Library of Archris
The Library of Archris is a large arcane library with the aspiration of being the single largest repository of arcane knowledge on Eshain. In persuit of this goal, it regularly sends out archivists and researchers to every corner of The Shattered Continent to collect knowledge. While not well known outside of arcane and academic circles, it has a constant rotation of visiting scholars, mages, and other students of the arcane arts in residence.
Appearance
The library is an imposing structure made of gray stone, with high arched windows. The base of the tower is a massive rectangular building with a flat roof and a massive tower rising from it's center. The tower is an immense nine sided structure which twists as it rises, gradually tapering as it rises. gargoyles and other decorative carvings cover the building.
Staff
The library has a surprisingly large staff. Besides the support staff, it has archivists, librarians, and researchers, all working to ensure that the collection is as complete as possible, and nothing degrades or is lost.
The Archivists
The Archivists job is to maintain the integrity of the collection, identifying holes in the knowledge which need to be filled and ensuring that no knowledge is ever lost due to damage to the medium on which it is recorded. A large portion of their time is spent transcribing information from damaged or degraded mediums to fresh scrolls and books. The archivists are ranked Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, and a single head archivist, who is in charge of the library.
The Librarians
The librarians are the public face of the library, assisting visiting scholars in finding the information that they are looking for and more importantly ensuring that the scrolls and books that are taken from the shelves get put back where they belong. They are split between assistant and full librarians, although the assistant librarians are typically relegated to re-shelving duty rather than assisting patrons.
The Researchers
The library has a contingent of librarians, both to discover new knowledge and to work to identify holes in the existing collection that need to be filled. They are often sent out to acquire new pieces for the collection.
History
In the early sixteenth century, A powerful archmage known as Laurentin Archris aspired to collect all arcane knowledge that existed, regardless of taboos and laws. After falling afoul of a number of governments and arcane organizations, he decided that if he were to be able to accomplish his dream, he would need to do so outside of the reach of those who would seek to restrict the type of knowledge that he could keep.
Archris located a small rocky island in the Shattered Sea, off the coast of Fructbarland, and began to construct his library. He built the tower first, and then as his staff of archivists, librarians, and support staff grew, built a larger, rectangular building around the base of his tower. He regularly travelled the continent collecting new manuscripts, books, scrolls, and other repositories of arcane knowledge, and as he grew older, began sending his archivists out on these missions rather than going himself.
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