Haegan

Haegan is the large mountain stronghold of the Order of Amity, home to the Jawen monks and visiting pilgrims. Its location is obscured by oath and arcane mist that clouds the mountains.

Demographics

Most monks arrived at Haegan at a young, commonly orphans, the children of refugees or lower class who could not afford to feed them, or sometimes the youngest child of a noble family was given to the monastery as a symbolic gesture—a family rich enough to spare a child for humble life was considered "generous" by their peers.
Since proximity to the mountains determines who can travel here, most of the people of Haegan are dwarves (mountain, hill, and boreal) or elves. Less commonly are human and grimlock residents. There are also a few tiefling residents, individuals who are excluded from society but welcomed among the monks.

Government

Life within the monastery is governed by community rules, unspoken rules dictating how to treat your fellow members of the community. Disputes are overseen by peers, or, if they cannot resolve the issue, by master monks of their senior. If the masters cannot reach an agreement, the balance is settled by the Jawen Grand Master. The Grand Master is the spiritual leader of Haegan and oversees the training and ceremonies of the monks.

Industry & Trade

Nomadic merchants sometimes make the journey to Haegan and are received warmly in return. Most bring salt, spices, and herbal teas and receive elaborately crafted books and embroidery in return. There used to be a dedicated trade route between Haegan and Mirandus until the latter closed its borders.

Infrastructure

Several hundred stone steps pave the way up the mountain into Haegan. Haegan is only accessible for six months of the year; autumn and winter are inhospitable to travelers. The grounds of the stronghold contain a central assembly courtyard—an arena for informal social use, public tournaments, festivals, and ceremonies—which is in the shape of a wheel arrayed by eight pavilions. Within the pavilions are a training hall with an outdoor courtyard, a bell tower, monks' barracks, dining hall, and library. Beyond the stronghold, itself are terrace fields that support agriculture and patches of modest buildings where the farmers live.

Shimmering Grotto by Cliff Childs

The Shimmering Grotto is a small picturesque cave beneath the sheer wall on the north side of Haegan. Though known by most of the monks, it is abandoned and has become a place that Haegan's children gather to play. Beneath the waterfall is a humble temple to one of the Old Gods, fallen into obscurity,

Assets

Haegan is almost entirely self-sufficient, taking great care to use their resources sustainably. They practice terrace farming for subsistence, growing primarily hardy root vegetables like potatoes and carrots. River streams contain salmon and trout during the summer months. Native gelada monkeys and mountain goats are hunted and their whole bodies are put to use. Teenagers who aren't training to be monks shepherd goats in the mountains.
The monks make parchment from these animal skins and tools from the bones. Then, books are bound and calligraphers scribe them. Books can sometimes take a decade to complete and are considered the most valuable resource in Haegan. Hundreds of these books are dedicated to specific martial arts and elaborated with beautiful illustrations. The second most valuable resource is embroidery, woven from cloth and dyed with rare indigo in elaborate patterns.

Guilds and Factions

The residents of Haegan include the Order of Amity and any pilgrims or merchants who visit. The Order is made up of monks who follow a set of lax guidelines to life, primarily cultivating a happy life by creating happiness in the lives of others. The Golden Rule of the Order is an ethic of reciprocity, treating others how you would wish them to treat you in return. Secondarily, this rules extends to stopping harm you wouldn't wish upon yourself from befalling others. While these principles dictate Jawen monks' actions within the community at Haegan, they also extend to those going on their pilgrimages in the wider world—while bettering your own community is considered just, isolationism is seen as cowardly.

History

Not much is known about the founding of the Order of Amity to those who are not inducted in the monks' ranks, but the monastery has existed for nearly a millennia. Similarly, the identity of its founder and current Grand Master is known to few individuals outside of Haegan.

Architecture

The buildings of the monastery are supported by fir wood frames which were imported from the Tel-Quessir Kingdom. The inner leaf of the walls is made from mud brick. The outer skin of the wall is made from locally sourced granite. The buildings are responsive to seismic conditions—Haegan monasteries do not collapse from earthquakes.
The entire stronghold is based around solar patterns. The buildings are arranged according to the necessity of sunlight and heat. The rooms are entirely heated by the sun, heating up quickly in the morning and cooling off by midday. The living quarters are more compact and use a Trombe wall system to slowly gain solar energy throughout the day and remain warm at night. In front of the mud brick internal wall is a glass wall which traps the heat of sunlight, creating a warm cavity. Oper flaps in the window are left open and warm air floods in. Monks open and close the shutters every day like clockwork.
Haegan is a high altitude stronghold and water is very scarce. Potable water is used for drinking water, washing hands, and cooking as well as irrigation and gardens. Ventilated pit latrines keep human waste separated from the water supply.

Geography

Haegan rests on Monkshood, one of the largest peaks of the Wingspan Mountains. Haegan as a settlement ranges from about 9,000 feet to 25,000 feet in elevation. During the winter, temperatures can drop to -30° and in the summer, the temperature gets up to about 30° centigrade. The temperatures are so extreme that you can sit in the winter with the sun shining with your face getting sunburn and your feet getting frostbite.
Smaller monasteries sprawl the peaks every five miles or so, typically on an outcrop of rock overlooking the valleys west of Monkshood.

Type

Village

Population

2,200

Inhabitant Demonym

Jawen monks