-The Temple of Jiraba-
Founding history: Many years ago, a rift in dimensions leaked a dark shadow into Terrera; this shadow installed itself into the unsuspecting human only remembered as The First Seer. The First Seer founded the guild to do the bidding of a strange God not of this world. There is a myth that the First Seer was alive during the Age of Creation but with another guild, and that when the wars became too much he sealed himself into his staff, which is now passed down to each new Seer. The Second Seer absorbed the blood of the First Seer when he first touched the staff.

Magic used by the guild: Shadow magic, their power stems from the fickle Gods of the other dimension

Species within the guild: Humans, Orcs and Dwarves

Governmental system: Dictatorship/Theocracy. The Seer is the supreme head of the Priesthood, who decide all guild actions.

Religion: Jirabyte (Those who follow Jiraba)
Gods: –
Jiraba, the God of Creation and Death
Kapthora, the God of Shadow Magic
Bæomoth, the God of War
Derotzka, the Lost God

Ethics: They follow the word of Jiraba to the letter and Jiraba is notoriously fickle. One day they could be allies with another guild, the next they are on their doorstep weapons bristling. They are not an evil guild per say, but they could be branded one.

-Members-
Leader-
Name: The Ninth Seer

Species: Human

History: Being a high-ranking Cardinal of the Temple, he was selected when the Eighth Seer died. He went through the initiation process of drinking the blood of the predecessor to obtain the powers of the strange shadow. His mastery of his guild’s magic is unparalleled throughout the guild.

Personality: The shadow drains all emotion from the host making them a harsh and merciless ruler, akin to a dictator. If one were to describe his personality, it would be cold and reprimanding, but little else could be said.

Equipment:
The Sacred Staff of the First Seer – Gives huge augmentation to all Shadow magic, however the soul of the First Seer is encased inside it and it can be rebellious and dangerous to the user at times. (The Fourth Seer died by the Staff striking him down mid-battle.)
Robes of Shadow – These robes distort the reality around the Seer, only the seven Temple Champions or those of pure heart will be able to see his true form. (They do not make him invisible, however, they merely mask his appearance.)

Champions-
The seven champions of the Temple are selected by the Seers themselves and will serve as a champion until they either die or lose faith. Seven is the holy number of Jiraba and therefore it is considered lucky to have seven champions.

Name: Aesaphos the Shadowknight

Species: Human (Assumed)

History: Very little is known about his past, what is known is shrouded in myth and legend. The facts of his history is that he has trained with a sword from the age of which he could hold a blade and that he is one hundred percent dedicated to the Temple.

Personality: A man of very few words. He, like his leader, is cold and merciless. He will enact his master’s will without question or hesitation with a burning loyalty rarely seen in evil.

Equipment:
The Hexed Zweihänder – This blade was blessed by the First Seer and has only ever been used by Aesaphos. This had led to speculation that he is either unable to die through ageing or is not of this world. The blade itself seems normal but it has been known to cleave through objects that even the strongest steel cannot.

Other info: Nobody has ever seen what Aesaphos looks like without his armour on. Many rumours surround his appearance and species.


Name: Warlord Kikoliath

Species: Human

History: Kikoliath used to be a warlord with his own guild. He was “persuaded” by Aesaphos to join under his guild and was dissolved into the Temple, along with all the land Kikoliath had taken.

Personality: Cruel and sadistic. Once he was bitter about being assimilated, but now he enjoys being sent to fight the guild’s enemies without having to worry about administration and running of the guild.

Equipment:
A serrated claidheamh mòr

Other info: He often uses his ornate warlord armour over the standard armour of the Temple. It sports decorative wings and many spikes.


Name: Tyrunga the Dark

Species: Human

History: Used to be a prevalent General in the mounted division of the Temple’s army, he was promoted for outstanding dedication to the Temple.

Personality: Cunning and devious, his sharp mind developed during his time as a General make him the major strategist for the guild. He is often deployed in battle to organise the forces into a malicious and devastating assault.

Equipment:
Long sword
NightMare: A mare bred especially for Tyrunga, she is the fastest horse available to the guild and is from a long line of fast female horses bred especially.

Other info: Tyrunga is also in charge of the stables and oversees the husbandry of the horses personally.


Name: Warchief Grugbaguk

Species: Orc

History: Once the leader of a separate smaller guild, he terrorised many villages with his small army. The Eighth Seer saw promise in him and asked him to be assimilated into the Temple, of which Grugbaguk agreed rapidly.

Personality: Dim, very dim. His language is limited and his brain has severe limits but his natural brawn surpasses any of the Humans or fellow Orcs in the guild.

Equipment:
A short sword and hand axe.


Name: Taskmistress Ivy

Species: Human

History: She comes from a long line of Slave Drivers working for the Temple; her family has overseen the workings of the Acolytes for many years (and delivered beatings where appropriate).

Personality: Sadistic but strangely cheerful, very proud of her heritage and not easily impressed. Has been known to derive fun from other’s suffering.

Equipment:
Cat o’ nine tails (Around six foot in length)


Name: Forgemaster Brundul

Species: Dwarf

History: Yet another minor guild that was dissolved into the Temple. Brundul was the Forgemaster and now he works making armour and weapons for the elite units of the Temple.

Personality: Grumpy and easily agitated. He enjoys a dozen tankards of ale in the morning, several dozen during the day and a few dozen in the evening.

Equipment: He does not often go to war, but when he does he takes a double-headed axe and a small metal buckler.


Name: Reena Blackheart

Species: Human

History: She is the daughter of Kikoliath and some argue she is twice as fierce and intelligent than her father.

Personality: Intelligent and elegant, but don’t let that fool you. She has a ferocious temper and voices her opinion openly.

Equipment:
Short sword and heater shield

Other info: Has rejected every man that has ever shown interest in her. They don't call her Blackheart for nothing.


Members of the Guild:

Non-Military
Acolytes: Personnel that do the hard labour of the guild. Construction, agricultural work, trade and other similar tasks are done by this majority group.

Zealots: The lower class of the Priesthood, they are the ones who preach to the masses. They occasionally go into war to bless the soldiers but not to fight.

Cardinals: The upper class of the Priesthood, they are the aristocracy of the Temple. They act as advisors to the Seer and enforcers of the Temple’s preaching.

Military

The standard plate armour of the Temple

Militia: Basic military unit. These can be soldiers using swords, spears or bows and make up the bulk of the Temple’s army.

Berserkers: Fanatical unit of the Temple. These warriors often go into battle with little more than chains and sharp objects. Their devotion to their faith gives them an immunity to pain that would cripple a normal man.

Knights: The Elite unit of the Temple, often clad in heavy armour and years of training under their belts. They can either be mounted or on foot.

Cultists: These are the major magic using unit of the Temple. Their mastery of magic is basic, and often backfires, but their numbers make up for it.

Stalkers: These are the scouting and reconnaissance units of the Temple. They use magic similar to that of the robes worn by the Seer. The key difference in their camouflage is that they can only be seen out of the corner of the beholder’s eye.

Watchers: They are the elite few bowmen who roam the dark forests and caves inside the Temple’s influence. They are the soldiers who make it unsafe to wander through the Temple’s land at night.


Defenders: These knights take defence to a whole new level. They act as living shields by taking large eight-foot tower shields into battle. They are often used to screen against large archery attacks or to provide mobile cover for their own archers.

The Svjodzen: These are members of the Priesthood who go to war. They are few in number but their mastery of Shadow magic is absolute. Their devotion to their faith protects them from the drawbacks of the fickle nature attributed to Shadow magic. They often take heavy armour into battle that is ornately decorated.


-Cities-
Capitol
Name: Durak-Mur

Information and layout: Durak-Mur is a huge fortress city and was built by the Acolytes of the First Seer around the Oracle. It now accommodates the majority of the guild and provides a secure stronghold to defend against would-be attackers.

Picture of the Oracle building:


Other cities of influence-
Name: Agram

Information and layout: This is the mountain city of the now Temple Dwarves, this is where Forgemaster Brundul spends most of his time, in the great forges deep down at volcanic levels.

Relative amount of members you the guild-
The last guild census showed there were 763,155 members in the guild.

-The Idol of Jiraba-

Appearance: Its appearance is unknown to all but the Seers as anyone who looks upon it without having the blood of the shadow inside them is obliterated. It is rumoured to be a large statue made from shadow itself in the true shape of Jiraba, it is also rumoured that the shadow that leaked through the dimensional rift is the one who carved it during the Age of Creation when the relics were being made. Its location is known to all however, as the capital city was built around it, it is situated in the centre of the Oracle building.

Powers: It provides a direct communication link to the Gods in the other realm, other than this it can do very little, however there is speculation among the Cardinals that it may be a sealed portal.