House of Cyric (Bezantur)

The House of Cyric was a temple dedicated to the evil god Cyric that was located in Bezantur, the so-called "City of a Thousand Temples."

Location
The House was located in central Bezantur, the capital of the tharch of Priador in Thay. It was surrounded by several other temples, the most prominent of which was Loviatar's Manor. Other adjacent temples included those dedicated to Oghma, Sune, Talos, Tempus, Bane, Beshaba, and Tyr.

Structure
The House of Cyric was a large complex which included multiple shrines and cathedrals to Cyric as well as dormitories, houses, and facilities catering to the many priests, visitors, and slaves based on the campus. Beneath the complex was an extensive dungeon where the Cyricists performed profane rites. A large mansion on-site served as the home of the House's high priest, and was said to be magnificent enough to have been the royal palace of a small kingdom. This mansion included its own secret underground dungeon chamber for the high priest's personal use.

History
The House was originally a temple to the god of murder, Bhaal. After that god's death during the Time of Troubles, the temple was converted to worship of the ascended mortal Cyric, who usurped Bhaal's portfolio along with those of Myrkul and Bane. Many worshipers at the temple viewed Cyric as a reborn Bhaal, and worshiped him as such.

With the completion of the House of Iyachtu Xvim in the late 1360s DR, followers of Cyric began to clash with these upstart followers of Iyachtu Xvim, who saw it as their mission to crush the church of Cyric. The two temples launched attacks on each other which included assassinations, magic, and street brawling, often clashing with the city's authorities as well.

Even as Cyric progressively lost influence to rival gods throughout the mid-to-late 14 century DR, he maintained a strong following in Thay, and the congregation at the House of Cyric remained the largest in the realm.

Rumors & Legends
As a prominent center of Cyric's worship, the temple likely played host to at least one banelar naga in the years following the death of Bane in the Time of Troubles.

Inhabitants
The House of Cyric was home to an army of priests and priestesses of Cyric along with their unwilling servants: hundreds of slaves as well as the risen zombies of their former prisoners sacrificed within the dungeons.

In the mid-to-late 14 century DR, the high priest was Sharthane Zul.