The Temple of the Two

The Temple of the Two is the religious order that rules Bal-Marr. The Temple of the Two is dedicated to the demigods Surk and Khal. It has ruled Bal-Marr since its founding sometime around 200 PC.
The Temple of the Two is a theocratic order that rules Bal-Marr. It does not permit the worship of any other gods and barely permits the acknowledgement of their existence.
The Temple of the Two teaches that Khal and Surk saved the region of Bal-Marr from the horrors of the Blood War. When the people of the region became plane-touched by the fiends that fought there, the gods turned their backs on them. It was Khal and Surk that became the saviours of the newly-formed race known as Tieflings.

Divine Origins

Not long after the Collapse, the Blood War spilled into the material plane at the location where Sur'Nak now stands. The impact on the surrounding region was devastating. Two mortals were granted demigod status and used their divine abilities to push the fiends back into Avernus. In the fighting, the volcano Sur'Nak had grown and the people of the region were affected by the fiendish influence, becoming the race now known as Tieflings.
In the aftermath, the Tieflings were shunned by the gods and other mortals due to their fiendish appearance. Khal and Surk retained their divinity and vowed to become the gods that the Tieflings needed.

Tenets of Faith

Khal

Khal represents the resilience and strength of Tieflings. The tenets of Khal are:

1. Through suffering comes resilience.
2. Through resilience comes strength.
3. Through strength comes enlightenment.

Surk

Surk represents the wisdom and cleverness of the Tieflings. The tenets of Surk are:

1. Through obedience comes service.
2. Through service comes wisdom.
3. Through wisdom comes enlightenment.

The Temple of the Two generally preaches the virtues of subservience to its authority. It teaches that Khal and Surk are the only gods that care about Tieflings and so they are their only chance at salvation. It considers service to the Temple to be the highest virtue and teaches that citizens can serve the Temple by working hard in their lives, obeying the orders of the Temple, and trusting Khal and Surk to oversee their lives.

Worship

Tieflings throughout Bal-Marr worship the Two primarily with shrines located throughout their settlements. Small shrines are dotted throughout Khal and Surk Cities. It is generally frowned upon to pass a Shrine of the Two without stopping to bow or pay respects.
Shrines to the Two usually take the form of an obelisk-like statue no more than six feet high, though some smaller shrines may only be three feet high. The obelisks are usually constructed of stone and built on a small circle containing a pit of volcanic ash, which clergy regularly rake into circular patterns. The obelisks sometimes have simple symbols carved into them, frequently containing either depictions of the Two or short prayers.
Residents of Bal-Marr also worship the Two in regular ceremonies at their local temples. Law requires that all citizens must attend regular worship services at a temple at least once per week, though it is encouraged to attend more frequently.

Priesthood

The Temple of the Two has a complex hierarchy of clergy. There are four Great Temples in Bal-Marr. One each in Khal and Surk City, one in Shandalar, and the largest in Galisto. Each of these temples has clergy members in the following ranks from lowest to highest:

1. Acolyte
2. Priest
3. Cleric
4. Canon
5. Prior
6. Arch-Prior
7. Primate

In addition to these ranks, the Temple at Galisto houses the Patriarch and Matriarch (devoted to Khal and Surk respectively). The Patriarch and Matriarch are considered to be the highest ranking clergy and officials in Bal-Marr, second only to Khal and Surk themselves. The Patriarch and Matriarch are the only two mortals that frequently meet with Khal and Surk. Their roles are to hear the dictates of the Two and pass them down to the clergy.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Capital

Galisto

Founders

• Khal
• Surk

Permeated Organizations

• Bal-Marr

Deities

• Khal
• Surk

Controlled Territories

• Galisto