Temple of the Fallen Skies

[Paragon]

Towering high above in the peaks of the Astralar Mountains stands the Temple of the Fallen Skies. A palatial structure carved into and extending out from the rock surface it is a marvel of ancient architecture and what the Orkhan people were once capable of prior to the Sundering. While the main structure of the temple stands intact, there are several nearby spires that have crumbled. The remnants of their grandeur drift through the skies listlessly as a reminder of past glory.

Though the temple falls within the boundaries of Kalzasi’s sovereign territory, the city claims no lordship over it or the monks who live there. Furthermore, the Seven Great Houses of Kalzasi do not take kindly to any interfering with the autonomy of the temple. It is a well known fact that the monks at the Temple of the Fallen Skies are the only individuals that are known to be able to craft eberrite weaponry and armor. For this knowledge alone, it is in Kalzasi’s interest to ensure that the monks look upon the city favorably.

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Eberrite

Reflected in the glassy surface of the ebony blade, Rycen saw all the stars in the heavens. It was in that moment that he knew why it was called the Temple of the Fallen Skies.

Eberrite is a rare but invaluable mineral found only in the Astralar Mountains. Difficult to mine and even more difficult to work with, nevertheless, anything made from it is priceless. Possessed of highly magical properties, the mineral is what enables the stones and islands floating in the skies of the mountain range to do so. The crystalline black mineral has magnetic properties that when properly manipulated produce incredible results. Additionally, it is one of the few materials in all of Ransera that can have runeforged enchantments applied to it at any stage. While nearly all permanent enchantments produced by runeforging require that the magic be applied as part of the forging process, eberrite has no such restrictions.

The material is notoriously difficult to refine however and most efforts to do so result in failure. To date, there are only a handful of smiths in the world that are capable of creating anything usable from eberrite.

Note: Membership into the Monks of the Fallen Sky is not open at this time.

[Paragon]

NPC's

Liao Kang
Title: Grand Master of the Temple of the Fallen Skies
Race: Orkhan

Liao Kang is old as far as orcs go. Exactly how old is anyone’s guess. The orc has been a monk of the Temple of the Fallen Skies his whole life. From the time he was a boy and into present day as a venerable member of the monks. He is a man whose word carries the weight of great wisdom. The tattoo’s covering his skin tell the story of a warrior who has seen much strife and hardship but who has ultimately overcome it. He has served as the Grand Master of his order for well over three decades, making him one of the longest serving in the order’s history. Liao turns no one away from the doors of the temple, so long as one wishes no ill will toward his brethren monks. He will teach anyone with a heart and mind to listen. Many a brash and headstrong warrior and even battlemage have been swiftly humbled when faced with Liao’s skill and insight. He has been known to defeat the proudest of men and women with but a few words only to then spend years teaching them everything they’re willing to learn.

When first faced with the old monk, there’s little to distinguish him from the other elder monks in the temple. He comes across as an immensely patient and eternally balanced individual with an unshakable inner peace that spreads to those around him. He speaks when he has the need to and in the manner that is appropriate for the situation. His salt and pepper hair is shaggy with little in the way of style. He adorns himself in the simple homespun vestments of the monks of the temple. The only outward marker to identify him as the Grand Master of the Temple is the black staff that he carries most everywhere with him. Those who know of the mineral can easily identify it as a staff made of eberrite.

Nikuno
Title: Master of the Temple of the Fallen Skies
Race: Orkhan

Travelers who journey to the Temple of the Fallen Skies will often first be greeted by Master Nikuno. An elder of the temple, she is well respected and greatly admired for her skills and wisdom as a teacher. Her role in the temple essentially equates to Deputy-Grand Master with most of the other elder monks deferring to her judgement with regard to the daily duties of the temple. She is the second most skilled forger of eberrite materials in the temple, second only to the Grand Master himself. But while the Grand Master is the most skilled, Nikuno is the most visionary. Her finesse at the forge and her uncanny ability to mold the mineral are invaluable with her insights being a well documented and heavily guarded secret among the order.

Nikuno is a woman of average height for an orc with a solid build of lean muscle. She moves with the practiced ease of a disciplined acrobat. Most days she can be found teaching students, meditating or researching questions or mysteries brought before the monks. She clothes herself in the robes of a scholar monk. Her hair is a steel grey with dark brown eyes that keenly observe most everyone they settle upon.

Jinsu
Title: Monk of the Temple of the Fallen Skies
Race: Orkhan

A student monk of the temple, Jinsu show’s great promise. He is young and brash but he is eager to learn. That eagerness however, sometimes comes off as arrogance as well as a tendency to underestimate the challenges placed in front of him. He struggles to deal with the inner rage that consumes many Orkhan but is committed to finding the balance between passion, peace and power. Whenever the opportunity arises, he spends as much time in the city of Kalzasi or in the surrounding countryside as possible. His tasks as a student are many as he embarks upon the path of being a Monk of the Fallen Sky but that does not dissuade him.

Jinsu is a tall and broad shouldered young orc. He carries the lean but muscular build that is common to monks of the temple. His hair is typically tied back into a ponytail and his sharp green eyes are often filled with a humorous glint. He is an intelligent young man who tends to put that intelligence to some mischief from time to time.