Hall of the Midwife

The Hall of the Midwife is a large three story building on the Southern Island of Dus A Thanal that serves as the headquarters to the Cult of the Midwife. In common with many of the buildings on the marshy Southern Island it is entirely constructed of wood - the soft ground making the foundations for stone infeasible.

Ground Floor

by Author

The only entrance is a single wooden door in the northern wall in which "Life is Ours" - the motto of the cult - is inscribed. This brings the visitor into a small entry area in which stands a statue of a heavily pregnant female figure, crudely carved from local stone. Doors lead south and west to the main hospital floor and the stairway respectively.
The main hospital floor is devoted almost entirely to simple wooden beds with stuffed straw mattresses. At any given time the majority are likely to be occupied by women in various stages of labour while others pace, calm newborns or talk amongst themselves. Members of the cult hurry from bed to bed performing what is needed, often returning to the storage area against the north wall.

First Floor

by Author

Ascending the stairs brings one into a communal dining/relxation area. This is mainly used by the members of the cult - mothers are encouraged out of the door as soon as it is safe to do so and are rarely fed by the cult. However, when such is required (or for more prestigious clients) food can be served here.
The door to the east leads to an overspill hospital area, patients are moved down from here as soon as feasible, though, as it also sometimes serves as dormitary space for cult members.
The southern doors lead to the simple cells of the cult members, and a larger one for the current leader. Cult members work all hours - pregnancy doesn't respect daylight - and at any given time one or two will be in their rooms sleeping the sleep of the exhausted.

Second Floor

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Ascending again, one is met by another crude statue of a pregnant figure, a twin to the one on the ground floor and created by the same sculptor.
Doors along the northern wall lead to additional member cells, while the east door leads to a large room officially designated as the administration offices of the cult but largely used as storage.
A single door to the south leads to the kitchen, staffed by the young acolytes of the church while a double leads out into the open air, standing on the ceiling of the floor below. Some attempt has been made to prettify this area with plants in wooden planters and the like but it remains somewhat grim and the work has never been put in to make it into the relaxing outdoor area succesive leaders have agreed it should become. It's major use is to tip the huge amounts of waste the cult creates into the adjoining marsh and the resultant smell is another reason it's use as a relaxation area is limited.

Owning Organization

Cult of the Midwife