Shuf

Shuf is known mainly through places and institutions bearing his name rather than through direct description. Near the Concent of Saunt Edhar, the stone shell called Shuf’s Dowment stands by the coppice of page trees on the rise between the Decade and Century gates. Long seen as an ivy‑snarled ruin, it has been fitted out inside and used quietly as a retreat by the Reformed Old Faanians.

Origins and Lineage

Accounts describe Shuf as an avout with a stone‑mason’s avocation who, around 1200, began a narrow tower with a small room for meditation. He passed the project to a chosen heir, and successive holders in Shuf’s Lineage replaced and extended the foundation—digging cavities beneath what was built and socking great stone blocks into place. Over generations the underworks grew into a warren of cellars. As the Lineage accumulated wealth, those old foundations were rediscovered, walled, floored, and vaulted for storage. Lineages were later abolished in reforms associated with the Third Sack, and any treasure‑vault that may have existed was long since emptied.

First Appearance and Context

Shuf enters the narrative by way of the dowment associated with his name. Avout are shown spending time inside it; Fraa Arsibalt is encountered there reading from an ancient book handled with tongs and, later, exploring the substructure.

Roles/Actions and Affiliations

No direct actions by Shuf are recorded. A boundary wall near the coppice is credited in local memory to Shuf’s Lineage. The Reformed Old Faanians have adopted the dowment as a quiet hideaway; cabinet‑maker avout have furnished its stone shell with wooden floors, paneled walls, shelving, and other comforts, and members make themselves comfortable there when unopposed.

Later Use and Exploration

By this period, earth has slumped back into many of the cellars beneath the dowment, which the ROF largely ignore while refitting the rooms above. One chamber near the stair holds wine and a silver table‑service for special occasions; beyond that the underworks are a neglected maze. Fraa Arsibalt has taken to mapping and digging in these spaces; he revealed a cramped, low sub‑basement reached through a rusty floor‑plate, its walls marked with graffiti left by disappointed slines.

Descriptions/Characteristics

No personal description of Shuf has been provided. Contemporary remarks suggest he had little wealth and no overarching plan; the small structure he began sits atop extensive, layered foundations and cellars.

Current Status/Location

Shuf’s personal status is not stated. The dowment that bears his name stands near the coppice by the concent; above ground it functions as a comfortably appointed retreat used by the Reformed Old Faanians, while most cellars remain largely neglected.