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Temple of Seidtur

"Come in, and let the light of Siedtur help with your ills. We are here to ease your suffering and see that you get the best possible care. The donation box is here, if you wish, no? Ah. Yes. The common rooms are down the stairs to the left. I'm sure your stay here will be brief and painless."
  The Temple of Siedtur in Belyos is considered the prime location in The Empire of Belyos for healing and recovery from illness and injury.   Siedtur is the member of the Inheritors traditionally associated with that of well ordered living, of cleanliness and keeping one's home and environment in good order, although these aspects have translated into health, and eventually into healing. The temple sits on Temple Hill, like almost all the other main temples in the Empire, just behind the Temple to Hikis  and next to the Temple of Lortur.  

Purpose / Function

Whilst primarily used for the veneration of Seidtur, the temple has become well known as a place of healing, and whilst no one is turned away who is in need, only those with wealth and connections are offered the finest treatment. Those without the means to offer donations of coin or services, are made comfortable, given herbs to ease their suffering, and prayed over for their recovery, but little more is done. The wealthy and connected are offered more direct methods of treatment, including actual surgery, if required, and more complex medicines.   The common folk are housed in large dormitories underground, where the temperatures remain cool, although they are segregated by potential chance of infection. The more well-off are given their own rooms on the upper floors, where the cooling breeze is often welcome in the summer, and the warmth of the sun better in the winter.  

Architecture

The temple is, like most buildings in central Belyos, rectangular in design, with large columns and an exposed forum at the entrance. The roof is typically a shallow slope with flat sides, displaying either simple geometric patterns or a carved frieze. This replaces the simpler designs from pre-Sakamohr times, which favoured plain walls, circular buildings and domes. It is made, again like a lot of buildings in central Belyos, from a light grey stone quarried from the Imperial Province.   Built on a steeper part of Temple Hill, the Temple of Seidtur is known for its many steps at the front, and it's unusual roof garden on top of the forum. It is decorated with many depictions of Seidtur in her role as the warrior healer, helping her siblings in the fight against the Usurpers.  

History

There has been a shrine to Seidtur on this location since the original founding of Belyos in the first years of the Empire. For many decades it was a simple wooden construction, with the main altar sitting inside, and a number of minor shrines and places of veneration outside. In around the year 438 IY, construction began on a stone building, a simple cylindrical shape, with a domed roof and central pyre. This building lasted, with minor alterations, until the Sakamohr took control of the city. Most of the city was looted at this point, and the main temples were no exception; only the Temple of Yaltur escaped without major damage. The temple to Seidtur lost all of its accumulated treasures, the central pyre was extinguished, and it fell into disuse.   When the Sakamohr hegemony began to disintegrate, and the various ruling faction fought for control, a fire swept through the Temple Hill area, and inflicted further damage on the buildings there. The temple to Siedtur lost its domed roof at this point, and remained a ruin until 1781, when Til-Yaltur's successor, Til-Risage, began a general reconstruction of the temples within Belyos. The old, smaller structure with its domed main building was entirely replaced with the more open, columnar designed favoured by the Empire.  
Founding Date
1781 IY
Type
Temple / Church
Parent Location

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Cover image: A View of Salerno and Vesuvius by Unknown

Comments

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Jul 2, 2021 14:43 by Avalon Arcana

Ah yes, Capitalism. Not even the fantasy people can escape it. I do like that touch of realism, it makes everything that much more believable.

You should check out the The 5 Shudake, if you want of course.