Moss Cradle

Moss Cradle, a monastery at the top of Deva's Halo (the tallest mountain in the Shelmeda Bluffs, located within the Avia-Lithosphere mountain range), was founded by unicorn guardians long, long ago, and was headed by their greatest protector of the region, Tai-Ki, a ki-rin.

This abbey seems to celebrate and nurture Life itself. There are abundant gardens and trees at the top of the protected mountain, and many monks meditating on life, wisdom, and nurturing.

### Description

The path leading up to Deva's Halo is very dangerous, but close to the very top of this mountain there is a massive stone staircase that ascends into the ring of clouds that surround the mountain. A bas relief sculpture has been carved into the stairs.

It tells a story - a story of an angel who fought fiends in a great war. They show her flying in with a longsword at her side, cutting down devils, leaving scorched, radiant earth in her wake. She rides atop a ki-rin with a long flowing beard, goring evil creatures in a brilliant muralistic story.
Eventually, at last, it shows her falling, struck from her illustrious mount. She falls, endlessly -- until she crashes directly into the earth, her longsword gashing into the mountain. The earth regrows around her, creating a beautiful sunset on the mountain that forms over her body, that ends the story, with the image of the ki-rin mount at the very top of the golden peak, with the sun rising behind it.
The monastery itself is warmer, humid, and full of rows of massive hanging plants, various trees, fruits, and sparkling silver fountains. It is like an oasis that sits within the Deva's Halo and is far more hospitable than the area outside of it.

## The Lifetenders

The Lifetenders are the monks of Moss Cradle.

Notable lifetenders:

* Renew, a tiefling, who has been there for nearly 400 years. She asked Tai-Ki to bless her friends in the war and protect them. She ended up staying in Moss Cradle.
* Nasir, a golden dragonborn, tender to gardens and baby unicorns. He was born in Moss Cradle, and collects books and journals from fallen adventurers who died on the mountaintops.
* Brother Ouss, a centaur with long white hair, a cropped, styled white beard, and a dappled gold and white body, who leads the ritual in summoning Tai-Ki each year.

## Tai-Ki

Tai-Ki is a lawful good protector ki-rin. He can only be summoned once a year to the Material Plane by the monks of Moss Cradle. He grants a wish to the worthy, if it is within his power, and bestows his blessing upon the Lifetenders. He can True Resurrect.

### Tai-Ki's Darkest Day

Brother Ouss shared a story with Raven's Mark about the grave mistake committed by Tai-Ki.

> *"Many, many millennia ago, a creature trekked here and sought the boon of Tai-Ki. His name is gone now. His sought to bring back two. His brothers."*
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> *"He stayed, for some time, learned of here, learned of our ways, of Tai-Ki's mission to fight against the evil in the world. It burned him so, but he stayed. He thrashed in the bed for the entire day as we gathered supplies, in some degree of pain we could never place."*
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> *"When he was ready, we started the ritual. His flesh burned at the sight of Tai-Ki, but he pled his case. Tai-Ki stood for some time, and sensing that the creature was one of great sacrifice and of true character, to stand the pain, Tai-Ki did what it was asked." "*
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> *"The creature was resurrected. Its screams and burning tore the dome down... It died within the hour."*
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> *"The creature left the next day. He did not chance the other."*
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### Tai-Ki's Children

A list of those known to be brought back by Tai-Ki:

* Astrid, Raven's Mark member (first trek to Moss Cradle)
* Faradan, Raven's Mark member (Tai-Ki summoned by Micaiah with a Divine Intervention)