The Sun Brothers

The brothers are often represented by the white and orange colours on the Bernassi banner.

### Domains

War
 Alchemy

### Symbols

Bernassi Banner
 Various Symbols

### **Creation**

Solaris and Hastes Bernassi were originally mortal Humans who ascended to Godhood via their mastery of fighting and alchemy.

### **Location**

It is unknown whether the Sun Brothers had any specific locations where they could be found.

### **Appearance**

Solaris and Hastes were both Humans and, as such, resembled typical examples of the race.

### **History**

Solaris Bernassi was a normal man among many, in a Human tribe of the pre-Bernassian Era. He was an exceptional fighter, being the best in his village and also of the surrounding ones. When his brother, Hastes Bernassi; first of the alchemists, created a drink that could allow a man to cleave another in half with a single swing, it was time for things to change.

The local tribe knew that to have more land was to be more powerful, so they went about conquering the neighboring villages and then the surrounding regions. Solaris led every battle, every charge, personally winning every battle. Soon, the fractured tribes around the land were united into a single, glorious entity; the Bernassi Empire.

The Bernassi brothers were literally unstoppable. Any problem could be cured with one of Hastes potions and any battle could be won by Solaris. Even in the face of insurmountable odds, both Hastes and Solaris would go into battle, Hastes throwing acids and poisons and Solaris sundering men from chin to toe.

After many years of successful conquests, the two brothers felt they could defeat anything and everything. They felt such power that they went to altars all around the land, challenging their Gods to battle. Some altars were silent, some brought forth powerful avatars and others brought the Gods themselves to battle.

But all fell before the might of the Bernassi brothers. They found that all of these Gods were gone from their land, yet they both still yearned for battle; they started fighting eldritch horrors and demons of all degrees, vanquishing all in their sight. This process continued, their fame spreading as the men who could defeat Gods and demons spread throughout their Empire.

There is some debate amongst scholars of the Empire as to when the brother's divinity came about, depending on which religious and historical records are looked at. Some claim that Solaris and Hastes were divine beings who descended from the heavens to help mankind, returning once their job was complete.

Others state that they simply gained so much power and influence that they ascended to godhood either during their lifetime, or when they died. Some religious texts actually state that Solaris 'became the sun'.

#### **Solaris**

Solaris is the more widely worshipped of the two Sun Brothers. He, along with Hastes, led the Humans to rid the world of demons.

Solaris was the first Emperor of Mankind and he led his subjects to form the **Bernassi Empire**, which exists to this day.

Solaris is the God of the sun, war and embodies strength and combat prowess. It is considered good form to state "mighty is He" when Solaris is spoken of. As a God of war; clerics, priests and other holy men of Solaris are allowed to commit acts of violence, should they be deemed righteous, such as the execution of a murdered or the slaying of a demon.

It is traditional to represent Solaris through the colour orange and with the image of a sun, or a cross; this is how he is shown on Imperial flags.

#### **Hastes**

Hastes is the secondary deity of the human race, believed to have less power than Solaris, both in terms of physical strength and divine influence. However, Hastes is often credited as being the wiser of the two, acting as an adviser to his brother and a mentor to mankind.

Hastes is the God of the harvest, weather, intelligence, scholars and alchemy. He is responsible for the growth and well-being of all the nourishing crops and plants of the world and is credited with gifting the Humans the skill of alchemy.

It is traditional to represent Hastes as clouds, flowers, bushels of wheat, but most commonly through the colour white; notably as the background of the Imperial flag. He is also represented by the moon, or by the alchemical brewing stand.

Alchemists are often seen as the favoured ones of Hastes; they embody the studiousness of the God and the will to bend the material world to their whims.

Holy men of Hastes tend to be more patient, scholarly and, some would dare say, less zealous than the holy men of Solaris.

### **Behaviour**

Solaris was often said to be more headstrong and temperamental, whereas Hastes was said to be calmer and more calculated.

### **Abilities**

Solaris was a skilled fighter, able to best the most feared opponents.

Hastes was believed to be much smarter than his brother and had a mastery of alchemy that none have rivalled.