Sun Prophet

It's said that one can only communicate with the sun by speaking in an ancient tongue from the Before Times, so a person must be literate in that language if they wish to be a Sun Prophet.

The Sun Prophet does not receive any payment for the prayers and blessings they offer, though it's common to give them an offering if you seek an audience with them.

The Sun Prophet is revered by believers and treated with deference by non-believers. After all, what if they really do communicate with the sun? Willowmoor wouldn't survive if the prophet stopped the sun's shine to take revenge on an ungrateful or rude village...

Actually, most non-believers treat the Sun Prophet with respect so they don't disturb the social equilibrium of the village, and less so because they have some niggling belief in the back of their mind.

The Sun Prophet fills a role in Willowmoor society that many residents didn't realize needed filling: a spiritual guide and giver of wisdom who offers a counter to the traditional village leadership. People meet with the Sun Prophet for a variety of reasons, but they always leave feeling more hopeful and motivated.

Although the whole idea of a "sun prophet" was laughed at originally, the person being declared the Sun Prophet was never ridiculed. As more people took the role seriously, the Sun Prophet eventually attained a higher social status than most for their perceived ability to communicate with the sun.

There can only be one Sun Prophet at a time. When the former prophet is ready to retire (or close to death), they will christen the next prophet, who will take their place.

Joan was the first Sun Prophet and she stumbled into the role by virtue of simply praying for the success of the village crops in her "ancient" Japanese tongue. Not only did several villagers turn her prayer into an official ritual, but they eventually turned her into a sort of demigoddess when they christened her the prophet to the sun.

At first, the sudden arrival of a new religion to secular Willowmoor was jarring, and the village leadership struggled to get a good handle on it. When they finally did, democratic consensus made the religion into a real one, and Joan was named the official Sun Prophet. She set the standard for every prophet since, performing the role with grace and gratitude.

It is well known that the Sun Prophet only offers prayers and blessings while in nature, so the world itself is considered their place of work.

The Sun Prophet offers daily prayers for the success of Willowmoor, but they may also be sought out to offer specialized prayers or tangible blessings to the people of the village. Typically, most seek the prophet for blessings over family matters such as the birth of a child or a sought-after apprenticeship. They are also often sought after a person's death to provide final rites.