Thrice Burned Temple

Where Her Light Cannot Reach

Once known as the Grand Temple of Truth located in what is now the Ruins of Saito, the Thrice Burned Temple stands as a shadow of its former glory.
The Temple is attached to the ruins of Saito Palace, the white marble of its walls scorched, and all iconography to the Goddess of Truth either destroyed or desecrated. It stands now as the main location outside of Nissayria of activities of the Children of the Blinded Sun, a sect (some say a cult) devoted to worship of the Dark God.

Purpose / Function

In times that are long passed away, the Temple was the seat of worship for the Goddess of Truth. The Divine Vessel connected to the Goddess lived and spoke her word within the halls.
Now, the Temple has been usurped by the Children of the Blinded Sun. Those who brave the dangers of the Red Forest, and are able to find their way through the labyrinthine halls of the ruins of Saito Palace will find themselves in the self-proclaimed Temple of the Blinded Sun. The Children have re-purposed the Temple as the site of their rites to call upon the God of Chaos, and to initiate members.

Initiation Rites

During the second burning of the Temple, the God of Chaos himself burned the Temple. While his Knights stood back, he walked through the fire to sit upon the still-burning throne where the Vessel once spoke the word of Truth. To join the Children, initiates must make the same walk as their God to the half-burned throne. The Children have replaced the floor in this path with a shallow fire-pit. An initiate must brave the coals and flames to prove themselves worthy.
Most initiates don't make it all the way across. Ironically, it's said that as long as they try rather than balk at the thought, they are allowed to join.

History

The Temple has a long history of drawing the wrath of the Dark God.

First Burning

When worship of the God of Chaos was first outlawed, and he was first proclaimed the 'Dark God', the contemporary Vessel of Truth reacted violently. His brother had been the Vessel of Chaos, and was killed during the destruction of Temples dedicated to Chaos. The so-called Heretic Vessel formed the Children of the Blinded Sun, and returned to the Temple and burned it in retaliation. After his death, the Temple was rebuilt.

Second Burning

Hundreds of years later, the God of Chaos was goaded into attacking the Temple once again by his Vessel at the time. Decisions made in the Divine Realms had caused the God to be further enraged against his Divine Siblings. When He sat upon the throne, it caused a resurgence in the activities of the Children of the Blinded Sun. The cult had never been so violent before, and neither had the God of Chaos. Despite this, the Shikahni people stubbornly rebuilt the temple and resumed worshiping the Goddess of Truth.

Third Burning

Thirty five years ago, the Temple was the site of a ritual meant to draw power from a artifact left behind by the God of Chaos, and transfer it to the Goddess of Truth. The Prince of Shikahn took the ritual a step too far and destroyed the artifact.
The skies grew dark with a sudden Solar Eclipse, and the God of Chaos appeared as if from nowhere, his Knights in tow. This time, it wasn't only the Temple that was burned. The entire capital city of Saito was destroyed, and most of the ruling family of Shikahn, the Naganis, were wiped out save for two younger sons.
With the city destroyed, the temple was abandoned to the elements and the Red Forest until it was reclaimed by the Children of the Blinded Sun.

Alternative Names

Temple of the Blinded Sun

Type

Cathedral / Great temple

Parent Location

The Red Forest