Roseport Central Library

The castle was old, older than a large portion of books that now sat within its walls. But he'd been told it was the perfect place to find the information he needed. A thief like him stepping into a place of learning, an odd tactic but one he may as well try.
He stepped through the ancient stone archway of the Central Library and found himself in a grand library, the floors were polished marble, the walls lined with dark oak planks. Beyond a simple wooden reception area, he could see hundreds of rows of shelves, lined with a number of books he couldn't imagine.
Approaching the reception he rang the simple bell that sat on the counter's polished surface. A slim Murinae woman approached the counter. She placed a stack of books down and greeted him, her eyes were a calming shade of blue that took him by surprise.
"Can I help you sir?" the woman asked once more.
"Oh, umm yes, you can," he hadn't heard her the first time, why was he so flustered he thought, "my name is Osler van Ross, I am need of a particular set of papers and was told they were located here."
Why did he introduce himself like that? It wasn't necessary.
"Hello, Mr. Ross, my name is Lacey," her smile took him aback another step, "follow me hun, I'll help you find what you're looking for."

- From when Knox first met Lacey

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History

The Roseport Central Library was first built during the reign of the first King of Roseport, nearly a thousand years ago, not long after the founding of the city itself. Over the years it stood as a symbol of Roseport's independence in a land that was quickly being enveloped by the up and coming nation of Heldrin. The last ruler to live in the castle and sit on its throne as ruler of the independent territory of Roseport was King Ingwood. Who shortly after the end of The War of Dredarek would agree to swear fealty to the King of Heldrin and have Roseport become a free-city under the banner of the Kingdom of Heldrin.
No longer seeing the use for a seat of power, the castle would sit unused for a generation, with none of the local government wishing to spend the resources on upkeep. Until one day, a recently arrived scholar offered to take over management of the space, agreeing to leave ownership of the castle to the city. But only if they allowed him to turn the castle into a place of learning. This was agreeable to the city officials and the scholar, who became the first Head of the Central Library set to work, spending the rest of his life returning the castle to its glory and starting a long journey that would establish his new library as a place of learning.
Since then the castle has done just that becoming a haven for learners and scholars of all kinds and establishing itself as a beacon of education in a city that slowly became known for its skulduggery and fervently active thieves guild.
In recent years, it found itself as one of the main strongholds of Duke Cross, who confiscated the library and turned it into a large barracks for his men. During the last few days of Cross' reign, it would become the site of a large scale battle where citizens, thieves, and former city guard would come together under the leadership of the Golden Mask and free the library from the possession of Cross' soldiers. After the battle was won, and Cross deposed, the library was repaired and once again settled back into his long-tenured role as an institution of learning.

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Architecture

The Roseport Central Library is located in the center of the port city of Roseport, much like its name suggests. It is a large stone castle, with numerous spires, peaks, and gargoyles adorning its cascade. One main gate leads into and out of the castle's courtyard but over the years people have discovered numerous secret entrances and discreet ways of entering into the building.
The main hall of the castle, along with numerous floors and spaces above and around it have been converted into a large library, filled with thousands of books, chronicling the stories of the country of Heldrin and the city of Roseport itself. This includes archives of old ownership deeds, criminal files, and more. A boon for thieves looking for information on places and people they intend to target. The library also has plenty of space for scholars and those with a curious mind to sit and ponder about all sorts of topics held within the pages found in the library.
The castle has dozens of secret rooms and tunnels, many of which have been forgotten to time. Though on occasion a curious mind takes a wrong turn and finds themself in a room or hall that hasn't been entered in generations. Other hidden tunnels and spaces are used frequently by the thieves guild, which has a number of members stationed at the library for information gathering purposes. As well, many thieves and politicians use these out of the way spaces to hold discreet meetings where they won't be bothered by eavesdroppers or spies.

Where does the city's council govern from now?

After Roseport joined Heldrin the nobles of Roseport decided to move the cities political base closer to the cities port. The current council runs the local government from a large compound known as the Royal Estates. Keeping royal in the name as an homage to their roots as an independent nation.

Founding Date

An exact year is not known, but common knowledge states the city is easily over a thousand years old.

Alternative Names

Formerly known as The Royal Castle of Roseport

Type

Castle

Parent Location

Roseport

Owner

King Thadeus Telvour VIII

Owning Organization

Heldrin

Interesting Facts

Current Head of the Central Library, and member of the city council, Mort Trenton was a former member and leader of the Thieves Guild of Roseport before it was disbanded during the Reign of Duke Cross.
The Central Library was the first time meeting place of Osler Van Ross and Lacey Larcoga Fentina both of which had a large role in rebuilding the city after Duke Cross was exiled. Osler Van Ross and Lacey, are happily married and both help in running the city as council members.