Temple of Umunairu

Around the temple, a group of outcast Yuan-ti and tortles have formed a small settlement. They are dedicated to worshipping Umunairu, with the hope that she will guide them to salvation.
This temple was once part of a Yuan-ti settlement, one of the rare temples dedicated to Umunairu. However, during the War of the Serpent and the Sky, the settlement was vastly destroyed, and it was eventually abandoned. Outcast Yuan-ti who choose to worship Umunairu and refuse to follow the teachings of Sseth have gathered here. They also work to save enslaved tortles, providing them refuge and protection in their community.

Description

The temple is a pyramid with three different levels. The top layer countains a large swirling portal of sentient storm, the second holds a small garden, and in the last lives the Yuan-ti and Tortles warden of the temple.

Exterior

The temple is a pyramid that levels at the top. On each side is a stairway to the top, and there is a massive stone structure at the base. The stonework and the construct of this entire temple is very old and very simple. At the top of the temple is a large metal rod with statues, and a trap door.
The torch-bearing statues of couatls are near the corners, the statues mouth hold a bright gems that emit lights. In the middle of the layer, a large metal rod stand about 12 foot tall. The trap door has a handle and a latch that locks behind itself. It leads to the inside the temple into a pentagram chamber.

Top layer - Pentagram Chamber

This chamber is partway down from the surface. It is built in a diamond shape with green growth in the corners. There are six-inch holes in each corner in the walls that lead to tunnels that slowly descend downward. Inside the chamber is a staircase, a fountain, and two load-bearing pillars.
The walls are decorated with intricate carvings and additional stone of couatls and storms. The iconography in this chamber is based on Umunairu, the goddess of storm, and the imbuing of her power into the couatl. The images show Umunairu's mind getting torn apart and forming smaller version of herself resembling couatls.
One of the steps is trapped, and turns the stairs into a 45-degree angle slide, which after a few minutes reverts to its initial state. In the center is a raised platform with a two-tiered fountain with water trickling off the sides through four small grooves into holes through the floor. The fountain basin has two reliefs of coiled snakes underneath the water.
One has jade for eyes; the other has an empty eye socket and a jade for the eye taht remains. When the empty eye socket is filled with jade, the fountain shifts and reveals a staircase that slowly spirals down and gives way to two feet of smooth pillar, and a thin stair that continue to spiral down to the chamber below.

Middle Layer

Garden Tempest

The garden is a four-sided chamber that is 70 by 50 by 40 feet tall with no access to sunlight, but it has a bright blue-yellow color. The smell is of fresh earth and vegetation. The small garden consists of large vines and roots that hang from the ceiling in the shape of lightning.
Those vines bear blue colored fruits. The fruit tastes good but with a strange aftertaste.

On the south, west, and north walls are large eight-feet wide, ten-feet tall stone tablets affixed to the wall. On the tablets are inscriptions that mirror the same vision of Umunairu as in the pentagram chamber. At the base of each of these tablets is a hole about 12 inches wide and five inches tall that leads to other chambers

Southern and Northern Rooms

These rooms are used as hatcheries and protect the eggs of the Yuan-ti and turtle living around the temple. Along the ground are clusters of one-foot tall reptilian eggs placed along the various edges, nestled in soft leaves.

Western Room

It is a relatively simple 15 by ten feet chamber. There are elements of stonework with carvings along the walls, a lever, and stairs. The carvings depict the temple and the city that once surrounded it. The lever opens all the tree rooms and moves the fountain from the pentagram chamber back up. The ten-foot wide set of stairs slowly spiral downward for 60 feet into the next chamber.

Bottom Layer

Warden's Chamber

The chamber is 60-feet high and has two large intricately carved load-bearing pillars, a large portal, and a couple of raised platforms. The walls are made of eldest stone. There are two 15-feet tall and 20 wide carved murals on the walls. This chamber is a lair for the guardian of the temple. It has runes that start on the ceiling, continue down the walls, onto the floor, and meet at the portal.

Pillars

The pillars have a powerful, deep magical aura to them. They have faint early Draconic runes, carved designs and shapes, swirling serpentine circles and curves that chain into each other and swirl off. The patterns are erratic in places and don't seem to follow.

The portal

A swirling portal, resembling a dark storm, is ensconced within a stone archway. If a creature approach the portal, the storm take on a serpentine shape, and speak as a sneiten portal, a creation of Umunairu herself that serves as a gateway to the first layer of Mount Olympus.
Two Couatl act as its guardians. Once the Couatl are satisfied, each individual wishing to step through the portal must answer a single question truthfully. Should someone attempt to deceive the portal, they are redirected to a random, chaotic-aligned plane instead.

The Murals

The murals depict giant faintly detailed and gently colored scenes, though the coloration has faded with Time. The stone has been stained or painted to show some variation in color.
The first mural has 9 creature, of vaguely humanoid shape surrounding a large serpent that is haloed by a light that elevates it beyond the creatures. The large serpent is depicted with rainbow colors.
On the second mural, the large serpent is over a crowd of people, its head split open as many smaller winged serpents, couatls, fall down into the crowd.

Society

The temple of Umunairu is inhabitated by Yuan-ti outcasts that decided to follow the good aligned Umunairu, alongside them are freed tortles slaves hoping to hide.

History

This temple was once the heart of a large Yuan-ti settlement, a rare temple dedicated to the goddess of the storm, Umunairu. However, during the War of the Serpent and the Sky, the Yuan-ti suffered heavy damage and were on the brink of defeat. This city was one of many that fell during the conflict and was eventually abandoned.
During the war, the temple was briefly repurposed by the Aarakockra as an outpost. However, the lower layers were fiercely defended by Couatl who protected the portal. The Aarakockra deemed the position unimportant and quickly withdrew.
Over the years, the jungle reclaimed what was left of the city, and the temple became overgrown. It was during this time that a group of Yuan-ti outcasts, who had escaped and freed some tortured tortles, rediscovered the temple. They decided to turn it into their lair.
The Couatl, guardians of the portal, recognized the good intentions of these Yuan-ti and gradually helped them clean and restore the temple. It now serves as a small village for the good-aligned outcasts of the Chezucore Theocracy.
After the death of Sseth in 1136 AD, a few Yuan-ti fled Orrinshire and turned toward the good-aligned goddess Umunairu, seeking refuge in her old temple.

Geography

Aliases
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Type
Settlement
Region
Calames Jungle
Size
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Society

Demonym
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Races
Yuan-ti and Tortle
Religions
Umunairu

Commerce

Imports
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Exports
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Currency
Ancients Coins

History

Population
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Ruler
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Others