Administrative and Civic Center of Ravounel

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The Administrative and Civic Center of Ravounel, colloquially called the People's Temple and formerly known as the Temple of Asmodeus and Temple of Aroden, is the largest temple in Kintargo and government capitol of Ravounel. It dominates the Temple Hill district.

History

The People's Temple began life as a cathedral dedicated to the now-dead god Aroden. After the Thrune Ascendancy, the newly empowered Thrunes were quick to convert the temple to their deific patron with a diabolic sacrifice of the now half-mad clergy of Aroden. This gave birth to powerful undead herecites that guarded the belfry.

After Ravounel's successful bid for independence from Cheliax in 4715 AR, the new regime of the Silver Council voted to turn the Temple of Asmodeus into the government capitol and officially renamed it the Administrative and Civic Center of Ravounel.

Appearance

The center's towering dome and belfry rise high atop Temple Hill overlooking the rest of the district. Its once graceful façade had been converted to the new Chelish style under the rule of House Thrune, reinforced with brutal iron and magically altered to add images of devils and hellscapes. The structure is a circle 300 feet in diameter and topped by an impressive 200-foot-diameter dome primarily supported by five enormous stone ribs. The centre of the structure beneath this dome descends in pentagonal terraces to the central altar. A blot of permanent darkness enshrouds the southern part of the central nave, and surrounding it are separate areas for living and other mundane temple activities.

By 4719 AR the building was undergoing renovation, but progress had been slow due to the lack of agreement between squabbling stakeholders concerning its new architecture.

As a temple of Asmodeus

Asmodeus' unholy symbol.

Clergy, congregation, and inhabitants

Despite its size, the Temple of Asmodeus had never been popular in Kintargo. Designed to seat hundreds for its profane ceremonies, the nave is rarely host to more than a few dozen followers. The temple was led by High Priest Corinstian Grivenner, who rumours suggested was the secret lover of Aluceda Zhol, high priestess of the nearby temple of Zon-Kuthon. The temple's clergy included a variety of powerful priests and associates, including the Varisian harrower Zella Zidlii and the mysterious vishkanya sorcerer known only as The Gardener.

The Temple of Asmodeus also boasted a variety of fiendish defenders, including host devils, hell hounds, barbed devils, and even a powerful ice devil, to name but a few. The Temple was also defended by a host of construct defenders, including blood, clay, and rare stained-glass golems.