The long forgotten residence of the renowned lorekeeper Thaddeus Porter, the former archmage of Dalaran that settled within Ironforge prior to the first war, the Manor of the Hallowed Antiquity has just recently been acquired. While the achievements of the previous owner have long been forgotten, the building itself has remained a thorn in the side of the city clerks of Ironforge, for they have been attempting to sell the building for what, to them, feels like an eternity. As such, the city clerks did rejoice upon hearing that it had finally been sold.

The reasons for its unpopularity among the Dwarves are varied, with the more vain justifications being that it merely does not suit the architectural theme of Ironforge, both externally and internally. A more prominent issue that extends beyond simple appearance, is that it was fashioned to accommodate the taller races that dwell within Azeroth, rather than being constructed to cater towards those of a more lacking height. Naturally, it’s not only the doors and walls that are beyond the reach of the short Dwarves, but the furniture too.

While the building itself is ideal in construction for an enterprising Human, the only ones that ever make the effort to come to Ironforge do not typically seek residency within it, and those that do have expressed their unwillingness to purchase the property when propositioned. Perhaps if the price of the residence was more inconsequential, those looking for a home would be more accepting of its flaws. But, with it encompassing a large parcel of land, and being replete with magical machinations that maintain the building without intervention, it’s price is indeed prohibitive.

With the building having been unsold for more than a whole generation, the clerks had given up the hope of ever selling the residence, and it had since been relegated to being little more than a fragment of the scenery of Ironforge. Naturally, upon learning that it had been purchased by a hooded individual that made his way to The Forlorn Cavern, with that very individual being well-versed in the history and features of the manor, it took awhile for the revelation of an individual attempting to purchase it to sink in.

The sale of the estate was finalized within but a few days since the arrival of the hooded individual, who, during the end of the barter, revealed himself to be of the name William Wither. Having plenty enough coin at his disposal, and knowing fully of what there is to be known about the building, it was inevitable that he would be the one to acquire it. In the midst of the talks, it was revealed to be a building that various organizations sought to be turned into a building that would become little more than a landmark, a peculiar art piece. They soon came to an agreement, with the deciding condition being that the architecture and furniture inside it would not be changed, nor be made radically different.

It was on the 33rd year, of the Kings calendar, that the building officially became the headquarters of The Emporium of Antiquity.

Rooms: 28.

Second floor: Multiple bedrooms, Library, Study, Painter’s quarter, Sculptures quarter, Archive, Bathroom.

First floor: Entrance, Kitchen, Living rooms, dining rooms, bathrooms, Botany garden, Alchemy lab, Enchanter’s study, Engineering Works, Forge.

Cellar: Cellar, Archives, Libraries, The vault.

Outside: Garden, fountains, stables.

Throughout the house, a large number of libraries are to be found, with them all sharing the same overarching theme, but with distinct variation that is unique to each one. One can be found with it’s furniture made out of a wood of a paler tone, confined to a single floor, another library will have a more atypical browning yet possessing two floors, with bookcases sitting atop a balcony.

It’s not only books that are to be found in these libraries. From instruments to chesstops and modest vases to expertly chiseled sculptures, the content to be found within each library is rich and varied. Not only are the furnishings and decorations exotic, the very carpets and rugs that are laid on top of the flooring are either fashioned from animal furs, or the very finest tailorings developed in the land of Uldum.

The kitchen, the backbone of any establishment that sustains more than a couple individuals, is aptly stocked and organized, with every knife having a home and every pot and pan arranged to be easily obtainable. The larder, situated beneath the kitchen, is filled to the brim with an array of foodstuffs, herbs, spices, flavourings, jams, marinades, stocks and everything in-between. A large portion of the fruits, vegetables, and herbs are sourced from the very same botanical garden that is to be found in the estate. And to keep these fresh pickings as prime as possible, frost crystals are scattered in abundance throughout.

Within the center of the kitchen, a large fire-pit is situated. The left and right sides of the pit are curved downwards, with the middle forming a trench where the wood to be burned is laid. Along the stone bricks that line the pit, separating it from the floorboards, wind crystals of varying size are embedded into them. When the fire is started, they are influenced by the heat, subsequently directing the fire upwards, and guided into the chimney above.

The woods used in cooking come from a variety of trees. When cooking gravies, soups, stews and breads, whatever cheap wood was being sold in the local market is used. But when a cut of meat is to cooked, browned, seared or smoked, particular woods are selected by the cook dependant upon the desired flavour. The supply of these is very much reliant on travelling traders and entrepreneurial lumberjacks, but a small amount of the supply can be traced to the same garden that also sustains the fresh vegetables in the larder. Of those woods that are self supplied, the trees themselves are grown from enchanted soil and fed enchanted fertilizer, allowing them to burn far longer than the ordinary stock.

The pleasing appearance of the kitchen is not solely due to the disciplined organization of all the utensils and objects found within. The counters, cupboards, sinks, knives, drawers, and all else that is to be found, were crafted with a floral theme in mind, with vines and flowers etched into them.

Within the manor, there are a large number of bedrooms, with the majority being those of a lesser quality, originally intended for the staff. The more extravagant bedrooms are replete with comfy beds and pleasing visuals, as they are for those who are considered esteemed guests and family. But even the most basic of the bedrooms contain a small study, of course, the larger and more gorgeous rooms containing what looks to be more of an office than a mere writing table.

Within these rooms, beneath the beds, are sturdily made trunks where the occupant can keep their more treasured items, safe from prying eyes and grabbing hands. The key to the respective room’s chest is given to the occupant upon their arrival at the manor, with great emphasis on the fact that if they are to lose the key, no effort will be made by The Emporium to rectify the situation.

Behind the manor, a sprawling botany garden is to be found, with many small ponds scattered throughout, sustained by the water formed from the melting snow that sits atop the mountains above Ironforge. The various greenhouses that are situated within the garden are fashioned from enchanted glass, with the magic embedded within them mimicking the light of the sun and it’s day-night cycles, as there is no natural light that reaches the depths of the city.

At the center of the garden is a large alchemy lab, connected to each part of the garden, facilitating the quick gathering of the garden’s bounty. The aesthetics of the interior is much like that of the kitchen, with floral patterns being in abundance. The windows, similar to the those of the greenhouses, emit light. But rather than their purpose being to grow plants, their purpose is to adjust in colour in accordance to the emotions of the one that works inside it.

All around the room there are trinkets that are of great help to any alchemist, with there being vials that can preserve even the most fragile of reagents for decades on end, as well as elven bowls that keep the powders placed in them fresh and free from dust. And should the light from the windows not suffice, there are also many crystals embedded within the contours of the walls, that can be taken and used as a light source, to facilitate reading from the many academic books that are scattered throughout the lab.

A recent addition to the house, funded by the current owner of the manor, is the smithy. The construction of the building, as well as the creation of the various work surfaces and tools, was delegated to a company consisting of Dark Iron Dwarves, with their resultant appearance being a natural consequence. As well stocked as any smithy, resources at all stages of refinement are to be found, from mere ores to ingots, and even unfinished armour plates and blades.

Blueprints for crafting such items and apparel are readily available and pertain not only to the techniques and styles employed by the Dwarves, but also include those from many of the sentient races of Azeroth.

Naturally, with many items requiring wooden poles and handles, or leather bindings, there are small corners of the smithy that have been relegated to the creation and maintaining of those materials. By no means are the facilities an equivalent to a fully fledged workshop dedicated to woodwork or leathercrafting, but for a blacksmith, there’s little else that is required.