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 the Sun Prophet.

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 (per Daiyo's wish), who will then take their place at the next sunrise prayer.

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 Prophet for a variety of reasons, but they always end up leaving more hopeful and motivated.

The primary duty of the Sun Prophet is to pray for the village's success every morning. They will also fill ceremonial roles at various celebrations, and they have an important job as the conductor of the annual Daiyo Nohi Festival.

The Sun Prophet also takes a lead role in milestone ceremonies for Daiyoists, such as weddings and funerals.

The Sun Prophet is revered by believers and treated with deference by nonbelievers. After all, what if they really do communicate with the sun? Actually, most nonbelievers treat the Sun Prophet with respect so they don't disturb the social equilibrium of the village - less so because they have some niggling belief in the back of their mind.

There is no monetary payment received by the Sun Prophet for their prayers and blessings, though it's common for those visiting them to give an offering.

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 of the sun.

At first, the sudden arrival of a new religion to secular Willowmoor was jarring, but it became a standard of life in the village in no time, Joan becoming the official first Sun Prophet in the records. She set the standard for every prophet since, performing the role with grace and gratitude.

Although the whole idea of a "sun prophet" was laughed at originally, the person being declared the Sun Prophet was herself 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.

These days, it's hard to imagine any big even in Willowmoor taking place without being overseen by the Sun Prophet, for that's how important they've become to the unique culture of the town.