Tabernacle Sanctum of Akhal-Teke

Sacred shrine complex dedicated to a martyred Terragar Firewalker

For over 80 years the Tabernacle Sanctum has preserved the remains of Terragar's most famous son, Akhal the Firewalker (known as Akhal-Teke in the Ornish tongue of Terragar). Ever since the doomed Heretics' Revolt of 917 PCE, the earthly remains of Akhal have been venerated by generations of followers, who honour his life and legacy within the hallowed mausoleum of the Tabernacle Sanctum. Today the sanctum is maintained by a holy order of monks (The Affinity of the Sacred Fire) who profess belief in the divinity of Akhal, whom they worship as a god.

Purpose / Function

The Tabernacle Sanctum was built fifty years ago to encompass the hilltop burial mound where Akhal-Teke's remains were originally interred and where they now remain. The mound is surmounted by a wooden frame covered in ornate shrouds bound with golden rings. Within the mound itself a stone box holds the scorched bones of the martyr, who was executed by fire after being captured and tortured by agents of the Two Sun Orthodoxy.
Akhal-Teke's belief that the Firewalkers of the Forbidden Zone should rise up to unite their peoples and bring about a new golden age, a Third Ornish Kingdom, was considered an unspeakable heresy among the Pimacans and Pachucese and led to the bloody conflict known as the Heretic's Revolt and Akhal-Teke's eventual capture and demise. Akhal-Teke may have perished, but his dream lived on. His followers built the Tabernacle and as subsequent generations of devoted believers embraced Akhal-Teke's message, the Tabernacle expanded to eventually become an expansive cloistered sanctum complex with chapels and chancels dedicated to prayer, meditation, and study of psychic enlightenment.
The Sanctum is primarily dedicated to preserving the earthly shadow left behind by Akhal-Teke when his mortal form was burned with fire. According to the brethren of the Sacred Fire, Akhal awaits the fulfillment of his dream of an enlightened race of Firewalkers that will emerge to lead humanity into a Utopian future. To herald this end, the brethren bring Firewalkers to the Tabernacle and conduct a mysterious "awakening" ritual before Akhal-Teke's open mausoleum case. The ritual is believed to consist of various tests of strength, endurance, and will intended to challenge the resolve of the Firewalkers brought into the holy sanctum. The brethren believe that by esoteric signs their god will eventually indicate a Chosen One, a Firewalking prophet able to pass the trials of the Sacred Fire that will resume Akhal-Teke's legacy and continue his mission of universal psychic awakening.

Architecture

The Tabernacle Sanctum is built upon a central plateau in the Hills of Aldogan. It is a single story structure consisting of a series of nine interconnected courtyards linked by living quarters and enclosing a central square housing the actual Tabernacle mausoleum. The structure is built with a combination of stone and wood. Typically the walls consist of stone block piles whereas the ceilings are framed with lighter timber construction. This is particularly true of the chapel sections which include impressive vaulted ceilings.

History

Work on the Sanctum complex began in secret in 938 PCE and the first stage of construction ended in 949 PCE. In the aftermath of the Heretics' Revolt, Terragar adopted an increasingly isolationist stance in relation to the other Zoner tribes, which allowed the cult of Akhal-Teke to enjoy the benefit of secrecy. Their mysterious allure drew more and more followers to profess the Creed of Akhal and as the years have advanced and the ranks of brethren have swelled the Sanctum has grown in size accommodate an ever-increasing population of resident monks. Today there are over 600 monks living within the Sanctum compound and many more dwelling within nearby Terragar City.

Type

Monastery