Cecily Demici
Princess of Naboo
NAME: The Cloister of St. Cecily of Naboo
CLASSIFICATION: Cloister, Holy Place
LOCATION:
The Cloister of St. Cecily of Naboo is located a few kilometers outside of the capital city of Theed. It is situated astride a tributary of the Andrevea River. It is situated along a high cliff and is only accessible by the boats operated by the Sisters.
AFFILIATION:
The Cloister of St. Cecily of Naboo is occupied and managed by the Sisters of St. Cecily.
Cecily Demici is the financial patron of the Cloister, covering all expenses of the Sisters.
DESCRIPTION:
THE TOWER OF RECEPTION
In order to reach the Cloister, one must climb a narrow path down a cliff face to a lone domed tower standing on the edge of a wide river. This tower is attended by a single Sister of the Cloister at a time who receives guests. The main part of the tower is a large round room with a massive statue of St. Cecily in the middle receiving them with open arms. There is a balcony directly behind her. A staircase to her left leads to a small stone dock. Once the attending Sister deems the visitor worthy, she will summon a boat from the Cloister which will bear the visitor across the river and to the main complex. The Sisters do not allow weapons past this point and all visitors must pay tribute to St. Cecily before being allowed to pass.
THE GARDENS
From the boat house of the main complex, an ornate stone staircase leads to the gardens of the cloister. The largest open area of the entire complex, the gardens are tended daily by the sisters. As vegetarians, the Sisters rely heavily on the gardens to sustain themselves as they rarely venture outside of the cloister. The gardens consist of a sanctuary garden which is made up of exotic flowers and tress that dot the landscape. There are also several fountains and kneeling stations for quiet prayer with elegant statues of St. Cecily. Beyond these gardens are well tended rows of fruit bearing trees and crops along with a small greenhouse and adjoining tool shed.
A courtyard surrounds the main garden with many adjoining corridors and doors leading into the main house of Cloister. Past the vegetable gardens and the orchard are other smaller towers and buildings. One is a guest house, one is used for storage, and another is the patronage, an extensive villa occupied by the patron of the cloister when she visits.
THE CHAPEL
The largest part of the Cloister is the Chapel, dedicated to the Church of Light. It is located in the largest tower of the complex. Entered through a pair of tall, ivory doors with holy inscriptions, the room is filled with colorful light cast by the floor-to-ceiling stain glass windows the line the walls of the massive round room. Simple white pews are arranged facing the eastern and largest window. A marble alter stands before the window with the insignia of light inscribed in it.
The Sisters gather here several times a day to sing and pray. The sounds of their song and prayer carry across the entire Cloister and can even be heard on the balconies of the patronage.
THE DINING ROOM & KITCHENS
In a long hall just off of the chapel is the dining room where the Sisters gather three times a day to share in meals of purely vegetarian make. This area of the Cloister is just off the garden courtyard. A single massive table spans the entirety of the hall with simple chairs lining either side. At one end of the table is a high backed wooden chair reserved for the Mother Superior, but is occupied by the patron during her visits. The Sisters may also gather her during the day to complete tasks such as craft making.
At the back of the dining room is a door that leads into the kitchens, a very simple, and primitive, but functional arrangement of sinks, counters, and cooking stoves. Adjoining the kitchens is the chamber where the Cook sleeps.
THE LIBRARY
On the opposite side of the dining room is the Library of the Cloister where several ancient handwritten tomes of the Faith are kept. There are Book shelves line the walls of the large room and in the center are several modernized reading areas and work stations. The Sisters spend their days translating and recording the texts in databases. In another area of the library, these transcribed texts can be accessed from the databases in more modern way.
THE SLEEPING QUARTERS
Each Sister has her own cell, a small, simple room with a single bed, a washing area, a chair, and a desk. Each room has a single stained glass window depicting an image of St. Cecily. The Senior Sisters of the Cloister each have larger chambers that allow them to account for their work and live in greater comfort. The Mother Superior has the largest room which includes an office where she can receive visitors.
THE PATRONAGE
A private villa built for the financial patron of the Cloister stands at a distance from the rest of the cloister. It is built in the same style as the rest of the Cloister, but is better furnished. It is attended by one or two of the Senior Sisters, who keep it ready in case the patron should visit. It features the comforts of a large bedroom, bathroom, dining room, solarium, and private office.
HISTORY:
St. Cecily lived several centuries ago, the head of House Valeria of Naboo, she is best known for bringing the Church of Light to Naboo. She was said to be incredibly generous, giving the entirety of her family's vast wealth to the poor and housing them in their ancestral home in the Nabooan countryside. All this she did despite the great displeasure of several rival families who saw her charity as a move toward class rebellion. During a visit to Theed to preach to the people and pay alms to the poor, she was assassinated in the streets.
Legend says that when she fell to the ground, the sun fled behind the clouds and the sky darkened. Her faithful quickly took her body and fled from the city as the guards searched for her murderer. They took her into the country side and buried her near a river. At first a simple shrine was erected in her honor at this site, but years later her descendants of House Valeria would declare her a Saint and erect a temple around her final resting place.
Today, Cecily Demici, named for her holy ancestor, serves as the financial patron of the Cloister.
INTENT:
To create a safe haven for my character and lay the ground work for the further establishment of the Church of Light.
LINKS:
N/A
