Temple of Balder, Aertael

In early 1165, the group defeated a gnome illusionist who had been draining power from Magni and using it to rule a cadre of lower planes creatures.  During this time, they saved the Wizard's Council of Attellaria from an attack by some of his minions. In thanks, the government presented them with a large piece of property.  

The group is invited to a meeting at a government office where taxes and property and building licenses and such are handled.  In this meeting is the chief of police, Captain Riggs; Detective Casket; and two city clerks, who have some documents covered with large golden seals.  The chief says nothing about the recent events, but says that the city has been considering the application they made for a building permit, and has approved the plan to give them a currently unoccupied tract of land on the periphery of the temple district.  He hands them a bill for 2.5 million gold, marked Paid, and the deed to a tract of land, which radiates strong magic.   He asks each of those involved to affix a signature to the document.  Those from the city will recognize it as the address of the Temple of Balder.

They should not have any qualms about taking over this property, as Balder’s body was found and entombed in Asgard after the Judgment War, and no temple will ever be raised on these grounds again.

Overview of the Temple

The Temple of Balder has been closed for several years.  The grounds are no longer consecrated, but the temple building is nearly indestructible due to powerful enchantments.  The enchantments are attuned so that only those on the deed, and those they invite in (requiring a new invitation each time they leave), can enter, and each signer has a suite of four rooms that only they (and those they give permission do, on a day to day basis) can enter.  There are 25 such suites, in addition to a library, fourteen small rooms (10x20), 8 medium rooms (20x40), and 3 large rooms (40x60), plus the main area of the temple (150x100), kitchens, storage, gardens magically prepared so they give fresh fruits and vegetables year round sufficient to feed 200 which require no tending, stables large enough to hold 50 horses, a barracks that can house 60 with attached dining hall, armorer with room for 3 armorers and ancillary staff to work, one alchemical laboratory (fully equipped for research with standard items), and a laundry sufficient for 300.  The entire grounds are warded against scrying.

The manor house is not so protected. There are a couple of dozen rooms, from single occupancy servant rooms to several large rooms where nobles could be housed. Most of this building was for visitors and staff. There is a dining hall, library of mundane books, and so on. The building was damaged by boring bugs in April 1168 and repaired.

Notable Denizens

There is a sapling of Fladrif living in the temple yard.  It can communicate with Fladrif on matters of great importance, although this process is slow.  Note this is a telepathic connection, and is blocked by effects such as Mind Blank (level 8 magic user spell).

Pular Singe lives in an outbuilding on the grounds, and cooks for anyone who is present most days.  Her cooking skills are quite great, and she provides all sorts of meals - from meaty feasts to vegetarian spreads.

Library Notes

The library is a large room, stuffed with shelves and desks and alcoves, with thousands of books, scrolls, and tablets.  There is no index of any kind to be found. 

No fire will burn in the room, which is brightly lit with many continual light spells; every item in the room, and the room itself, are enchanted so no item can be taken out of the room that is part of the library.  In addition, a person can only peruse one book at a time; if a second book is opened, the first one will reshelve itself (apparently teleporting away), and require days of searching to find again.  Else, the first book can be left open and 'claimed' indefinitely (unless someone else in the library 'claims' it by reading some of it, or reshelves it physically, or reads it some and then starts another book, which would cause it to reshelve itself).

There is a portrait of the young Eleanor Trask, made shortly before her death in 1106, hanging in the library.  It is distinctly odd, and it has been said that if you talk to it, and wait long enough, you can see the facial expression change slightly, perhaps in response to things that have been said to it. 

The Grounds

The picture below shows the city block of property.  The top left building is a large manor house, the top right is the actual temple building, the bottom left is stables and blacksmith/forge, the bottom right is a lush area where crops, trees, and various other plants grow.  Many of these provide food of some type, but others are purely decorative.

There is a yard for horses and such to be exercised in the southwest area. The building there was rebuilt in April 1168 after an infestation of stone-eating bugs from the Elemental Earth plane.

The ground above and around the portal above is blocked with a Wall of Iron spell, a Consecrate Ground and a Forbiddance spell. This is also done under five buildings on the site, excluding the temple, which is already protected by very powerful Balder spells and cannot be Consecrated to any other deity....yet.

Finances

Annual maintenance is 25,000 gp per year.  This includes upkeep of the buildings, staff for stables, smiths and leather workers.

This is split between all the residents, and costs 100g each per month.

Druids amongst these people manage the upkeep of the gardens and trees.

Those who signed the deed and have a room suite include:

Quarex

Frith

Paraswarm Regliad

Conner

Fertini

Thunderhead

Ladriel

Browyn + Iro

Silentstep

Denibar

Yuan Shu

Shadow

Dresden

Jazdan

Brea

Arasirel

Kibbles

Hazor Gulgirth

Theophilus

Atalanta

Roscoe