The Scholar's Virtue
Ishgardian Free Library, Reading Hall and Tearoom
--
Ishgard, Foundation
(Omega, Empyreum, Ward 8, plot 41)
About
"The Scholar's Virtue" is a free library situated in Foundation, Ishgard. Unlike other privately funded libraries, the place is open for public. Its goal is to popularise secular education and provide the City with knowledge on various subjects otherwise found all around Eorzea.
The Library reaches to the past and future alike, presenting Ishgard's uniqueness, and opportunities of a new era, to whoever is interested.
Tearoom
A warm and cozy tearoom is ready to welcome frozen guests. Serves hot and cold drinks and simple sweet and savory food to fortify them before or after hours of studying.
Library
A wide selection of books and documents on various subjects.
A spacious, well-lit reading hall with comfortable seating. Everything for productive studying.
Staff
The Library is run by hard-working and devoted team, with each of the members bringing their own unique experience. And yet, the Library is more than just a place of work for them.
About
"The Scholar's Virtue" is an ambitious project of a young Lord Glendwind Aerwindale, Scholasticate graduate and a former Convictor Knight. Idea of this library came to him by the end of his year-long adventure in Eorzea, as seeing the world helped him to better understand changes in Ishgard and see how he personally could support these changes.He hopes this place can welcome everyone who seeks the knowledge, regardless the subject, even if the knowledge provided here would be very basic. Because after all, it is the first step that matters the most.Until now Saint Endalim's Scholasticate was the only public education institute in Ishgard. Glendwind believes that his library will be first of many changes in this field, changes so desperately needed.OOC:"The Scholar's Virtue" is a roleplay venue in FFXIV, Chaos, Omega. While we intend to keep it open for public, this is an active FC, so before setting a roleplay here, please contact the owners for confirmation. Venue's in-game address is Empyreum, Ward 8, plot 41.This place is designed for social, political and academic roleplay featuring Ishgardian themes. It is not the best choice for criminal, violent and trouble-making roleplay. Any obvious IC lawbreakers will be immediately reported to the authorities.This venue provides no "adult themes RP" and follows FFXIV T-rating in its activities.Contact Discord:
Aerwindale#1359
ancientwinters#8511Interior design of the cafe floor is heavily inspired by AkhRhai's work, with IC and OOC reasons behind this approach.
Tearoom
A small and cozy tearoom welcomes its guests to warm up with a cup of tea, coffee or something stronger, nourish themselves with a bite of Ishgardian treat and share last news or discuss a popular book. Four tables offer seats for small and bigger groups. The menu is mostly affordable for guests of any social status and income level, with hot chocolate being the most expensive and luxurious position.Please, keep in mind that food and drink should remain in the tearoom, bringing them downstairs is strictly forbidden.There is some light reading available for the tearoom visitors: the bookcase in the passage to the right contains issues of "Ishgardian Almanac", various magazines and newspapers, as well as several battered copies of "Enchiridion" and some other books.The tearoom guests are assisted by the young Elezen woman behind the counter, Mirielle (NPC).
menu
DRINKSSpiritsIshgardian dry red wine
First choice of any respectable person.Imported white sparkling wine, brut or sweet.
Refreshing, with joyous bubbles tickling your tongue.Ishgardian brandy, 3 and 5 years old.
Rich but smooth, great as it is or together with coffee or tea.Cider
Sweet local apple cider.Ale
Smooth, with velvety bitterness and fluffy foam.Spirits - hotMulled wine
Ishgardian classics with rich aroma of herbs, spices and delicate touch of citrus. Moderately sweet. Nothing better to warm you in freezing climate of Ishgard.Non-alcoholc drinksSelection of juices: apple, orange, rolandberry.
Mineral water: Dravanian, Abalathian.Non-alcoholic drinks - hotCoerthan tea, black.
Leaves of Coerthan tea brewed in hot water.Ishgardian tea
Leaves of Coerthan tea brewed in yak milk.Coffee
Rich and energizing, can be served black or with milk/cream.Hot chocolate
Luxurious and velvety thick drink with light bitter touch.Warm yak milk
Extremely high on fat. Ask for wild honey on the side.
--------------FOODSavouryKaiser roll sandwiches with fresh karakul cheese
Malted bread made by Ishgardian monks, topped with young karakul cheese.Trapper’s quiche
Eggs, cheese, and chopped eft blended together and baked in a flaky crust. A favorite amongst Ishgardian nobles.Cucumber sandwiches
Bread, salted butter and thinly sliced cucumbers.Ishgardian muffin with smoked dodo breast
Leavened bread that is cooked on a griddle rather than in an oven, dusted with cornmeal, topped with slices of tender smoked dodo breast.SweetSohm Al Tart
A traditional Ishgardian cake made up of several stacked layers tapered to resemble Sohm Al, a peak sacred to the Dravanians.Marron glace
Chestnuts peeled and soaked in honey for several moons until the entire fruit is permeated with sweetness.Apple strudel
A handful of chopped apples glazed with birch syrup are thinly wrapped in a warm flaky crust, topped with just a sprinkling of cinnamon.Almond Cream Croissant
A flaky crescent-shaped pastry sliced in two and buttered with a sweet creamy paste made from almonds.Selection of cakes and tarts
A subject to daily change, depending on what the best patisseries can offer on the current date. Rolanberry tarts are likely available if not eaten by the staff.
LIbrary
With the Library's moderate size, the subjects presented here are numerous, but more with a general than with in-depth overview of them.First of all, there are books that otherwise are available in any Guild of Eorzea, but of course, the tomes that contain more general information than secrets of the Guilds. From arcanima and basics of axe wielding to botany and metal smelting - anything from the general and beginner to intermediate level. Some tomes seem to be local, Ishgardian version of martial and crafter disciplines.Next follow books on subjects that are part of curriculum of Saint Endalim Scholasticate: grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, astrology and music.Very special attention is dedicated to healing arts: by both magical and non-magical means. With Ishgard being home to chirurgeons of the Order of Hospitaliers, this is no surprise.Books on aetherology and magic arts is also large part of the library, these subjects seem to be close to the owner's heart. While some tomes appear to be rather advanced, none of them are on forbidden subjects: White or Black magic, Voidsent summoning. There is, though, history of Amdapor and Mhach and books on War of the Magi, so the reader can learn what dangers these arts brought to the world. Information on Voidsent is very basic, of your typical "bestiary" level: classification and known abilities.Halonic shelf is blooming: from Enchiridion to advanced theological works of Ishgardian clergy "The Seventy-Two Articles of Halonic Polity", all 14 volumes and numerous Lives of Saints. This is not an easy read and partly already outdated, but this is Ishgardian history and it is important to the owner.History of Ishgard is also a very prominent subject, with both books and documents of old and new, featuring all the discoveries, so the curious reader can perform as deep a research as they desire.Fiction is the smallest department: the novels are rather few and even fewer of them is something that can be considered "light reading". Some popular titles, though, are still featured. Surprisingly, poetry books seem to be almost as numerous as novels.There is one shelf that stands out: books for those who are only learning to read: engaging stories, written in a very simple language, many of the books are filled with colourful illustrations, several ABCs including.
staff
Lord Glendwind Aerwindale
Polite and proper to a fault, slightly anxious proprietor of "The Scholar's Virtue" is a noble Elezen with scholarly background. He eagerly involves himself into all aspects of the Library life, from welcoming guests and assisting them with their requests, to the very management of the Library's property, contractors and personnel.
Nigelaux Eventide
A charming, enthusiastic young man, never short of a smile and amusing story, Nigel is a stray coeurl adopted from Gridania. Over time, he grew to become Glendwind's right (and left) hand, promoted to the role of crisis manager. His duties also include heavy lifting necessary in every establishment, bookbinding and advanced research. Coneisseur of salty caramel, rolanberry tarts and poetry.
Miss Mirielle
An Elezen woman behind the counter who seems to have it all under control in the tearoom: guests, fresh drinks and food, clean tables, flowers in the vase, steady fire in the hearth. How she manages to juggle it all every day with such ease and elegance is a mystery even to her employer.
Kyell Alvar
Unmistakably an outsider and new to the city of Ishgard, this Viera nevertheless seems to be fitting in just right. Attentive, caring, curious and straight-forward, he earned the trust of the rest of the team and now actively takes part in Library's work, be it sweeping the floors, arranging chairs and bringing a cup of tea to the guest, or finding the right book.
Corinne Ouraux
A Saint Endalim's Scholasticate seminarian with excellent references, true passion for knowledge and its systema-tisation is the most recent addition to the Library.
Vividly interested in other cultures and the world outside of Ishgard, she already proved to be a great help to its guests.
Cornelius Mescinius
A shy, somewhat pudgy and skittish young man hailing from the northern reaches of the late Garlean capital.
With a thick accent, a knack for numbers, a love for books and fishing, and books about fishing, Cornelius is the library's trusty accountant and, on busy nights, an aid for the library's many guests.
