Temple Ward

When Antioch was rebuilt, it was designed by the MagicCrafters. The city was divided into six triangular areas, each one reflecting one of the six mystical elements. Thus an entire triangle (1/6th the city) was dedicated to Faith/Luminance. The mages handed the plans over to the GodSmiths (the word is translated as priests from now on), and they handed it over to one Peterus.

Peterus was both a pious and practical man, he knew that all the priests in the world did not need 1/6th the city. So he designed a wondrous set of plans to express the glory of the higher tiers, that took up only a third of the allotted area. It was extravagent by any stretch of the imagination which mollified the mages somewhat, and left area for regular people to live in that section.

The Temple Ward is entered only from the DiPlaza, the central plaza of the city, through the Arch of Faith. There is only one street here, Faith Street runs from Arch to the far end of the ward, the temple of Ge-Em. Every building here is a temple. Temples hold appropriate ceremonial places and rooms/ dorms for the priests who focus upon a given deity.

The observant will notice that the Arch of Faith has animal reliefs and details on the plaza side, and Humanti/
Elventi and other intelligences detailed on the temple side. This represents the sixth and fifth tier of spirits.

Note: The people of Antioch (and all the Known World) believe in One Pantheon. The priests serve the pantheon first and an individual deity second. So while a priest might have a room in one temple, his duties (that week) might be in another.

Immediately inside the gate, on both sides, is the Temple of Masters. It is one building, with a second story that spans Faith Street (thought his is somewhat obscured by the Arch of Faith. Thus shading and encompassing the person walking down in from the Arch of Faith. Here dozens of subpriests (acolytes) help those who are searching for a Master's help to find the right room. If there isn't a room ready, the subpriests might find the appropriate props and prepare a kretch for the supplicant.

The roadway is made of seemingly random shapes that form together. After you pass the Temple of Masters, it becomes a triangular pattern.

Next are the Third Tier Deities. These are four smallish temples, about the size of four townhomes put together each.

One the right is Deth. This God of Death takes things that Ge-Em is done with and keeps them until they are recycled/ reincarnated. This temple is minimalist in nature in the facade and public areas, but the rear is a regular rummage sale of things that need keeping.

One of the left is Chro-No. The deity of time. The public areas for worship is quite small. Most of the priests of Chro-No are scribes who record events, so there is a scribery in the building.

On the right and left, linked by an arch that can be walked across (which technically is a bridge), is the Temple of Luminance. This thin and narrow temples mostly serve as a theological point of balance for the next two temples.

Also note that the road stones on the streets change to hexagons from this arch on.

These are the notable temples of the second tier. They are larger and more elaborate than most of the temples here. They house a large number of priests being three and four stories tall. All but the temple of darkness (which is completely enclosed and has several basement levels) have internal courtyards which are used for some worship, practice of religous knights/ Sirs, and other social events.

On the right hand side there is the temple of Light, the temple of Water, and the temple of Earth.

On the left hand side there is the temple of Darkness, the temple of Fire, and the temple of Air.

Each temples outer facade is kindred to a Roman Temple, with columns and tiered roofs. Each has a roof dome of the appropriate colors and material.

(Note the temple of Darkness is currently closed due to some unfortunate incidents that occurred. If you need a priest of Darkness, come to the temple steps at night (always a risky proposition in Antioch) and the priests will assist you.) Some can be found at the MagicCrafter's guild house.

From this point on, the road becomes a riot of colorful cobblestones. The careful eye will see the colors coalesce into a red and blue path to the left, a brown and green path to the right, and a white and black path to the front. This is the area of the first tier.

The three remaining temple areas are wide rather than deep, as they against the ward wall, which is quite long since the ward is triangular in shape.

To the right is the area dedicated to Mother Arth (Arth-a in the archaic). This is a well maintained park area with tame deer and birds. There are two small buildings here, a shed for maintenance materials and animal food and a circular stone gazebo. This white temple structure has a dome top. There is a good sized orchard for golden green apples. The local children climb the ward wall and try to sneak past the guardians (Mother Arth devotes) to get them. Knowing many of the children in the area, good ones are allowed to slip by, and naughty children are caught and punished by cleaning up after the deer.

To the left is the temple structure dedicated to Yi-Ang. The dome atop this structure is red and blue and slowly rotates due to some elaborate Dwarventi mechanism. This hall is quite large and very empty. Priests who focus on Yi-Ang will sleep on pallets in this vast area. They frequently request duties at other temples, to maintain their balance and promote change.

To the center, at the end of the street, is the temple to Ge-Em. The temple is not as grand as it once was. The people of Antioch focus on the Deities of the second tier. It is the place of Beginnings and endings, so its only common use is birth ceremonies, confirmations (dedicating yourself to either a deity or a guild), and funerals. Inside the temple, the local MaskLanders have create a large chapel/ room sized Kretch to Danu, Master of Masques. The Priests of Ge-Em understand and appreciate this odd Deity's place, though it is hard for them to explain it to others. (Also the influx of MaskLander merchant cash has not hurt matters).

On the second and third floor are classrooms where religious and semi-religious studies are taught. This use to be dormitories for the priests of Ge-Em, but there are so few that the space was well used for this purpose.

Note: Parts of this temple are still under repair as some Amazonti went mad and blamed Ge-Em for all their trials and tribulations since coming to Arth.

Arth's main thread has a section on religion and religious ideas. There is a dedicated thread forthcoming. Until that time, here is Arth Deities