location for 17+ level cleric of Tempus

[Olorin]

A follower of Tempus in my group's party was killed and they decided to spring for a True Resurrection for him. Does anyone know where in the Realms a major temple of Tempus could be found? The party is in the Cormyr area and the description of Suzail mentions a shrine for Tempus, but I'd really like to have them go to a major temple for such a powerful spell.

I can obviously place one wherever I need, but was just curious if a location was known to have a major temple to Tempus. Thanks!

 

[Renshai]

There is a major temple in Zhentil Keep. That could be an adventure unto itself

Ren

 

[Volaran]

Not sure about the cleric specifically, but there is a temple of Tempus is Battledale...I believe it is called the Abbey of Swords.

During the Time of Troubles, and an attempted invasion of the Dale by Zhent forces, an aging follower of Tempus called upon his god for aid...and it worked. I don't remember the details, but Tempus walked across the the field, ended the battle, scooped up his now dead cleric and wandered off.

Some time later, other followers of Tempus traced the god's path to where he first 'fell' to earth and built the Abbey of Swords. Apparently it is becoming a major site of worship. It is also noted that there are passages to the underdark and numerous portals below the structure.

 

[Dark Jezter]

Tempus is probably the most well-known deity in the Realms, due to the fact that wars and conflict can be found anywhere. Because of that, there's bound to be a cleric of Tempus somewhere who is capable of casting True Resurrection. If I were to guess any specific location where he'd be at, I'd say probably the Abbey of the Sword in Battledale.

Tempus also has many friends, and a powerful cleric of a friendly church might be willing to resurrect the character. Tempus' friends include Red Knight, Nobanion, Gond, and Valkur.

 

[Piratecat]

Where is he or she? Adventuring.

Holy cow, there's a fantastic adventure in this.

Imagine: the group questions a wise man, a local cleric, and he replies "Ye'll be wanting Saint Seldin. He's not really a saint, mind ye, but he acts like it - and he's certainly the closest cleric to these parts who can perform such miracles." He directs the PCs to where he believes Seldin was headed with his entourage on a holy pilgrimage, a mountain tower named Kailor.

So, the PCs mount up and ride up to Kailor Tower. On the way, they have almost no encounters, other than seeing spot of completely dead grass and vegetation, and the signs of fighting.

They ride directly into the tower, unmolested, and a battered Seldin rushes up and asks "Where is it?" Turns out that devils/shadow creatures/whatever have the tower surrounded and cut off from transportation spells. They have demanded a captured item (a saint's fingerbone, or whatever) in exchange for Seldin's life. The cleric, secretly a bit of a coward, agreed and used sending to ask a temple to send the item. The shadow creatures allowed the PCs to pass because they thought that they help the item....

But they didn't.

Now the PCs have to sit through the inevitable siege, keeping themselves alive. Desperate, Seldin offers to true resurrect their friend when all this is over, if they (a) help in the fight, and (b) don't tell anyone that he is secretly terrified.

Maybe he falls in the fight, and the PCs escape. Maybe the group wins, and Seldin redeems himself with the help of the party bard - or maybe they win and he spends half the fight curled up in terror. If the PCs make it out alive and with their friend restored, they'll hold a powerful secret.

 

[Olorin]

Great ideas Piratecat... unfortunately I don't want to make the player of the dead character sit out during the entire next adventure.

The Abbey of Swords is perfect... I was looking for something exactly like that, a well known bastion of Tempus. Most likely I will have a cleric (the current head of the temple) at the Abbey bring back the character, letting the party know Tempus forewarned him they were coming. In return he will Geas the group to enter one of the portals below the Abbey in search of the demon that killed the founder of the temple, Eldan Ambrose.

Thanks for the info and the ideas!!

 

[iwatt]

I play a Cleric of the Foehammre myself. There really aren't that many straight clerics of Lev 17. If you go buy 2e material, the high priest of the Hall of Heroes (Waterdeep) is about Level 12 (you could bring him up in levels if you want). The true big clerics of Tempus are found in the Vilhon Reach, in Sespech I believe. The General-Soemthing (don't have my 2e books handy) was a cleric 17.
The Priest-General of the Abbey of the Swords is Gorym "Brightshield" Harndrekker, who is Ftr2/Cl9/Div Disciple1. Thta makes him a 10th level caster.

So by the book, you should only find a high level Tempuran Cleric in Ompetarr (Sespech). A strong csae could be made for The Waterdhavian (with the world reknowned temple there) to have a pure cleric of high enough level.

Other alternatives are:
- Luskan (big followers of Tempus there)
- A shaman-like cleric of Tempus in one of the Utgardt tribes that worship Tempus directly. This could be handles the same way in The Ride for example.

Personally, I'd have them track down the Legendary Battleguard XXX-YYY, who's said to roam the WWWW-ZZZZ lands, fighting his lonely battle against hordes of BBBB-AAAA.

Fill in the blanks appropriately.

By the way, although suboptimal, Tempuran Clerics usually multiclass as fighters or barbarians. It's a style thing. Besides, you can't have divine power on all the time.

 

[Volaran]

I'd thought of mentioning the current high priest's levels, but figured that it is easier to come up with a cleric, than with a major holy site.

That said, if Olorin wants to still use the "official" version of the high priest, there surely isn't anything wrong with having a major temple count one scroll of true ressurection among its holy relics, particularly given the ambient magic level of the realms. Heck, one could have even greeted Gorym upon waking from the vision Tempus sent him.

As an aside, I rather liked the rival high priests of Tempus from the Vilhon Reach book. Different temples supporting both sides of a traditional martial rivalry seems very much in keeping with Tempus' philosophy. I think I'll reread that book one of these days...

 

[dargoth3]

The Abbey of the Sword is Detailed in Faithes and Pantheons

As for raising the Character

I suggest one of the Following

1) An Avatar of Tempus appears and offers to raise the character on the condition that the party tracks down the Demon that slew the Former High priest of the Abbey of the Sword

2) The Leaves of Learning Temple of Oghma in Highmoon has a scroll with a true Ressurrection spell which the Learned Father is willing to use if the party are willing to carry out one of the following quests

a) Recover a book of knowledge and return it to a Temple dedicated to Oghma

b) Escort a consignment of Books rare books from DeepingDale to Candlekeep on the Sword Coast. The party will be attacked by the ussual bandits, Cyricists (From Darkhold) and maybe even one of the Dragons from Wyrms of the North who wishes to add these precious books to its horde.

c) Recover the Skull of Alaundo, it was last seen in Llorbauth near the Deepwing Mountains and may have found its way to the Mind Flayer city of Oryndoll.

As the church of Oghma isnt known for its Muscle its willing to hire the party to do th job and pay in advance (ie the PC will be ressurrected) However the PCs must allow a Geas spell to be cast on them. If the PCs abandon the quest or betray the Oghma then the PCs will suffer Oghmas curse.

Oghmas curse: Anyone afflicted with this curse has surely angered the God of Knowledge greatly. For those who suffer are forgotten by all who knew them, If the PCs own land then the Deeds will disappear in affect all knowledge of the PCs will be lost to such an extent that the PCs own family will not recognise them

 

[iwatt]

Ah, I just remembered something else. Tempus usually defends Sune (Godess of love and beauty). Supposedly that's what he was doing during the Times of Troubles. His clerics are supposedly charged with defending Sunite temples from attacks from those who think a "soft" god can't (I don't understand why, those sunites can charm up any attacking troops). The sunites don't appreciate all the bloodshed, but they don't mind the deterrent . You colud also use something like this.