The temple is fashioned of black basalt, and is unadorned on the exterior, the only relief being cunningly fitted diamond-shaped patterns of darker and lighter shades of stone.  The main entrance - a peaked obsidian arch - is flanked by large willow trees, giving an appearance of twilight even during bright days.  Two Black Dagger Knights flank the arch at all times.

Gardens: A separate iron gate leads to the temple garden.  Climbing roses nearly cover the trellis they twine about, and deep green ivy thickly covers the flanking side of the temple and the surrounding brick wall.  Exotic ferns are mixed with beautiful deep hued flowers of many varieties.  Here and there, the dark colors of the flowers are broken up with splashes of snowy white iris.  Brightly colored butterflies flit about, adding their charm to the scene, and a stone walled koi pond sits in one corner.  There are benches where parishioners and visitors may sit.  A modest cemetery for parishioners is nearby, but the preference for many is cremation, with the ashes scattered over the garden; a memorial plinth lists names of those so interred.

Foyer:  Silver-veined black marble floors and ebonwood walls give an impression of night, with tiny silver stars embroidered to the black velvet hung ceiling to complete the effect.  An intricately worked silk tapestry hangs on one wall, bordered by iron candelabra, and a plaque hangs on the other, saying in three languages: "The night comes softly with Her velvet cloak, wrapping me in warm embrace.  In Her arms, my visions come.  With star-filled eyes She holds me tight, filling my mind with dreams, till She fades away, departing with the last moonbeam."

Sanctuary:  Curved walls of polished ebonwood support a large dome ceiling.  Thick black cushions are scattered across the floor, surrounding the altar and the lightstone - there are no pews - and a small curtained niche to the south offers privacy for personal prayer.  Black lambswool carpets cover the floor, cushioning every footfall and muting most sounds, creating a sense of suspended time and reality.  Incense permeates the air with its fragrance of night-blooming jasmine and musk, while its small wisps of smoke dance in sensual abandon.  A Black Dagger Order guard is always present.

Aumbrie: This room is set off from the sanctuary by a black velvet curtain.  The walls of this small room are draped with black velvet and silver spidersilk.  Dozens of votive candles are scattered about the room on the basalt floor, forming a vague circle around a central marble platform.  On the platform rests a crystal coffin in which lies a young woman rests in what appears to be sleep.  Ebony hair surrounds her pale face, her exquisite beauty apparent even though she lies motionless.  There is nothing signifying who she might be.  A Black Dagger Order guard is always present, vowed to silence, and will prevent people from approaching the coffin more closely than a foot, violently if need be.  (Rumor has it, which the Church will neither confirm nor deny, that the woman in the coffin is Aditra the Liberator herself, the great hero-saint of fifteen centuries ago.)

This temple, slightly incongruous in the Mariners’ Quarter, is older than the city - it has been documented as being over 1700 years old - and is the personal parish of Lady Lela Melisseni, the elven Wielder of the Black Dagger, chief of the Order.  While Lady Lela is not resident here, the unofficial rector is Lady Vylene val Linix, the Commandant of the Dagger, the Orders second in command.  Lady Vylene is the image of soft womanhood (and looks far younger than she actually is) and affects a sensual image that conceals a razor mind, indomitable will and serpent-quick fighting reflexes.  Three other priests and eight acolytes are resident, and there will seldom be fewer than a dozen Black Dagger knights and postulants on hand, living under the temple. Available spells to co-religionists include healing, divination, darkness, plant and animal magics.

The Order of the Black Dagger is the ecclesiastical fighting order of the faith of Ratri, goddess of Night and fertility, whose great basilica is likewise in Warwik City.  In the woman-dominated religion of Ratri, almost all the Black Dagger Knights are female, trained to theology and arms from an early age.  On duty, they wear black-washed chainmail and unrelieved black cloaks and garments, and the pressure for black is so strong that few women who are not brunettes seem to be admitted to the Order.

User Submitted Ideas (0)