Sunrunner

Sunrunner is a fictional title created by author Melanie Rawn for her novels of the Dragon Prince and Dragon Star trilogies.

Sunrunners, or faradh'im , are people who are able to use the Sun, and Moon, for communication and spellcasting. They weave the light with their thoughts, which are represented by coloured gemstones. Each faradhi has a unique colour pattern, and the gemstones representing a faradhi 's colours often symbolize facets of the person's character. For a list of gems and their meanings please refer to Melanie Rawn's Jewel Symbology page.

Sunrunners are the impartial mediators of the Continent and the quickest form of communication. They communicate with each other all over the world, keeping families in contact, Princes and Lords aware of political happenings, and performing ceremonies - such as Namings, Choosings, or Burnings - as needed. Sunrunners are forbidden to participate in battle lest it is to save their own lives, to take sides in a debate, and most importantly they are forbidden to use their gifts to kill. Faradhi oaths also include a vow of silence to ensure the trust of Sunrunner messengers. These limitations enable the rest of the Continent to accept and even welcome Sunrunners to their courts and into their lives.

Sunrunners are trained at Goddess Keep. As they train, they are tested to determine their rank. With each rank a Sunrunner earns a faradhi ring. There are ten ranks, the highest being the Lord or Lady of Goddess Keep, who governs all Sunrunners.

Every person is made up of colours and shadows. Each person has a unique colour pattern, which, for faradh'im, defines them more completely than their names. These colours are the person's mind and soul; if they are lost, the person dies, forever in darkness.

Faradh'im can touch these colours and weave them into what only they - and diarmadh'im - can see: the light. They use their colours to weave themselves into the strands of sunlight and/or moonlight. As they weave into the light, they can travel over great distances, viewing the land below as if they were flying. Starlight, thought inaccessible by many, is forbidden to Sunrunners.

To communicate, a Sunrunner weaves light and travels to another Sunrunner. The approaching faradhi gently brushes the other with his or her colours, so as not to intrude. The receiving faradhi usually weaves his/her own colours around the others and the two speak as their minds are essentially woven together. Powerful and/or well trained Sunrunners can also view images of memory from another's mind. In less polite circumstances they can pull memories forward, force their presence on others, and even seize minds in order to use those faradh'im 's powers to augment their own. Another person can also be used as a vessel from which a faradhi can see and hear the activity around the other person.

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Wikipedia