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The House
of Fury
by Luke
Fleeman
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The House
of Fury
by Luke
Fleeman
The House of Fury was in an illicit temple in Fellaren-Krae up until about eight years ago.
Talos had a temple in town for a long while, and though reviled by many, a small destructive force worshipped here. The Talassans were often blamed for things bad that happened, and often were responsible. However, they were able to survive until eight years ago. At this time, Talos's top man, Karkazz the Beserk (CE hm P11), formed an alliance with the temple of Cyric in town.
They plotted to destroy the other temples and the council and seize power in the ensuing vacuum. The Tallasans nearly destroyed the Seer's Cove, greatly damaged Swordrest and visibly defaced the Triad's Glory (then know as Justice's Glory). They then set to destroy the council and attempted to burn down the Twin Devotions, but the city guard, the members of the various faiths in town, groups of Adventurers and the Order of the Lanceboard drove them off. The House of Fury had its charter revoked, many priests executed, and its building was demolished. The Ruins still sit there as a reminder to any others the error of disrupting the peace.
Since then, Karkazz the Beserk has moved his operations to the wilderness outside of town, to a series of limestone caves on the coast. In the caverns, temples to Malar and Umberlee also operate, and worshippers of auril are moving in. The Gods of Fury hope to take revenge on the city.
The High Houses of Fury
In the Cliffs overlooking the Sea of Fallen Stars on which Fellaren-Krae rests, are a series of interlocking caverns that are collectively called the High Houses of Fury. Created after the Talassans unsuccessfully tried to wrest control of the city from The Council of Oakenstave and the Twin Devotions, the House of Fury (Talos's temple at the time) called in Talos's allies much in the way Tyr's clergy called in his to form the High Houses of Fury. Malar and Umberlee were brought in 5 years ago, and Auril has just made her first overtures in arrival. Mostly regarded as a myth of sorts by commoners, the church's are beginning to rear their heads at the city again.
A single hidden cave mouth rests near the water, only approachable by following an illusion-enshrouded walkway along the cliff. After getting in, the main hallway progresses nearly 500 feet before entering the main hall. In this hall several rows of tables for meetings and gatherings and banners of the four different faiths hang. A main podium made of eerie green stone rises from the center of the room on a small hill of stone. Here the current person speaking on behalf of the Talassans addresses all those in attendance.
Four separate tunnels lead out of the Main hall and reach into the four different houses.
The first, largest tunnel is square and perfect, and the walls are painted in a mural of Talos destroying cities and leveling enemies. It slowly leads into a large room with a vaulted ceiling. A constant swirling, rumbling cloud fills the room's upper area. An altar sits at the edge of the room, sculpted in the image of a massive Lightning bolt. This room is called the Shrine of Storms. The worshippers and clergy gather in this room, and form a circle, with whoever is leading ceremonies standing at the altar. Then something or someone is thrown into the circle, and destroyed utterly by the congregation. This hideous ritual is carried out once a week. The remains are set on the altar, and the cloud above zaps them, removing them completely.
Currently, a small power struggle is ensuing between the Talassans. A wizard called Thunderhand has began moving worshippers towards a more militant stance, aimed at launching a new attack. However, the more conservative forces continue to bide their time, subtly undermining the city's forces and destroying random things in displays of still present power. Where this will go is unknown. Aside from Stormherald Karkazz the Bezerk(CE hm P11) The clergy is large, almost 20 priests of levels 2-6, and 4 of levels 7-9. Most of the parishioners are soldiers, sailors and warriors who dislike Swordrest.
The second tunnel is overgrown with fungi and plants, and slopes deeper into the earth, where it opens into the Cavern of Blood, Malar's temple here. The cavern is filled with overgrowth and vicious beasts, and the congregation spends most of their time wandering and hunting those beats in orgies of violence. Often a person is kidnapped from the city and set loose in here, where the worshippers hunt and destroy them. Malar's clergy is rather small, consisting of a single Talon(specialty priest) of 8th level, one called simply the Hunter, and 6 lesser clerics of levels 2-6. Most parishioners are wild madmen from the outskirts of the city or bums and drunks with bad tempers.
The third tunnel goes deep into the ground as well, reaching a half submerged room dedicated to Umberlee called the House of the Depths. A series of platforms reach our into the water to a statue of the Bitch Queen. The faithful of ten walk out her and strap themselves down, and a presence enters the room and thrashes them all about in a frightful storm. Those who die are allowed to sink are later reanimated to serve Wavelord Tyrrha and her small cabal of fanatical female clergy, 4 pairs of twins, all 5th level clerics. These women often force worship here, abducting city people and putting them on the platforms. A small group of sailors drop money here to ward off Umberlee's advances on their upcoming voyages. Lucky ones are kidnapped by Tyrrha and put to work fetching bodies from the main room. Unlucky ones are fed to a small group of weresharks that serve the priestesses in the Sea. Unbeknowst to the Talassans, the Umberlants plan to move to take the complex as their own.
The final, newest tunnel goes upwards, and slowly becomes frostier and icier as one continues, eventually emptying into a room whose walls are entirely made of ice. An empty ice throne gives the room its name: The Throne of the Frostmaiden. As a new clergy of a relatively unknown god(in this region, at least), the worshippers of Auril are still trying not to be bullied by the other clergies. High Hand of Ice Quirius (NE hm P16) and two 4th level assistants have succeeded in this thus far. they are secretly recharging an artifact called the Maiden's Finger, a wand that may be able to cover the whole area in ice. The only laity are 6 imported barbarians that do Quirius's will about town.