Overview
Far to the east lies a grand library, situated in the stretch of trees between the coast and a sizable lake. Its stone walls have been almost completely taken over by moss and ivy, and a lush carpet of grass surrounds the building and lake. Though it contains a tremendous amount of literature, it focuses in religious texts, and in fact the structure also serves as a temple of sorts to Nenkos, the goddess of order and time.
Features
The building itself is made of white stone and birch wood, adorned with several cupolas which are connected by long strands of moss. Despite its outer appearance, however, the interior is extremely well-maintained and no books ever seem to go missing. This is in spite of the fact that no one has ever seen anyone maintain or oversee the area.
The land immediately outside of the library, facing the lake, is adorned with statues and stone shrines, also untouched by time or the salty coastal air. The crystal-clear waters of the lake and lush vegetation create an overwhelmingly peaceful and safe environment.
The tallest part of the library, even taller than the tips of the cupolas, is a narrow tower just off of the main building. It is too narrow for a staircase; instead, the staircase winds around the outside. The tower holds the oldest and rarest manuscripts in the library.
History
It is said that Nenkos created a small refuge so that nothing within the immediate area of the library can ever age. This also means, however, that nothing that originates from the bubble can be brought outside as this would disrupt the continuity of the time freeze. Because of this, the books in the library cannot be stolen and always stay in perfect condition, and any living creature in the area will cease to age inside its boundaries. Many travelers, merchants, and even nobles have come there in an attempt to achieve immortality, but all who tried found that there isn’t much point to living forever when you’re confined to such a small space.
Furthermore, when anything exits the boundaries of the library area, it is immediately brought back to current time, aging how much it would have, had it never entered the library. This is true for living creatures and (discovered by a very unfortunate elf who spent over 300 years copying manuscripts only to have the paper crumble almost to dust upon leaving) inanimate objects.