Temple of the Black God: The Heidishitu

Monastery: Temple of the Black God
Element: Void
Orientation: Evil
Resident Classes: Monk, Votary (Heidi), Reverend, Clerk, Assassin, Sifu
Location: Yakwagon Territory, Empire of the Horse
Founder: The Black Stranger
Affiliations/Alliances: trains elite warriors for Yakwagon clan in exchange for protection, on terms of mutual respect with other O13 (Original 13) monastic groups (except for the Huangdishitu), is revered by most Void monastic orders, parent to Black Dragon Temple

Culture

Despite having spent thousands of years within Tengric territory, the Heidishitu follow the traditions of the ancient Northern Shou people and still speak Showa as the common language within the monastery (though new students tend to speak Shoten, a Show-Pinwa-Tengric creole, among themselves). Recruits are mostly drawn from the Horse, Dragon, and Carp empires, but some disciples, especially aspiring assassins, will travel long distances to study at the Temple.

History

The Black God temple is one of the original monasteries founded by the 13 Strangers during Shoulun's Age of Kings and Chiefs. Although most monastic groups steer away from politics, the Black God devotees (Heidishitu) decided it made more sense to use a slight amount of force to install friendly regimes in the surrounding territory than to use a tremendous amount of force repelling periodic attacks. This policy proved especially useful during the rise of the first Dragon Emperor: when the weak-willed Prince Nufu would have capitulated to the expanding anti-monastic Empire and surrendered claim to the land that included Black God Temple, the Heidishitu helped a neighbouring Tengric tribe invade and conquer the kingdom from the opposite side. Where the forces of the Nufu's Serene Kingdom of the Tortoise were relatively easy to overcome, the northern desert warriors led by Chief Yakwag were too intimidating for the Dragon Emperor to risk his forces on and the border between the Empire and Yakwag's territory was set where the southern border of the Serene Kingdom had been. This border has moved back and forth several times over the intervening 6000 years, mostly due to aggression on the Yakwagon tribe's part, but has never been moved back as far as the temple. The alliance between Chief Yakwag and the monks was cemented with the gifting of a special martial arts style to the tribe, who in turn pledged to defend the temple in perpetuity.

Education

Common Script: Showee
Common Tongue: Showa
Liturgical Script: Hellprint
Liturgical Tongue: Devlish
Other Languages Taught: Demonic
Sage Topics: Physics, Metaphysics, Theology, Religious Rites, Geology, Astronomy, Mathematics, Geometry, Numerology, Herbalism, Astrology
Martial Arts: Void Hand, Void Temple Style, Yau Kung Moon, Qishiquan, Kamedo, Olden Locking
Elemental Mastery: Void, Mist
Weapons: Bo, Longstaff, Lirpa, Spear, Sang Kauw, Light Hammer, Jian, Nandao, Footman's Mace, Halberd, Hand Axe, Battle Axe, Pitch Fork, Fauchard-Fork, Hook Fauchard, Chakram, Chain Whip, Three-Piece Rod, Dagger, Mattock, Horse Bench, Monk's Spade, Glaive, Kwandao, Rake, Rope Dart, Jo, Nodachi, Nagimaki, Bill, Sai, Tanto, Katar, Naginata, Shuriken, Nunchaku, Bokuto, Katana, Three-Section Rod, Kusari-Gama
Apprenticeships: Martialist, Purist, Scholar, Stealthist
Classes Trained: Monk, Votary, Reverend, Fighter, Bushi, Kensai, Thief, Assassin, Clerk

Mythology & Lore

The following deities are revered at the Temple of the Black God:

Heidi (The Black God), god of winter, cold water, and the night sky
Chih-Chiang Fyu-Ya, god of assassins
No Cha, god of thieves
Luh Yueh, god of epidemcis
Tou Mu, goddess of the north star
Wusheng Laomu, goddess of death
Meifeisitei, god of hell

Founding Date

12,000 AB

Type

Religious, Monastic Order