Pangdambana ni Luek (pɑŋdɐmˈbɐnɐ ni ˈluʔɛk)

"The Pangdambana ni Luek is out of your reach, unless you wish to lose access to the entire bay when Luek objects" - a priest of Luek, warning the Pangkalahatan Malaking against sending troops into the temple.

There is no more secure and inviable sanctuary within the bounds of the Tagápulo Empire than the Pangdambana ni Luek, the sacred temple located upon the island of Lumai in the Bay of Mynilad. For centuries, the priests of Luek have accepted those who fear the government into the complex and kept them safe. This was most strongly tested during the Ilogaro rebellion seventy-five years ago, when several rebel leaders fled to Lumai and took shelter behind Luek's walls. On that incident, the enraged naval commander actually dragged one of the rebels out of the complex, only to find that his ship had been hurled from the bay and into the ocean beyond by a rogue wave. He quickly saw the error of his ways, and released his prisoner before sitting upon the beach to await a boat.

The Pangdambana ni Luek has long been an irritant to the Empire in this way. Luek is primarily a deity of the Ilogaro who lived on the bay before the Tagápulo came down the Ilog Pasi and founded Mynilad. While Luek is honored by the Tagápulo as well as the Ilogaro, most of the priests of Luek, and all of the ones on Lumai, are of Ilogaro descent. The Empire views them as a source of rebellion and discontent, and chafes at being unable to remove them without angering Luek. A century ago, they did attempt to destroy the priesthood on Lumai by designating the island as a plague sanctuary while the Weeping Plague was ravaging Pulo. The priests accepted the hordes of infected and did their best to care for them, as was Luek's command. The incident has left the shores of Lumai haunted with the ghosts of plague victims, but the Pangdambana ni Luek endured.

Architecture

The Pangdambana ni Luek is primarily constructed from stone, wood, and bamboo. A central tower marks the location of the temple, where Luek is worshipped. A well is located directly beneath the tower, and water flows over its edge to form a stream going out to the bay. This water is sweet and fresh, and those who drink of it feel the presence of Luek within them.

Gardens and courtyards surround the central temple, separating it from a ring of buildings just inside the walls of the complex. The eastern half of the complex is given over to a hospital dating back to the Weeping Plague, when Lumai was designated as a place to quarantine the dying. The western side is a combination of residences, kitchens, a school, and a library. Many children are born in the temple, and some may never leave Lumai, choosing to become a part of the temple's community. The complex is designed to be able to support itself for as long as necessary - the gardens have as many vegetables as flowers, and the priests cultivate dozens of herbs both medicinal and culinary. Fishponds are located within the temple walls as well, and all is ready should the Empire ever choose to do away with the Pangdambana ni Luek and somehow overcome Luek's protection.

All of the buildings are decorated with beautiful carvings, with scenes drawn from nature and from Ilogaro mythology. Plants and animals from in and around the bay are most common, with detailed depictions of reeds, frogs, fish, dolphins, seaweed, and crabs. Luek himself is also commonly depicted, as an Ilogaro man crowned with seashells.

Defenses

The complex is ringed with walls that rise to nearly forty feet high, and are over ten feet thick. While many buildings on Lumai are outside this perimeter, the temple stands ready to accept all the residents inside the walls if needed. A bell is mounted over the main gates, and a lookout is posted to watch the docks for ships, and will sound the alarm if anything threatens to attack.

Type

Temple / Religious complex

Parent Location

Lumai

Owner

Luek

Characters in Location

• Apo Langa-ay