Court of Black Paper

The Court of Black Paper is the premier temple of the Reaper of Reputation in Absalom, and has a fair claim to being one of the largest Norgorberite temples in the Inner Sea region. In a nod to tradition, the temple proper is underground, accessed by way of a grand, spiraling stairwell of ink-black stone, down which congregants must descend in darkness before entering the vast ritual space. Falls, sprained knees, and broken legs are common, and considered a mark of the god’s disfavor. In the aggressively ascetic temple, with no icons and no statues, supplicants pray for their secrets to stay safe, and for those of their foes to be uncovered.
The Court of Black Paper never lacks for devotees, as above the temple, and associated with it, is a large and well-respected law school and a vast suite of legal offices. The priest-advocates are invariably trained as lawyers and as ordained priests of Norgorber, who swear themselves to secrecy for each client upon the god’s faceless mask. They secure wills, draft contracts, and conduct court cases, all backed by the ominous majesty of their god.
The senior priest-advocates, such as the cult’s leader Samel Maleagant, can count noble houses, ambassadors, and crime lords among their clients. It is said that the Court of Black Paper sometimes takes on truly odd cases, such as finding loopholes in diabolic contracts or assuring the continuity of some undead horror’s legal estate. So far, no one has managed to breach the temple sanctum to verify these rumors.

Type

Temple / Religious complex

Parent Location

Petal District

Owner

Samel Maleagant

Ruling/Owning Rank

High Priest-Advocate

Owning Organization

Court of Black Paper