Cloister

The Cloister is the covered walkway and central garden that form the heart of a math. It consists of a roofed gallery running around a rectangular garden. The inner edge opens to the weather between a row of columns, while the outer edge is bounded by a wall pierced by openings that lead into adjacent buildings. Noted examples opening onto the Cloister include the Old Library, the Refectory, and various chalk halls.

Stone floors worn smooth by generations, carved woodwork, forged hinges, and column capitals reflect centuries of craftsmanship. The garden interweaves grass, gravel paths, herb beds, shrubs, and occasional trees; cultivation is governed by the community’s Discipline, which regulates what plants may be grown in such spaces. Avout traverse the Cloister as they move between work, study, meals, and observances.

First described in detail when a member of the community moves from workrooms into the Old Library and out onto the Cloister, the space is presented as the literal and symbolic center of the math.

Term and usage in Orth

According to The Dictionary, the meaning of the word has shifted across forms of Orth: - In Old Orth, any closed or locked-up space. - In Early Middle Orth, the math as a whole. - In Late Middle Orth, specifically a garden or court surrounded by buildings, conceived as the heart of the math. - In New Orth, any quiet, contemplative space insulated from distractions.

Current status

Within the narrative so far, the Cloister is an actively used, well‑maintained central space where avout pass, work is tended in the garden, and adjacent halls and libraries open toward it.