Temple of Phantoms
The Temple of Phantoms, also known as Hjemsøkttemplet and Soloralistsgröf, which means "haunted temple" and "Soloralists' tomb" in the Froyalanish and Wintergleamish languages, is one of the Thirteen Temples of Eluin, the senior temples of the Froyalanish Ancient Ways. The temple complex is situated in the Royal City of Ardashirshahr. It is the southernmost of the Thirteen Temples of Eluin.
Name
The temple derives its name from the ghosts of clerics of a razed-down Soloralist temple - over which the Temple of Phantoms has been built - who are said to haunt the temple complex. The clerics were massacred during the days of the Elfinshi War.
About
As regards seniority among the temples of the Froyalanish Ancient Ways, the Temple of Phantoms holds the fifth spot, and its High Priestess a corresponding rank among the Hjartardýrlafðir. The temple is only outranked by the White Orchid Temple, the Shrine of the Sea, the Shrine of the Wicked Garden, and the Mackerel Temple. The High Priestess of the Temple of Phantoms has been assigned a place accordingly in the Order of Precedence by the Royal Household and Heritage of the White Orchid Throne. The Hjemsøkttemplet has been built in accordance with the local Babkhi building style.
History
The Temple of Phantoms was founded during the Ducal Reign of Harald of Froyalan as the Vanic Temple at Ardashirshahr by a Ducal Charter issued by the aforesaid Lord of the White Orchid Throne. A very short while after its legal establishment the Jólaslafðir decreed by means of a Gyllmára Búlla that the High Priestess of the Vanic Temple in Ardashirshahr would in perpetuity be part of the Deer Ladies. Through the self-same decree the aforesaid Yule Ladies also made a substantial financial donation toward the construction of the temple.
The prospective High Priestess of Vanic Temple at Ardashirshahr Lady Kolgrima Gislisdottir of the House of Kaupsted was dispatched to Ardashirshahr. with what at the time seemed a mission impossible: find a prime location in the heart of the metropolis close to the River Elwynn large enough for a Vanic temple complex. Lady Kolgrima, however, did her research well. She employed her contacts in the SEKEF - especially those in the Pale of Angularis for they did a lot of business with Ardashirshahr and therefore had excellent knowledge about the city. That way she came accross what seemed quite the anomaly: a huge empty plot of land on the bank of the River Elwynn in Bandar-e Osman area. In the Common Tongue the area is called the Harbour of Osman and are the riverside dockyards of Ardashirshahr.
From further inquiries Lady Kolgrima learned that prior to the Elfinshi War the site was the location of a Soloralist temple complex, but nowadays there were only scant remains of that temple to be found after it had been razed down by the Babkhan mercenaries settled in the area by Baron Ardashir. Subsequently the site was used for warehousing, which was wiped away by flooding caused by the breaching of the recently build West Elwynn Dam after a bombardment launched from the Barony of Amity and Mirioth during in the War of the Wylthean Succession. After the waters had receded, the area remained a wasteland into the Reign of Duke Harald.
Trivia
- Should the Queen Consort Mortal of Elwynn, the Lady Noor bint Daniyal, pass away there will be, as requested by King Noah of Elwynn, held a memorial service at the Temple of Phantoms to thank Her Riverine Majesty for the all the joy and good things She has brought to the King's life.
