Black Altar

The Black Altar was the temple complex devoted to the god Bane in now ruined city of Zhentil Keep.

Architecture
Several of the many-paned windows were inset with rubies. The buildings of the complex were linked by railless spans of stone bridges, twenty man-heights above the ground.

Defenses
The Black Altar had numerous traps and guardian creatures protecting the temple.

Features
At the center of The Black Altar was a room known as The Inner Chamber of Solitude. The door to the chamber was heavy oak and bronze. It was said that within this chamber one would be close to Bane. The floor of the chamber was highly polished marble and in the center of the chamber was a massive, giant black throne.

History

 * 1263 DR: Fzoul Chembryl breaks with the Black Lord's Altar, the orthodox banite chuch run by the High Imperceptor of Bane in Mulmaster, renaming the The Dark Shrine in Zhentil Keep to The Black Altar, declaring it the new centre of the banite church and bringing in a large portion of Zhentil Keep's banite priests into the ranks of the Zhentarim.  Fzoul remained highpriest of The Black Altar for much of his life.


 * 1357 DR: Warrior-priests of the High Imperceptor briefly take control of The Black Altar. The takeover fails to hold and Fzoul routs the orthodox banites and takes back control of the temple


 * 1358 DR: The Black Altar is destroyed when the spirit of the god Bane falls to the Realms, directly on top of the temple. Bane quickly orders The Black Altar to be rebuilt.


 * 1361 DR: On the final night of Marpenoth, The Black Altar is destroyed by a huge column of flame that fell from a low hanging cloud. This was the signal that the Banedeath was to commence. Again it was quickly rebuilt, though as a temple to Cyric.


 * 1361 DR to 1368 DR: The Black Altar was a temple to Cyric. In 1368 DR The Black Altar is destroyed by a blast of powerful divine fire sent from the god Mask.


 * 1370 DR: In a nine-day ritual in Mirtul, Fzoul Chembryl consecrates the ruins of The Black Altar to Iyachtu Xvim and summons the Tyrantfog.

With the return of Bane in 1372 DR, The Black Altar had not been rebuilt.