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

[J-H]

I'm trying to make a map for a fairly large high temple for a deity of death/undeath, cold, and darkness.

The temple staff will be about 16 (high priest/5 seniors/15 acolytes) living priests, plus some fiends, plus a couple of dozen undead minions. The party's really supposed to be assaulting this with some allies, so yes, that's a lot of enemies, and I expect them to get chased out instead of succeeding. Anyway, it needs to be fairly large to accomodate this kind of density plausibly. It's not the kind of temple people "just visit" so there's not much of a public-facing side to it.

Here's what I have so far:
Enchanting room(s), maybe a small armory
Treasury
Blood storage? (heart-ripping sacrifices, accumulating power?)
Living Quarters
Scrying room
Administrative office
Ritual supplies storage
Teaching area/library
Central altar room
Ward control room?

 

[not-so-newguy]

A hallway of Sarcophagi of once-prominent followers who are now undead guardians.

 

[Stattick]

Orrery - mechanical model of the solar system, used to show relative positions and movement
Ossuary - place you store the bones of dead people

You need an:
Ossuary Orrery - mechanical model of the solar system, used to show relative positions and movements, made from the bones of dead people. Probably a giant's skull for the sun, with rays coming off of it made from long bones. Each planet made from smaller skulls, probably human/elf/dwarf. Moons made from the skulls of gnomes or whatnot. Constellations made from pixie skulls. How cool would it be to walk in there, not knowing what was in the next room, to see all these orbiting, spinning skulls?

 

[Tonguez]

Orrery - mechanical model of the solar system, used to show relative positions and movement
Ossuary - place you store the bones of dead people

You need an:
Ossuary Orrery - mechanical model of the solar system, used to show relative positions and movements, made from the bones of dead people. Probably a giant's skull for the sun, with rays coming off of it made from long bones. Each planet made from smaller skulls, probably human/elf/dwarf. Moons made from the skulls of gnomes or whatnot. Constellations made from pixie skulls. How cool would it be to walk in there, not knowing what was in the next room, to see all these orbiting, spinning skulls?

Even better if its used in Divination rituals to predict gruesome deaths - Id call it a Horrorscope

 

[tommybahama]

Mechanical/HVAC in an underground level: Bound steam mephits to heat bathing pools, an air elemental to provide ventilation, and an Otyugh to clean up sewage. This would also give your party an extra escape route.

 

[Flamestrike]

No one ever thinks of a toilet.

 

[embee]

I'm trying to make a map for a fairly large high temple for a deity of death/undeath, cold, and darkness.

The temple staff will be about 16 (high priest/5 seniors/15 acolytes) living priests, plus some fiends, plus a couple of dozen undead minions. The party's really supposed to be assaulting this with some allies, so yes, that's a lot of enemies, and I expect them to get chased out instead of succeeding. Anyway, it needs to be fairly large to accomodate this kind of density plausibly. It's not the kind of temple people "just visit" so there's not much of a public-facing side to it.

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.

 

[babi_gog]

Would also suggest:

• kitchens
• refectory
• mundane storage space
• bath house
• stables
• reception room to meet visitors in
• guest accommodation quarters
• community gathering space for the acolytes and seniors (separate spaces)
• holding area for undead minions

Would also suggest looking at the general 15th/16th century monastery and adapt from their.

 

[J-H]

You're right, I do need a giant statue.

Maybe I'll integrate it with the altar, which is going to be spamming a high-level necromantic spell at intruders.

 

[Umbran]

No one ever thinks of a toilet.

Or broom closets.