Concent of Saunt Edhar

Overview

The Concent of Saunt Edhar is a walled mathic community (monastic scholars' enclave) named for Saunt Edhar. Sited near a burgers’ town at high northern latitude, it is notable for a crag‑top Thousanders (thousand‑year order) complex linked to the main hall by a covered stair. It has served as a starting point for departures after a large Voco (summons of avout (mathic monastics)), with Evoked avout directed to assemble at a Convox (rare mass assembly) hosted at Saunt Tredegarh. In personal accounts, Tredegarh is contrasted as older, larger, and lusher; by implication, Saunt Edhar is smaller and set in a harsher climate.

Notable Features

• Thousanders’ crag and stair: The crag‑top complex stands east of the main hall, connected by a long, covered, hand‑carved stair.
• Gates and precincts: A Day Gate faces a plaza and straight causeway between twin fountains; within the walls, the narthex houses an orrery (sky model), and the Year Gate precinct contains the wedge‑shaped tumulus (“Flying Wedge”).
• Mynster (central hall): Referenced for scale in comparisons, indicating a large interior space within the concent.
• Starhenge (stepped structure): Mentioned as a stepped installation whose stairs are climbed by residents during their routines.
• Subterranean waste cavern (resident account): A cavern in the rock is said to hold cylinders of nuclear waste placed by the Sæcular Power (civil authority) near the Reconstitution (later refounding). Edharian Thousanders maintain thatched coverings above the cylinders to prevent condensate drips and stalagmite formation; the craft is described as a thatcher’s avocation maintained across generations.
• New Laundry tilework: A facility known as the New Laundry is decorated with intricate geometric tilework attributed to Estemard before he left the math; the patterns reflect his long‑running tiling avocation.
• Vineyard: A small vineyard at Saunt Edhar is described as frost‑prone; wine from Orithena is compared favorably against the local product.

Organization and Residents

• Structure: Erasmas identifies himself as of the Edharian chapter of the Decenarian (ten‑year order) math at the Concent of Saunt Edhar; the local Thousanders occupy the crag‑top community.
• Noted Edharians in current accounts include Orolo and Erasmas, with Orolo’s routine described as including work in a vineyard and climbing the starhenge steps.
• Notable visitors: Fraa Paphlagon has been observed standing alone in the chancel, noted by a narrator who saw him looking upward.

Customs and Daily Life

• Dining: Edhar’s everyday meals are taken in a Refectory (communal dining hall), where diners carry their own food and sit where they please. In contrast, some other concents emphasize “messals” (small private dinners) in quiet messallans. A simple porridge referred to as Edharian gruel is mentioned; one diner called it “perfectly unpalatable” while others ate it without complaint.
• Attire and funerary practice: Edharian bolts (avout robe) and chords (waist cord) are described as plain and austere. Tradition allows one end of the bolt to fray; the oldest avout may be buried wearing fringed bolts several inches long.
• Curfew and discipline: Accounts mention a strict curfew (nighttime restriction). Residents sometimes use quiet signals to coordinate while outdoors after hours.
• Quiet slopes: A south‑facing vineyard slope is noted as being out of sight of the Warden Regulant’s (local mathic official) windows and is used informally for private conversation.
• Computational chanting: Edharians learn computational chants (rule‑based chant) from youth; the method permutes melodies by fixed rules to “compute.” Other maths recognize related variants, with some described as more musical than the Edharian baseline.
• Language and usage: At a Tredegarh Plenary, a Procian speaker referred to the place as the Concent of “Savant” Edhar, which was received as old‑fashioned; Edharians themselves say “Saunt.”
• External reputation: Some outsiders describe Edhar as high in the mountains and cold; Edharians answer with dry humor about simple attire, shoes, and manners.

Associations

• Namesake and orders: Named for Saunt Edhar; locally, the Thousanders inhabit the crag‑top community.
• Historical standing: Remembered with Rambalf and Tredegarh among the “Three Inviolates” associated with the Third Sack.
• Edharian projects: A spinoff math on Ecba is conducting a long‑running excavation toward the Temple of Orithena; in conversation, this is described as Edharian‑led and connected to delegates from the Thousander math attending a Millennial Convox.

Recent Activity

• Mass Evocation and travel: Following a large Voco, Evoked avout departed discreetly in small groups, converging toward the designated Convox.
• Red beam from above: One evening the crag was briefly illuminated by a narrow, ruby‑colored beam from overhead; smoke and steam raised at the crag made the beam’s path visible.
• Stockpile targeting conjecture: After viewing a leaked space recording and discussing propulsion of an orbital visitor, speakers infer that visitors may be low on nuclear devices and could seek stockpiles on Arbre; Edhar, Rambalf, and Tredegarh are named as possible sites. This is presented as conjecture rather than confirmed intent.

Status / Access

Active and occupied. The crag‑top community remains linked to the hall via the covered stair. The existence and upkeep of the waste cavern are presented as resident testimony; no public access is described.