Temple of Howling Hatred

The Temple of Howling Hatred was an underground temple-complex established by the Cult of the Howling Hatred in the 15 century DR. It was built within a quarter of Tyar-Besil, a ruined dwarven city that once served as the capital of ancient Besilmer.

Location
It was situated in the southwest section of the ruined city, within a vast cavern deep beneath the Sumber Hills in the Dessarin Valley. It was accessible by means of a precarious, miles-long staircase that descended deep beneath the hills' Knifepoint Gully.

Interior
The underground complex comprised two stony platforms located on the north and south sides of a central moat. The moat itself encircled a central palatial plaza, that held the two-story Temple of Elemental Air.

On the northern platform were several remnants of the dwarven Tyar-Besil. Among these were the remains of its marketplace and feasting hall, a demolished villa, the dwarves' ancestral tombs, and a massive granite statue of Moradin. Several decorative statues and finely–carved pillars remained centuries after the fall of Besilmer.

Also on this platform was a tunnel that was dug out by a great worm, that led down to the Fane of the Eye shrine. West this area was another tunnel that extended north to the Temple of Eternal Flame.

The southern platform also held several landmarks left over from the dwarven city, including a stone-wheel mechanism that controlled the water level of the moat, a shrine of Moradin that was transformed into a torture chamber, and a small plaza with a pool that once served as a place of inspiration for dwarven bards. The cultists built a small gatehouse and their living quarters within this area.

Attached to the central plaza were three bridges built along all but its western side, two of which which were lined with stone columns. While the northern and southern bridges connected to their respective platforms, the eastern bridge led to the domain of Ahtayir, the djinni that was bound to serve the temple's master and maintain its upkeep.

Temple of Elemental Air
Within the plaza was the pyramidal structure referred to by the cult members as the Temple of Elemental Air. Within the ground hall on the bottom floor was a deep pit of an unusual nature. A howling gust of wind continuously roared through the pit, lifting anyone or anything high above, to the Howling Caves.

The second floor of the temple held the throne room of Torhild Flametongue, the former King of Besilmer. In front of a grand throne was a large engraved map that detailed the entire dwarven kingdom. The chamber was appropriated as her own by Aerisi Kalinoth, the fake–avariel prophet of the Howling Hatred.

Activities
The Howling Hatred cultists used the temple as their headquarters, from which they abducted local townsfolk.

Inhabitants
As the temple served as the headquarters of the Howling Hatred cult, it was home to a great number of their members, including initiates, priests, hurricanes and skyweavers. Also found within were a number of allied creatures, including several kenku, a wyvern mount, and Aerisi's loyal invisible stalker.

A single stone golem, that resembled 12–foot (3.7 meter) tall dwarf, still roamed patrolled the moat area, its original activation word lost to the ages.


 * Notable Inhabitants:
 * Aerisi Kalinoth, the cult's leader and air prophet of the Elder Elemental Eye
 * Ahtayir, the djinni bound to serve Aerisi and her cult
 * Kaz Hanar, a skyweaver that protected the temple riding atop a wyvern
 * Windharrow, Aerisi's personal minstrel

Appearances

 * Adventures:
 * Princes of the Apocalypse