Temple to All Faiths

The Plinth is a multi-denominational temple and one of the tallest building in Waterdeep. All faiths can pray here day or night, and no person can be barred entry.

Faiths with no official temple in the city have set up shrines to their god at the Plinth to serve as official sites for religious ceremonies. Larger faiths assign acolytes to the Plinth, making it a convenient place for people to pay tribute to their deities and most will in fact assign their most charismatic holy men and women to Plinth duty for purposes of pontification.

Most gods are represented, with the most notable absences being a few of the more prominent religions, who feel the Plinth is a step beneath their stature, and a few of the most evil faiths, who are reviled and feared. For all these reasons, the Plinth sees a lot of traffic both night and day.

Tolerance

City law demands that all faiths represented at the Plinth adhere to the Code Legal and the sacrifice of intelligent beings to any god is forbidden. In spite of this, numerous folk leap or fall from its heights each year, either by fervent frenzy or contemplated intention. Investigations by the Watch, however, rarely reveal witnesses or result in arrest.

By law, the Plinth is open to all gods. Even reviled deities can have representatives here and such faiths' holy days and required rituals can bring plenty of night-time traffic. The Watch keeps a close eye round the clock, knowing that there is always potential for trouble. Should the clergy of any faith break city laws, they are evicted from their shrine. Armed conflict within the Plinth results in immediate expulsion and arrest of those involved, so great pains are taken by the clergy of each faith to prevent zealous followers from taking action against their rivals.

Despite the requisite civility, drama abounds. Animosity and contempt are barely constrained by competing or opposing faiths and Plinth is a hotbed of quests aimed to humiliate and embarrass a rival faith, or beat them to a prize, treasure, or honor.

Plinth Day

The twenty assigned spaces in the Plinth are highly desired by the various faiths. Every four years during Shieldsmeet, a festival called Plinth Day is held by the Masked Lords of Waterdeep on the grounds of the temple. Crowds of Waterdhavians flock to this event to show support for their favored faiths and during the festivities, the lords gauge the support from the festival attendees for each faith, and at the end of the festival, the Open Lord announces which twenty faiths will be granted one of the twenty reserved spaces in the Plinth.

Competition is fierce amongst the faiths for these spots, but proper behavior is strictly enforced and those attempting violence, extortion or bribery are immediately disqualified. It is a day of constant jockeying for power and influence among the faiths, and the citizens are lavished with food, gifts, and rewards throughout the event. While most of the largest religions are always able to secure their spot, there is always some change to the status quo after every Plinth Day festival.

The Leaping Ghost

As a meeting point for so many disparate faiths, the Plinth is no stranger to supernatural occurrences. Folk who live nearby speak of one such strange event in particular. In the hours of night, an individual can often be seen jumping from the highest level of the tower in what appears to be a suicide.

After the fall, the jumper’s body is never found. The only sign of the event is a trinket left behind at the scene where the person should have landed, each one unique: a cracked hand mirror, a silken scarf, a hair clip, a button, or some other such personal item. The jumper is always described as a person dressed in red, with a face that looks like a white skull.

Those inside the Plinth never recall seeing this person enter and most people believe it to be the ghost of someone who ended their life years ago. Those who pay homage to the god Myrkul believe it to be an omen forewarning of a violent death that will occur somewhere in the city the next day, with the trinket a clue as to whose death it will be.

Midpoint Station

The vantage point of its roof makes the Plinth a perfect location for a griffon cavalry guard station, known as the Midpoint Guard Station.

Temple Compound

The top of this tall, slender, needle-like tower is flat, allowing wealthy or noble patrons with aerial mounts a place to land without the hassle of entering from street level. Balconies wrap around the tower at each level above the first, offering an increasingly impressive view of the cityscape. The smell of mixed incense and the sounds of muted chants and dirges fill the air, and a general sense of holiness permeates the place.

The center area of each level is open floor to ceiling, with a broad spiral staircase at its heart leading to the adjoining levels. The area around the stair serves as neutral ground and is open for worship by all, regardless of if one's god is represented among the Plinth's official shrines. Within the tower, twenty assigned sections act as shrines, and are consecrated by their occupying faiths. These shrine areas vary wildly in their adornment depending on their keepers, often decorated with ornate tapestries and fixtures.

First Floor

Symbol	Deity	Shrine
	Deneir	God of Writing Epithets: The Lord of All Glyphs and Images, The First Scribe, The Scribe of Oghma Domains: Arcana, Knowledge Symbol: Lit candle above an open eye Though he has sites of worship within the @JournalEntry[KPCR4VEOBACmUQVD]{Font of Knowledge} and the @JournalEntry[Dp8SJLVwgjiJ4fgJ]{Scrivners' Shrine}, Deneir's clergy maintains a shrine for him within the Plinth. The tables, desks, and shelves in this shrine to the First Scribe are covered with scrolls and tomes. A still silence permeates the space and spoken words sound muted and diminished.
	Umberlee	Goddess of the Sea Epithets: The Bitch Queen, Queen of the Depths, The Wavemother Domains: Tempest Symbol: Wave curling left and right Umberlee's primary site of devotion is the @JournalEntry[dvIKnPHJ1uq7sluh]{Queenspire} rising out of Deepwater Harbor, but her landside clergy maintain a shrine for her within the Plinth. The shrine of the Queen of the Depths smells of the sea and is colored in shades of blue and green. A glass tank of sea water on the altar undulates with ocean currents.
	Kelevmor	God of the Dead Epithets: The Lord of the Dead, The Judge of the Damned Domains: Death, Grave Symbol: Upright skeletal arm holding balanced scales A large statue stands at the head of the sarcophagus altar of the Lord of the Damned. Exotic incense fills the air and an acolyte constantly drones a chant to honor those who have passed.
	Chauntea	Goddess of Agriculture Epithets: The Great Mother, The Grain Goddess Domains: Life, Nature Symbol: Sheaf of grain or a blooming rose over grain A larger temple to Chauntea, the @JournalEntry[rrOqHc9ltiYG7Ttn]{Altar's Bounty} exists within the rural village of Undercliff, but in Waterdeep's urban sprawl there still lies a shrine in her name. The floor in the shrine of the Grain Goddess is covered with dried stalks of barley, oat, and wheat and comforting smells of summer fields and fresh bread fill the air. Baskets of fresh grain and urns of fertile soil adorn the altar.

Second Floor

Symbol	Deity	Shrine
	Malar	God of the Hunt Epithets: The Beastlord, The Black-Blooded One Domains: Nature Symbol: Clawed paw The shrine to the Beastlord is filled with animal pelts, antlers, and stuffed heads. The altar holds a platter of raw meat, a chalice of blood, and a stuffed paw of a gigantic beast.
	Leira	Goddess of Illusion Epithets: The Lady of the Mists, Mistshadow, The Lady of Deception Domains: Trickery Symbol: Point-down triangle containing a swirl of mist The shrine of the Lady of Deception is shrouded in swirling mists that make details of the space faint and obscure. Whispers fill the air and seem to emanate from a point-down triangle containing a swirl of mist that stands above the altar.
	Savras	God of Divination & Fate Epithets: The All-Seeing, The Third Eye, Divination's Lord Domains: Arcana, Knowledge Symbol: Crystal ball containing many kinds of eyes A huge crystal ball dominates the shrine of the All-Seeing, and books and tomes are neatly stacked in bookcases. The floor is covered with thick carpets that muffle footfalls and the air seems heavy with silence.
	Bane	God of Tyranny Epithets: The Black Hand, The Lord of Darkness Domains: Ambition, Order, Strength, War Symbol: Upright black hand, thumb and fingers together The floor in the shrine of the Dark Lord absorbs any light cast upon it. At the altar stands a cloaked figure holding a three taloned claw that overlooks a teleportation circle etched into the floor.

Third Floor

Symbol	Deity	Shrine
	Milil	God of Poetry and Song Epithets: The Lord of Song, The One True Hand of All-Wise Oghma Domains: Light, Peace Symbol: Five-stringed harp made of leaves A larger site honouring Milil is located at the @JournalEntry[VJQmArcJgmCRDueq]{New Olamn Bardic College}, but within the bustle of the city sits the Plinth's shrine to him. Music fills the shrine to the Lord of Song, which plays of its own from a harpsichord-like instrument that dominates the room. Sheet music is treated as scripture to the acolytes of Milil, who dance and sing throughout the day.
	Myrkul	God of Death Epithets: The Lord of Bones, Old Lord Skull, The Reaper Domains: Death Symbol: White human skull The shrine to Old Lord Skull is dark and a sense of fear and unease fill the space. Those who enter drop coins in the eye sockets of a large skull atop the dark altar, in hopes of keeping the reaper’s advance at bay a bit longer.
	Lliira	Goddess of Joy Epithets: Our Lady of Joy, Joybringer, The Mistress of Revels Domains: Life Symbol: Triangle of three six-pointed stars Those who come to the shrine of Our Lady of Joy celebrate at all times and invite all to join in the revelry. Wine and food flows freely here, and few can find any desire to harm another while within this consecrated ground.
	Azuth	God of Wizardry Epithets: The High One, The Lord of Spellcraft, The First Magister Domains: Arcana, Arcana, Knowledge Symbol: Left hand pointing upward, outlined in fire In addition to his shrine within the @JournalEntry[9Qd95GDJGzf1m0dL]{House of Wonder}, the First Magister's clergy maintains a Plinthside shrine. A palpable energy pulses throughout the site, sheathing all who enter with a sheen of blue magic. A hand with an upward pointing finger, carved from polished stone and wreathed in magical flame dominates the altar, surrounded by scrolls of gold.

Fourth Floor

Symbol	Deity	Shrine
	Besheba	Goddess of Misfortune Epithets: The Maid of Misfortune, Lady Doom, Black Bess Domains: Trickery Symbol: Black antlers Thirteen black cats and a raven can always be found at the shrine to the Lady of Misfortune. Downward facing horseshoes and broken mirrors adorn the walls and spilled salt and worn shoes rest on tables. Worshipers place tithes beneath a giant rack of antlers to rid themselves of persistent bad luck.
	Talona	Goddess of Poisonn & Disease Epithets: Lady of Poison, Mistress of Disease, The Plague-crone Domains: Death Symbol: Three teardrops in a triangle The acolytes here wear dirty, tattered robes and receive generous tithes in times of disease and plague. The desperate drink of the green liquid that fills the font at the feet of the emaciated statue of the Plague-Crone in hopes of a cure. No curative magic will work on this consecrated ground.
	Auril	Goddess of Winter Epithets: The Frostmaiden, Lady Frostkiss, Icedawn Domains: Nature, Tempest Symbol: Six-pointed snowflake Priests in icy white robes proclaim the danger of the coming winter. Supplicants brave the chill air of the shrine of the Frostmaiden to leave offerings, hoping to stave off the worst of the winter’s woes.
	Lovitar	Goddess of Pain Epithets: The Maiden of Pain, The Scourge Mistress, The Willing Whip Domains: Death Symbol: Nine-tailed barbed scourge The shrine to the Maiden of Pain is filled with crude torture implements. The floor and tables bear dark crimson stains, a testament to the gruesome rituals that take place here during the Rite of Pain and Purity.

Fifth Floor

Symbol

Deity

Shrine

Eldath

Goddess of Peace

Epithets: The Quiet One, The Guardian of Groves, The Mother of the Waters
Domains: Life, Nature, Peace
Symbol: Waterfall plunging into a still pool

Worshipers of the Green Goddess stave off the encroaching urban sprawl by bringing a touch of nature to the Plinth. The floor is covered with a thick carpet of seemingly natural grass, and the wooden water font in the corner appears to have grown into its current shape as if by divine intervention.

Shar

Goddess of Night

Epithets: The Mistress of the Night, The Dark Lady, Our Lady of Loss
Domains: Death, Trickery
Symbol: Black disk encircled with a purple border

The Mistress of the Night sees all that happens in the darkness. Her sorcerous clerics spin their shadow magic to give their shrine the illusion of a dark cave; a fitting space to celebrate the goddess of the Underdark.

Sixth Floor

Symbol

Deity

Shrine

Talos

God of Storms

Epithets: Stormlord, The Destroyer
Domains: Strength, Tempest, Zeal
Symbol: Three lightning bolts radiating from a point

The shrine of the Storm Lord seems charged with contained electrical energy that causes visitors’ hair to stand on end. Sudden drafts abruptly appear and fade. Near the ceiling a dark, convulsing cloud obscures the rafters above.

Selûne

Goddess of the Moon

Epithets: Our Lady of Silver, The Moonmaiden, The Night White Lady
Domains: Knowledge, Life, Twilight
Symbol: Pair of eyes surrounded by seven stars

In addition to larger sites like the @JournalEntry[LcyVWWAZ5uKE2vqr]{House of the Moon} and the @JournalEntry[7VN4c8Q1Sv88x1P6]{Monestary of the Sun Soul}, Selûnite clergy maintain a Plinth-side shrine to the lunar goddess.

The shrine to the Moonmaiden is a place of quiet reflection, more akin to a wizard’s study than a busy temple. Nonetheless, it sees a large volume of traffic as the teleportation circle in the back is open to any who can make use of it, making it one of the most common destinations for those teleporting into the City of Splendors.

The Plinth