Her Divine Radiance the Supreme Matriarch of the Solar Temple, Matelie, is the nominal paramount executive leader of the Presently Guided Temple.
Birth and Childhood
Born: 1 Brilliance PD 1740 (according to the Present Temple; the year, at least, is probably correct; the month and day are considered suspicious by unbelievers because of their religious significance.)
Power as Matriarch
How much power Matelie actually wields is subject to speculation. The official line of the Presently Guided Temple is that she wields supreme power, however, there are reasons to doubt this - mainly that Matelie is a child. It is widely thought by non-believers that she is a mere puppet of powerful advisers and other courtiers, or, at most, exercises only the role of a spiritual guide to her cabinet. If this theory is true, then whether Matelie will come into genuine power when she matures, or will continue to be a figurehead for her nominal advisers, is still uncertain.
Apart from religious ceremony in which she does not come into direct contact with worshippers, few outside her court have actually seen Matelie in person. Rumors circulating in pamphlets claim that Matelie is actually mad, an idiot, or driven to madness by the punishments visited on her by God, but no proof of any of these has been offered. Whether or not Matelie follows her father and grandfather in terms of theurgical talent is also uncertain; certainly her performance in the official religious ceremony of the Aelian States has shown no deficiency, but there is no way for the public to know if she made the theurgical preparations for herself or with assistance.