Sabenius Order

The Sabenius Order is a monastic order founded by Sabeni the Trusted, order focusing on hard work, submitting to God and included a lot of rules (Godly Dictums).

Sabeni

Lived around 500 years ago. Became known for his godliness and success in converting heathens. Inspired an order among his followers, 10 years after his death ("Sabeni Chosen").

Godly Dictums

Most monastic orders within the Church of Rahn call the rules they live their lives by "Godly Dictums". In the case of the Sabenius Order, these rules are focused on when and how to pray, work, eat, sleep and say.

Monastery life

Roughly half of the day is spent in prayer, psalms and hymns, unless the rituals are disturbed by outside influences. Disturbances are welcome, of sorts (and only for most monks), as it allows the monks to do Gods true work, of inspiring people directly. Some particular monks instead insist on keeping the routines and prayers, assisting individuals who disturbed the peace only in the allocated times for work.

Besides prayers the monks engage in what activities they seemed most suited to by the Abbot and his Elders (the monastery council). In Sabenius monasteries, this included working the fields, clearing weeds, attending the gardens, brewing beer, etc. A small portion of monks will also work with the more common activities within other orders, such as copying books.

The monasteries are generally is self-sufficient and trade with the local population, assisted local villages when possible and sometimes lead specifically work-themed sermons in the local churches. Some of the excess is given to the church, and other bits given to local charity organisations like orphanages, alms houses or schools in towns.

Children

Another aspect of Monastery life is about taking care of unwanted children from the local parishes or as a summer camp for noble families who wants their children to know discipline. Discipline is hard on children and some leave (escape from) the monastery at young age, quite scarred emotionally. This obviously doesn't include summer visitors.

Though many people see young children at monasteries as orphans or bastards, there is also a strong cultural force to give children themselves a new chance if they grow up with Rahn directly, as in a monastery. You ought to not be judgmental, but at the same time there are many knows of someone who has left a child there, so the negative bias exist.

Other children to be left are those from very poor families who simply can't afford to have them. Crying mothers can sometimes be seen entering with a bundle and leaving without it. These children are literally taken away from the parents in every sense: they are no longer legally their parents' children. Instead they are raised as "godly children" in the care of the church, and under obligation to do work for the church in their lives. Other than escaping, there are few ways out of this servitude, and if someone chooses to escape they may find it hard to find employment elsewhere.

Visitors

Adults can come and live at the monastery if they are freemen, eating and drinking (moderately) for free for a short period as long as they respect the lives of the inhabitants. A guest can also stay longer if they live under the monastery rules, working as the monks do, and not displaying signs of wealth. A contribution is expected but not mandatory. This is a way for some, mainly the wealthy, to gain some time to clear their minds and finding meaning in life.

The Abbot and the Elders are the ones accepting or denying guest stays. Usually they refer the very poor to the workhouse or an almshouse if they can't work.

Becoming a Monk

The most common way to become a monk is to stay with a monastery after having been there as a child. After childhood they enter as an Acolyte after a set of rituals, and stay as such for some years until their religious knowledge is great enough. Then they go through some tests and evaluations by Elders before finally becoming accepted as Brothers after a week of ceremonies. They often are accepted as brothers in batches, but it isn't uncommon for single Acolytes to be accepted either.

For non-monastic freemen, four good men need to lay their words to a freeman's, that he has not fathered any children that he intends to keep as his own (heirs). He is welcome into the order as an Acolyte after a set of rituals as well as giving away all his worldly possessions to the monastery. Any cheating would look badly upon the goodmen, so they ensure he does not.

Monastery design

A monastery complex typically comprises a number of buildings which include a church, dormitory, cloister, refectory, library, balneary and infirmary. May include a hospice, a school and a range of agricultural and manufacturing buildings such as a barn, a forge or a brewery.

In a lot of cases a tower is also erected for the protection of the wealth of the monastery and to protect its inhabitants in the case of a raid.

List of Monasteries

• Sandon Hill Monastery