Monastery Name: Monastery of the Eternal Night
Spiritual Focus: Mastery of Death and the Afterlife
Master: Necromaster Varian Blackthorn, Human
Varian is a pale, thin man with raven-black hair and piercing eyes. He is an expert in necromancy and has an unsettling presence.
Economic Means: The monastery offers funeral services, tomb construction, and the creation of undead servants. They also sell rare and dangerous tomes of necromantic knowledge to those who can afford them.
The Temple of Erlik, also known as the Temple of the Flame Lord, is an imposing and austere structure, reflecting the harsh and unforgiving nature of its god. The temple is built from dark, weathered stone, with sharp, angular lines that give it a foreboding appearance. The entrance is flanked by towering pillars carved with scenes of trials by fire, souls in torment, and the grim visage of Erlik himself, watching over all who approach.
Inside, the temple is dimly lit by flickering flames that burn in iron braziers, casting long shadows across the cold stone floor. The air is thick with the scent of ash and incense, and the walls are adorned with severe depictions of Erlik’s teachings, emphasizing the need for trial, deprivation, and the tempering of the soul. At the center of the main chamber stands the altar, a block of blackened stone where offerings are made to Erlik, often in the form of burnt sacrifices or symbols of worldly pleasures renounced.
Erlik’s followers, known as the Brotherhood of the Flame, are a strict and disciplined order of male priests who devote their lives to the god’s harsh teachings. They wear simple, dark robes and keep their heads shaved as a sign of their devotion. The priests are bound by the severe codes outlined in the Revelations of Tarim, a sacred text that demands the rejection of all fallacious acts such as fornication, usury, and the consumption of alcohol. However, in practice, many of Erlik’s priests are known to secretly ignore these teachings, indulging in the very vices they publicly condemn. This hypocrisy is a well-known but seldom-discussed aspect of the temple, creating an undercurrent of tension among its members.
Despite this, the most devout priests of Erlik possess formidable powers, drawn from their unwavering adherence to the god’s strict codes. Those who fully embrace Erlik’s teachings are granted mastery over terrible necromantic arts. These priests have the ability to sink into the earth, passing through solid ground as if it were water, and can command the undead, raising them to do their bidding. They see themselves as the rightful rulers of the dead, carrying out Erlik’s will by claiming the souls of the deceased and using them to further the god’s influence in the world of the living.
The temple is a place of constant trial and reflection, where the priests are expected to meditate on their own mortality and the harshness of existence. Ceremonies are conducted with solemnity, often involving rituals of self-denial and acts of penance to demonstrate their commitment to Erlik’s path. The temple’s doctrine teaches that through suffering and deprivation, the soul is purified and made worthy of Erlik’s favor.
As the ruler of the underworld, Erlik is seen as both a fearsome judge and a relentless force, claiming the dead and subjecting them to his trials in the afterlife. His followers believe that only by enduring the harshest tests in life can they hope to achieve strength and purity in death, earning a place in Erlik’s grim kingdom. The Temple of Erlik stands as a stark reminder of these beliefs, a place where the flames of trial burn eternally, and where the line between the living and the dead is thin indeed.
Notable Group: Brotherhood of the Flame