Church of Lathander

The Church of Lathander was an organization that comprised the collective practitioners of the faith surrounding Lathander the Morninglord. It was among the most well-respected, popular, and wealthiest churches in all of Faerûn, albeit one that experienced much tumult during the early Era of Upheaval. Lathander's church languished for decades following the Morninglord's apparent "death", and true to his divine domain of rebirth, was restored following the conclusion of the Era of Upheaval.

Organization
The Lathanderian faith held no singular authority over the faith or hierarchy that bound individual churches to one another. Each priest held sole jurisdiction over their own temple, shrine, or congregation, regardless of their rank or title within the church.

Heads of Lathander's temples occasionally met at conferences whenever issues affecting the church at large had to be addressed.

Titles
Titles within the church included (in descending order): Sunrise Lord, High Mornmaster, Mornmaster, High Morninglord, Morninglord, Dawnmaster, High Dawnlord, Dawnlord, Dawngreeter, Dawnbringer, and Awakened for novitiates. Despite the numerous titles, Lathanderian clergy commonly referred to one another as "Dawnbringer" or "Dawn Priest".

In old Athalantar, clergy members were referred to as "Lights of Lathander".

It was customary for priests to take on a new name for themselves, as revealed to them by Lathander. This act symbolized their "rebirth" as an official member of the clergy.

Factions
"The Netherese of old knew Amaunator, the great sun lord, whose light and order filled the world for an age. We know him now as Lathander...Just as the sun brightens while it climbs into the sky, so will Lathander's glory and radiance grow as he resumes the glory and mastery that were his of old."

- Sunmaster Andar, espousing beliefs of the Risen Sun.

Within the greater church was a faction that believed Lathander was in fact the reincarnation of the Netherese god Amaunator. This divine theory led to the rise of the Risen Sun heresy, the belief that Lathander would transform into a resurrected Amaunator within a matter of years.

Yet others subscribed to the Three-Faced Sun heresy, that the sun itself was trisected overdeity—that comprised the three aspects of dawn, highsun, and dusk—only two of which could be witnessed by mortals at any given time. To these individuals, Lathander supplanted Amaunator as the aspect of dawn and became dominant over highsun and dusk. Opinions differed on whether Lathander or another deity would ascend as the aspect of highsun, and what would become of the aspect of dawn.

Activities
"[Spreading hope and enthusiasm is] your holy task, your life's work, and your daily salvation."

- Istron Malvantur, Dawnmaster of Elturel.

Followers of Lathander were directed to provide aid unto others and foster innovation to better the lives of folks in the Realms. They cultivated lands that were otherwise barren, culled monstrous creatures to make way for new settlements, fought off the forces of evil, and imparted civilized ideals to discordant locales. Lathanderians offered much assistance to adventurers, pilgrims, or others that traveled across the Realms. They made efforts to recover long-lost relics, magic items, or creative works such as literature or art in order to further their own innovative endeavors.

Priests offered a wide variety of services to their parishioners, including marriages, birthings, funerary services, and even public announcements of new public works projects.

Lathanderian temples often sponsored non-combative athletic events, such as wrestling, archery, riding, running, swimming, and the like. They also honored creative competition in the arts, including the arts such as literature. More often, local clergy hosted grand revels for forward-thinking scholars and intellectuals, in order to stimulate their creativity and inspire new ideas that would further advance culture and civilization across Faerûn.

Priests of Lathander often concerned themselves with new business ventures, offering loans to business people seeking more startup capital than their neighborhood moneylender could offer. Some of them took this entrepreneurial spirit even further, becoming investors, merchants, and financial brokers for their own personal enrichment. They were often viewed as overly enthusiastic hucksters. Yet other priests chose to propagate more humanistic unions, serving as matchmakers to prospective lovers that had yet to find their partners.

Rituals
Befitting Lathander's title of Morninglord, rituals, ceremonies, and daily prayers led by his clergy were held at dawn each day. Formal unions such as official contracts or marriages held during that time were considered especially blessed. An additional prayer to Lathander was held by some temples at highsun each day, and were considered a solemn but joyous rite of the faith. A ceremony known as the Going Down was performed at funerals, which were always held at dusk.

Lathander's faithful often invoked Lathander's blessing before setting out on long travels or embarking upon new ventures.

Celebrations
The Song of the Dawn, or Song of Dawn, was sung in Lathanderian temples on certain days throughout the year, notably on the mornings of Midsummer and the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. The elegant song honored Lathander with an intricate combination of choral harmonies.

The holiday of Rhyestertide celebrated in Waterdeep was held in honor of Rhyester, Lefthander's first prophet.

Another Waterdhavian festival called Sornyn was observed by both the Lathanderian and Waukeenar clergies of the city. It was a blessed occasion to forge new business agreements, formalize pacts and contracts, build relations with foreign entities, and interestingly enough, overindulge in wine and other drink.

In Mulmaster, Lathanderians celebrated the Festival of Fiery Night, a night-long revel that was to many little more than an excuse to get exceedingly drunk.

Tactics
Initiates and other clergy of the Lathanderian faith were granted immediate use of magical spells that involved the creation or manipulation of light. While Morninglords were far more adept than clerics of other faiths at turning undead, crusaders of Lathander were notably not granted this ability.

Regions
Worship of Lathander was prevalent or influential throughout the Western and Eastern Heartlands. The faith was especially concentrated in certain regions including: Chessenta, Cormyr, the Dalelands,  the Lake of Steam region, the Moonshaes, the North, Samarach, Sembia,   the Silver Marches, the Sword Coast, including Waterdeep, Thindol, Ulgarth, and the greater Western Heartlands.

The faith was so widespread that at least one priest of Lathander was took residence in the distinctly chaotic town of Haven on the plane of Mechanus.

Places of Worship
Lathanderian temples were among the most opulent places of worship, especially among those found throughout the North. They were nearly always built with the temple's main chamber facing east, in the direction of the rising sun. When this was impossible, an elaborate series of mirrors were used to catch the dawn's light. Additionally, temples were often decorated with stained-glass windows, featuring beauteous depictions of Lathander and his faithful.

In exchange for these services, the temples' clergy accepted tithings of food, gold, magic items, or even newly-formed ideas or inventions from Lathander's faithful. The presumed value of these offerings were greatly increased for services offered to those that did not walk in Lathander's light. In the city of Waterdeep circa 1372 DR, this amounted to the lesser of either 50 gp or 10% of profits from any church-sponsored endeavor.

Notable Shrines & Temples

 * Abbey of Dawn, the holy house of Lathander in southeastern Sembia.
 * Dawnspire, a solitary tower of the Morninglord built within the ruins of Myth Drannor.
 * Dome of the Rose, the serene and beauteous temple monastery found in the Gem District of Athkatla.
 * Halls of Morning Light, the bustling temple in the Holyhouses neighborhood of Ravens Bluff.
 * House of the Holy Dawn, found in the Jewel Ward of Calimport.
 * House of the Morning, the sole temple of Eveningstar.
 * Morningdawn Hall, the holy house in Shadowdale that became a place of great importance during the Avatar Crisis before coming to ruin.
 * Morningmist Hall, the only real church of the Cormyrean city of Marsember.
 * Song of the Morning, a grand temple in Beregost overseen by the city's governor Kelddath Ormlyr.
 * Spires of the Morning, one of if not the largest of Lathander's temples, located in Waterdeep.
 * Tower of the Morn, the temple in Elversult that gave birth to the Risen Sun heresy.
 * Tower of the Morning, an elegantly designed and similarly grand house of worship in Telpir in Turmish.

Prominent temples to Lathander could be found in the towns and cities, including: Archenbridge,  Caronal, Daggerford,  Dagger Falls,   Deadsnows,  Feather Falls, Ordulin, Scornubel,  Silverymoon,  Tantras, and Westgate, among others. Shrines to Lathander could be found in or nearby the settlements of Asbravn, Baldur's Gate, Beredusk, Daerlun, Hap,  Iriaebor, Leilon,  Mulmaster, Saerloon, Selgaunt, Tilverton,   Urmlaspyr, Voonlar,  and Yhaunn.

Equipment, Spells, and Relics
Holy symbols carried by Lathanderian priests consisted of a simple disc carved out of rose quartz or a similarly-colored material, enchanted to emanate a faint glow.

Temples of Lathander often used tall candles in their respective altars, and went through about one candle each tenday.

The temple of Lathander's Light in Dagger Falls was known for producing a unique brand of wine known as Lathander's red.

Dress
The priests of Lathander's more extravagant temples wore vibrant garments known as "sun robes", fashioned with the yellow, pink, and red hues associated with sunrise, and adorned with ribbons of gold. These ceremonial raiments were complemented by an elaborate headpiece that resembled a sunburst or the tailfeathers of a sunpeacock, or as some preferred, a rose mask. Less-affluent priests of rural shrines often wore plain vestments in increasingly vivid colors depending on rank. In ascending order these were: brown, russet, scarlet, rose-red, and white for temple leaders.

Lathanderian clerics that took up the adventuring life wore practical garments in muted colors, highlighted with red or yellow, often bearing Lathander's holy symbol.

Spells
Spells unique, special to, or otherwise associated with the Lathanderian faith included: rosemantle, rosetouch, rosewater, morninglow, daylight, sunrise, boon of Lathander, control aratha, shield of Lathander, dawnshroud, false dawn, greater shield of Lathander, and undeath's eternal foe.

Lathanderian faith tokens allowed the bearer to cast the spell light.

Relics
Relics of the Lathanderian faith included:
 * Amulet of the Dawnbreaker, this powerful magical necklace was crafted from a skull fragment of a prominent Lathanderian prophet.
 * Blade of Lathander, a magical broadsword forged in the flames of the dawn, specifically to slay the being Tyranthraxus.
 * Blood of Lathander, four drop of blood that fell from Lathander's avatar during his battle with Mystra's chosen, encased within a fist-sized chunk of amber.
 * Dawnbringer, Lathander's own personal mace, bestowed upon his chosen to herald his return to the Realms.
 * Dawnstone, a crystalline gemstone with powerful healing properties bestowed upon Lathanderian clergy by the Morninglord himself.
 * First Light, a holy longsword bequeathed from the church to Lyssic, a formidable commander that defended Myth Drannor from the fiends of the Outer Planes for over three decades.
 * Golden chalice of Lathander, this pure gold goblet held powerful healing properties and was valued at nearly 30,000 gp.
 * Nightbreaker, a powerful mace of disruption that was wielded by many paladins of the Aster before being lost in the mid–14 century DR.
 * Rod of Lathander, a powerful enchanted rod forged to commemorate the rescue of villages from Hespheira, a small settlement that was pulled into the Shadowfell for four months. It was later used to defeat the dracolich Umbralax.

Written and Performed Works
The Tome of the Morn was a holy tome of the Lathanderian faith that could only be 'awakened' by the light of dawn or sunset. While its most potent magics could only be accessed by devout followers of the Morninglord, the power of the rite of renewal it held could be accessed by individuals of any faith.

Written during the 8 century DR, the Sermon of the Eclipse by Rhyester pondered some questions regarding the Dawn Cataclysm, a near-disastrous event for which Lathander garnered much blame and scrutiny.

Other works by Lathanderian clergy included Carcella's Readings at the Matins, The Dawn Hope: Bringing the Light of Lathander to the Lands of Darkness, the Teachings of the Morning's Glory, and the Testament of Jade.

Dogma
Followers of Lathander believed it to be their duty to uphold the ideals of innovation, artistry, creative ideology, personal improvement, youthful exuberance and athletic prowess. They viewed undeath as abhorrent, believing the existence of undead as unnatural and antithetical to the ideal of change and new beginnings. Clergy members were tasked with their destruction whenever possible.

Obedience to strict doctrines and laws were secondary to inspiring hope in others and providing aid by means of the church's vast resources.

Beliefs
Lathanderians considered cycles of growth and renewal, especially with regards to the natural world. They greatly valued beauty, culture, and art, taking delight in the wonders of Lathander's glory.

Attitudes
"Do not aid the Dark Ones by spreading panic and dark rumor. Calm thyself in the grace of Lathander. Does not our faith tell us that there is always a new beginning? Look for that new light, then, and be cheerful."

- Lama Chonszul to Adept Bronsus, during the Avatar Crisis.

The faithful of Lathander tended to be exuberant and enthusiastic about their faith, and at times they came across as overbearing. Clergy members strived to remain imaginative and productive in mind, body, and spirit. They were directed to always act with consideration and forethought, in order to most easily bring positive change to the world. Their teachings directed them to not succumb to despair and retain a clear vision of positive change.

The faith's tenets of altruism intertwined with the feelings of entitlement and self-importance held by some of its noble-born clergy. They believed themselves divinely appointed to carry out Lathander's will and administer to the lives of their "lessers". Other Lathanderian clergy maintained strong moral character, and their genuine compassion was appreciated by Faerûnians from all walks of life.

While they did not require others to praise Lathander to benefit from their altruism, Lathanderians highly encouraged his worship among the more goodly folks of the Realms. They would not however refuse service or withhold aid to those that did not revere the Morninglord.

Clerical Orders

 * Brotherhood of the Glorious Sun, an order of knights and clerics that later dedicated themselves to the beliefs of the Risen Sun.
 * Seekers of the Dawn, Lathanderian clerics that searched through the ruins of Myth Drannor seeking out long-lost artifacts and magical items that could aid in the city's restoration.

Military Orders

 * Company of the Singing Dawn, a mercenary company based out of Arrabar that promoted worship of the Morninglord and took on missions that aligned with his dogma.
 * Lathander's Lanterns, a band of fighting priests that aligned with the future queen of Tethyr Zaranda Star during the Tethyrian Interregnum.
 * Order of the Aster, an order of Waterdhavian knights that exemplified the most conservative tenets of the Lathanderian faith and safeguarded its temples across the Realms. They served as the de facto army of Lathander's church.

Monastic Orders

 * Order of the Sun Soul, an order of wandering, Amaunatori monks that originated from ancient Netheril. A centuries-old schism within the order saw different sects each venerate their own deity, namely Sune, Selûne, and Lathander.

Classes
The Lathanderian faith most commonly attracted clerics, and to a lesser extent some paladins of the Realms. A select number of rangers and fighters chose to walk in Lathander's light, though this was less common.

The church's clergy were specialty priests were known as morninglords, which comprised just over one third of its clergy. They were held in high regard by many people across Faerûn. Morninglords often lived as adventurers that helped spread the faith and carry out Lathander's will across the Realms. Some of the faith even took up some of the most dangerous occupations among the adventuring types, namely as exorcists or fiend hunters.

Lathanderians that focused their talents on the healing arts joined the ranks of the Springlords. Demonstrating true piety and altruism, these priests preferred to be "among the people" of Lathander's faithful and forewent the more flamboyant trappings of other priesthoods within the church.

The faith of Lathander attracted some truenamers, those individuals of the Realms that focused their efforts at defining the world around them and honing the disciplines of debate, riddles, and other forms of speechcraft.

Sunmasters were those Lathanderian clerics that prescribed to certain ideology that was seen as heretical by others.

History
Lathander's first prophet Rhyester was granted sight for the first time in the. A temple was built in his home city of Silverymoon shortly after this miraculous event, one that would later be renamed in his honor.

In spring of the, Lathanderian priests fought alongside bands of Harpers against the former chosen of Mystra Sammaster, his zealous cultist and their unholy dracolich patrons. During the battle just beyond the village of Hap, Lathander's avatar appeared before his faithful, struck down the craven prophet Sammaster, and annihilated many of his undead monstrosities.

The Rod of Lathander was crafted (appropriately enough) in the.

Some time during the mid–13 century DR, Lathander himself appeared before his faithful and directed them to construct a temple within the ruins of ancient Myth Drannor.

14 Century
Lathander's Wandering Patriarch Ansultath received a prophetic dream regarding the Time of Troubles some time during or before the. According to him, great turmoil would inspire new heroes to arise and usher in a new era for the Realms.

After Waukeen's disappearance from the pantheon, and the subsequent pronouncement of her death in the, some of her faithful converted to the worship of Lathander.

Despite the popularity of the Lathanderian faith at the time, the church itself was faced with a ever-growing divide. Daelegoth Orndeir of Elversult began giving sermons that declared Lathander was actually the restored god Amaunator, who would soon reveal his true nature. Belief in the Risen Sun began to grow increasingly popular and Amaunatori sunlords were regularly offered support by the church. By Ches of the, the influential Tower of Morning in Telpir proclaimed support for the new Risen Sun belief offering it credence by one of the Morninglord's most grand temples. Within months belief of the Risen Sun had spread as far away as Sembia and clergy of Saerb that did not subscribe to the Risen Sun were exiled from their community.

After Daelegoth performed a miracle to spare his city from the disastrous effects of the melting of the High Ice, carried out by the Shadovar two years prior, his brand of Lathanderism spread far and wide along the Trade Way. A conclave of Cormyrean priests from Marsember declared Daelegoth a heretic, while conversely the head of the Sun Soul monks offered their him their full support. On Midsummer that year, the Risen Sun prophet cast an epic spell that created a second sun that remained above the city of Elversult. While the church of Lathander remained divided, the church of Amaunator was reborn.

When the calamitous Spellplague struck the Realms in the, it was believed by some scholars that Lathander had died, while others insisted that he was actually the reincarnation of Amaunator. Yet another group theorized that Lathander was an aspect of Amaunator, a divine persona used to conceal his true nature during his centuries of absence.

15 Century
During the time of the Second Sundering, in the, the child Chosen of Lathander Stedd Whitehorn arrived in Turmish and performed powerful magic while the druids of the Emerald Enclave recited the Hymn of Still Waters to end the realms' devastating drought. When Stedd and his friends' lives were threatened by the bloodthirsty Chosen of Umberlee, Lathander returned before the young boy and offered him the power to destroy the Queen of the Depth's minions. The Emerald Enclave claimed the accomplishment of restoring Lathander to the Faerûnian pantheon, along with the renewed prosperity and natural wealth that emerged in Turmish.

Rumors & Legends
During the late 14 century DR, whispers of the Deliverance circulated among the numerous clergies of Lathander. While little if anything was known about this mysterious event, it was said to involve the Morning's divine plan for Toril and would have far-reaching effects across the Realms.

Notable Lathanderians

 * Abelar Corrinthal, a retired knight of the Order of the Aster that famously defended Sembia from the dark forces of Kesson Rel.
 * Chanczlatha Luruin, the local physic and healer of Bargewright Inn.
 * Gen "the Radiant King", slayer of Orlak and the first monarch of the Soleilon Dynasty of Westgate.
 * Heptios of Cimbar, the powerful philosopher-mage of Chessenta that involved himself with numerous intellectual groups and secret societies and has at least on one occasion casually spoken to one of the gods.
 * Sir Isteval, a Cormyrean knight, Purple Dragon commander, and paladin of Lathander that retired in the Sword Coast city of Daggerford.
 * Jelde Asturien, the priest of the Knights of Myth Drannor that later helped oversee Lathander's temple in Eveningstar.
 * Macreadus, a sage from Icewind Dale that strove to end the Everlasting Rime brought upon the region by Auril.
 * Solndor Brightstar, the Lathanderian cleric from Idyllglen that famously received the righteous blessing of the solar Zariel after beseeching his god for aid.
 * Stedd Whitehorn, Lathander's chosen during the time of the Second Sundering.
 * Theln Roaringhorn, a wandering priest from the noble Waterdhavian Roaringhorn family.
 * Zulgoss Helberad, master of the Dungsweepers' Guild of Waterdeep.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds • Shadowdale • Search for the Diamond Staff • Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle • Dead in Thay • Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
 * Tantras • Doom of Daggerdale • Into the Dragon's Lair • Shadowdale: The Scouring of the Land • Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
 * Novels
 * The Twilight War (Shadowbred, Shadowstorm, Shadowrealm) • The Sundering (The Godborn, The Reaver)
 * Video Games
 * Baldur's Gate series (Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear) • Lords of Waterdeep
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Adventurers League: Elemental Evil (Mulmaster Undone)
 * Mayhem in the Earthspur Mines
 * Mayhem in the Earthspur Mines
 * Mayhem in the Earthspur Mines