The Order of Shadow

Deep in the desert of Bran'Aredh lies the Order of Shadow, where the saeli-tuk have been living, training and working for centuries, even before the unification of Bran'Aredh, and still, after the desolation and abandonment of the seven cities.
The Order of Shadow is a magnificent settlement. Aesthetically it is very plain, made of sand-stones and glass, in simple orthogonal-shaped buildings, some larger than others. Its inner garden, where the saeli-tuk grow their food, is a large glass dome, inside which desert plants and small bushes and trees from seeds that the monks brought back from their travels create a harmony of beauty and effectiveness. The dome preserves the precious water, which is never in abundance in the harsh desert.
The location of the Order demands that it is largely self-sufficient. The saeli-tuk make their own clothing from plant fibres, and they use the sand and plant parts to construct nearly everything, from stones to plates, cups and paper. Generations of engineers and mages worked together to find ways to utilise the hostile environment of the desert and managed to make the Order so self-sustainable and efficient that they alone survived when Bran'Aredh was reclaimed by the sand.
The library is the largest building inside the Order. It is where books are been collected or written and preserved for generations to come, where maps and artefacts are kept in display, with careful notes, and where the deeds of every saeli-tuk are been kept and remembered. Of all the monks that reside within the Order, more than half have the responsibility of the Library, its growth, its records and the condition of every item.

The Order relies as much on the monks that reside there as on those who travel, either as mercenaries, or as collectors of lore and artefacts. The former maintain the buildings, the gardens, the existing treasures, the lore, the traditions, and are in charge of training new blood. The latter bring back news, technologies, sources of nutrition, as well as knowledge.