Serpents...snakes are eternal symbols of life and rebirth in the Imajian culture, religion, and mythos. Harmless garden snakes are kept in the gardens to keep away harmful inscets that might devour the herbs and other medicianal plants. A special reptile house is kept within the Healing Compound. Here venemous serpents are found. The toxins found in their vemon has been useful in the treamtment of neurological disorders.
The Keep hosts various gardens. However, the most used gardens are those bound by the Apothecary and the Infirmary. A meandering cobble stone road leads towards a dull rustic red vaulted stone archway which opens up to a path leading to the herbal and medicinal gardens which host a wide variety of plants, shrubs, and trees. Plants with potent narcotic properties and poisons are kept in a high walled garden to which entrance is only admitted to a few. There is a reason why this garden is the only one with a bolted iron door.
Of all the gardens at the Keep, these have an ever expanding collection for the plants not only serve to heal the physical and mental afflictions that may affect the Keep's inhabitants, but also serve the forest's homid inhabitents who come to the Keep on occasion seeking medical treatment. This has been a long standing tradition, since the birth of the Keep.
Rare tomes of religion and the arcane arts used for healing with the invocation of the All Mother. Sometimes the affliction are of a supernatual origin and require the assistance of a mage specializing in the healing arts and of a priestess. The compound maintains a large collection of scrolls, tomes, and books on the healing arts, medicine, and scientific developments. The library's collections are always being updated as the family hosts a range of races and species. Careful notation is made of each species or race's specific biological differences. The libraries also include a collection on vetenary medicine. The aniaml companions of the Keep are not forgotten in this family and household.
Small blue painted shacks dot the gardens in which one will find garden tools: shears, spades, markers, fertilizers, watering cans, baskets, mats, garden clogs, rafia strings, and etc. etc. At the center of the garden rests a white was building with a bright red tile roof and massive rowan wooden door, the Apothecary. Four wide stone steps which have been painted a bright azure lead up to the building. The scent of dried and fresh herbs and flowers lingers in the air --- a sweet scent of freshness. Ceder shelves grace the walls holding jars full of mysterious potions, healing oils, soothing balms, gels, cold creams, pills, and other medicinal substances that have been extracted from the garden's many plants laying in wait to be used. Perfumes and cosmetics are also manufactured here.
    Healing Plants from the Gardens. |
There are wooden pegs in some places along the walls from which hang various tools used in the making of medicines and cosmetics. Tools that cannot be displayed on the walls are safely tucked in cedar multi-cabinet drawers. Other shelves contained corcked bottels, empty gel capsules, and other storage supplies. Two large tables are lined up against the walls facing each other on either end of the room. A third work table is found in the center of the room aligned with its twins. These are the working tables with matching high back stools that are ready to receive workers.
If one walks further into the room, one will reach a wide corridor. To the right, one will find a drying chamber. Here the walls are lined with wooden and meshwire drying racks. Some are already in use and the fragrant scent of the drying herbs wafts in the air while others wait to receive a fresh batch of freshly picked herbs or flowers. From the ceiling neatly tied rafia bundles of dried flowers and herbs dangle. To the left of this chamber, one will one a storage facility where gel capsules, preserving oils, sealing wax, corks, and various jars that come in all sizes, colors, and shapes are stored.
  
Healing Tools |
About five feet further down the hall from these two chambers to the right is another room. Here fresh linen, towels, bandages, gauze, gloves, surgical masks, surgical thread, and other supplies that an infirmary uses are found. Across from this chamber is a large room that serves as the library and record keeping facilities are found. One last chamber is locked behind a ward. This chamber holds dangerous substances like poisons. The Keep's infirmary is connected to the apothecary via an underground passageway and tunnel that stretches for two miles.
 A page from an anatomy tome. |
The Infirmary is a large three story building facing the Ocean of Souls. It is made from soothing blue and baby green marble with a domed azure mosaic roof with a gold rim over which is a scroll pattern of acorns, olive leaves, serpents, and doves in silver. The central image of the mosaic is an image of the heavens and Goddess of Health and the White Horde. This building holds thirty individual patient chambers, three surgical theaters (two small and one large), well stocked pharmacy, three large isolation chambers (one never knows when a contagious pathegon will strike), two examination chambers, and two statis chambers. There are two sublevels that are deep beneath ground. One is the laboratories and the other is that morgue statis chamber.
The infirmary is built near the cliffs facing the sea so that fresh ocean born breezes blow through the open windows and open terrace where patients may sit and watch the landscape and enjoy the scenic views of the gardens and cliffs. Among Imajians it is held that the ocean's waters have curative properties. It is not uncommon to see patients with small wounds taken to the shore to sit and bath in the salty waters which cauterize the wounds.
There is another building that is a modest two level infirmary. Here the Keep's animal companions are treated and provided with the best of medical care. Injured forest animals are also brought here. The All Mother also looks after her animal children, so Imajians hold all life as sacred.
Contents found throughout this web site of the Stonehaven Keep, the Ascension Conclave, the Imaji Realm (Realm of the Imaji), the Impa'wixay, the Shi'aarae, and all related material are the intellectual property of Grizell E. Blessing B. (GEBB) and are protected under international copyright law. This material may not be reproduce under any condition without permission from the author, © 1990 - 2002.
Midi of Quiahuitl (Rain) is Copyrighted to Edwin van Veldhoven.
