Sun

Biodata

Power Progression

History

Joining the Tarot Club

Derrick is brought into the Tarot Club by Mr. Fool as its newest member under the codename Sun. His isolated background and unfamiliar worldview immediately distinguish him from the other members. During his first gathering, he recognizes Creeping Hunger as a Shepherd-related item and explains that Shepherds can absorb Beyonder souls and wield their former abilities. 56

He originates from the City of Silver, located in the inaccessible Forsaken Land of the Gods. His homeland and its records become a major source of information on the True Creator, the City of Silver’s history, and ancient events. 279 434

His initial contact with Mr. Fool follows the despair of killing his own parents. The City of Silver’s curse causes its dead to become evil spirits unless they are killed by relatives; after carrying out this duty, Derrick attempts to pray to the gods and accidentally establishes contact with Mr. Fool. 659

Derrick also shares information about a mysterious being named Amon, attracting the other members’ interest in his experiences. Mr. Fool’s protection later helps him pass a test concerning him, after which surveillance is expected to remain relatively limited. 224 232

His encounter with Amon follows his attempt to avoid an expedition led by Lovia. Acting on Alger’s advice, Derrick exhausts his Spirituality and pretends to show signs of losing control. He is removed from the expedition but confined for investigation, during which he meets an elderly prisoner whose exploration team encountered Amon decades earlier. Amon subsequently possesses Derrick and attempts to use him to reach the space above the Gray Fog, but Mr. Fool saves him. 195 210 224

Alger explains that the City of Silver’s chief regards Derrick and Lovia as representatives of opposing factions, each potentially dangerous but also capable of bringing hope to the city. Derrick is reassured that this balance should encourage the chief to protect him, though he is frustrated that his sincere desire to save his homeland is being treated as a political consideration. 280 281

Temple of the True Creator

Before Derrick’s own expedition to the temple, the team led by Lovia returns with conspicuously altered personalities. Alger identifies the changes as corruption by the True Creator. The World lends Derrick an object containing a Sequence 5 characteristic and carrying the deity’s aura so that he can expose the corrupted explorers. His old friend Dark subsequently confronts him, transforming into a mass of bloody flesh while demanding the object. Derrick strikes him with an axe accompanied by lightning and prays to Mr. Fool to accept an offering. 224 225

After the previous explorers go mad, Colin decides to lead another expedition personally and includes Derrick in the team. Alger urges caution, Luther advises him to block out his senses as much as possible, and Mr. Fool warns him about flesh and whispers. 308

During an expedition to a temple of the True Creator, Derrick’s team becomes trapped in a repeating cycle in which their chief kills a boy named Jack and the expedition resets. Mr. Fool helps Derrick remember the previous loops, allowing him to recognize the phenomenon and seek help from the Tarot Club. 335

Luther identifies the cause as Ouroboros’s residual aura contaminating Jack. Derrick learns that killing the boy perpetuates the cycle; the solution is to remove the aura rather than repeat the violence. He intends to bring this plan to the City of Silver’s chief. 336

Derrick’s warning ultimately prevents the expedition from remaining trapped until death. His role in the escape earns him public recognition and increased respect among the people of the City of Silver. 351

After returning, Derrick goes to the Round Tower to meet the chief, suspecting that the latter already understands that there is something unusual about him. His improved reputation also makes him more conscious of the importance of relationships and influence within the city. 351

Investigation of Lovia

Derrick first identifies Elder Lovia as the holder of the Black Knight Potion formula and reveals that she is a Sequence 5 Shepherd suspected of worshipping the True Creator. His alarm at Luther’s own status as a Shepherd reflects his fear of the pathway and its connection to the fallen god. 278 279

Luther later asks Derrick to monitor Lovia’s advancement preparations. Derrick reports that she has not yet advanced and that the chief is leading expeditions to capture monsters, apparently for use in her ritual. Alger also warns him to avoid conspicuous behavior around Lovia, while Luther requests a deeper investigation of her background. 477 520

After rotating out of the Afternoon Town expedition, Derrick reports that Lovia remains at the camp and repeats the rumor that she ate her husband. The report provokes a severe emotional reaction from Luther. Despite the incident, Derrick agrees to continue investigating, with Luther offering High Sequence Warrior Pathway formulas as an incentive for the chief’s cooperation. 586

Derrick initially cannot access Lovia’s confidential records and admits this limitation to the Tarot Club. Luther again suggests using a valuable Warrior Pathway formula to obtain the City of Silver’s assistance. 628

When approaching Colin about this arrangement, Derrick awkwardly claims that his study of ancient texts may lead him to a Sequence 3 Warrior Pathway formula. He recognizes that the chief is deliberately maintaining a tacit understanding with the unusual force behind him and using their exchanges to benefit the City of Silver. 638

At Luther’s request, Derrick later investigates Lovia’s history in the restricted archives. He discovers that she was originally a Sequence 6 Polymath of the Reader pathway before changing to the Secrets Suppliant pathway and becoming a Shepherd. Her file also warns that she has a high risk of losing control and must never be left alone with Derrick. 659

An old expedition report provides further details: Lovia survived a ruined temple’s collapse and advanced by consuming a Sequence 5 characteristic found inside. Her husband disappeared, leaving blood behind, which appears to have contributed to the rumor about his fate. Derrick is subsequently summoned to meet Colin Iliad and Lovia, who seek his assessment of her incomplete Black Knight advancement ritual. 660

The ritual has gathered fewer than four thousand monsters rather than the prescribed ten thousand people. Lovia argues that monster souls are stronger and may provide sufficient Degeneration, while the city lacks the space and food to keep gathering captives. Colin’s request for Derrick’s opinion implicitly asks him to consult the powerful being behind him, emphasizing his growing importance as an intermediary. 660

Derrick brings further questions about Lovia to the Tarot Club, where Luther confirms that, from a certain perspective, she did eat her husband. Luther explains that her husband willingly sacrificed himself so that she could become a Shepherd and defeat a powerful monster. This challenges Derrick’s simple judgment of Lovia as evil, while Alger advises him that genuine love and a desire to save the city can coexist with the True Creator’s corrupting influence. 665

When Lovia’s advancement goes awry and her body begins collapsing under the True Creator’s influence, Derrick prays to Mr. Fool for help. Klein forwards the plea to Luther after determining that the Gray Fog cannot stop the potion’s pollution. Lovia ultimately successfully advances to Sequence 4, adding another demigod to the City of Silver’s Council of Six. 699 701

By the time the expedition clears the Giant King’s Court’s perimeter, Derrick knows that Lovia has converted to the God of Blood and Shadows. He also knows that her miracle has purified the city’s stockpiled corrupted characteristics. He withholds these details from the Tarot Club because they are closely connected to Temperance, even when Alger again warns him that Lovia might contact the True Creator. 918

Exploration of Afternoon Town

Derrick accompanies the chief’s expedition to Afternoon Town, a necessary route to the Giant King’s Court and a boundary between myth and reality. He reports its gloomy atmosphere and the discovery of an underground altar to the Tarot Club. 519

Colin includes him because he expects the Sun Pathway to be useful despite Derrick’s relatively low Sequence. The expedition finds that the town’s recorded perpetual afternoon has disappeared, leaving ruins in darkness rather than the mythic sunlight described in the City of Silver’s records. 481 492

The underground altar bears the names and titles of Ouroboros, the Angel of Fate; Medici, the Red Angel; and Sasrir, the Dark Angel. While examining it, Derrick suddenly finds himself isolated from his companions and immediately prays to Mr. Fool. He later shares the discovery with the Tarot Club. 509 519

Exploration proceeds slowly: the City of Silver first establishes a camp, then uses joint teams to clear monsters and examine the ruins street by street. Derrick describes this approach as sufficiently safe despite its limited speed. Some monsters are deliberately captured alive for Lovia’s advancement ritual. 628

Derrick is rotated out while clearing operations continue. At that point, he remains under observation and promises Luther that he will help search for potion ingredients once he can move freely. 586

Tarot Club Trade and Advancement Preparations

Derrick becomes a source of rare materials from the Forsaken Land of the Gods. When Fors seeks a Spirit Eater’s stomach for her Trickmaster advancement, he confirms that he can obtain one. Because outside money is of little use to him, Alger arranges for Fors to pay him instead, with Derrick receiving the Solar High Priest formula and additional materials if necessary. 373

He also acts as an intermediary in Luther’s efforts to obtain the Black Knight formula from the City of Silver. Initially hesitant to approach Colin directly, Derrick agrees as thanks for Luther’s assistance with the temple’s time loop. He reports that Colin most desires a way to change the city’s condition but will accept an equivalent item or another Sequence 4 formula. Luther offers the Demon formula, and Derrick later relays that the exchange has been completed. 307 336 372 376

He later seeks Radiant Spirit Tree fruit for his Solar High Priest advancement, and Cattleya offers to provide it. Learning where Derrick comes from increases Cattleya’s reverence for Mr. Fool. 476

The World subsequently offers Derrick the Notary Potion formula. Derrick thanks him sincerely and promises to remember the debt until he can repay it. 626

When Emlyn seeks a Sequence 5 Sanguine characteristic, Derrick confirms that the City of Silver possesses suitable characteristics but warns that they are heavily contaminated. He obtains one through the city’s stores and sends it to Luther through Mr. Fool. Luther cleanses it with the Sunless Cross, enabling Emlyn to advance to Scarlet Scholar. 754 764 788

As compensation, Derrick requests the Sun Pathway’s Sequence 5 Priest of Light formula, which is unavailable in the City of Silver. The World offers it for 5,000 pounds, and Emlyn accepts the arrangement. Derrick also expresses interest in investigating an ancient Wraith mentioned during the gathering. 788

Derrick subsequently advances to Notary and plans regular training to master his new abilities and accelerate potion digestion. By the time Colin later summons him from the training ground, he has successfully advanced again to Sequence 5 Priest of Light with the World’s assistance. His Priest of Light potion is still far from fully digested. 806 886

Historical Records and the Creator

Derrick offers the City of Silver’s historical records when Luther asks about the Second Epoch, the Ancient Gods, and the Creator. His account competes with Emlyn’s insistence that Sanguine records are more complete and reliable, leading to repeated disagreements between them. 434 477

The records supplied to Luther include an account of the Mythological Era in which the Creator enters slumber and the Ancient Gods divide His remaining authority. Separately, the Third Epoch ascetic Snowman’s description of the Creator closely matches the religious knowledge Derrick has shared with the Tarot Club. 469 678

Derrick’s faith is severely shaken when Alger displays a mural from the Primitive Island depicting the City of Silver’s Creator being devoured by Kings of Angels. The image confronts him with an account of divine history that directly challenges his homeland’s beliefs. 754

He interprets the mural as meaning that the Lord was betrayed and killed, making the City of Silver’s centuries of waiting for divine salvation seem futile. Alger cautions that the painting might distort history, but Luther states that he believes it is true. After returning home, Derrick remains motionless in despair, fearing that his city will fade into darkness like the ruined city-states around it. 755 756

During a later expedition, Derrick researches which deity the City of Silver worshipped before the Great Cataclysm at Luther’s request. He borrows historical books before departure and reads them during breaks at the Afternoon Town camp, using light produced at his fingertips. Accounts of trade, roads, harvest rituals, and wine-making celebrations leave him wistful for the city’s lost prosperity. 949

The Former Chief’s Mausoleum

When Audrey asks about the mausoleum of the City of Silver’s former chief, Derrick reports that preparations continue but that his access to information is limited. He has heard that the mausoleum is gradually coming to life. 788

Derrick subsequently explains that the former chief’s attempted advancement has likely failed. The black hair growing from the mausoleum indicates loss of control rather than a successful return. The former chief had attempted to overcome the city’s Sequence 4 bottleneck by switching to the Death pathway’s Sequence 3 Ferryman. 789

The Council of Six will probably open the mausoleum and eliminate him, both to remove a threat near the city and to recover his valuable Sequence 3 characteristic. Derrick accepts Alger’s offer of advice and agrees to share further information, unaware that Alger also wants more details about the mausoleum. 789

As preparations advance, Colin summons Derrick and presents the Worms of Time. Derrick prays to Mr. Fool for a way to use them, then relays the necessary ritual materials and Mr. Fool’s honorific name to Colin. With Mr. Fool’s assistance, Colin produces two Fate Siphon charms for the expedition. 806 807

After leaving the Round Tower, Derrick witnesses golden light shining from its windows and piercing the surrounding darkness like legendary daylight. He compares the tower to a lighthouse, a concept learned from the Tarot Club, while worrying about Colin and Lovia inside. 809

Derrick later confirms to the Tarot Club that exploration of the former chief’s tomb has concluded and shares the information he is authorized to disclose. Following a period of rest and recuperation, Colin decides to resume investigating the Giant King’s Court. 839

Exploration of the Giant King’s Court

Derrick reports that the expedition has finished clearing monsters around the Giant King’s Court’s perimeter and is searching for a way into the city. Progress has been delayed primarily by personnel shortages rather than the monsters alone: many explorers return to the City of Silver to advance using newly purified characteristics, subsequently rejoining the expedition with greater strength. 918

Later attempts continue to make slow headway. Derrick and his teammates form an orderly defensive line to cover their retreat from the plain, returning empty-handed to the Afternoon Town camp. He uses the intervals between expeditions to fulfill Luther’s historical research request. 949

He subsequently joins Colin, Lovia, and the exploration team before the Decaying Forest as they prepare to enter the Giant King’s Court. During their exploration, Derrick notices a dark red table that reminds him of the Tarot Club. Crimson flames then illuminate the hall, whispers intensify, and eleven hazy figures appear around the table, overwhelming the explorers with fear. 964 966

When his companions interpret a mural as evidence that the kings’ rebellion caused the catastrophe and the Creator’s abandonment, Derrick listens with pity and sorrow because he already knows of the Lord’s fall. He notices Colin’s unusually pale and troubled reaction and wonders whether the chief has reached the same conclusion from Rose Redemption. 968

During this exploration, Derrick and his companions finally see the sea, previously known to the City of Silver only through written records. Having never seen even ordinary daytime before entering the Giant King’s Court, the explorers are captivated by the twilight sky and the vast blue waters. 969

Appearance

Derrick is a towering youth whose stature makes the formal title “Mr. Sun” seem less incongruous despite his age. 56

He has short blond hair and a youthful face. When Luther observes the City of Silver’s expedition through Lovia’s prayer, he identifies Derrick by his resemblance to his appearance above the Gray Fog and the spiritual connection extending upward from him. 964

Personality

Derrick is earnest, sincere, and strongly motivated to protect the City of Silver. He readily seeks advice when confronted with dangers beyond his understanding and responds seriously to the assistance offered by the Tarot Club. 335 336

His experiences with the True Creator’s corruption make him wary of Shepherds and suspicious of anyone connected to that pathway. At the same time, he tends to view morality in direct terms, initially judging Lovia as simply evil after learning that she consumed her husband. 278 665

Learning that Lovia’s husband willingly sacrificed himself forces him to reconsider this simple division between good and evil. He accepts Alger’s guidance that people can have sincere feelings and worthy intentions while also suffering from corruption and distorted beliefs. 665

He becomes increasingly proactive as an investigator, using his own abilities to overcome practical obstacles while examining restricted records rather than waiting for others to solve problems for him. 659

His gratitude is direct and enduring. He offers to negotiate with the chief as repayment for Luther’s assistance and later promises to remember the debt owed to the World for providing a potion formula. 336 626

Derrick remains trusting even as his responsibilities grow. He regards Alger’s warnings as evidence that the latter is a good person and does not always recognize the practical benefits Alger hopes to gain from helping him. His sorrow over the former chief’s fate coexists with an understanding that the city must eliminate the danger and recover the characteristic. 520 789

He conscientiously follows Alger’s advice to build relationships, though he feels that having made only three friends is insufficient. He combines efforts to improve his social connections with plans to practice and digest his Notary potion. 806

His pride in the City of Silver makes him sensitive to Emlyn’s dismissive treatment of its historical traditions. His devotion to the Creator also makes revelations about the deity’s death particularly distressing. 434 754

Despite his general openness, Derrick becomes capable of withholding sensitive information. He conceals Lovia’s conversion and the source of the purification miracle to avoid casually exposing matters connected to Temperance. 918

He understands his fellow citizens’ longing for light. Although their attention makes him uneasy while he practices as a Priest of Light, he expands his illumination rather than immediately withdrawing it, allowing others to enjoy its warmth. 886

Abilities & Skills

Solar High Priest Abilities

Derrick possesses Solar High Priest powers and can generate clear golden illumination.

• Produces golden light capable of brightly illuminating the otherwise dim City of Silver archives. 659
• Previously sought fruit from the Radiant Spirit Tree as an advancement material for this stage. 476
• Is explicitly identified as a Sequence 7 Solar High Priest. 562
• Continues using Sun Pathway illumination at higher Sequences, producing light at his fingertips to read historical records in his expedition tent. 949

Notary Abilities

• Acquires Notary abilities after advancing to Sequence 6 and intends to practice them at the City of Silver’s training ground. Their specific effects are not described in his training plans. 806
• Treats mastery of these abilities and potion digestion as priorities before further advancement. 806

Priest of Light Abilities

• Summons a dazzling shaft of sacred, pure sunlight that bathes nearby people in comforting warmth. 886
• Uses a Purification Halo to spread golden light across the training square, dispelling negative emotions and filling those within it with positivity. 886
• Can expand and withdraw this illumination deliberately. 886

Occult Knowledge

Derrick’s upbringing and expeditions give him specialized knowledge concerning the Forsaken Land of the Gods and the Secrets Suppliant pathway.

• Identified Creeping Hunger as a Shepherd-related item and explained the pathway’s soul-absorption ability. 56
• Recognized Elder Lovia as a Shepherd and revealed her connection to the Black Knight Potion formula. 279
• Provided the Tarot Club with murals and firsthand information from the temple affected by Ouroboros’s power. 335
• Offered City of Silver historical records to Luther during his investigation of the Second Epoch and the Creator. 434
• Shared religious traditions concerning the Creator that closely resemble the teachings preserved by the Third Epoch ascetic Snowman. 678
• Reports on the former chief’s attempted switch to the Death pathway and the signs of his failed advancement. 789
• Relays Mr. Fool’s ritual requirements and honorific name to Colin, helping the chief obtain two Fate Siphon charms made from Worms of Time. 807
• Researches pre-Cataclysm worship and civic history using books borrowed from the City of Silver’s library. 949

Exploration and Investigation

• Participated in expeditions through the dangerous ruins surrounding the City of Silver. 224 351
• Accessed restricted archives with the chief’s approval to investigate Lovia’s past. 659
• Uses practical judgment under pressure, immediately praying to Mr. Fool after an altar isolates him from his companions. 509
• Explores Afternoon Town with the chief’s team and reports its underground altar and the city’s methodical clearing operations. 519 628
• Agrees to search historical records for a Trickster Abomination requested by the World. He later finds an account of a powerful Shapeshifter encountered in the remote north, providing a possible lead. 754 789
• Coordinates with teammates to form a defensive line and cover an orderly retreat during unsuccessful attempts to approach the Giant King’s Court. 949
• Accompanies the expedition into the Giant King’s Court and observes ancient manifestations associated with a mysterious meeting hall. 964 966

Resource Exchange

• Can obtain rare monster materials from the City of Silver, including a Spirit Eater’s stomach. 373
• Uses formulas, materials, and favors rather than outside currency as practical compensation for trades. 373 788
• Obtains and transfers a contaminated Sequence 5 Sanguine characteristic for cleansing and delivery to Emlyn. 764 788
• Mediates the completed exchange that provides Luther with the Black Knight formula and the City of Silver with the Demon formula. 372 376
• Offers access to an adult Mind Dragon’s preserved brain when Audrey seeks a Dreamwalker ingredient, explaining that previously contaminated stockpiled characteristics have recently been restored to normal. 917

Mystical Languages

• Receives Hermes instruction from Alger and other Tarot Club members. 281
• Participates in further Ancient Hermes lessons during a later gathering. 338

Relationships

• Mr. Fool — Brings Derrick into the Tarot Club and helps him recover memories of the temple’s repeating cycle, preventing his team from remaining trapped indefinitely. His protection also helps Derrick pass a test concerning him. Derrick continues to contact him through prayer when seeking assistance. He appeals to Mr. Fool during Lovia’s disastrous advancement and later relays the instructions that allow Colin to make Fate Siphon charms. 56 224 232 335 699 807
• Luther / Temperance — Initially fears Luther upon learning he is a Shepherd, but later relies on his knowledge of Ouroboros and offers to ask the City of Silver’s chief about the Black Knight Potion formula in thanks for his help. Derrick comes to respect him greatly, monitors Lovia at his request, and acts as a channel for negotiations involving the city’s restricted information. Luther also cleanses the Sanguine characteristic Derrick obtains for Emlyn. Derrick later researches the city’s pre-Cataclysm worship for him and protects sensitive information about Lovia and the God of Blood and Shadows because of its connection to Temperance. 278 336 477 586 628 764 918 949
• Elder Lovia — A City of Silver elder whose Black Knight formula becomes important to Luther. Derrick’s investigation reveals her prior Reader-pathway identity, her Shepherd status, and the warning that she must not be alone with him. Despite his fear of her, Lovia and Colin seek his advice concerning her risky Sequence 4 advancement preparations. He prays for help when her advancement goes wrong and later keeps her conversion to the God of Blood and Shadows secret from the Tarot Club. 279 659 660 699 918
• City of Silver Chief / Colin Iliad — A key authority Derrick hopes will cleanse Ouroboros’s aura from Jack and who controls access to the Black Knight formula sought by Luther. Colin protects the balance between Derrick and Lovia, authorizes Derrick’s archive investigation, and implicitly asks him to consult his hidden supporter about Lovia’s ritual. Derrick also serves as the intermediary through whom Colin obtains Mr. Fool’s help in making Fate Siphon charms. Colin later asks about his Priest of Light potion digestion and leads him in the exploration of the Giant King’s Court. 281 336 372 659 660 807 886 964
• Alger / Hanged Man — Offers Derrick guidance on the political balance between him and Lovia within the City of Silver and helps teach him Hermes. He mediates trades suited to Derrick’s circumstances and repeatedly advises him to remain cautious. Derrick trusts his assistance, sometimes overlooking Alger’s interest in obtaining information and resources through him. He also follows Alger’s advice to make friends, although he later withholds details concerning Lovia’s changed allegiance. 281 373 520 789 806 918
• Klein / The World — Offers Derrick the Notary formula, earning his sincere promise of repayment. Derrick helps search the City of Silver’s records for the Trickster Abomination needed for the World’s advancement. The World also offers the Priest of Light formula as part of Derrick’s settlement with Emlyn, and Derrick subsequently credits his assistance with his successful advancement to Priest of Light. 626 754 788 789 886
• Emlyn White / Moon — Frequently disputes Derrick’s accounts of ancient history and the Sanguine. Their rivalry does not prevent cooperation: Derrick supplies the characteristic that enables Emlyn’s Scarlet Scholar advancement and requests a Priest of Light formula in payment. 434 477 754 788
• Cattleya / Hermit — Offers Radiant Spirit Tree fruit for Derrick’s Solar High Priest advancement. His origins in the Forsaken Land of the Gods strengthen her awe toward Mr. Fool. 476
• Fors / Magician — Offers to consult her teacher about Derrick’s temporal-loop predicament and later trades with him for a Spirit Eater’s stomach through Alger’s mediation. 335 373
• Audrey / Justice — Recognizes his distress during the temple crisis and encourages him to explain what happened. She remains interested in the City of Silver’s murals and later asks him about the former chief’s mausoleum. Derrick subsequently provides information about a Mind Dragon ingredient suitable for her Dreamwalker advancement. 335 336 788 917
• Parents — Derrick personally kills them in accordance with the City of Silver’s means of preventing its dead from becoming evil spirits. The resulting despair leads him to pray to the gods and make contact with Mr. Fool. 659
• Dark — An old friend corrupted during the temple expedition. Dark attacks Derrick while trying to seize the object carrying the True Creator’s aura, forcing Derrick to defend himself and seek Mr. Fool’s assistance. 225

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