The Orchid Obelisk (ten-ON-go)

Purpose / Function

Though few people travel to Tenango for tourism's sake, everyone knows of the small hamlet on the eastern end of the Meridian Road. There, rising above the hamlet in a towering, graceful spire, the Tenango Obelisk looks more like a flowery castle in the clouds than a normal building. Dating back pre-Dragon War, the Tower serves as the epicenter for the world's medical and healing research. Magical healing remedies are refined and healer's techniques are born and mastered. Those who dedicate their lives to the curing and healing of others apply for fellowship at the Tower, but only few master enough for the title Doctor. All Doctors are healers, but not all healers are Doctors. They offer emergency care and experimental treatments, sending doctors and nurses to areas where new disease or poison can be found, to work to solve the problem.
The philosophy of the Tower is one of practicality. They refuse to believe that magic is the only solution to problems. A spell can cure disease, to be sure, but not everyone has access or a talent in restorative arcanery, so more mundane solutions are required. Some of the alchemists of the Tower have created miracle cures and treatments for many diseases, but some are still in research and have been for decades, or even centuries. Giving up is never an option, and new blood is always brought in to give an outside perspective. No egos are welcome in the Tower, and the mission is only to serve the peoples of the world.
Several tenants define service at the Tower. The first is that All Life is Sacred. Those that attain the rank of Doctor work as diligently as possible to preserve life in every sentient creature. They take no part in politics nor make judgments of character. The first tenent weeds out the most aspirants with a single question, 'Would you save the life of a Dragon or Cultist if they came to you and asked for help?' Those that answer no are welcome to learn, but will never truly master the healing arts. They believe that once judgments start being made upon whose life is worth saving, they play at being gods, and the mission has failed.
The second tenent simply says that Healing is Given Freely. Economic reasons should not bar someone from the services of the Tower. Part of a Doctor's training is to go to various countries and continents to serve the people there, and they refuse all payment for services. It is not to say that they are destitute. Donations are made and accepted, and many, many people appreciate the work that they do, but no money, gifts, or favors are asked or required. More aspirants find themselves failing to become a Doctor, ask the allure of comfort, wealth, and favor lies strong in the hearts of mortals.
The third tenent states that Failure is Not an Option. No research is deemed complete until it is successful, peer reviewed, tested, and approved. There is always an answer to the problem. There is an honor in the brotherhood of those truly wishing to become a Doctor, and it requires someone to give up a research project, or at the very least, ask for help on a problem, if they cannot find the solution on their own. Those that are desperate to make a name for themselves, or become famous don't survive long, unless they learn how to cooperate and collaborate. Many realize that the challenge is the fun part, and deep bonds are created as different theories and problems are discussed in the branches. But nothing is ever put to the side for good, or forgotten. The impossible solutions are simply not found yet, and through research, learning, and study, one will be found eventually.
Those that survive and attain the rank of Doctor possess the qualities of skill, service, and humility, and are highly sought after for strange ailments. They often eagerly go into the field themselves, to see what they can do, or evaluate a new condition or test a new ingredient for a remedy. Many say that Doctors are really Chroniclers that specialize, but those with the title say, while kin, the two could not be more different. After all, Chroniclers record, and Doctors practice. They are required to return to the Tower at least once every five years, or lose their title, but many come back regularly to teach, to share all that they've learned, and to help improve practices. The title is but a word to most of the world, but to one that attains it, it is a fulfillment of purpose, a way to define themselves to the world and serve with honor.

Architecture

The Obelisk itself sweeps up in a thin, white marble cylinder, tapering toward the top, which holds a large open area balcony in the shape of an orchid flower, and a large domed structure in the middle. A spiral stair curves up around the outside of the tower, where long branch-like protrusions lead to more rooms that appear to be the same type of orchid, all carved from the purest white marble. These branches curl around and provide spaces for research rooms, treatment rooms, counseling rooms, housing, and the like. The inside of the tower holds very little, as if the building were made inside out. On the ground floor, a large reception hall and eating area resides, with another staircase that spirals up the immense open air  structure. Small ledges lead out to the branches, allowing passage to the various rooms.

History

Few structures remain intact as ancient, and certainly not as complete as the Obelisk. Many complain that it is obviously not an obelisk but the first Chronicler to document the tower adamantly refused to believe he was using an incorrect word, and the moniker stuck. Some scholars believe the tower was ancient even at the time of the Dragon War, and the whole of the area remained untouched and neutral ground by both sides, the place deemed sacrosanct. Since then, the strangeness and beauty attracted those seeking peace and comfort from a horrific world, and eventually became a place for the wounded to be taken. What little honor the Dragons possessed prevented them from destroying the area, and some stories include a dragon with scales of gold that protected it, as her final promise to the people of the world. Since then, the greatest healers and minds would pilgrimage to the Tower to learn and to share their experience. It started as tradition and soon became a place of renown and schooling.

Alternative Names

Tenango Medical Center, Tenango Tower, The Tower

Type

Tower