Martyrdom Cathedral
"You can feel it too, can't you? The spirits, the connection, it's all so strong. If anyone's searching for purpose in life, I'd advise they come here." - Godvoken Madronis Silverleaf, follower of Lathandar
The Martyrdom Cathedral is one of the holiest sites in all of Targonia. Its modern-day purpose is to display the religious items, symbols and artifacts unique to the 46 Divines of Targonia to the general public. It was built after the revelation of the god's wager which kickstarted the formation of Targonia, and the Martyrdom Cathedral was to be the headquarters that would enable the most devoted followers to essentially fight back against their gods since they didn't appreciate being pawns in their game. But as time passed and the Divine Order came into existence to better regulate the practice of praying, the cathedral is now more akin to a museum that displays religious artifacts with the additional benefit of being a recognized church to pray in. The Divine Order is stationed here, and the most devoted followers of their god (often called Godvoken and Goddessvoken) come to serve their god in the cathedral, with them assisting new visitors by participating in praying sessions, answering questions about their god and beliefs, and in general talk about their god. Many divine spellcasters like clerics, paladins and even druids feel more empowered when they enter the premises, and a lucky few have even reported being able to talk to their gods directly while praying.
Purpose / Function
The Martyrdom Cathedral is the official headquarters of The Divine Order, an order of Targonia's most devoted followers to the gods and are the ones responsible for the laws, rules, regulations and confliction resolutions within the religious context. It is also the largest collection of altars, bibles and other religious objects in all of Targonia, with every single god having a dedicated section to them and their followers.
Design
It features the main entryway that enables visitors to gather in a large space and explore the 10 major rooms themed by the domains used to identify the gods with. There are 5 unique doorways on the east and west walls of the main room, and the north room is the large Council Chamber, where the Godvoken and Goddessvoken occasionally meet up and discuss religious matters. The walls, floor, and ceiling are made up of stone slabs and are adorned with decorations like wooden benches and tables, golden lantern holders, bronze chandeliers and hundreds of art pieces.
Entries
There is the main entry way at the southern portion of the cathedral, and on the east and west wall of the gathering room are 5 seperate doorways that lead to individual wings of the cathedral, each themed from the 10 domains. The north wall has a guarded entryway into the Council Chamber.
Sensory & Appearance
Every individual that enters the cathedral feels the holiness and presence of the gods, where even first-time visitors are often overwhelmed by the spirituality and presence of the area. During the midday, the cathedral is already lit by the natural sunlight that pours in from the stained-glass windows and ceiling that cuts through the entire length. At night, the guards lit the torches on the pillars and provide enough light to read the tomes without too much difficulty. The smell of burning incense is quite common, and the cathedral is often warm and inviting.
Denizens
The most devoted followers of the 46 Divines often come here as the Archbishops of the area. These are the Godvokens and Goddessvokens, the deity's most recognized followers of the gods and are thus blessed with supernatural powers and an unparalleled connection with the gods they serve. Most Godvokena and Goddessvoken spend their days in close proximity to the sections dedicated to their god, assisting visitors with praying and teaching.
Contents & Furnishings
Over thousands of religious artifacts and tomes have been collected here, and are usually found with their respective gods and followers they come from. This includes the symbols of the god, the amulets their followers have worn, the clothes acolytes wear, tomes recording the history and legends related to the god(s), and other important artifacts unique to them.
Valuables
There are plenty of valuables found here, as one might expect as a holy site dedicated to all of Targonia's gods. This includes ancient currency, special weapons and armor, holy clothing and symbols, and other more mundane but otherwise valuable assets, like art pieces, carpets and gold coins as a tribute.
Special Properties
Acolytes, paladins, and clerics have reported feeling a strong sense of religious authority and peace while on the premises. All report that their spells and convictions days after following their visit are stronger than usual, and some have even claimed to personally talk with their god.
Alterations
It was once the station of the original human scribes that discovered the wager between the gods, and this was meant to be the place to plan the next move against the gods. All 46 gods had relics within the cathedral as a way to personally attack, discriminate and otherwise fight back against the gods as nothing more than pawns in their little game. Over time, however, the mission shifting from resistance to understanding of the god's wager, and the same relics used to fight back is now used to personally communicate with the god, should they feel the need to answer back.
Architecture
Its construction is primarily that of stone and glass, with the stone creating the walls, pillars, floors and roof while the glass is used to make the windows which also acts as a way to record the unique events that happened in that particular god's life or following. The architecture resembles modern-day Notre Dame, and the inside is heavily decorated with thousands of unique symbols, sigils, amulets, bibles, tomes, and artifacts that are related to the 46 Divines recognized in Targonia.
History
The Martyrdom Cathedral officially began construction alongside the capital city of Grandzam in 1 A.F.T, and completed construction in 34 A.F.T. During the construction, the birth of the Divine Order was recognized and claimed the cathedral as their base of operations to better their cause against the gods. Ever since its completion, thousands of religious artifacts and tomes were brought in to better understand the 46 Divines and plan the next move. However, as the decades rolled by and the original human scribes began to perish, the cathedral was altered from a headquarters to fight against the gods as a cathedral to better understand them. The most devoted followers of the gods come here and are the Archbishops of the area, with the new titles of "Godvoken" and Goddessvoken". Now its the place where the Godvokens and Goddessvokens discuss with each other about the religious issues and concerns concerning the daily functioning of Targonia.
Alternative Names
The Holy Heart of Targonia
Type
Cathedral / Great temple
Parent Location
Owning Organization
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