B24 Sisters of Mercy Hospital of Zodal
A Sanctuary of Hope in Verbobonc
While Pelor’s church up the street is the city’s blazing symbol of light and judgment, the Sisters of Mercy Hospital of Zodal is its gentle, persistent heartbeat of compassion. Dedicated to Zodal, the Gray Son and Gentle Hand, this hospital-temple practices his radical creed: that even the worst-stricken and most fallen may yet be turned toward hope through patient mercy.
Zodal’s faith emphasizes healing, protection, and benevolence; his clergy are famed as healers and mediators, walking battlefields to tend the wounded and brokering peace where they can. Zodal The Sisters of Mercy carry that mission into the crowded heart of Verbobonc:
- Treating any wounded, regardless of creed, coin, or even former allegiance, provided they come without weapons in hand.
- Offering long-term care for the crippled, traumatized, and plague-scarred that other temples cannot or will not house.
- Serving as neutral mediators and witnesses in disputes where vengeance threatens to overwhelm justice.
The complex functions as both hospital and cloister; its sisters and brothers sleep little, work much, and try to embody Zodal’s quiet defiance of despair.
Approaching the Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy Hospital sprawls along the street in a series of two-storey stone wings wrapped around inner courtyards. Its walls are plain but freshly lime-washed, broken by rows of arched windows and open galleries where pale-gray banners hang, each marked with a simple symbol—a human hand, fingers bare, palm wrapped in gray cloth.
Behind the complex, Verbobonc’s outer curtain wall looms close, its towers peering over tiled roofs like watchful guardians. In front, a steady stream of townsfolk, soldiers, and riverfolk trickles through wide doors: some carried on stretchers, some limping, some merely clutching bandaged hands or haunted eyes.
There is no tollgate, no guardpost—only a carved lintel over the entrance reading:
“No hurt is turned away that walks in peace.”
The air smells of herbs, clean water, and faint incense, undercut by the sour tang of sickness. Somewhere inside, a voice is singing very softly, and others answer like a tired but stubborn choir.
Exterior & Grounds
- Temple Street Frontage: A long façade of pale stone with shallow porticos; open doorways lead to a receiving hall and separate quiet entrance for families visiting long-term patients.
- Banners & Symbol: The wrapped-hand sigil of Zodal is carved over main arches and embroidered on gray and white banners; even the street-lamps in front are hooded with gray cloth—symbolically turning harsh glare into soft guiding light.
- Wallside Garden: Along the rear, where the hospital presses against the city wall, lies a narrow but well-tended healing garden: herbs, low trees, and benches in dappled shade where patients take the air. The looming battlements overhead make the place feel like a little pocket of Morninglory—Zodal’s dawn realm—tucked between stone and sky.
Interior & Wards
Receiving Hall – The Gray Threshold
The first chamber inside is large, high-roofed, and uncluttered:
- Triage tables line one side; Sisters in gray-and-white habits move with practiced calm, cleaning wounds and directing patients.
- A painted panel of Zodal—arms open, hands wrapped—dominates the far wall, its eyes level with those entering on stretchers.
- Weapons are gently collected and tagged here; the Sisters make no secret of their refusal to permit bloodshed under this roof.
Common Ward – Hall of the Gentle Hand
A long vaulted hall holds rows of cots separated by curtains:
- The air smells of lavender and willow-bark; light falls through high windows at careful angles to avoid blinding patients.
- Light music or quiet hymns are often played here, not as ritual but as comfort.
- Zodal’s clergy—many protected by subtle sanctuary magic in battlefield traditions—move among the beds, laying hands on fevers, changing bandages, and listening more than they speak.
Quiet Wards – House of Long Shadows
Side wings hold smaller rooms for:
- Long-term convalescents, the maimed and crippled, and those with lingering mind-scars from war or cult horrors.
- Patients whose illnesses are not contagious but whose hearts are heavy; here the Sisters focus on hope, inner peace, and gentle counseling, key tenets of Zodal’s dogma.
Chapel of the Gentle Hand
At the center of the complex lies a small, serene chapel:
- No grand altar, only a low stone plinth draped in gray with a wrapped hand carved above.
- Benches face inward, emphasizing community over spectacle.
- Services are simple: prayers for endurance, stories of mercy given and received, moments of silence where the only sound is quiet breathing.
This space is open at all hours; anyone may come sit, whether they believe in Zodal or not.
Notable People
The hospital is led and staffed by figures who embody the virtues of Zodal and are dedicated to the mission of the hospital.
- Bishop Gifemund Merton (Cleric of Zodal 9th level): A man who rose from humble beginnings, driven by a childhood inspiration to emulate the heroic deeds of a cleric in children's tales.
- Nuns of Zodal: Comprised mainly of women, these clerics are integral to the daily operations and spiritual services of the hospital.
Political and Community Relationships
Despite its primary focus on healing and sanctuary, the hospital navigates complex relationships within Verbobonc’s socio-political landscape.
- Local Government: Operates under the scrutiny and occasional disapproval of city officials due to its policy of universal asylum.
- Interfaith Dynamics: Maintains cooperative relations with other religious groups, though its policies sometimes lead to friction.
Motivation and Vision
The guiding principles of the hospital are drawn directly from Zodal’s teachings, focusing on providing mercy, fostering hope, and performing acts of benevolence.
- Spiritual Healing: Emphasizes the healing of both body and soul, providing care that reflects the compassionate doctrines of Zodal.
- Community Outreach: Engages in numerous outreach programs aimed at bringing hope and recovery to the disadvantaged sectors of Verbobonc.
Fee Structure
The hospital's pricing policy is designed to be inclusive, offering several tiers of payment based on the patient's faith alignment and financial situation.
- For the Devout: All diseases and minor wounds are treated free of charge for devout followers of Zodal, reflecting the hospital's role as a spiritual center as well as a medical facility.
- For Non-Devotees: A nominal donation of approximately 1 gold piece is requested from those not devoted to Zodal. This fee covers treatment for minor wounds, ensuring the hospital's services are accessible to a broader public.
- Non-Magical Services: The hospital provides non-magical care, such as bed rest and minor meals, for just 1 copper piece per night. This option is designed to be affordable to virtually anyone in need, supporting the community’s health without financial burden.
Funding and Operations
The hospital’s funding is primarily derived from donations and the modest fees charged for services. This financial model supports the hospital’s operations and allows for the maintenance of its facilities and the employment of skilled medical and clerical staff.
- Donations: Significant contributions from community members, local businesses, and other religious organizations help subsidize the costs for those unable to pay.
- Service to All: By requiring only minimal fees from those who can afford to contribute, the hospital upholds its commitment to universal care.
Hooks for the Temple of Elemental Evil / Noble Ambitions
- The Wounded Witness
A survivor of a Temple raid lies in the Quiet Wards, mind shattered. The Sisters ask the PCs to sit with them, retrieve lost keepsakes, or track down unresolved business—acts that may slowly restore the patient’s memory and reveal critical information about cult movements. - Mercy for the Enemy
The party captures a Temple agent gravely wounded. Pelorian or Heironean allies want swift execution; Mother Sereda insists the prisoner be taken to the Sisters of Mercy instead. How the PCs choose to treat the captive will echo in later political and divine reactions. - Plague from the Fens
A strange illness spreads among refugees from the Nulb region. Zodal’s healers believe it to be deliberately spread—a cruel experiment or curse. They need the PCs to return to the source, uncover who is sowing this suffering, and end it. - Hands Wrapped in Gray
Rumors spread that some Sisters of Mercy venture at night into the worst parts of the city, tending even criminals and cultists. Vigil Wardens want to clamp down; Mother Sereda begs the PCs to protect these clandestine missions, arguing that mercy is the only weapon that can reach some hearts.
The Sisters of Mercy Hospital of Zodal should feel like a place where the campaign’s brutality meets its conscience—a quiet, determined answer to the Temple’s cruelty, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Pelor’s blazing justice at the end of Temple Street.
Verbobonc Locations Referenced by Type
B24 – Sisters of Mercy Hospital of Zodal Zodal
- Type: Hospital-Temple / Sanctuary of Mercy
- District: Business Quarter – Temple Street, at the outer edge of the city walls
- Owner: Mother Sereda “Gray Hand,” High Matron of the Sisters of Mercy
- Primary Factions: Clergy of Zodal (The Gentle Hand), lay healers and mediators, refugees and war-wounded, Raoan allies
Gifemund Merton
Cleric of Zodal 9th level
History: Gifemund was born to in a poor docking district. He spent his early days working in the same smith shop his mother was employed at, doing general labor. He found a children's book about a Cleric who fought for good and justice and never realized it was just a child's story. He modeled his life after the story, seeing himself destined a hero. He has dedicated himself to building a better world.
Key NPCs
Mother Sereda “Gray Hand” (NG human, High Matron)
- Description: Older Flan woman with iron-gray hair braided under a plain veil; her right hand is permanently wrapped in gray cloth, never uncovered.
- Role: Spiritual and practical leader of the hospital; allocates resources, settles disputes, and makes hard calls when beds are few and injuries many.
- Motivation: To embody Zodal’s radical mercy in a world that prefers punishment; she has little patience for cruelty cloaked as “justice.”
Brother Temon of the Ledger (NG half-elf)
- Description: Thin, bespectacled, ink-stained; keeps perpetual accounts of medicines, beds, and donations.
- Role: Oversees supplies, negotiates with merchants, and quietly tracks who has received help—and who might now be in a position to repay kindness.
- Motivation: Ensure the hospital never turns anyone away for lack of bandages or bread.
Sister Adrie Dawn-Eyes (NG human)
- Description: Young woman with tired eyes and a worn holy symbol, often found in the Quiet Wards holding a patient’s hand.
- Role: Specialist in trauma and grief; sits with those who wake screaming from nightmares of Nulb, Emridy Meadows, or the Temple’s horrors.
- Motivation: To keep despair from turning survivors into future monsters; she believes every comfort given now may prevent some later cruelty.
Services & Mechanics for PCs
- Healing & Care: The hospital offers non-discriminatory healing—even for captured foes—at reduced or waived cost if the need is dire and the patient lays down arms. Magical healing beyond basic cures often requires a promise or service rather than coin. Zodal
- Sanctuary: The complex is considered neutral ground by many factions; pursuing an enemy here risks citywide condemnation and the anger of Pelor and Raoan clergy as well.
- Counsel & Mediation: Zodal’s priests can act as impartial mediators in disputes, or help PCs navigate moral dilemmas where mercy clashes with vengeance.
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