Losgate Temple of Alté

Your trip down the Great Canal brings you towards the two major temples of the city of Losgate. The first one is a large construction, crowned by a large dome. You see a variety of small canals that lead towards it, and the water coming from those canals looks remarkably cleaner than the murky surrounding canal water. A singular bridge leads from the main canal wall to the large stone doors of the temple.

Purpose / Function

The temple serves many purposes. First and foremost, it is a place of worship. Services are held there every other day, in accordance with Imperial Temple tradition. Priests are also available there in case of sickness, counselling or other moral matters.
Secondly, much of the city's fresh water is carefully brought out from the temple's central canals and pools. The divine power of the Goddess of the Waves regularly filters and cleans the otherwise boggy water here. Because of this, many people get their daily water and take baths in this area.
Lastly, the waters from deep within the temple are believed to have limited divining abilities. Diviners and soothsayers from across the Empire come here to swim in the waters and receive visions. The water, when removed from the pools, has no effect, so many of these people gifted with foresight simply settle in town.

Architecture

The building has sunk over the centuries, sinking deeper and deeper into the swampland that Losgate is built on. The temple itself is crowned by a large marble dome, not unlike the domes of other great temples throughout the Gratic Empire. One solitary bridge from the south leads directly to the main stone doors of the temple; no other entrances exist that are not buried in mud and unsafe.
Inside, the usual accoutrement of an Imperial temple is on display. The main altar, fire pit, and other important ceremonial items are all here. The inside of the marble dome is decorated in circles and other geometric designs. The floors are made of bright and dark blue tiles, leading to the main altar.

History

The Great Temple to Alté was built many centuries ago, before the arrival of Gratic armies or traders in the area. The local Schintian people built a large stone temple at this site, but it began to sink rather quickly into the swampland. However, the divine nature of the building purified the swamp water flowing inside, and this was taken as a sign of the Goddess of the Waves's favour.
Small alterations over the years have kept the building from being completely inaccessible, but if one were to delve deep into the temple's pools, they would find centuries of Endamian history stack on top of itself.

Type

Temple / Religious complex

Parent Location

Losgate

Art Credit: emperorcharlesii (me!)