Gates of Conception
The Gates of Conception are stone monoliths, scared to the God Ilvir, each featuring a carved inscription. Four are found along The Serpent's Tongue, a trail between Ochrynn Abbey and Ilvir's Tower at Araka-Kala, and the other two in Ilvir's tower itself. The inscriptions are written in Old Jarinese in the Khruni script. Khruni is the early version of the Runic script.
These monoliths are strongly enchanted.
Test of Faith
To move past each monolith, a traveler must undergo a test of their faith and willpower. Failure results in the traveler being unable to proceed of their own volition. A traveler may make another attempt after 1d6 hours for the first four gates. However, only one attempt for gates 5 and 6 can be made annually.
Traditionally, any pilgrim who recites one of the inscriptions to the High Priest at Ochrynn receives a certificate attesting to his devotion. Hence, a person who reaches the fourth gate is called a "pilgrim of the fourth stone," and so forth. For pilgrims who are illiterate, they may draw the first few runes of the inscription as proof of their devotion. Those who have seen the inscriptions find themselves unable to repeat them or describe the Gates except to the high priest of the Order of the Ochre Womb.
Travelers of other faiths cannot comprehend the runes and find walking the Serpent's Tongue a harrowing experience, assuming they have the will to pass the monoliths. They must make a Constitution Saving Throw, DCs are listed below, or suffer 1 level of Exhaustion.
To pass a gate, a worshipper of Ilvir must make either a Wisdom Saving Throw or a Religion Skill Check. A non-worshiper must make a Wisdom Saving Throw, and if they are particularly devoted to another god, this saving throw is made at disadvantage.
The tests become progressively harder at each subsequent gate.
Gate One = Check is DC 4.
Gate Two = Check is DC 8.
Gate Three = Check is DC 11.
Gate Four = Check is DC 15.
Gate Five is located in Ivir's Tower = Check is DC 18 to pass down a series of black marble stairs.
Gate Six = Check is DC 22. This gate opens to the Court of Ilvir on Yashain, the World of the Gods. The pilgrim can spend time with his god, although the few that do have difficulty describing what transpires. Nevertheless, Ilvir is impressed by this individual, and they will have a bonus +3 to Divine Intervention checks for the remainder of their life. The reward may be more significant if Ilvir is in a generous mood.
Few pilgrims have sufficient piety to pass the Legendary sixth stone and return to recite the inscription. Those who do are held in awe and gain a +2 to Social Interaction checks with a worshiper of Ilvir.
Many non-Ilvirans avoid the Serpent's Tongue and find alternate routes to the Pit of Araka-Kalai. This is highly frowned upon by the devoted, but strictly not against the rules.
Araka-Kalai
Araka-Kalaiis huge limestone sinkhole called the pit of Ilvir, located in Misyn. According to legend and the doctrine of the Ilviran religion, is the dwelling of the god Ilvir.
An ancient tower stands on a rocky island in the center of the Pit, surrounded by a liquefied, fermenting sludge. This has a truly horrendous stench. Beneath this crumbling tower in endless caverns Ilvir, the Accursed Lord of the Barren Cycle, is said to spawn his Ivashu.
Order of the Ochre Womb
A clerical order of the Church of Ilvir based at Araka-Kalai. The order is located in the Ochrynn Abbey, a religious community a half league northwest of Araka-Kalai, where they maintain a temple and hostel. This isolated settlement has about 100 priests and common folk which thrives by catering to pilgrims and, surprisingly, to traders seeking Ivashu.
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