor, the god of death who despised the undead. Followers of the order began wearing discarded armor of Hellriders and members of the Order of the Companion, scratching out the second sun that represented the Companion. They were led in this effort by Niri Whistlewood, a Hellrider that was saved from vampires by the Lost Star Detectives and became dedicated to the need for their destruction. During the Battle of Elturel, the followers of the Order of the Sun predominately defended Bellandi's Fountain at Maiden's Leap, which had been blessed by the ki-rin Enki to spill fresh water. However, the fighting around the fountain was particularly fierce, and without reinforcements from the Lost Star Detectives later in the battle, who prioritized defending High Hall and Shiarra's Market, where most civilians were, the order was unable to launch their planned strike against Ikaia immediately following Elturel's salvation. However, Ikaia was still forced to abandon Elturel nonetheless, unable to convince the populace of his intentions and lacking either the manpower or the will to fight for the city street to street. As he fled, the Order of the Sun gave chase, but were unable to catch him. Intent on ending the vampire, the Order of the Sun began regular patrols of the country side searching for him, which gradually evolved into routine sweeps of undead throughout the Western Heartlands. The order also evolved into a more standardized force, not replacing the Order of the Companion as a military rival to the Hellriders, but instead becoming an arm of the newly enlarged Church of Kelemvor.
Contrasting this was the Dock District, where the defenders were based in Shiarra's Market and led by the vampire Klav Ikaia, once High Rider of Elturel, and a large force of loyal dhampirs, half-vampires. A month into the damnation, the Lost Star Detectives, a group of adventurers, arrived in the city and stablized the situation, strengthening the civilian defenders and destroying most of the Hell Knights during the Siege of Helm's Shieldhall. However, as things stood, it appeared that Klav Ikaia had the greatest chance of once again ruling Elturel should the city be saved. During the months where the Lost Star Detectives traveled Avernus attempting to free the city, groups of civilians and former followers of the Order of the Companion began preparing for the final defense of their city by training. However, these individuals were motivated by more than seeing their city returned to the Material Plane; they wanted to expel all evil from it. The memory of the brutal Reign of Vampires in 1447 still loomed large for many, and many of the trainees started preparing for an assualt against Ikaia's forces, to be launched the moment the city is saved. In reference to the sun's harmful effects on vampires, and in recognition that the Companion, Elturel's "second sun," was an infernal tool, these trainees called themselves the Order of the Sun, and put their faith in Kelemvor, the god of death who despised the undead. Followers of the order began wearing discarded armor of Hellriders and members of the Order of the Companion, scratching out the second sun that represented the Companion. They were led in this effort by Niri Whistlewood, a Hellrider that was saved from vampires by the Lost Star Detectives and became dedicated to the need for their destruction. During the Battle of Elturel, the followers of the Order of the Sun predominately defended Bellandi's Fountain at Maiden's Leap, which had been blessed by the ki-rin Enki to spill fresh water. However, the fighting around the fountain was particularly fierce, and without reinforcements from the Lost Star Detectives later in the battle, who prioritized defending High Hall and Shiarra's Market, where most civilians were, the order was unable to launch their planned strike against Ikaia immediately following Elturel's salvation. However, Ikaia was still forced to abandon Elturel nonetheless, unable to convince the populace of his intentions and lacking either the manpower or the will to fight for the city street to street. As he fled, the Order of the Sun gave chase, but were unable to catch him. Intent on ending the vampire, the Order of the Sun began regular patrols of the country side searching for him, which gradually evolved into routine sweeps of undead throughout the Western Heartlands. The order also evolved into a more standardized force, not replacing the Order of the Companion as a military rival to the Hellriders, but instead becoming an arm of the newly enlarged Church of Kelemvor.
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