Rosewick Compound

The Rosewick Compound is the location of the Masked Circle's primary headquarters. It is built in the center of Rosewick, on the north side of the main square and directly across from the Temple of Iva.

Construction

Like the Temple of Iva, Rosewick Compound is built of marble, with a facade that is trimmed in silver and stretches three stories tall. Its facade is decorated by statues of notable Masks as well as Balihran heroes. A pair of large oaken doors marks the public entrance to the building, which houses many offices and headquarters for the various governmental organizations of Balihr. There are also two private, well-guarded doors on the sides of the building facing the alleys to the east and west, which are used for government employees and the Masks to access their offices.

Upon entering the Compound, one is met by a directory on a marble lectern in the entry hall. The entry hall is dotted with soft benches and the flooring is a plush carpet. Plants growing in pots and across the marble walls are fed by sunlight through a glass roof three stories up. The hallways on each side of the entry hall on all floors are open to this central chamber.

Using the directory, one can find the way to any number of governmental services. All the hallways are tiled in marble and lit by mage lights that hover above bronze sconces, giving off a warm hue that is reminiscent of sunlight.

At the very back of the Compound, across a courtyard bricked in stone, are the rooms dedicated to the Masked Circle. The re is an audience chamber that is publicly accessible, in which petitioners can bring their inquiries to the Circle itself. The rest of the wing is private and guarded heavily. Here, the Masks can meet in the main council chamber or retreat to smaller committee chambers. There are additional offices provided to each member of the Circle for taking breaks from the main discussion. The treasury is also in this area, on the basement level and accessible only by a hidden staircase.

Functions

The Rosewick Compound houses many important Balihran ministries. These include the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education, along with many others. Each has its federal offices in the Rosewick Compound. Additionally, the Compound holds the command units for its navy and army in this building. Folk can visit any of these offices for a wide variety of reasons, although going to the federal level is often a last resort, and many of one's needs can be met by the city's offices or the outer offices scattered in various settlements across Balihr.

The Rosewick Compound is also where these ministries meet with one another to coordinate responses, and to deal with their own internal affairs. However, the Compound is most known for the vital government body it houses: the Masked Circle.

The Masked Circle conducts nearly all of its business in the rear portion of the Compound. It is accessible via the central courtyard and only a small portion is open to the public. Here, petitioners are welcome to bring their concerns directly to the Circle. In the private section, the Circle conducts the rest of its business. Here they discuss what the petitioners bring forth, as well as matters of national concern. There are smaller committees within the Circle that are responsible for particular topics, and these committees coordinate with the relevant ministries where needed. This ensures that each issue is given exactly the attention it needs, by folk who are familiar with the topic and who can prepare the correct response.