Obsidian Archives

📍 Basic Info

• Type: Arcane Repository & Research Fortress

• Region: Velquora

• Notable Residents:

• Affiliated Factions: Circle of the Veil, The Ethereal Academy (loosely)

🏙️ Description

The Obsidian Archives rise from the eastern ridge of Velquora like a shard of night carved into daylight. Its walls are forged from magically reinforced obsidian and inlaid with silent runes that distort perception, making it appear smaller or farther away than it truly is. The architecture is unchanging—one of the only structures in Velquora immune to the city's illusion flux—anchored by ancient wards that keep both planar echoes and illusory warping at bay.

Inside, the Archives are cool, silent, and vast. Endless tiers of black stone shelves spiral downward into the earth, containing texts, grimoires, arcane blueprints, and anomalous records. Certain sections are open to vetted researchers and illusionists, while others are sealed behind layers of perceptual wards—some of which can only be accessed during specific cosmic alignments or when a researcher meets esoteric criteria tied to their memories or emotional state.

🕰️ History

• Founding/Mythology:
  The Archives were founded in the early decades of Velquora’s rise, intended as a bastion of unaltered knowledge. According to myth, the obsidian core was unearthed from beneath the Resonance Node itself—an unshifting anchor in a sea of illusion. Initial records were maintained by arcanists who feared the city’s shifting nature would erase history and confuse future scholars.

• Major Events:

  • The Veil Lockdown: Following a breach in illusion containment during a rogue experiment, several chambers had to be locked behind perception-triggered defenses. One hallway reportedly traps intruders in recursive versions of their own memories.

  • During the Prism Collapse, the Archives served as a refuge for scholars displaced in time loops, and many critical timelines were reconstructed using information preserved here.

• Current Status:
  Stable and respected. Though not officially part of the Ethereal Academy, the Archives are seen as neutral scholarly ground, prized for their factual integrity in a city where perception often bends truth.

🌟 Key Locations

• Tavern/Inn: None within the Archives, but scholars often gather at The Tangled Thread near the Academy after long research hours.

• Temple/Shrine: The Quiet Ember – A secluded meditation chamber dedicated to the sanctity of memory, where illusion magic is strictly prohibited.

• Market/District: The Archivist’s Niche – A small internal vendor’s alcove that trades in recording crystals, research licenses, and sanctioned illusion wards.

🔗 Related Entries

• Connected Characters: Kein Saldo (frequent patron), members of the Circle of the Veil

🗺️ Map

The archive map is enchanted to show only areas the bearer is authorized to access. Attempting to view restricted sections may result in the map going completely blank or displaying fictitious layouts.