Alma Mater
Run 3: 26th-29th March 2026
Benedicta
the Chamberlain's Assistant
Age:
20s-40s
Psalm 118: For they that work iniquity, have not walked in his ways. Thou hast commanded thy commandments to be kept most diligently. O! that my ways may be directed to keep thy justifications.
Themes:
Trust and betrayal; eating restrictions; rules and breaking them; romance with other nuns (optional)
The abbey is chaotic, and that puts everyone at risk. If only talent was rewarded here, you think, everyone would be safe. And who is more talented than you?
The family farm on which you grew up was a place of order. Everything was in its proper place, and everything happened at its proper time. The crops were sown. The cows milked. The butter and cheese was made. The harvest taken in. In the house, each floor and table was scrubbed spotlessly clean by your mother and her maids. Each item of worth locked firmly away from the prying hands of the servants in chests and cupboards. And woe betide anyone who broke the rules and order of the house - even your father was apt to get a piece of your mother’s mind if things did not come to pass as they should.
Your family was big, and the possibility that you might be given to the Church had always been there. You were not worried when it was suggested - you did not feel yourself particularly close to God, but you could see a lot to enjoy in the predictable rhythms of monastic life. You would never want, you would always know what came next. You would know your place.
Role:
Assisting the Chamberlain, whose role is to care for and repair the sisters’ robes and habits, as well as providing the sisters with the items they need: candles, ink, monthly cloths and so on.
Alice, the Chamberlain, also has duties to monitor letters in and out of the Abbey; as well as to go into the nuns’ clothing and personal items whenever needed (none of you are technically allowed property of course). However, these are not duties she delegates to you.
Connections:
Joan, the Abbess
Joan became abbess the year before you arrived, but you can only assume she was elected to allow the other sisters to indulge themselves without consequence. She gets involved far too little in the running of the abbey. She ought to be replaced by someone with a much stronger hand. Sybil is far better born than Joan - she was born to lead, and would do a better job by far.
Alice, the Chamberlain
Secrets:
You told the Bishop your concerns during the last visitation
Eight years ago, the Bishop of Lincoln came to the abbey for a visitation. ‘Omnia bene’ he found at the end - all was well. You are not quite sure why he was of that view. He spoke to all the nuns, although seemingly very briefly in most cases. You did your best to tell him something was wrong though. You complained about Alice’s failure to properly read the letters of the nuns. The Bishop appeared to take note, but didn’t seem to do anything about it. None of your other sisters know you said anything other than ‘omnia bene’ though.
You are suspicious about some visits to the Sacristy