Monastery of D’Aad (Harden)
| settlement name | duchy | district/province | type | population | founding year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monastery of D’Aad (Harden) | Barban | Greater Province of D'Aad | monastery | 200? | 4306 |
The Monastery of D’Aad lies 10km north-west of Harden on a sandstone ridge overlooking a broad valley with the Forest of Kova and Barban Uplands in the distance.
The Monastery with its characteristic double towers was established in 4306, well before Harden was founded. At that time, it had ancillary buildings (with a shorter spire) housing several military units. When Harden was settled, these buildings were converted into a library, a small theatre, and an art gallery. The monastic portion of the sprawling structure is crowned by a tower of seven floors which then seamlessly turns into a capping spire.
The Prior is Zoesia Overfield, an Arch Priest of D’Aad and a noted astrologer. Her Holiness Zoesia is close friends with Countess Lilia Stone, the provincial administrator.
The monastery is also an official repository: it has an underground vault in which duplicates of important and/or rare books, manuscripts, and scrolls, are kept. The repository is managed by Jonaeth Swimmer.
In a small workshop on the grounds, priests and craftsmen produce durable inks and vivid pigments, much favoured by artists, scribes, and illuminators.