Lore:Tribunal Temple

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The Tribunal Temple is the native religion of the Dunmer of Morrowind. They worship Almalexia, Sotha Sil, and Vivec, known together as the Tribunal or Almsivi. Most people usually just call it "the Temple". They accept outlanders as members, but most of the few outlanders that do join, join only for the services provided.

Contents 1 About the Temple 2 Temple Structures 3 Post Dagoth Ur 4 See Also

The main Temple cities on mainland Morrowind are Almalexia, Sotha Sil and the Necropolis Necrom. On Vvardenfell, the Temple District included the city of Vivec, the fortress of Ghostgate, and all sacred and profane sites (including those Blighted areas inside the Ghostfence) and all unsettled and wilderness areas. In practice, this district included all parts of Vvardenfell not claimed for Redoran, Hlaalu, or Telvanni Districts. The Temple stubbornly fought all development in their district, and were largely successful.

The Temple maintains less than favorable relations with most of the other guilds of Morrowind, being allies only with the House Redoran and on friendly terms with House Hlaalu.

[edit] About the Temple

The Temple is an organization created for the worship of the Tribunal that is also known as the Almsivi. The three demigods Vivec, Almalexia and Sotha Sil joined their powers to set up the Ghostfence, a magical boundary around Red Mountain on the island of Vvardenfell, to contain the spread of the Blight plague. The history of the Tribunal goes back to The War of the First Council, after which the then mortal Almsivi exploited Kagrenac's Tools to make themselves gods.

Of the Great Houses of Morrowind, House Indoril is the one most deeply rooted in the Temple hierarchy, dominating both the priest caste as well as the Ordinators who serve as guardians of the Temple. House Redoran is one of the most pious houses; Redoran Buoyant Armigers serve together with Ordinators as guardians of the Ghostfence and the Tribunal Temples. House Hlaalu, being dominated by imperialised Dunmer, prays when it is convenient, maintaining the appearance of piety through lavishly-appointed structures. House Telvanni has little use for the Tribunal Temple, as the Magelords themselves are as ancient as the Almsivi, letting its temples become overrun with dust and squatter merchants. House Dres, being the most traditional of the Great Houses, supports the Temple when it is convenient for their slave trade.

[edit] Temple Structures

Tribunal Temples are scattered all around Vvardenfell and most serve as return points for Almsivi Intervention spells. While many of the temples in outlying areas are freestanding structures built of packed mud in the Redoran style, it is not uncommon to see them adapted blend in with local styles, be that built on top of Vivec's cantons, or even integrated into Telvanni mushroom structures.

There are two Fanes on Vvardenfell: the High Fane on Vivec's Temple Canton, which houses the offices of the Archcanon and Temple administration, and the fortress-city of Ghostgate. The latter is the larger of the two structures with a wizard's tower forming each wing, but both feature an elevated central platform which holds an offering pit and one of each type of shrine.

[edit] Post Dagoth Ur

After Dagoth Ur's defeat and demise at the hands of the Nerevarine the temple enters a period of reorganization. As Vivec informs the Nerevarine upon return to Vivec city, the Tribunal "may be honoured no longer as gods, but as saints and heroes". Vivec believes that the Temple will return to the original Dunmer faith -- "the worship of our ancestors and the three good daedra, Azura, Mephala and Boethiah".

[edit] See Also

• For more information, see the Morrowind Tribunal Temple article.