The Old Fort

"Come, return and ease yourself of burdens. Let us know what you need, and we will accommodate. From broken skies, to vapid seas, your worries do not exist here."

-Greeting from the Servants of the Chantry

A Moment Before

They told me out front that this place would ease my worry. Lead to a vacant room, steamy pool placid and serene. A silent command shifted the soft music to gentle strumming of chimes, I hadn't even asked. I wondered how they knew? They asked if I was frustrated, they'd send someone to relieve me of it if I so wanted. Refusing, wanting to sit in one of those of so temping cushions.
With happy smiles, they left me to my own devices. My head hit that cushion faster than I thought possible, practically melting into it. I didn't realize I had been holding onto the tension in my shoulders this entire time, relaxing as I lied there. It was charmingly quiet, those chimes echoing sweetly in the distance. The Musician absent from my sight, but I paid it no mind.
Sitting up, an array of different foods set up on tables I hadn't noticed. Picking my way through them, enjoying the fact that the break cruched deliciously beneith my finger tips. A glorious sound that made my mouth water. Bringing it with me while I stripped, not bothering to keep my clothes in any semblence of a pile. Slipping into the warm waters was like being reborn yet again.
The tense muscles in my arms and legs easing away, the water slowly eddying around my body. Hair fanning out in a soft cloud, gently wrapping itself about. For the price they told us all, this could become a frequent stop. It had been a while since I had been able to just sit back and enjoy a moment. But this, this was something more. They called it a chantry, but there was no discussion of it beyond telling them out front that maybe I'd be interested.
I wonder why they called it that, but my mind quickly moved on. I didn't remember falling asleep, but was woken by one of the Priestess' gentle pulling me from the water. "Well aren't you a pretty thing to wake up to." I was warm, as she sat me in one of the chairs. Wrapping me soft robe, handing me a pitcher filled with clean water.
She smiled sweetly, making the same offer as they all did. I still turned her down, asking only if she would be willing to sit and chat with me for while. So she did, topics moving from point to point, more knowledgble than I was on many of subjects. Never having felt like was trying to one-up me, only companiable sentiment etched into the air.
I could have stayed for so much longer, like a cup of hot tea held between hands. I'd have to return...

Purpose / Function

While the Chantry is conneted to The Aquaregia in many aspects, sharing the same hotspring fed lake that sheds its tears onto the city of Zelthuma, sharing many of the wings of the same building. The Chantry is a much different place than the collosal bathhouse favored by Azu the Beautiful. The Goddess of Beauty and Love, known to make infrequent but often personally pertinent visits to specific individals.
The Chantry offers sanctuary, a true safe haven, a ceasing of worry. To cleanse the hardships of the mortal coil that haunt the mind. Visitors are often welcomed but never stay long, the mind has an odd way of dealing with this place. An ecstasy laced wind, a harmonious tune to synchronise the mind. Many can only tolerate it for so long before a deep set need to leave enters their soul.

Architecture

Prodominatly made of hundreds of columns made from the surrounding rock, it was originally a vast cavern under the Northern Mountains, until the Gnomes found it. Carving the immense crystaline structures of amythist and onxy into lavish rooms that echo sound so that one has a moments delay to hear the sound again.
Many of the rooms are vast basins carved of this same material, slowly replenishing with fresh warm mineral rich waters from the lake above the city. Each room is funished with soft carpets, plush pillows and comfortable chairs. Lounge music is often is the main accutiment as visitors are tended to by the Chantry.

Alternative Names

The Greater House

Type

Bathhouse

Parent Location

Zelthuma

Owner

Salandrahth

Owning Organization

The Sightless

Show spoiler

Cozy, yet be cautious. Much of the world around is not what it appears. Enjoy yourself, but be aware you only aid the raven and her feast.