The Order of the Sun was a sect of an ancient religion. Not much is known of their beliefs and culture, as this group all but died out long ago. Mystery cloaks this peculiar group, but their influence can be seen around the world. Some scholars suggest that perhaps a few locations still hold the answers to who and what the Order really was.
History
While little is known of the practices held by these ancient people, it is inferred that they worshipped or at least held in great esteem the star that our planet revolves around. Their emblem displayed the sun in a simple fashion, often engraved into floors or woven into banners. Several ruins have been found which contain this insignia, but almost nothing besides the structure survived. Judging the age of the artifacts found by various explorers has shown that the Order was still alive 600 or so years ago. The craftsmanship of especially the stone structures is incredibly sound for its age, suggesting that this sect was exceptional with masonry. Despite their apparent demise, their banner can be found in various outposts even today leading us to believe that even if the main religion was destroyed, various people brought the influence or at least symbolism with them. It is widely accepted that the people who followed this religion were at one time a nomadic people. This is due to the many locations containing evidence of their existence. These locations span far and wide across the globe. There is evidence that supports the idea that near the birth of the Order, various parties left from an original location to create civilizations, though no hard proof has yet confirmed this.
Disappearance
Many theories exist on why this pillar of ancient society vanished so completely, but that is all they are. Theories. Guesses and ponderings about what may have become of such a group intrigue the world, but no answers have yet arisen, and perhaps that's the way it should be. Some dead things ended that way for a reason, and this may be no exception. What really makes people wonder is how the name of the Order of the Sun seems to have been scrubbed clean from history. In recent years it has become clear they had a huge influence in shaping modern society, but no mention of them exists in any writings or histories. The two most accepted theories as of now are that either:
- The major powers in this world had something to do with the demise of the Order and ran a campaign to erase all proof of their existence
- The Order themselves became too powerful and destroyed themselves from the inside out, eventually disposing of all evidence of their impact on the world
There could be an entirely different third option, and that is the problem. There is simply not enough information to really say what became of these people. With the rate at which we've uncovered what we do know about the Order, it is quite possible that the day will come in our lifetimes when we find out the truth about what happened.
Other Resources
- A person of interest concerning the Order is a man who claims to be a member of this long dead religion. Some skeptics claim he is mentally ill or seeking attention while a few believe he may be the real deal. Regardless of the validity of this claim, everyone agrees that he is one of the worlds leading experts on all things regarding the Order of the Sun. By all accounts, he prefers solitude but will happily tell anyone about this forgotten group. He asked that his name not be published, but it isn't too difficult to track him down.
- Thomas Diggsgood was the archaelogist who first brought the existence of the Order of the Sun to the public eye and has led several expeditions to uncover ruins. He has published several journals on his findings and what he believes to be the truth about the forgotten society. Though no one can deny his contributions to the scientific community, Diggsgood has been criticized in the past for falsifying "evidence" to support his claims.
- John Braeni is a sociologist who has dedicated his recent career to learning about the lives of members in the Order of the Sun. He teaches several classes on the subject, and has written three books about it. A renowned genius, Braeni is known for his ability to compile fully accurate predictions from little information. All that said, some question his motives regarding the Order, and see it as an attempt to make money/claim fame.
- International Geographic has several articles regarding this ancient civilization. They are not very detailed analyses but serve as a good entry point to the topic of the Order of the Sun. They intend to delve deeper into the mystery in the coming year with three new issues dedicated to the sect.