Convent of St. Hette

Welcome to the convent of St. Hette. This is our refuge against the world's intrusions, so we may perpetually worship Eyuna, goddess of splendor, and Walai, god of mystery. Unlike many monasteries, we are a completely cloistered order meaning we have retreated from the world and barred it from entering here. Sadly while I will endeavor to describe the convent, you can only come into this visiting room.
The outside world may visit the main temple which is very ornate. Almost every surface has been decorated by hand to give the feel of a heavenly oasis amid the world's desert of decadence. In the center, a screen protects the priestesses from the worldly. A basket pierces it for parishioners' offerings for priestesses to sacrifice. On the worldly side of the screen is seating for about forty worshipers. There is a stone altar, a fire altar for sacrifices, and seating for the priestesses on the convent side. Services are held three times during the day and once more in the deepest part of the night. At all other times, at least one priestess is in the temple tending to the fire altar. It has never gone out since the Blessed Daughter Fainehla lit it 417 years ago.
Off of the temple is a small sacristy for us to change if necessary. From there one can go up the stairs to the dormitory, up different stairs to the consecrates' rooms, or out to the cloister.
The cloister, the central courtyard, has a splendor only Eyuna could provide. At its center is a dainty moon tree providing light for a myriad of flowers throughout the year. Unlike most Sidhe gardens, the opening to Lake Tajah Jeedeh at the far end causes a significant drop in temperature during the winter. Only the most hardy of flowers grow during that season.
Starting from the temple around the cloister are the calefactory, the refectory, the kitchen, the lake, the storage room, and the visiting room. Similar to a living room in a house, the calefactory is a warm cozy room to have meetings, do hobbies, work, or just catch up. A central curtain gives the room more flexibility. We eat in the refectory. So that nobody is given preference, the tables are arranged in a circle. The large Kitchen puts out three meals a day. While we have a cook, everyone takes turns working for her even the head preistess. The lake enters the convent through a break in the cavern wall. Both the cloister and kitchen have access to it. By diverting some lake water, the builders created a springhouse in the back of the kitchen. The very utilitarian store room has a door to the outside for supply deliveries. And we are in the visiting room with a screen between us. While we wish to speak to those in need, the screen keeps their worldliness from invading our home.
As I mentioned the stairs near the cloister go up to the dormitory. On the other side of them is a small private chapel. We sometimes have special services there but mostly it is used for private prayers. Twenty cells closed by curtains fill the dormitory. The balcony overlooking the cloister garden makes the ones on the south side the most sought-after. At the far end of the dormitory is a sick room for those who need special care. When it is in use, a priestess with healing gifts sleeps outside. We have a marvelous bathroom with tubs for hot, cold, and warm water at that end of the dormitory. Next to it is the head preistess's office and cell.
If you go up the other set of stairs you are in the rooms for the consecrates. There are two cells: one on either end of the hall. Each has two beds: one for the concentrate and one for the priestess documenting her visions and insights. Like all duties, priestesses take turns documenting. Between the cells is a spartan dayroom which is rarely used. Next to one of them is a small bathroom with only one tub. But it's private and has hot and cold water.
I hope my description has allowed you to envision the convent. I wish I could let you see it for yourself but that would let the world in ruining our refuge.

Purpose / Function

This is first and foremost a center of worship for Eyuna, goddess of earth, she of Splender, one of the enlightened and for Walai, god of water, they of mystery, also one of the enlightened. The main temple is open perpetually for all who wish to worship or offer sacrifice to either of the gods. The rest of the convent is a refuge allowing the priestesses here to live and worship without the world's intrusions.

Architecture

The main temple is carved in the very ornate style of the Second Sidhe Revival. This style was very outdated even when the temple was constructed. Like many other Second Revival buildings, the outside has soaring, twisting columns and richly decorated capitals. Surrounding the doors asymmetrically are scrolling branches with leaves. The oversized doors are decorated with a combination of gilded scrollwork and painted mythological scenes about the gods Eyuna and Walai.
The inside of the temple is overly ornate. Every surface has been decorated. Between a riot of carved arabesques, sixteen frescos represent the gods recognized at the time. (The Sidhe didn't accept Lady Syn as one of the gods until 127 A.A.) The grill separating the two halves of the temple is made of gilded vines similar to those on the walls. The pews likewise have vine work with a carved cartouche of one of Walai or Eyuna's symbols.
The rest of the monastery was created in a utilitarian style. Originally, earth warlocks shaped it with plum square walls and no additional ornamentation. Similarly, they created desks, tables, benches, and bed platforms from bare rock. Later, wood door frames, some baseboards, and a few cornices were added.
Throughout the downstairs, priestesses have added their own art to decorate the bare stone walls. Religious murals can be found in all the common areas. These paintings, mosaics, and frescos vary greatly in their style and skill of execution. For example in the calefactory, a painting of Eyuna creating the peacock is worthy of the emperor's royal collection. Whereas in the kitchen, there is an endearing mural of Walai created with finger paints.
Upstairs in the dormitory, the art becomes more light-hearted and even humorous. One of the novices' favorites is a sketch of an elderly priestess asleep in her soup. In the consecrates' rooms, the art is esoteric to the point of being bizarre. A mural there is of a Sidhe made of eyes. 
Recently, a consecrate had a dream that led to the discovery of a white-washed-over mural. Currently, the church is trying to restore the painting which seems to be a disturbing prophecy.

History

According to Legend after the First Cataclysm, some Sidhe took refuge in the caves in Mt. Aidarres. However, they couldn't find fresh water. A young girl named Hette, later to be sainted, struck her staff on the cavern's wall after the god Walai spoke to her. It created an opening to Lake Tajah Jeedeh. The grateful Sidhe created a shrine that stood there until the Humans arrived.
The arrival of the Human terra caused Lapansi to quake and the shrine to collapse. A few years later the Blessed Daughter Fainehla of Walai started keeping vigil over a small fire altar praying for a new shrine. The Church of the Sidhe decided instead to build a temple and convent in remembrance of St. Hette. They placed Fainehla in charge.
Fainehla remained as the head of the convent only long enough to get it started. After that, she became a consecrate remaining at the convent for the rest of her life. The convent has had five more head priestesses since that time. Each has done an excellent job of running it.
In 495 A.A., a human toddler protected by Walai floated into the convent. Unable to find any relatives, the nuns took it upon themselves to raise the girl. They named her Ereshaka meaning water-born.

Founding Date

111 A.A.

Alternative Names

St. Hette's

Type

Monastery

Parent Location

Lapansi

Owner

Shivana

Owning Organization

Church of the Sidhe