House of Tella Matre
Houses of Tella Matre are run by the Children of Tella Matre to aid the poor, sick, and otherwise needy.
The simplest of Houses is a building where anyone in need can seek healing, food, and shelter. It also includes a prayer room with a shrine to Tella Matre and dormitories for its Children (who are essentially monks and nuns who focus mainly on serving the community). Larger Houses are made up of a number of specialized buildings (including healing centers, which historically were not distinct from hospitals) and provide a wide range of services. Typically, there is a temple nearby, which the House is affiliated with (though the House and temple operate independently).
Tella Matre commands her followers to serve with humility, so Houses do not charge for services. Smaller Houses rely mainly on donations from the public to run. Larger Houses are typically partially or entirely self-sufficient as far as overhead costs are concerned.
Purpose / Function
A House's purpose is to provide aid to those in need. This minimally includes healing, food, and shelter, though Houses aim to fulfill any needs they can. They also seek to provide spiritual care, though those in need of long-term or intensive guidance may be directed to the temple instead.
In addition to being a place of aid and refuge, each House is home to the Children who serve there.
History
In ancient times, it was Tella Matre's temples that primarily provided aid to the needy. As populations grew and the temples no longer had room to house the sick and poor, they opened houses that provided this aid. These houses were originally run by the temples, but many suffered from financial problems and shortages of volunteers. Some were forced to charge for their services to stay running, undermining their own mission.
The Children of Tella Matre were founded to alleviate these problems by taking control of the houses on behalf of the temples. The houses remained affiliated with the temples and in service to Tella Matre, but the temples were relieved of the financial and managerial burdens they brought. The houses flourished under the care of the Children, as did the temples, which were no longer struggling to care for everyone in need.
Historically, many hospitals belonged to the Houses run by the Children. These hospitals brought many advancements to medicine and magical healing. Many still operate as centers for traditional (i.e., magical) healing today.
Owning Organization
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