Ardentwyd

Nestled at the edge of the forest in the Eastern Bluffs, the holy town of Ardentwyd stands as a radiant bastion of faith. The town is surrounded by dense, bountiful woods to the east and sprawling hills and plains to the west. A river running through the settlement separates the cathedral from the rest of the town and carries with it fresh water. The town acts as the heart and headquarters of The Order of The Golden God.

Founded in 83 AC by The Order, Ardentwyd began as a collection of huts surrounding a crumbling cathedral. Eventually The Order had grown from a group of families with shared beliefs to a religious organization, and soon the hamlet grew into a town. In 114 AC after a tragedy in The Order, Ardentwyd closed its doors to outsiders. It remained this way for nearly a century until 209 AC, when The Order started becoming less secular once more. Still expanding to this day, the town has become large enough to support its ever growing population of knights and priests eager to spread their religion.

Locations

Ardent Cathedral-

The town’s titular building, the Ardent Cathedral serves as The Order’s center of worship. In the early days of Ardentwyd the cathedral was little more than a decrepit ruin, but after more than two centuries it has become an opulent symbol of dedication and faith to The Golden and Patrons. Upon entering one is presented with a whitewashed interior and a long carpet leading past 24 gilded statues on podiums to the left and right. In front of each statue is a small platform to kneel in prayer to the Patron. At the end of the cathedral is a large golden statue, faceless and with arms spread wide, surrounded by 3 more statues of Patrons.

Vice and Virtue-

One of the largest buildings in Ardentwyd, Vice and Virtue is the town’s single tavern where most Ardent-Kin spend their precious free time when not training or sent out on missions. The L-shaped building serves as a place where members of The Order can drink and be merry or sate their hunger and unwind. There seems to be an unspoken rule within the tavern that the loud and rowdy younger Ardent-Kin stick to the bottom floor while the older and more refined members enjoy the relative peace of the upper floor.

Gilt-Hoof Stables-

The stables where knights and priests of The Order keep their horses. Most of the horses in Ardentwyd are communal, given to those whose missions are most important or when time is of the essence, but the stables also have space for those few who are able to procure a horse for themselves (given that they pay, of course). Aside from holding and caring for the horses, they will also be fitted with basic armor, saddles, and the iconic gilded horseshoes while here.

Everflame Forge-

Ardentwyd’s only forge. It produces and repairs most of the armor and weapons used by the Ardent-Kin, as well as the often overlooked mundane materials such as nails and buckles. The forge fell into disuse after years of isolation reduced the need for tools and repairs, only being fired up for the occasional hinge or bucket. Once The Order had need of its services once again, they found themselves with a lack of knowledge on how to operate it. That is, until Ustrin Calide joined the order in 304 AC. Now the coals of the forge glow red-hot day and night to keep up with The Order’s demands, earning it the moniker Everflame.

School of The Sages-

Located near the Ardent Cathedral, the School of The Sages is where young Ardent-Kin receive their basic lessons growing up. Once they reach the point in their schooling where they must choose between the Clergy and Knighthood, the classes are separated and the students begin learning their specific path’s lessons (which to most outsiders seem nearly identical). Teaching in Ardentwyd is carried out by specific members from both the High Clergy and High Knighthood.

Miscellaneous

The statues in the Ardent Cathedral are in the following order, one on the left and one on the right: Cimese and Imser, The Fallen Patrons. Citah and Irtan, The Wounded and The Caretaker. Igthlor and Osgartur, The Despairs. Aneves and Mosak, The Nighttime Lovers. Sulest and Wysore, The Celestials. Muostas and Marili, The Waterborn. Angtas and Bathdra, The Producers. Keutan and Perad, The Siblings of Invention. Ranim and Trizgar, The Twins. Rakar and Moroth, The Warmongers. Kelgarath and Nysem, The Brothers of Truth and Lies. Angrod and Jitur, The Sages. Surrounding the statue of The Golden God are Issias, Nilata, and Cheon, The Peacekeepers.

A few other less notable locations in Ardentwyd include the training grounds, the traveler’s hut, and the postal building. The training grounds are where Ardent-Kin can be found regularly practicing their martial skills and spells. The traveler’s hut is a small building on the outskirts where the rare visitor is allowed to stay for up to a few days. The house has little in the ways of comfort. The postal building is where all incoming and outgoing mail is sent as well as where travelers must go to request access to the town.

Even though they have statues in the Ardent Cathedral, some Patrons also have small, simple shrines at certain places around the town, such as a shrine to Marili near the river, shrines to Angrod and Jitur near the school, shrines to Bathdra and Issias near the forest, and shrines to Rakar and Nilata near the training grounds.

Article Credit to Mizfortune