Great Library
The front of this building is a grand sweep of granite walls and tall columns. A wide ramp leads to a pair of massive doors flanked by stone-carved dragons. Inside, it’s cool and musty.
The Great Library of Greyhawk stands as the largest repository of knowledge in the Flanaess, its vast collection exceeding that of any other institution. The front of the building, facing the Processional, is an imposing granite edifice adorned with tall columns and a grand stairway leading to massive double doors, fit for a fortress. Though its outer facade is opulent, the true value of the library lies within its halls and the treasures kept within its vaults.
Rules & Security
- Weapons and armor are strictly prohibited. Any visitor wearing armor or carrying visible weapons is denied entry.
- The two massive bronze dragon statues flanking the entrance are actually Stone Golems that animate and attack any who attempt to steal a book or break the rules.
- Silence is expected at all times.
The library is open during daylight hours and free to all citizens and visitors. Guests may browse the six public wings, each separated by open archways labeled:
History | Geography | Artistic Studies | Poetry | Science | General Studies
Visitors are free to peruse the books but may not remove them unless they are Contributing Members (those who donate 100 gp annually or are sponsored by a noble or merchant).
The Head Librarian – Abra Saghast
The library is overseen by Abra Saghast , a crusty and irascible dragonborn sage (Chaotic Good Archmage). Abra has bright-green eyes, and her bronze scales shimmer with aquamarine hues. She wears a patchwork robe and sits behind a high desk on a raised platform in the main hall. Though wise and respected, she is often gruff and impatient, sharing her knowledge reluctantly—unless flattered by a particularly charming visitor.
The Library Vaults
An iron door behind Abra’s desk leads to a narrow hallway where three scribes work tirelessly. Their true role is as sentries, for behind them lie three locked iron doors leading to the library's vaults, protected by Arcane Lock spells.
Vault Contents:
- Magical Tomes & Forbidden Works: Rare spellbooks, some of which destroy themselves when read unless copied through precise arcane techniques.
- Rare & Priceless Art Books: A collection valued at over 1,000,000 gp, including silk paintings from the east and feather-pictures from distant southern lands.
- Official Records of the Free City: This includes tax ledgers from the past 30 years, military reports, treaties, and the city guard’s gate rosters (kept for five years). Also housed here are scandalous or banned books, kept in secret despite their prohibition.
Emergency Response System
Each scribe’s desk has a pull cord that runs through the ceiling. A tug on the cord releases a trained homing pigeon from a loft above the library, which flies to alert an Archmage who will teleport to the library within one minute to investigate.
Accommodations for Scholars
Beneath the library, cellar apartments are available for scribes and scholars who spend days working within its halls. Abra Saghast herself resides in a modest, austere set of rooms below the library.
Finding a Book
If adventurers seek a specific volume, there is a 50% base chance it exists in the library, and an 80% chance the topic is covered. The rarity of the book may modify these odds, at the DM’s discretion.
For those seeking knowledge, history, or forbidden truths, the Great Library of Greyhawk is an unparalleled treasure trove of wisdom—but its secrets are well-guarded.
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