Temples of the Imperial City
Temple of the Reciter of Loud Hymns and Prayers
Nestor: Cathak Bankei (Alias Bright Virtue)
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard (Temple District)
Description: Temple of Hesiesh, Immaculate of Fire. A broad hall of polished sandstone and bronze, under a shining dome topped with an eternal flame. Its long, pillared passages are lit by wide braziers and intricate panels of orange glass. Within the temple's central chamber is can be found a vast pit of smouldering embers, around which monks sit and pray amidst the smouldering heat. Devotion is shown here by walking the length of this pit barefoot, with those able to linger long atop the coals receiving the greatest reverence.
Prayer at this temple are made by those who wish success at a single, all-important endeavour.
Temple of He who hath Strewn much Grass
Nestor: Varen Ayu.
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard (Temple District)
Description: Temple of Sextes Jylis, Immaculate of Wood. A temple of living wood, huge trees woven together over the course of centuries to create the illusion of a trunk far larger than that of any tree in Creation. The interior of the temple is a system of chambers formed amidst the trunks and roots where monks sit in meditation. At the very heart of the temple, the roots rise up amidst a vast chamber, gathering in a bowl which illuminates the ceiling with a soft green light. Within this bowl, a strange sap is gathered that is said to be the very power of essence, condensed by the temple plants into a liquid form, though one that is also deadly poisonous.
Ascent up the pillar of roots beneath the bowl is difficult indeed, for the very act of climbing shakes loose thorns as long as a man's hand, which fall upon the hapless climber. Because of this, the ascent is seen as an act of devotion, and to sip the sap is to be blessed indeed.
Prayer at this temple is made by those seeking regeneration and healing, both physical and otherwise.
Temple of the Petitioner of Clouds accordant to the Call of Battle
Nestor: Sesus Okuni.
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard (Temple District)
Description: Temple of Mela, Immaculate of Air. A temple of airy spires and gossamer threads, rising high above the city. Devotion is shown by standing or sitting out upon the highest spires and bridges, in meditation surrounded by the wind. The wind itself is welcomed into the Temple, the spires and openings shaped to channel the breeze into a haunting and ethereal tune whose perfection is unmatched by any mortal artist.
Only at the very heart of the temple is no wind felt, though even here protection from the elements is achieved not through walls and doors but through alternating rows of twisting pillars... in this central space can be found an extensive library of ancient and venerable texts.
Prayer at this temple is made by those seeking to perfect themselves or their circumstances.
Temple of He who Illuminates both Worlds with Majesty and Power
Nestor: Mnemon Akkara.
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard (Temple District)
Description: Temple of Pasiap, Immaculate of Earth. A low crystal dome breaks the earth’s surface within a circle of curved ivory pillars, the tusks or ribs of some long-dead beast. Beneath, after one has descended below the surface of the earth, is a vast, low chamber, dimly lit, within which blindfolded monks chant incessantly.
Encircling the central chamber is a shallow pit, from which rise sharp stone spikes... to sit upon these spikes in meditation is seen as an act of true devotion.
Prayer here is done by those seeking good fortune in projects of construction and creation.
Temple of the Arbiter of the Immaculate Complaint
Nestor: Peleps Deham.
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard (Temple District)
Description: Temple of Daana’d, Immaculate of Water. A tower of black obsidian, rising from the centre of a deep pool of frigid water. From a fountain atop the temple, water cascades down its surface before flowing into the surrounding waters. Within the temple, reached by crossing a thin bridge across the pool, a penitent can see thin pipes of blue-green glass, glowing with an inner light, through which water flows upward towards the thirsting rooftop spout. Devotion here is shown by immersing oneself in the waters of the pool as one meditates, though the most truly devoted dive into the deeper waters which surround the temple base and enter the submerged chambers there to make their prayers.
Prayers here are made by those seeking enlightenment and advancement within the Perfected Hierarchy.
Temple of the Dutiful Sun Gifted with the Immaculate Light
Nestor: Mnemon Lo'yuun
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard (Temple District)
Description: A squat, circular building between seven gold-domed towers, atop which a gold-plated saqil rises into the sky. The shadow of this sail, as it passes between the towers and temple entrance through the passage of the day, marks with utmost precision the flow of time. It is here that artificers and craftsmen come to calibrate their own solar clocks and artifacts.
The temple is a shrine to the Unconquered Sun, chief amongst the Celestial Gods at the behest of the Elemental Dragons. As his light reflects the true fire of Hsiesh, many peasants across Creation are deceived by cults devoted to his worship, but not here: the Temple of the Dutiful Sun grants the Sun the prayers he is due for so unfailingly fulfilling his proper role in the Perfected Hierarchy. Its doors are shut against visitors, save for a few festivals when Dragonblooded are invited to join the monks in praising the Sun for its loyal service.
The Sun, unconquered in his quest to uphold the will of the Dragons, receives significant worship as the head of the divine pantheon, and in addition to Temples dedicated to his service, which hold mass four times daily (at dawn, at midday, at sunset and at midnight), each Immaculate monk grants the Sun a single prayer each day at those proscribed times.
Temple of the Moon in Passage through Proscribed Phases
Nestor: Lonely Pine.
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard (Temple District)
Description: A low dome of blue-grey stone, surrounded by a small forest-garden and a curved wall. This temple is a shrine to Luna, the celestial god whose passage marks the hours of the night and whose light, a pale reflection of that radiated from the Immaculate Dragon Danaa'd, dispels the darkness in which the Anathema once sought succour. For this service, the monks of the Moon Temple offer up prayers at the proscribed times, joined at certain festivals by other Dragonblooded who wish to add their voices... invariably these are far fewer than those who visit the Temple of the Dutiful Sun, for Luna is less diligent than her daytime counterpart and hides her face during Calibration out of fear that the bestial Anathema will return and again steal her power for their demonic purposes. The temple doors are most often found closed to outsiders.
Temple of the Maidens in Diligent Attendance of the Loom
Nestor: Ledaal Shiashi.
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard (Temple District)
Description: A low dome of dark stone, from which rise two twisted arches hung with threads of silk and wire. It is a shrine to the Five Maidens, the celestial gods charged with caring for the great Loom of Fate, the pattern of the stars which tells of auspicious births, the rise of Anathema, and the fortunes of observers across Creation. Maintaining this Loom is an arduous task, but the Maidens have fulfilled their role well within the Perfected Hierarchy and so the monks of this temple grant them prayer as is their due. Its doors are closed, save at certain festival times when the Dragonblooded are allowed to enter and join in the rituals.
Temple of Salt
Nestor: Ledaal Iago.
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard (Temple District)
Description: A gaudy temple, with domes of oxidized copper, sea-blue pillars and scarlet curtains, edged in plates and braids of gold. It is a shrine to the salt gods of the Blessed Isle, where the Empress would come to set the salt rate and grant them the prayer due them for performing their role in the Perfected Hierarchy. This ritual is still performed by the Regent, though with far less authority. The monks of this temple do not worship the salt gods upon any day save that of the ritual, spending their time instead in meditation or maintenance duties.
Temple of Preserving the Perfected Hierarchy
Nestor: Mnemon Guchen.
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard. (Temple District)
Description: This temple is not a place of worship, but one of battle. In its squat bronze tower, behind a wall of granite, monks train and spar not only in the forms of the Five Dragon Styles, but in their application during the heat of battle. These monks emerge to travel the Scarlet Prefecture as itinerants, striking down any who violate their place in the Perfected Hierarchy. Monks of this temple often visit the other temples of the city to ensure that those who worship gods do not exceed the proper allocations, and to ensure that all mortal iconography is destroyed before it gives undue honour to a petty spirit.
Temple of War
Nestor:
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard. (Temple District)
Description: The Temple of War is a fortified structure, containing both a central shrine to Tachi-kun, the Central God of War, at the end of a long chamber containing sixty alcoves. Just under half of these stand empty... the others are shrines to the gods responsible for each of the Realm's Legions. The Temple of War is not sealed outside of its festival days as many other temples are, and is open for visitation by both Dragonblooded and Legion soldiers. The former, as defenders of the Realm, are expected to offer small weekly prayers to Tachi-kun, while the latter must be watched closely lest proper respect be replaced by inappropriate veneration.
Temple of Thunder Booming over the Imperial Mountain
Nestor:
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard (Temple District)
Description: Temple to Mareth-Annon, a lesser elemental dragon of air who serves as the Arbiter of the Storms of the Blessed Isle. His temple remains relatively quiet throughout the year, save for occasional consultations by Dragonblooded serving in the Thousand Scales' weather control departments. The temple is opened to the public once a year, during Mareth-Annon's festival in the Water season.
Saiji Temple
Nestor: Iselsi Shubin.
Location: Southwestern end of Suzaku Boulevard.
Description: The West Guardian Temple. A large temple, once sponsored by House Iselsi, it has slowly fallen from grace since the doom of that House, overshadowed by its onetime twin Toji temple. Four years ago, the central pagoda of the temple was damaged by fire, leaving only two storeys where once there had been six.
Reconstruction has been slow due to lack of funds and an absence of Dynastic patronage. Within the walled enclosure are shrines to each of the Immaculate Dragons, anointment chambers and clergy cells, though even these are beginning to look somewhat dilapidated.
Toji Temple
Nestor: Mnemon Hidea.
Location: Southeastern end of Suzaku Boulevard.
Description: The East Guardian Temple. A large temple, a walled enclosure containing worship halls for each of the Immaculate Dragons, anointment chambers, clergy residences, and even a primary school for those seeking to put their children on a path to the clergy at an early age. The temple is very wealthy, due in part to sponsorship from House Mnemon, though rumours of corruption abound... Last year marked the completion of an extensive upgrade project that transformed Toji's six-storey square pagoda into an eight-storey octagonal pagoda.
Altar of Land and Grain
Nestor: None.
Location: Imperial Palace.
Description: A huge, circular altar made of stone, surrounded by a low stone bench and decorated with panels of green marble. Once each year, Dynasts and Immaculates gather here for a ritual where the Empress and the Mouth of Peace lead a prayer and sacrifice of seeds to honour the harvest and agricultural gods of the Blessed Isle for their diligent work in upholdng their posts in the Perfected Hierarchy. Through the rest of the year, the Altar is tended only by a young monk who has been seen as needing a lesson in humility.
Temple of Glorious Obedience to the Exalted Word
Nestor: Cynis Sextes.
Location: Eastern Market.
Description: One of very few temples to recieve sponsorship from House Cynis, the Temple of Glorious Obedience is a simple structure with a large worship hall and adjoining living chambers for its clergy. The monks of the Temple have as a key duty the dissemination of the Immaculated doctrines amongst the slaves being sold at the Eastern Market, an attempt to pacify them to their lot by educating them in the nature of the Perfected Hierarchy and advancement throutgh obedience to the Dragonblooded.
Iwakunin Temple
Nestor: Ragara Dango.
Location: Western Market.
Description: Once a small shrine to Pasiap located near the Western Market, patronge from House Ragara has transformed it into a well-off place of worship for businessmen and craftsmen of all classes. Petitioners come here to pray for improvement of their material condition or financial affairs.
Temple of Gri-fel
Nestor: Ledaal Chinoma
Location: Five Dragons Courtyard (Temple District).
Description: A grand temple of red marble and gold, built up around the simple village shrine that once stood here eight centuries ago. Gri-fel is the god of the Imperial City, and for such an important post in the Perfected Hierarchy he recieves substantial devotions from the monks of his temple, as well as other Dragonblooded at proscribed festival times. Once a year, Gri-fel would emerge with his monks to visit the Imperial Palace and bow to the authority of the Empress... he has not done so to the Regent, not because he feels no obligation but because such a devotion is inappropriate in the Hierarchy for any station but that of Empress.
Cathedral of Stars
Nestor: Wise Wind.
Location: Just north of the Imperial City.
Description: A massive dome of huge plates carved from lapis stone, set in gold atop a structure of dark granite. From without, the lapis appears dark and opaque, but once inside it reveals itself to be perfectly clear, a fantastic lens which dims the light of the sun and lets the patterns of the stars shine through even in daylight. The Cathedral is closed to all but monks of the Order, for it is not a place of worship but an observatory and training school for Immaculate astrologers, both mortal and Exalted. Its nestor, Wise Wind, is known to be a Most Enlightened and Illustrious Master, one of the rare monks at the highest levels of mastery within the Order.
Temple of Perfected Advancement
Nestor: Tepet Meldana.
Location: Toribeno.
Description: A fortified temple consisting of four halls and a three-storey pagoda surrounded by a stone wall. This temple is not a place of prayer but one of vigilance, for it sits on a raised mound of earth amidst the tombs and pyres of Toribeno, the grave city. The monks at this temple assist with funerary rites and, perhaps more importantly, disperse any hungry ghosts or spirits which seek to gather amongst the dead.
