…Better Have My Money (Parities of Hyraeatan – Temple of Coin)

Today we are continuing previewing the content of our upcoming release of Hyraeatan, City in Shadow. The demiplanar metropolis is ruled by a Council comprised of fourteen rival factions known as the Parities. The Parities espouse the titular balance of Light and Dark as such the claims seven of each. The “Pay for Pray” antics of the Temple of Coin begin with one of the oldest betrayals in Hyraeatan….

Parity: Dark

Nicknames: Greeds, Hawklores, Payprays, Sellsouls

Beliefs: Upon preparation for his Ascension, the Immortal Vampire Aphos approached his daughter and heir, Rysia. Born both of his flesh and turned to vampirism by his own dark blood, Rysia was everything he intended to succeed in the physical realm. She on the other hand had other ideas… And upon the departure of her gloried father, began to sell the secrets of vampiric eternity to the highest bidder.

Rysia’s authorities as an original childer of the Ascendant Hunger, was allowed to pursue siring vampires as she would. The Sanguine Sovereignty did what they could to limit her influence and in time only she and those she swayed away from Aphos’ faithful could turn new vampires within the City. But by then Rysia and her followers had already begun to diversify. This initial pattern of behavior became the sacred charge of her new order: Discover ancient secrets, study them to the point of mastery and sell them to those who desired them, assuming they could afford it.

Demonic investure, undeath, and a dozen forms of eldritch empowerment became the ply and trade of the now named Temple of Coin, the dogma having drawn priests of Greed and merchant gods from a multitude of faiths throughout the planes. Slowly distancing themselves from the Sovereignty, the Temple shortly became a second pillar of strength in the Dark.

Primary Facilities: The Tower of Coin is perhaps the most staggering beautiful place in Hyraeatan, a masterwork of the Temple’s trademark glowglass with towering scenes of Rysia’s fair and magnanimous beauty stretch its length. Other masterpiece depictions such as Kelliel’s “River of Want” and Defame’s “Folly of Blood” flank more transitory panels before they are installed else where in Hyraeatan. Beyond the Tower of Coin, the Tradetemples serve as a a banking system to the City in Shadow. The Temple of Coin also oversees the merchant guilds of the city and the maintenance of glowglass walkways.

Allied and Enemy Parities: Among the Parities of Light, the House of Heights has often allied itself the Temple to gain access to reagents for potential Rites of Ascension and the not insignificant amount of profit they make by lending capital to the needy of Hyraeatan. The Temple has been at odds with the Eternal Dawning since its arrival in the City who view the Temple as a corruptive influence. In the Dark Parities, the ancestral rivalry of the Sanguine Sovereignty and Rysia’s followers is still alive and well. While the Icegrave and Bookbinders both find the resources and support of the Temple is too advantageous to offend.

Desired Membership: Recruits to the Temple of Coin are first and foremost persuaders. Charmers, Con-Men, and merchants of great skill. A small, more morally-fluid group marks their second drive in recruiting efforts, that of acquisitions agents. Explorers, tomb-raiders, and other “colorful” agents comprise this active field group. The Temple also recruits scholars and priests of mercantile deities in their efforts to corner lore exclusive enough to market.

Rewards: Accounts and advantageous financial services are a major drive to members in addition to the supply of glowglass (luminous enchanted stained-glass) for races needing light to live by. Access to the Temples dark lore is of course sold to members first and foremost and those seeking arcane or necromantic transformation

Denials: The Temple of Coin discourages generosity for its own sake. Free goods and service must be extended for the purpose of future gain and membership found to be “guilty” of blatant altruism are often called to explain their behaviors to Temple superiors and may be assessed heavy fines to encourage their future profit-minded perspectives.

More info on Hyraeatan can be found in the Mythic Paths of the Lost Spheres appendix and the upcoming Book of Beyond WIP. Hyraeatan, City in Shadow will be available later this year. For our other products visit: d20pfsrd.com, drivethruRPG, paizo and RPGNow.

OGL Note: None of this entry is considered Open Content.