Aalen Monastery

A village in the northeast grasslands of Eraname, Aalen Monastery was founded over 800 years ago by Sasha Korrison, a once-human monk. Originally just a retreat for monks and druids constructed inside a still-living tree, Aalen has expanded into a town in its own right, with a large number of monks, druids, and servants of the divine, as well as some arcane researchers, along with all of the craftsfolk, businesspeople, and laborers who keep the village alive.

The Monastery itself has a large, trunk-like structure that contains the living quarters of those who train there, including those who live there permanently and those who stay temporarily. At the top is Sasha's well-frequented quarters, and at the bottom is the root system of the tree, which contains a library maintained by an elf named Decimus. Across a wide wooden bridge is the domed Grand Hall, where Sasha's parties, druidic rituals, initiate graduation ceremonies, and holy day celebrations take place. Below that is a guard tower serving as a meeting place for Aalen's defensive forces, which consists of a milita of Monastery druids and initiates, as they have no standing army. On the hillside below is the town proper, where most of the businesses and common housing can be found.

To the east is Pisadan Fields, where the townsfolk farm and the monks often to to practice. Corson Wood is just past that, named for the Corson River that goes from Aalen to meet with the Corporeal Coast.

In relation to Eraname as a whole, the Monastery is a place of peace that is far distant from other towns and factions. Though they began the conflict with the Dynasty as a neutral group, they quickly became the headquarters for the free cities of Eraname, and directly worked to orchestrate the defense of Mashalea. The guard tower was the site of the War Council on the 19th of Saryski, which was instrumental in the defeat of Vyapara, and led to the Beaugency-Ashman treaty on the 2nd of Saryverj.