50. Sanctuary

Painted statues are scattered about this room in various graceful gestures, with the occasional large rug piled with pillows. Tables with vases full of wilted flowers are arranged along the walls. Wind chimes can be heard from the area of the windows. As you look around the room, you are startled by a dull THOCK sound, as of something striking wood. After a moment, you hear it again. The rhythmic sound comes from a bamboo water clock at the west end of the room. The water clock is simple: a section of bamboo, hinged such that it normally stands nearly upright, filled with water from small pipe extending from the wall. As it fills with water, eventually it tips over and slaps a rock, spilling the water so that it rises back upright into the stream of water which begins to fill it again. The pool it empties into has fish and plants and drains very slowly through an overflow. The wind chimes are fine metal and crystal and sound when a breeze comes through the open windows. One hangs in each of the four windows, and each wind chime is worth 100gp; however, they are very fragile. This sanctuary is appointed for relaxing, meditation, and worship. The statues are not truly scattered so much as carefully arranged to provide pleasant areas of privacy. The rugs are thick and the rich pillows soft.