Hidden Temple of Cuiraecen

[Osprey]

Does anyone know any official details on the HTC?

Does anyone have any ideas on why they are "hidden?"

Any other thoughts/ideas on the order? I'm curious, as I'm fleshing them out a bit in my campaign and thought I'd see what other folks have to say about them.

Osprey

[Solmyr]

Originally posted by Osprey@Aug 17 2004, 07:09 AM
Does anyone have any ideas on why they are "hidden?"

Probably because they operate in Thurazor and the Five Peaks?

[Osprey]

Probably because they operate in Thurazor and the Five Peaks?


Yes, but they also hold half the temples of Boeruine under the same name. Such a powerful temple organizartion needs some distinction and rationale, don't you think?

[Benjamin]

I always envisioned HTC as being a 'secret' militant order, something along the lines of the Masons. In civilized areas, people know they exist, and may even know a few people who are members, but no one outside the organization really knows what they do. They have a good PR group that makes sure the powers-that-be know they aren't a threat, but that's about it. Membership by invitation only.

In Thurazor and 5 Peaks, they take an even more secretive role, not only hiding their membership, but also their temples. This is clearly to stay alive, as they aren't wanted there.

Overall, they maintain a traditional knightly order honor code.

[Beruin]

Well, I remember reading, probably in the book of priestcraft, that the the HTC is by many simply considered an extension/manifestation of the warlike nature of Aeric Boeruine. This could imply that the Archduke controls the temple to a certain extent, similar to Avan and the WIT. The temple might then be hidden for two reasons:



First, the Archduke might use the temple to quietly counter the influence of his ally`s Talinie NIT temple in his lands, without angering the baroness.

Second he might want to use the temple to quietly increase his influence in the Five Peaks.



This is what I would deduce from the rule books.



IMC, however I disbanded the HTC as a independent temple. Instead, Fylie the Sword, head of the Militant Order of Cuiraecen secretly controls these holdings. This developed naturally out of my (currently still non-regent) campaign. I started with a heavily adapted Dungeon adventure, where the players, among them a priest of MOC, were asked by Fylie to investigate a ruined temple in the Five Peaks, in order to restore this temple. There they met, next to gnoll mercenaries, a number of hostile Moc priests sent there by Fylie`s inner rival Stiele Ghieste, head of the MOC holdings in Ghoere who had the same idea.

The characters prevailed and since then Fylie has secretly expanded her powerbase in the Five Peaks and Boeruine (where I reduced the holding lvels of the former HTC) to prepare for the up-coming confrontation with Stiele.



In an upcoming adventure (still in the planning stage - suggestions welcome), Stiele will make his bid for power, accusing Fylie of heresy and incompetence. A trial of high ranking members of the MOC will be held and the PCs, especially the priest and a paladin of Cuiraecen will be asked to defend Fylie. The details are still somewhat unclear to me, but they will have to sway the opinion of several members of the trial board, through diplomacy or downright intimidation or bribery, possibly try to uncover dirt on Stiele etc.

Depending on their success, several outcomes are possible. If they fail, Stiele will assume leadership of the order, if they are really successful, he will back down and leave the order intact. However, its more probable that Stiele will fail in his attempt for leadership but will then break off the Ghoere holdings from the MOC and form his own order.



If the PC priest has conducted this affair at least reasonable successful, a thankful Fylie will entrust him with leadership over a part of her secret holdings as a vassal. This will mark the transition from non-regent to regent game for the priest.

Now I only need a plot to catapult the paladin on the throne of Tuornen (she`s a younger sister to Laela Flaertess) and pit the mage against well, perhaps Caine, Rhuobhe, or the Eyeless one to establish her first sources...

This still leaves two PCs, a human thief and a dwarven berserker as non-regents. Well, we`ll see...

[Lysander]

Originally posted by Benjamin@Aug 18 2004, 07:11 AM
I always envisioned HTC as being a 'secret' militant order, something along the lines of the Masons. In civilized areas, people know they exist, and may even know a few people who are members, but no one outside the organization really knows what they do. They have a good PR group that makes sure the powers-that-be know they aren't a threat, but that's about it. Membership by invitation only.

In Thurazor and 5 Peaks, they take an even more secretive role, not only hiding their membership, but also their temples. This is clearly to stay alive, as they aren't wanted there.

Overall, they maintain a traditional knightly order honor code.
That's an intersting take on it; I'd never considered that kind of analogy. Might have to dig out the old books and try to give it a write up :)