All the defenders of Shalquar Monastery honor the leadership of the Master, always a monk of great strength who has proven his wisdom in matters both philosophical and martial. While the first leaders of the monastery were human, the Master has long since been chosen almost exclusively from among the kalashtar who devote themselves to Shalquar’s defense. The Master’s primary task is to enact specific plans to shield the monastery from discovery or, failing that, defend it from attack.
The current Master is a male kalashtar named Ay’Kuar (LN male kalashtar monk 5/soulknife 6). He strongly supports an aggressive defense of the region; his most famous (and controversial) strategy has been the sanctioning of surgical strikes against Riedran scout patrols exploring locations far from the actual pass. He theorizes that this will prevent the Inspired from deducing Shalquar’s location based on where patrols vanish, but his critics lament the loss of human lives that pose little threat.