D&D 5E What's in a temple?

[Eltab]

A meditation room (or suite) dedicated to the god's Cold aspect: room temp near freezing; a lantern that looks like a snowglobe or an icicle; a mural showing a snow fox pouncing on a white rabbit; a mosaic showing a herd of caribou dodging yeti using snow leopards as hunting hounds; overall tundra or mountaintop motif for art-y room decorations.

Edit (because looking through the DMG): A 'treetrunk' is actually a column with a coating of Brown Mold; making that room so cold.

 

[Tonguez]

 

[Omand]

Something else for you to consider is non-clerical staff. In the real world ancient temples usually had many more staff/retainers that were of the lay variety (non-ordained/non-priestly rank) than of the clergy. In many cases these would be day staff, but in a location that is not very often visited by the public it is more likely that these would be live-in along with the clergy.

Consider having:

Door Wardens (think basic level guards or very fancy ushers)
Kitchen Staff
Cleaners/Drudges (big temples need lots of cleaning/dusting/removal of waste)
Grooms/Stablehands
Guards/Elite Guards

Cheers

 

[TarionzCousin]

I love Raging Swan's stuff--and of course they have a temple. Alternate Dungeons: Abandoned Temple - Raging Swan Press | GM's Resources | Pathfinder | Dungeon Dressing | Alternate Dungeons | DriveThruRPG.com

Also this: Urban Dressing: Temples - Raging Swan Press | GM's Resources | Pathfinder | Urban Dressing | DriveThruRPG.com

Note: Both of these are for Pathfinder.

 

[sandmann]

Or broom closets.

Those are outside for easy parking.lol

 

[sandmann]

Or broom closets.

Placed outside for easy parking... lol

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Ah, necro thread. How fitting.

But for folks thinking on this idea: Do the priests live there, or merely work there?

If the latter, you'll want hidden side entrances so the priests can simply appear, as though from nowhere. If the former, you'll need all the stuff to keep them alive. Assuming they aren't undead, I suppose.

 

[Distracted DM]

So iirc the classical difference between a temple and a church, is that temples serve multiple functions outside of gathering for worship. So there are probably priest and acolyte quarters.

 

[Stormonu]

You still need a giant freakin' statue to the deity. Gods need worship. They are vain and jealous. A colossal statue shows devotion.

A fun depiction of this is in the 1981 "Clash of the Titans", where Cassiopeia declared Andromeda to be more beautiful than Thetis (and a better actress than Dame Maggie Smith herself!) in Thetis' temple.

I mean, it's pretty iconic.

 

[el-remmen]

I love this thread. I want to build this place for my own game and incorporate like 90% of the ideas. Thanks.