Chilltide Temple

An ancient temple, Chilltide reaches up over the surrounding area. Even in the middle of summer, ice and frost cling to the dark stone it's built from, as symbols and icons for long-forgotten faiths remain in the surface. It extends underground, though it has never been entirely mapped out. Many of the locations for shrines inside have been displaced more recent additions to the Pantheon despite the Temple being abandoned for centuries now.

Purpose / Function

The Temple has been present for as long as history has recorded; many believe that it was in fact a structure created by the Old Gods or even those who came before them. It serves not only as a place of worship but of memory: as one progresses further into the Temple, shrines dedicated to older deities and faiths are discovered, torches alight and offerings fresh.

Alterations

The interior of the temple has changed over the millennia. As new gods and faiths come into being, shrines and altars appear within the temple. The older the shrine, the further into the depths of the Temple is will be located. No-one has ever worked out how the Temple expands, as no sounds of construction have been detected, tools and equipment moving into the Temple, or where the excavated material goes to.

Architecture

The stone used in the construction of the Temple is a dark, lustreless material immune to damage, mundane or magical, and has been discovered nowhere else in any of the Planes. Light from torches, lanterns, and spells seem dim, as if the stone absorbs the illumination, while those with Darkvision find their enhanced sight reduced in effectiveness inside the Temple.
The blocks fit together with perfect seams, with no space for any tools or items to slip between the blocks. Unable to be levered free, the blocks with exposed edges are unable to be moved as well despite no magical or mundane effects.

History

The Temple has always been present. Scraps of remnants of historical documents and recordings suggest that Chilltide was found by some of the first Human settlers. The interior was riddled with shrines and chambers to Old Gods, and many of the humans who visited abandoned the Pantheon and began to worship at strange shrines and statues instead. The Temple was the central point of a powerful War of Faith, leading to the apostates being slain or driven away, many of the rooms and hallways sealed off with traditional brick and mortar or magical and divine means.
Since then the Temple has been viewed with caution. Many races visit it if they seek to make a pilgrimage, as there will be a shrine to whatever Deity they worship. However, the more questionable shrines are sealed away, though a passage will always seem to appear if needed. A number of faithful to the Pantheon, from many religious groups, have a long tradition of honourable members taking an oath to patrol and protect the Temple from exploration.

Tourism

Since the Cataclysm, a few have made the journey here. Should they survive any encounters with the Coldbloods along the way, they can attempt to enter. Those who do, however, have never been seen to leave the Temple, disappearing into the depths of the building.

Type

Cathedral / Great temple

Parent Location

Bukhisal