Abbey of Tharynd

The Abbey of Tharynd, or simply Tharynd, was an abbey dedicated to the goddess Selûne, the Moonmaiden, in the Tashalar in southwest Faerûn.

Location
The abbey lay underground, in a vast natural cavern in the mountains between the Tashan Gap and the Dolphingulf.

Interior
At the very center of the cavern, the roof was pierced by a huge natural shaft, called the Moonshaft, that led to the open sky above. Directly beneath it was the Moonshaft Pool, also called the Pool of Tharynd, filled with tranquil water. The water was believed to have many magical traits; if taken from the pool, it functioned as moondraught for a day or more. In the early 14th century DR, the sacred ring Enthandas, part of the Moonweb, was kept here, in a crystal bowl floating upon the still water.

Away from the abbey, side tunnels descended into the Underdark; on occasion, monsters crept out to threaten the Selûnites.

History
In the Year of Moonfall, 1344 DR, following attacks on Selûnites and the disappearance of the Moonweb rings since the month of Mirtul, hundreds of panicking priestesses of Selûne begged her for guidance. They were instructed to closely guard the last ring, Enthandas, which was then kept secure in the Tharynd abbey. However, on that same night, a flock of darkenbeasts, feywings, and gargoyles descended through the Moonshaft, and Enthandas disappeared in the ensuing chaos. It wasn't until the autumn that Selûne manifested to followers in every holy place, explaining that the rings were not meant to be kept safe in temples and on the hands of high priests, but to wander the Realms and thus spreading the Moonmaiden's faith.

Activities
Pilgrims from Sammaresh, a city dedicated to Selûne in neighboring Lapaliiya, regularly journeyed to the Abbey of Tharynd and back. Although popular, the journey along the mountain paths was dangerous and required a border crossing. The Selûnites therefore constructed a series of waystations along the trail; pilgrims could pass for free, while regular travelers were charged a small toll. Just beyond the abbey, the trail went south into the Black Jungles, along the River Tharynd, but it guarded only by the Se'Sehen yuan-ti.