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Westgate Temple
Falcons in Coeur d'Ennui
The fact that the Westgate Temple is the center of Falcon power is perhaps the worst kept secret in the city. The Falcons maintain what minimal charades are necessary to ensure that they can plausibly deny Westgate's true nature, but in reality their position in the city is protected by their political power, not their meager attempts at subterfuge.While the followers of Falco Aerandeius may often appear to be preening and self-indulgent, the temple leadership is keenly aware that the future of the faith depends upon their ability to maintain strong political and economic ties with the Coeur's elite. The temple's membership structure is therefore more flexible than the perfectionist doctrines of the church would imply. While on paper a member's position within the church is determined by a complex and almost caste-like hierarchy, members have no illusions about the fact that where advancement and prestige are concerned, coin and political clout often serve as convenient proxies for the standards of beauty and perfection that guide the church in principle.
As a result, a surprising number of citizens can claim some connection to Westgate. The church is willing to allow the occasional middling merchant to boast about his connections to Falcon leaders so long as his donations remain steady. Falcon favor can be quite fickle, however, as many down-on-their-luck would-be faithful have found out when they are turned away at the temple doors. This socially ruthless code allows the temple to focus its efforts on maintaining its position as the only "socially acceptable" form of worship for an "evil" deity. The Falcons are well connected, and few suspect the extent to which its services are offered to and accepted by the city government and goodly temples -- always for a price, of course.
The politics of Westgate's leadership are almost as complex as its membership structure. While the faith is ostensibly led by an elected Council of five members, in reality these members must constantly court the favor of the Temple's most powerful patrons. In Falcon elections, the significance of one's vote is determined by one's contributions to the temple, so the true measure of the power of a Falcon is often the measure of his or her economic and political might outside Westgate's walls.
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