Temple of Mask (Bezantur)

The Temple of Mask was one of the most popular and prominent temples in Bezantur, the so-called "City of a Thousand Temples" of Thay. In addition to being the center of worship for the god Mask, it served as the headquarters of the city's powerful thieves' guild.

Location
The temple was located in the city's north just within the walls and just east of the North Gate.

Structure
The building was basically a fortress, and had multiple underground levels extending deep into the ground. It contained a vault&mdash;where the thieves' guild kept their treasures&mdash;and apartments for the priests and thieves' guildmembers.

Defenses
The building was basically a fortress, yet was barely defended. Most of the doors, including the exterior exits and the apartments of the inhabitants, were left unlocked. There were only a few human, orc, and ogre guards, and the guild's vault was guarded by just a single iron golem. The reason for this was a show of power by the thieves, who made sure that everyone in the city knew that no one should be stupid enough to steal something from the temple. Any burglar was instantly identified once they left the building&mdash;either by magic, by the guild's many contacts, or by bribed guards&mdash;and was either dead or worse before the end of the day. Captured burglars were given to tanar'ri deep beneath the temple for torture and torment.

History
As of the mid-to-late 14 century DR, the temple was the only major public-facing center of Mask's worship in Thay, while all other shrines were hidden or disguised.

Inhabitants
In the mid-to-late 14 century DR, the temple was managed and overseen by Shabella the Pale, who was also the Guildmistress of the thieves' guild and was known to take a cut of the temple donations. She was considered the local high priestess, and she was subordinate to Thay's high priest of Mask, who travelled the realm and only occasionally visited the temple. When the high priest was in town, they took over matters of faith.