Temple of Umberlee (Bezantur)

The Temple of Umberlee located in the Thayan city of Bezantur was one of the biggest and most extensive temples dedicated to Umberlee in all of Faerûn. The temple was one of the most popular in Bezantur, the so-called City of a Thousand Temples, owing to the importance of the sea to that city's economy.

Location
The temple was located near the city's docks, facing south overlooking the Alamber Sea.

Structure
The building itself was described as both monstrously large and grim to behold. It was built of massive blocks of blue-veined green marble, giving it the appearance of the ocean depths.

Activities
The temple was notable for its unique twist on the traditional way in which offerings were given to the goddess Umberlee. Normally, members of her church were expected to throw gold and gems into the sea to appease her, but instead, the congregation at Bezantur would recruit local thugs to attack ships in port and rob them of their valuables, a portion of which would then be thrown into the sea as tribute. The remainder was then split between the thugs and the temple. It was said that any treasure hunter who ventured into the harbor to claim some of the treasures given to Umberlee in this way would inevitably drown to death, if not in the harbor itself then wherever they fled to after. Individuals were said to have been discovered as far off as the Anauroch desert&mdash;with no water for miles&mdash;drowned and with horrified expressions on their faces.

Under this system of tribute collection&mdash;of which Umberlee appeared to approve&mdash;the temple became quite wealthy, and was known to host lavish parties in the mid-to-late 14 century DR.

History
While the tactic of robbing ships in the name of Umberlee was initially overseen by the temple, as of the, the practice had become popular among the laypeople of Bezantur as well.

Inhabitants
The temple had a staff of over one hundred faithful priests and acolytes. They were overseen by high priestess Alyssa in the mid-to-late 14 century DR.