The Chapter of Excellence
Some may say that the Chapter of Excellence could hardly count as a monastery, more a society of egotistical, self-obsessed, narcissists who train in martial arts. The fact that they refuse to call themselves monks or reside within a monastery, instead a glorified mansion house should tell you everything. That being said, one should not underestimate their abilities. Members of the house are just as strong as an Eunsuri, Chūmon or Veiled Monk, the only difference in them is they value pride over honour, delights over discipline and image above all else. The Carthusian monks as they style themselves are viewed by others as rich gloats who lack any grounding in the world, though of course they would never say this to their faces. You can hurt their body, their mind and soul but there is one thing that you never do to a Carthusian, hurt their pride.
Structure
Only a selected few elites are welcomed into the Chapter due to the fact that this is the only monastery that requires payment to enter, it is said that several hundred gold coins must pass between hands before one is able to start their training. Which is as rigorous as it is expensive, the Carthusians pay for excellence and excellence is what they get. Only the very best Carthusians achieve the highest rankings within the Chapter, and rankings mean everything here.
Proselyte
The lowest ranking of the Chapter where they attend their initiation ceremony and beginning the training regimes and teachings to become a full Carthusian, they learn to embrace the ways of the Chapter. Some Proselytes take years to complete their training, for though they may have had the wealth to pay for it, that does not mean they are cut out for such brutal training. A lot of Proselytes drop out within the first years of training, sacrificing their wealth and pride in toe.
Peer
The Peers are the most plentiful of ranks within the Chapter, most Carthusians never ascend any further than here. They still benefit from all the wonderous delights the Chapter has to offer, but they will never know the true pleasures that can be attained by ascending further. Many Peers tend to travel the lands, going from town to city showing off their skills to the gawking masses, some fancy themselves as mercenaries, daring rogues or monster hunters in attempts to win over the love and adoration of commonfolk or to catch the eye of one who's station is far more beffiting for a Carthusian.
Prosper
For those few Peers that prove themselves to be more than showboaters or gloats and can actually live up to the ego they flaunt so liberally to every doting eye that looks their way, they are invited to join the upper circle of Prospers. Granting them wonderful rooms within the Chapters mansion, the chance to sit at the table in the great dining hall for banquets, commission fitted clothing from the Chapters tailours and all the other wonderful pleasures beffiting of their station. Though they may indulge a bit too much at times, the Prospers are exceptional fighters and any who bruise their ego learns that quickly.
Patrician
The highest and most elite of all the Carthusians are the Patricians, masters in their own right they stand on par with the greatest monks of the other orders. Powerful, callous and beyond all doubt the most narcissistic of all the Chapter, they take it upon themselves to train the Proselytes, which depending on the Patrician could end up being brutally sadisitic and unnecessarily difficult. Just to sate their twisted and fragile ego's.
Assets
They have an inordinate amount of wealth from all those desperate, willing or foolish enough to pay their way into the Chapter. This wealth has allowed them to build the most extravagant of "monasteries" which appears more like an mansion house than a place for reflection, training and study. Though it does still have many dojos, training halls, libraries, study rooms and peaceful gardens to train ones mind and body, however it also includes lounges, a dining hall, a bestoke kitchen, bathing room, luxury quarters for the highest ranking Carthusians and of course all the necessary servants to put ones life at ease.
Equipped with the finest weapons, clothing, horses and jewellery that money can buy the Carthusians are always prepared for a fight or dinner party. They spare no expense to look and feel good, beautiful carriages transport the highest ranking members to and from the monastery. Especially with it being nesstled in the Attlebrun Mountains, no self respecting Carthusian would walk up the mountain passes.
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