This is just a work on progress...some ideas about the layout and structure of the castle. Someday I may even try to make this in Minecraft.
The Front AreaThe front area of the castle is actually it's own quarter which is separate from the rest of the castle and connected to it only through a single passageway through the small courtyard. Upon entering from the front, guests walk into a long, horizontal gallery perpendicular to the entrance, which is used to display works of art, artifacts from history, or other exhibitions, depending on the current theme. The gallery also doubles as a hallway going right and left, with an additional passageway going forward. To the right are the guest quarters, where guests are invited to stay while on business with the government. The left leads to quarters for castle guards, leading to the castle barracks.
The CourtyardGoing forward leads you into the courtyard, a small outdoor area surrounded by walls on all sides and enclosed within a glass ceiling that is filled with bushes, flowers, trees, and nature of all sorts, serving as a showcase of regional ability to grow plants that usually would not survive in the cold, frosty climate. At the center of the area is a fountain with tables, chairs, and benches around, inviting guests to relax, sit around, socialize, or even take a meal here if they'd like to. This is the furthest into the castle a guest can enter unless they're specifically scheduled for an event or an audience elsewhere in the castle.
The Main AreaContinuing forward back inside is another security checkpoint. While guests are allowed to move freely and roam the front area and the courtyard, past this checkpoint they must be escorted to their destination by a guard. Only the royal family, their private guests, Jarls of the Riksråd, and their staffs are allowed to move within the castle unattended. From here, the halls split again...both the right and left lead to stairs going to the royal family's living area, and only the royal family, their guests, and their house staff is allowed here without an invitation. The living quarters contain bedrooms, a common living area, a kitchen and dining area, and the entrance to their private roof area.
The Back Main AreaContinuing forward, you come to the throne room. While the throne room is an elegant and powerful display of the region's government and power, it's actually usually only used for ceremonial purposes. Stairs on either side go around and over the throne, leading to the castles offices and meeting areas where most of the actual Executive business occurs. Behind the stairs and the throne is the Riksråd meeting area, which depending on the circumstances can be used for private meetings or converted into a space for public meetings. On both floors, there's office space for all ministries as well as for the Monarch and the Queen.
The Back PropertyFrom here, there's an entrance to the back of the castle property, which is still surrounded by smaller walls and contains residences for each Jarl and their family that they can use while they are in Frostlake. This makes it quick and easy for them to move between home and office in a manner that does not require them to go through a security checkpoint. There's a separate entrance in the back for them, their families, and their guests to use without having to go through the entire castle, which of course is also secured. At the discretion of each Jarl, the building can also be used as office space, if they have other accommodations in the city they would rather stay in.
