Achtep Keep

Achtep Keep was the captial fortress belonging to the Order of the Ebon Hand, located in the Western Marshes. It was the center of their operations, the seat of the priesthood to Tourach, and the site of thrull breeding and torture chambers.
==History==
The <c>Order of the Ebon Hand</c> and their Citadel were both founded by Tourach, also known as the Dark Judge, the Ebon Hand, or the <c>Ebon Praetor</c>. He was the primary deity of the Order religion, which has odd parallels with that of the Order of Leitbur.<c>Order of the Ebon Hand</c> The primary rite of the Ebon Hand was through sacrifice. Most of its rituals involved some form of it. Most Order neophytes would cut off a hand at the wrist as an initiation rite, while sacrifice beyond the wrist was used as a penance rite. The Order was one of the few institutions where humans and non-humans alike were welcome.<c>Initiates of the Ebon Hand</c> Little is known about the Citadel save that it was located somewhere in the Western Swamps. Thurzen Klathe oversaw this site as the Lord High Priest of the Order of the Ebon Hand.(Fall 1994) Fallen Empires, from The Duelist, 8-11
In 170 AR, an agent of Genkr Nik captured Reod Dai and brought him to Achtep Keep. Genkr bid Reod reveal the secret of goblin bombs, which Reod agreed to in exchange for a few concessions, including thrull servants. Reod then hatched a plan to start a thrull rebellion. Although this partially backfired as some of the thrulls revealed Reod's treachery to the Ebon Hand, causing Genkr to put Reod through torture, the thrulls' rebellion did start, allowing Eliza to free Reod and bring him to the Crimson Peaks. On their way, they saw that the Ebon Hand outposts held only slain sentries, showing the quick extent of the thrull rebellion.Sonia Orin Lyris (1996) And Peace Shall Sleep. Harper Prism
Shortly after the rebellion had begun, Thurzen Klathe received a letter sent to Achtep Keep requesting the Hand's aid to the dwarf Sarya Haasendel, who had escaped the fall of Gurn Keep with a small force of dwarves, but were stranded with orcs and goblins all around. Seeing it as an opportunity for religious conversion of the dwarves, Thurzen sent the mercenary Ivra Jursdotter to the south. Whether he ultimately intended Jursdotter to join the orcs is unknown, but that is what she did, sealing the dwarves' doom.
The Ebon Hand did not last long beyond this point, and the thrull rebellion eventually overwhelmed them completely, leaving Achtep Keep in ruin.<c>Ebon Stronghold</c>
==Gallery==
Bottomless Vault.jpg|The keep's vault before its fall
==References==
Category:Sarpadian locations