| abstract | - The grand marble halls of the Temple Hospice of Shallya in Altdorf resound to the sounds of the Empire like no other place. The temple has been a centre of Shallyan worship in the Empire for centuries. No one knows when the transition from serenity and calmness, a place of quiet introspection, cleanliness, and sanctuary to an institution of throngs of madmen and the desperate of Altdorf began. All that is known is that an enigmatic Arch-Lector of Shallya ordained that the gates to the Temple Hospice would remain open for all time as a sign of Shallya’s divine will.[1a] Thus, in the time since this proclamation, the Temple has been overrun by the poorest citizens, bands of zealots, and penitent madmen. Bands of flagellants often leave here, having been normal men entering on the verge of mental collapse. In some places, diseased colonies have sprung up within the grounds. Many of the dispossessed of the city have found a niche here and have even come to blows defending their territory.[1a] The priests have become increasingly overwhelmed and out of place in their own temple. Its once white corridors have been taken over by the poor and its neat gardens home to shanty-towns. Its grand halls have become makeshift market places and even taverns. The place is filled with the screams of the infirm and the insane. The priests of Shallya bravely try to tend and pray to all who enter. It is an impossible task and unending duty, but still they try and perform their miracles wherever they can. Despite the inconveniences and challenges it poses, there is no denying the Temple Hospice is a clear testament to the ideals of the cult.[1a]
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