High Chapter House of the Blessed Tarron

Situated in the southeastern portion of Stenbalan, the High Chapter House would be an impressive building in any other city, but next to the grandeur of the cathedral it may often be overlooked. Despite this, the monks of the Chapter heal those who come to them in need. Payment is not required; the monks merely ask that those with the means to give charity in support of their holy calling. Under the guidance of their Tenets of Liberality, Fellowship, and Temperance, the monks of the order have given aid to any and all for nearly 750 years.

Purpose / Function

In keeping with their doctrine as laid out in The Teachings of the Blessed Tarron the Altruist, the High Chapter House was founded primarily to improve the wellbeing of the common people.  Although many Chapter Houses accomplish by organizing and operating schools, libraries, and other charities, the High Chapter House was founded to be a hospital and center for healing.  By establishing a central Chapter dedicated solely to medical treatment, the council of Prelates hoped to advance medical understanding throughout the kingdom and beyond.  In this respect, great advancements have been made including identifying factors which can lead to sepsis, methods to mitigate the risk, as well as measures to prevent outbreaks of infectious disease among patients.  

The secondary purpose of the High Chapter House was to facilitate communication between otherwise isolated Chapter Houses scattered over the continent.  With their Hall of Sending Stones, borrowing the concept from Mattathian Orders, the High Chapter House is able to communicate directly with other Chapters and disseminate large amounts of information rapidly.

Architecture

Unlike many surrounding buildings, the Chapter House is built simply but on a grand scale.  Whitewashed cut stone forms the lower floors and foundation, with similarly treated upper stories of timber.  The interior is also whitewashed to highlight areas of uncleanliness. Although many walls feature only windows or lighting, others feature tapestries of significance to the order or other works of art gifted to the Chapter over the centuries.

The east wing houses the handful of operating theaters  and the apothecarial quarters on the ground floor, with patient rooms on the upper floors.  The ground floor of the west wing features administrative offices and houses the monks of the Chapter House when they are on duty. Its upper floors have more patient rooms. Patients with sicknesses which the brothers and sisters of the order believe may be contagious are housed on the top floor.  

Although the hospital building is typically referred to simply as 'The Chapter House,' the Chapter operates several buildings in the vicinity.  Aside from the hospital the monks live in a dormitory on a nearby side street, eat in the refectory and provide such food as they can to local paupers.  The library houses a great wealth of applicable knowledge, accumulated over hundreds of years.

History

Although the Blessed Tarron of Malonar never made her way to Stenbalan, the monks of the order elected to construct a Chapter House of grand proportions in the holy city at a meeting of Prelates in 226 by the Gantrian Reckoning.  Stenbalan was selected both for its central location on the continent and for the existing civic and religious infrastructure.

Founding Date

233 GR