SUNMASTER FOURTEEN — ...A leader of the Mycogen Sector of ancient Trantor ... As is true of all the leaders of this ingrown sector, little is known of him. That he plays any role at all in history is due entirely to his interrelationship with Hari Seldon in the course of The Flight… (Prelude to Foundation)...
Sunmaster Fourteen is a character in Isaac Asimov's Foundation series.
About Sunmaster Fourteen[]
Sunmaster Fourteen served as the High Elder of the Mycogen Sector on Trantor during the reign of Emperor Cleon I. As the supreme religious and political authority in Mycogen, he governed the sector with unwavering adherence to its ancient traditions, including strict isolationism, ascetic practices, and the veneration of the sacred Book of Rules. His leadership was defined by a rigid commitment to preserving Mycogen’s cultural purity, rooted in the belief that its people were the direct descendants of the Original Humans from the legendary planet Aurora.
Sunmaster first encountered Hari Seldon and Dors Venabili when they sought refuge in Mycogen, initially permitting their stay under the condition that they respect the sector’s laws. He assigned two of his devotees, Raindrop Forty-Three and Raindrop Forty-Five, to guide the outsiders, though he remained wary of their intentions. Tensions escalated when Dors infiltrated the Sacratorium, Mycogen's most sacred site, to protect Seldon from potential threats. Sunmaster condemned this act as a profound blasphemy, accusing Seldon and Dors of exploiting Mycogen's hospitality and desecrating its spiritual sanctity. In a dramatic confrontation, he declared them "unclean" and ordered their immediate expulsion, emphasizing that their presence threatened the very fabric of Mycogen's identity.
As Seldon and Dors faced imminent danger from Mycogen's enraged citizens, Chetter Hummin, the influential journalist and covert ally, orchestrated a daring last-minute rescue. Hummin's intervention prevented their capture by Mycogen's authorities and certain death at the hands of the mob, highlighting the pervasive political volatility on Trantor. This event underscored the stark divide between Mycogen's insular worldview and the complexities of the broader Imperial society.
Sunmaster Fourteen exemplified the religious extremism and cultural isolation that characterized many of Trantor's sectors during the Late Empire. His unwavering dedication to tradition contrasted sharply with Seldon’s pursuit of psychohistory, illustrating the challenges of unifying a fractured galaxy.
Appearances[]