Temple of Istar

The Great Temple was the center of the Lordcity of Istar. To the east of the temple was the Barigon Plaza. A hexagonal marble wall surrounded the temple. The temple was a great structure with 200-foot tall outer towers and a 600-foot tall central tower. The outer towers were connected to the central tower by twelve flying buttresses. Beneath the center tower was the grandest part of the temple, the basilica. The colossal basilica was made of frosted crystal that glowed with white light. Although the crystal would sometimes be different colors to mark certain events like blue when a Kingpriest died or crimson when new a Kingpriest was coroneted. The basilica held meditation rooms, shrines, banquet halls, and offices for the church. The center of the basilica was the Hall of Audience.

The Great temple had numerous buildings with silver roofs that held cloisters for the Revered Sons and Revered Daughters, and halls for the Silvanesti delegation and prior to the Cataclysm one for the wizard Fistandantilus. The buildings had large balconies and stained glass windows. Surrounding the buildings were numerous gardens.

The main entrance was on the east side of the temple and led to a large entrance hall. There was also a secret entrance into the temple that was created during its construction with the help of the Wizards of High Sorcery. In the Garden of Martyrs, one could pass through a wall that would place the person inside of the Imperial Manse. The Kingpriest and his closest circle only knew this entrance. It was used only in troubled times.

It is known that there was a choir there that only consisted of Elves for the purity of their voices.

History of the Great Temple[]

In 260 PC, Symeon I, the first Kingpriest, had the palace of the old Emperors of Istar tore down to build the Great Temple. The temple took thousands of workers and was not completed until 212 PC.

During the days leading up to the Cataclysm, Durro Jolithas was destroyed by tornados. When the Cataclysm did occur the temple was taken from Krynn and placed in the Abyss. The city sank to the bottom of the newly formed Blood Sea. Where the temple stood in the ruins was a large dark pit called plainly, The Pit. Even Sea Elves would not swim down the chilling waters of The Pit.

In 141 AC, Takhisis placed the Foundation Stone of the temple in the wilderness near Neraka. She then used the site as a portal so she could travel between the Abyss and Krynn. Berem and his sister Jasla found the foundation stone in 157 AC. Berem tried to take a green jewel on the foundation stone but in the process accidentally killed his sister. This caused Berem to become cursed and Jasla spirit then blocked Takhisis from using her portal. Also, a perverted temple formed around the foundation stone. It becomes known as the Temple of Darkness.

Locations of the Temple[]

Towers[]

The seven towers were each named after a God of Good. The outer towers were 200 feet tall and golden. At the tips were symbols of the god that the tower was named after. The seventh tower was the tallest at 600 feet tall and named after Paladine.

Other Names[]

The Great Temple has been called many names including Great Temple of the Kingpriest, Great Temple of Paladine, Temple of the Gods, and Temple of Istar.

Kender Tales[]

One of the sources said that the temple shattered during the Cataclysm and its pieces scattered across the planes of the universe.

References[]

The Annotated Dragonlance Legends, Time of the Twins, p. 217, 368
The Annotated Dragonlance Legends, War of the Twins, p. 435
The Atlas of the Dragonlance World, p. 67-71
Chosen of the Gods, p. 2
Dalamar the Dark, p. 13, 238
Dragonlance Campaign Setting, p. 203-204
The Dark Queen, p. 85
Divine Hammer, p. 49
Dragonlance Adventures, p. 87, 101
The Eve of the Maelstrom, p. 267
Dragonlance: Fifth Age, 'Book 2' p. 16-19
Legends of the Twins (Sourcebook), p. 50-51, 54
Sacred Fire, p. 15, 115, 232-233, 279
Tasslehoff's Map Pouch: Legends, Lordcity of Istar Map
War of the Lance (Sourcebook), p. 63-64