Rosymorn Monastery

Rosymorn Monastery was a temple of Lathander found in the Western Heartlands. As of the late 15 century DR it had been abandoned by the Lathanderian clergy, but claimed by a contingent of githyanki. The gith referred to the underground reaches of the monastery as Crèche Y'llek.

Location
The monastery was situated within a cliffside near the Sword Coast, north of the River Chionthar and east of Baldur's Gate.

Structure
The monastery comprised four prominent structures constructed around a central courtyard. Beneath the structures was an network of chambers and hallways. It was within these halls that Rosymorn's monks conducted the business of the Lathanderian faith in their quarter of the Heartlands.

Interior
Befitting a temple dedicated to the god of light and creativity, Rosymorn boasted grand stained-glass windows, finely-sculpted statues dedicated to the Morninglord, and ground stone murals depicting his holy symbol.

The western structure housed the monastery's winery, where they produced and housed casks and casks of firewine.

The northern structure of the monastery featured exquisite architecture and beauteous decor. Set within its walls were marble columns, and stained glass windows that overlooked an elaborate stained glass mosaic of the Dawnmaster's crest set upon the floor. The large mosaic depicted the monastery's four of devoted Dawnmasters: Seed, Stockhold, Vaseid, and Welkinglory, each wielding their favored weapons of war.

The underground tunnels of Rosymorn housed the monastery's infirmary, storage rooms, private chambers, the offices of the Dawnmaster, and a grand audience chamber. They had etched into their walls an ancient Netherese sigil circle.

Services
"Never been here before in person - the stained-glass windows are astonishing! Will definitely recommend to others."

- Entry in the monastery guestbook.

While the temple was in service, it remained a beacon to all of the Lathanderian faith. Any who wished to make the trek up the mountainside pass could witness his glory by admiring the most-celebrated relic that was proudly displayed within.

Defenses
Rosymorn monastery was one of the most well-protected temples dedicated to the Morninglord. Its courtyard housed a large mechanical device that resembled a cross between a crystalline telescope and an armillary sphere. In truth, it was a powerful weapon—referred to as the "Solar Lance"―that harnessed the the power of the sun. The weapon served as a failsafe contingency plan: if anyone unworthy attempted to steal the treasure of Rosymorn, the weapon would be used to collapse the temple in on itself.

The power source for the temple's weapon was set within its innermost depths. Four Lathander's solar machines―giant crystals that could store and emit solar energy―fed their energy into a highly-guarded, underground pedestal that housed temple's true secret treasure: blood that fell from Lathander's mortal avatar.

History
"...pray for Rosymorn Monastery, but do not mourn - it's for the best. In death, new life, always."

- Dawnmaster Vaseid, in the letter to their successor.

At some point a contingent of githyanki led by M'lar Rih'al, mounted atop red dragons, assailed Rosymorn from on high. Some monks attempted to defend themselves, while others fled for their lives. Yet other venerated monks successfully sealed off the deepest passageways of the monastery; Dawnmaster Vaseid managed to seal away with magic the temple's greatest treasure in a vault deep within the heart of the mountain.

Ultimately, the assaulting githyanki prevailed. They established within the underground halls of Rosymorn a gith crèche: a hatchery away in the Prime―away from the agelessness of the Astral Plane―within which their eggs could mature, and newborn githyanki could age into their juvenile years. Birthing pools were established within, the monk's infirmary was retrofitted into an illithid experimentory, complete with a zaith'isk. This otherworldly device crafted from flesh and metal that could be used to "purify" illithid tadpoles and anyone they infected.

Some time later, the gith of crèche Y'llek were redirected to achieve new goal's according to Vlaakith's will. Ch'r'ai W'wargaz led the gith inquisition to locate and retrieve the Astral Prism, in order to destroy the elder brain and mind flayer colony beneath Moonrise Towers. His followers established an audience room and set within it a planecaster, a device capable of granting travel to the Astral Plane, at a destination atop the corpse of a dead god.

Rumors & Legends
Rosymorn was the site that boasted one of greatest Lathanderian relics, the Blood of Lathander. Those four drops of the god's blood―which had spilled during his battle with Mystra's chosen Sammaster―remained suspended within amber and set within an enchanted mace. The weapon was considered one a relic among those of greatest importance to the Lathanderian faith. It was so highly-protected, the temple itself could be self-destructed if anyone but one of Lathander's dawnmasters attempted to retrieve it from its resting place.

The Blood of Lathander had previously been stolen by Sharran agents, but retrieved by Lathander's faithful during a conflict between the two groups near the River Chionthar. Then-paladin Vaseid took charge in its retrieval. His followers descended upon the Sharrans, and brought the Blood of Lathander to Rosymorn for safekeeping.

Inhabitants
After it was abandoned, Rosymorn became home to wild animals, packs of monstrous creatures, and most notably, a contingent of githyanki. Throughout its history, packs of gremishka infested the temple, while at one point pack of kobolds raided the firewine cellars. A flock of giant eagles, including one of ancient age, formed a nest in the monastery's central courtyard.

While it was not technically intelligent, a single bust in Rosymorn had been enchanted with a magic mouth spell.

A single conjured guardian of faith roamed the halls of the abandoned temple, having been summoned during the gith assault.

Notable Inhabitants

 * Novice Peran,a Lathanderian monk who had a mishap with a statue of the Morninglord.
 * Ghustil Stornugoss, a githyanki scholar and physician.
 * Kith'rak Therezzyn, commander of Creche Y'llek.
 * Xavier, the giant eagle hatchling.
 * Zel'i, a rather sadistic gith juvenile.