Temple of All Gods
Dignified and staid, tranquil, welcoming. An understated edifice, larger than any other in the Shopps, stands before you. Crafted of roughly hewn limestone blocks, the off-white colour seems appropriate for a city that is largely well-intentioned and certainly full of hope, but yet to realize its full potential. Above the massive doors, etched into the stone, is the phrase “All are welcome” in the common script. You know this to be the Temple of All Gods from the simple sign to the right of the doors and you do indeed feel welcome here. Still under construction, the Temple’s sturdy square base gives rise to a tower, currently three stories tall, with a crenellated top. Whereas normally these battlements would serve to provide cover to archers and other defenders, at the Temple they are merely a practical architectural feature, a simple base upon which to construct the next story as more and more gods and goddesses come to be represented amongst the believers of Haven.
As you contemplate the structure, footsteps approach from behind and you hear a chuckle. “Hail and well met, my friends! I see you’ve found our lovely temple. Surely you’ll accompany me inside and relax in some quiet contemplation. We have numerous rooms suitable for worship of all varieties. Sure, it’s a work in progress, but we are striving to make sure that any deity you might call upon will receive your entreaties from here in Haven. My name’s Baern, by the way. Baern Hoffenhorn, pleasure to meet you! I’m something of an administrator here, I suppose, or at least I take a more active interest than most in the business of getting things done around here.” Baern slides past you and places a strong hand firmly upon the oaken doors. He looks at you brightly, his eyes betraying a sincere hope that you might follow him inside so that he can continue to regale with the full details and history of the Temple. Fortunately for him, at just that moment, a crackle and flash of light erupt from the cloudy skies above and rain begins to pour down. “May as well come in to avoid getting drenched!” He gives a gentle shove to the door, which glides open surprisingly easily for its size. It can be helpful to have a dwarf looking after the construction of a temple, one imagines.
Inside and safe from the deluge, you find a large open room, circular, with space sufficient for two hundred or so to gather. The ceiling is a buttressed dome reaching some forty feet above you, unadorned as of yet, and crafted of the same limestone as the exterior walls. Staircases flank the room, hugging the rounded walls and swooping upwards first ten feet or so to a walkway that circles the main room, and then again to the base of the dome, twenty feet from the floor. At each level, there are numerous smaller rooms surrounding the main room. You can deduce that the tower you saw from the outside must encase the dome and then continue to rise above it. “Marvelous, isn’t it? We can host quite a gathering here, or many smaller ones. Each new god or goddess that makes their presence known in Haven can have a dedicated space if they like, or at least that’s the hope. I’m not sure how much higher this tower can get, but with faith in Moradin, anything is possible! Of course, it is becoming a bit of a challenge to continue to go up, so we’ve started constructing various buildings where we can find the land throughout the Shopps. They’ll all be of the same limestone that the Temple proper is crafted from, so you’ll be able to recognize them. For example, I live across the street in the Cleric’s Domitory. Simple, but sufficient for a pious old dwarf like me. We’ve built and started a library and a storehouse as well. You’d be surprised what some deities request of their followers for their various rituals! I’m fortunate to walk the path of the Wandering Tinker, so I only need carry the essentials for survival and book to record my adventures. I think that’s how I ended up here in Haven, the will of Dugmaren Brightmantle!”
Residents
Baern Hoffenhorn
Shield dwarf, formerly of Ironmaster in the Frozenfar. Priest of Dugmaren Brightmantle, dwarven god of invention and discovery. Jovial, gregarious, and always willing to help. Baern “popped in” to Haven after a particularly drunken evening of prayer and contemplation.
He believes that his relocation to Haven is a sign from the Wandering Tinker that he must undertake this journey, both physical and spiritual, to fully understand his place in the multiverse. As such, Baern was a key figure in the establishment of the Temple of All Gods and assists in its day to day operations. He is eager to meet new people of all races and origins, and is particularly interested in the visitors to Haven from other planes. Helping to run the Temple is his way of ensuring that all peoples have an opportunity to practise their faith as they choose, even far from their home.
While a dwarf might typically chafe at the notion of working in a district that eschews the sale of alcohol, Baern is abstaining for the time being. This is due to his notion that if he were to have another episode similar to the one that brought him to Haven, he might again be transported away. While he misses the great halls of Ironmaster and the forgesong, Baern has developed a strong fondness for Haven and appreciates the importance of his role with the Temple and enjoys being an informal representative of the Shopps.