Since I (used to) play there, I had someone ask Greg where in Heortland. The reply was "in Nochet".
>the temple of black
>Arkat is the same as the cult except it is for humans. So what does anybody
>think, do you have to be a darkness worshipper, a Malkion worshipper or what ?
>does anyone have any ideas?
Plenty. First off: in Esrolia it is fairly easy to be a human and a darkness worshipper, since Argan Argar is a recognized husband of Esrola/Ernalda, and for a long time he was the senior, ruling one, too. Then there are a couple of darkness-worshipping Orlanthi tribes around Shadow Plateau, most extreme are the Kitori, but there are others who do so to a lesser extent. The Torkani (now of northeastern Sartar) came from there, and IMO the Colymar came from the Haunted Lands (the flats north of Shadow Plateau) as well (which explains why they are said to have come both from Esrolia and from Heortland - those parts are claimed by both, and none). With their "Black Spear", I see a (possibly remote) Argan Argar connection...
So you can be a good Orlanthi or Esrolite male and worship a darkness deity of sorts. This makes you eligible for Black Arkat.
I don't really think that joining Black Arkat makes you a Malkioni. IMO Black Arkat describes the stage of Arkat in which he turned to Zorak Zoran and devastated southern Peloria. (I have a theory that the Arkat cults left behind by the hero somehow remained at the stage of his development when he visited there. Thus Ralios gets fully enlightened Stygianism since that's where Arkat went after Dorastor, while Newcoast and Heortland get the Humaktsson of Orlanthi culture. Seshnela got the crusading knight, as did western Ralios, though the latter was revisited. Arolanit may have gotten the Horali champion, but then I doubt that Arkat's conduct in the Brithini army was in a way to be encouraged by the Talars.)
Back to the question: To join Black Arkat, you need to worship a darkness deity. (Argan Argar just does nicely...) You must be willing to use sorcery - - not that big a step if you come from urban Kethaela, where the guilds have their own secret trade magics similar to both spirit magic and what the wizards do.
If you already are a Stygian Malkioni (i.e. from one of the Ralian sects who think that Arkat was right after all - he blocked Kartolin Pass, and all the evil which came from the north, he killed Gbaji, and his quest through darkness was necessary to understand all about life and death - most prominent in Naskorion), there is little point in joining Black Arkat unless you want to get in contact with trolls. You'd probably qualify for membership, but you get what there is to be had from your own religion already.
If you are an Orlanthi looking for dark magics (e.g. to destroy a foe), Black Arkat could be the cult of your choice. However, in this case I'd almost advocate that the candidate should join Zorak Zoran rather than Argan Argar to meet the darkness requirement.
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