Temples are the cornerstones of every active religion in the Old World. They are the centres of worship for priests and common folk alike. Every city boasts at least one, if not several, temples to each of the main Gods (although you’d be hard pressed to find one openly dedicated to Ranald). Even small villages do their best to have a temple dedicated to their patron God, though most make due with simple shrines.[1a]
Like shrines, the quality of the temple depends largely on the community that supports it. In poor hamlets, a temple may stand to venerate all the Gods at once rather than having a number of smaller temples for each individual deity. In larger, wealthier communities, the temples to each God might actually be massive cathedrals, rivalling the fortresses of the Old World in terms of size and defensibility. As with any architecture, temple construction depends on when it was build and the fashion of the day. As a result, truly odd examples can be found scattered throughout the Empire.[1a]
Temples are almost always manned by a complement of initiates, priests, scribes, caretakers, and assistants. Temples in the most remote locations, however, may be maintained by but a single caretaker, and even then he might not be an actual priest of the cult.[1a]
Inside a temple can be found idols, statues, frescoes, paintings, and other items that venerate the patron God or Gods. The actual worth of these items depends on the wealth of the temple’s community, the generosity of its flock, and the circumstances of the times. Large temples in wealthy cities have been known to have to sell off precious relics simply in order to feed its clergymen and keep itself stocked in candles, while tiny temples in backwater villages could house priceless artefacts and do quite well for themselves.[1b]
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