Sun-Sworn Zealot

The desert sun is a merciless executioner to the unprepared, but to you, it is the purest manifestation of divine justice, clarity, and life. You belong to a sacred order of desert knights, temple guardians, or wandering zealots who swear binding oaths under the blazing midday sky. Whether your duty was to guard a holy oasis shrine from corruption, hunt down the undead monstrosities that rise from the sands at dusk, or punish those who violate the sacred laws of desert hospitality, your faith is your shield. You carry the unyielding heat of the sun in your heart, standing as a beacon of righteous order in a harsh, lawless wasteland.

Feat:

Searing Radiance Your absolute devotion to the light grants you a divine presence that commands respect from fellow believers and wards off the terrors of the dark. Temples, shrines, and monastic orders dedicated to solar deities or righteous causes will always provide you and your companions with free, safe shelter, basic medical treatment, and pure water.

Additionally, your inner light makes you highly resilient against the psychological dread of the wastes. You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened by undead or fiends. When navigating at night, you can channel your faith to cause your holy symbol to shed a soft, warm light equivalent to a candle flame, which cannot be extinguished by non-magical desert winds.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Religion

Tool Proficiencies: Healer's Kit

Languages: Celestial

Equipment: A prayer book or scroll of sacred tenets wrapped in protective sun-bleached linen, a holy water flask made of polished brass, a set of fine desert vestments dyed in sun-bleached white and gold, a Healer's Kit, and an additional 10 gp.

Suggested Characteristics

Sun-Sworn Zealots are intense, unyielding, and deeply principled individuals who see the world in sharp contrasts of light and shadow. They have little tolerance for moral ambiguity or compromise, viewing their survival in the harsh wastes as proof of their divine favor. While they can appear stern or fanatical to outsiders, they are driven by a profound duty to protect the innocent from the predatory horrors of the desert.

d4	Personality Trait
1	I clean and inspect my weapons and armor every single evening before taking my rest, without fail.
2	I speak in short, direct commands and have little patience for long-winded, indecisive debates.
3	I am always on duty. Even in a peaceful tavern, I sit facing the door with my hand near my blade.
4	I have a stiff, formal posture and a habit of addressing people by military titles or formal honorifics.

d3	Ideal
1	Protection. My weapon belongs to those who cannot defend themselves. I am the shield that stands between my tribe and the horrors of the wastes. (Good)
2	Discipline. Chaos and panic kill more people in a sandstorm than the heat does. Strict order and tactical execution are the only ways to survive. (Lawful)
3	Retribution. An ambush or betrayal cannot go unanswered. Those who break the peace or turn on their allies must be brought to swift, decisive justice. (Any)

d3	Bond
1	My unit was brutally ambushed and left for dead; I will stop at nothing to hunt down the traitors who betrayed us to the sands.
2	I carry the tattered banner, badge, or broken weapon of my fallen regiment; it reminds me of my duty and the family I lost.
3	I owe my life to the companion who found me dying under the sun and nursed me back to health. My blade is theirs until that debt is paid.

d3	Flaw
1	I have a difficult time shifting out of military mode, often treating peaceful social interactions like a strategic briefing.
2	I am fiercely proud and stubborn; I view tactical retreats as a form of cowardice, even when completely overwhelmed.
3	My trust is incredibly hard to earn. I automatically view outsiders as potential threats or spies until they have proven themselves in battle.