Artifact Record

Every artifact kept by Scholars, in theory, has an artifact record stowed with it. Magical items are, after all, very rarely identifiable by sight alone, and may have all sorts of dangerous effects if handled without care. Everyone in the organization is definitely taught this when they join. Whether or not they comply with records requirements is a different story.
In an ideal situation where everyone followed the rules, each artifact record would be:

• firmly affixed to the artifact itself or to its container, not to be separated from the artifact, especially in transit
• written in Classical Arabic as well as the native language of the place of origin
• written on paper with ink, kept in a leather or wax covering to prevent water damage/
• containing all relevant information about the artifact, including
  • the acquisition who/what/where/when of the artifact
  • the effects, magical and mundane, of the artifact, and how to activate those effects
  • how to remove the effects of the artifact, if known
  • the source of the artifact's power, if known
  • storage information for the artifact, to avoid it interacting with people at the base or other artifacts
  • information of every place the artifact has been and every person who has ever interacted with it
  • the number the artifact and record were given when the record was copied into the main database

For most artifacts, these are highly aspirational goals, not reality. Almost everything will have some sort of record, even if it's just a hastily scrawled note with a name and a "do not touch!" warning. Scholars who hate paperwork will avoid recording everything required, but will usually record the relevant magical effects of the artifact to avoid accidentally cursing themselves the next time they have to wade through the warehouse.

Type

Identification, Private

Medium

Paper

Signatories (Organizations)

• The Alliance of the Wandering Scholars