// Originally posted by LordDrake22 and Edited by ADM Solstice //
Church of Takhisis -
The dark clergy of Takhisis worshipped its cruel and
calculating queen almost as much as it feared her.
Priestesses slavishly devoted themselves to their goddess,
but betrayed one another without a moment’s hesitation.
Adherents to the faith corrupted honorable knights,
tortured the loved ones of the innocent, and subverted the
ideals of local townsfolk to achieve their goals.
Brutal races such as ogres and goblins often joined
the unholy church to gain power over their peers, but the
clergy accepted anyone who wanted to spread suffering
and despair. Dark priestesses were exceptionally wicked
individuals who were more than ready to charm and
murder foes in the same breath. The church, like the
goddess herself, sought absolute power and the total
domination of Krynn.
History of the Church -
Takhisis sought dominance over Krynn for millennia,
and her church proved itself no different. Ogres began
enslaving other races shortly after the first temple was
built in Garantha (later known as Kernen), though their
decadence brought about their own downfall. The church
was nearly crippled as a result, though it eventually
recovered through an influx of corrupted humans. The first
and second Dragon Wars certainly worked in Takhisis’s
favor, but the church would not form a unified front until
the onset of the Third Dragon War. For the first time,
Takhisis gathered her myriad forces with one goal in
mind, but her plans were thwarted by Huma Dragonbane.
The church faltered with the goddess’s banishment, and
was nearly hunted to extinction during the reign of the
Kingpriests.
The impending Cataclysm was a brilliant opportunity
for Takhisis. Her schemes began anew, and she rebuilt her
forces in preparation for what was to become the War of
the Lance.
Places of Worship -
As the dark pantheon’s dominant member, Takhisis
often demanded the construction of elaborate structures
in her name. Temples constructed to her in the Age of
Dreams were wondrous affairs that held the same dark
beauty possessed by the goddess, but the secrets of their
construction faded with the fall of ogre civilization. Some
cathedrals were built for defense, while others, such as the
cube-shaped temple in Palanthas, have yet to reveal their
secrets. After the Second Dragon War, Takhisis acquired
a fondness for desecrating other temples and using them
for her own benefit. Both goddess and church considered
this a reminder of the Dark Queen’s supremacy, and this
practice continued until her demise.
Shrines were little more than poor substitutes for
temples, but were necessary in locales strongly dedicated to
Light or Balance.
Cleric Training -
Potential converts simply dedicated themselves to serving
the Dark Queen, then received their medallions of faith,
suffering only the mental molestations of other clerics who
telepathically investigated their intent. Despite this quick rite of conversion, all clerics soon underwent the first of many tests of faith. A cleric’s first
duty often involved the ritual murder of a lover or family member, reinforcing the belief that Takhisis came first and last.
Takhisian priestesses carefully studied the darker
emotions of anger and betrayal, though few could ever
understand the concept of love. Desire and lust were
tolerated and sometimes encouraged as useful tools,
whereas love was a weakness that could not be tolerated.
The church encouraged its members to make use of every
asset, and some disciples practiced the arts of seduction to
draw potential converts.
Preferred Vestments -
Takhisis’s dark pilgrims wore black-hooded robes
emblazoned with the black crescent, and a blackened silver
medallion of faith.
Prayers and Rites -
Most prayers to the Queen of Darkness were of a self deprecating
nature and espoused the supremacy of
Takhisis while belittling the individual priest. Clerics
received their spells through the Litany of Might,
performed during the midnight hour. This rite praised the
goddess, detailing how her dark gifts would be used in
furtherance of the domination of Krynn.
Holy Days -
Celebrated on the third day of every New Year, Dark
Day was an unusually quiet time for the church. Its
members engaged in wicked contemplation of old plots
Holy Orders of the Stars a 145
and considered their role in the church’s hierarchy. This
recent holiday also commemorated Takhisis’s eventual
manifestation upon Krynn and is thus considered a dark
celebration in its own right.
In stark contrast to Dark Day is a centuries-old ogre
holiday known as the Crushing of Hope. The ogre nations
of Blöde and Kern set aside their rivalries for three days in
the harvest season so that all can participate in the sacking
of human and elven settlements. Slaves are subjected to
debasing contests and rituals, where the best possible
outcome for the participants is a quick death.
Quests and Tasks -
Blackmail, seduction, and treachery were enforced among the Takhisian clergy. Priestesses were expected to advance their personal status however possible, and their method often included the sacrifice of friends and family. The Dark Queen discouraged the church’s usual infighting while her plans were in motion, but ingenious betrayals and plots received attention and were even praised.
Clerics from smaller locales coerced or magically
compelled their targets, while others sought more direct
methods of control. All members of the faith were sent
out to corrupt persons of influence, from bartenders to
political figures. Servants of Paladine were prized targets,
though only the most devious clerics were able to crack the
faith of these Revered Sons and Daughters.
Above all else, the church sought a means of bringing
Takhisis to Krynn. The clergy was fanatical in this
regard, as it was rumored that whoever was responsible
for Takhisis’s entry into the world would rule it by her
command.
Allies -
The church of Takhisis had no true allies due to its selfserving
nature, though it sometimes worked with other
dark gods to fulfill mutual goals. These alliances frequently
included the black-robed wizards of Nuitari, who were
promised greater power for their cooperation. This
partnership ended with the discovery of renegade wizards
during the Third Dragon War, though Takhisis enlisted
her son’s aid once again in preparation for the War of the
Lance.
Enemies -
With the paranoia of Takhisis and the self-serving nature
of her clergy, it is not surprising that all non-Takhisians
were considered enemies of the church. Priestesses
despised the Solamnic Knights from the moment of their
inception, but utterly loathed them after it was learned that
one of their kind stopped the Dark Queen’s plans. True
clerics were dealt with in any number of ways, even if they
followed other gods of Darkness. Metallic dragons were
also reviled, though the church could do little against such
majestic creatures but rely on its own dragons of red, blue,
black, green, and white.
Magic -
The church viewed arcane magic as a powerful tool.
Takhisis worked with her son Nuitari and his Black Robes,
though she gained the wrath of the three moon-gods by
redirecting their magic for her own ends.
// Originally posted by LordDrake22 and Edited by ADM Solstice //
Subject: Takhisis (Goddess Information) 
Sat Mar 28, 2009 6:39 pm
