The Cy'K'Merga Archives of the Seven Moons

Within the Citystate of Highfolk lies one of the greatest magical libraries in western Oerth, named the Cy K’Merga Archives of the Seven Moons. Founded in the Highfolk reign of the first Overlord, Cy K'Merga Gaulicbar was one of the earliest of the Highborn to earn the title of Arch-mage, and commissioned the founding of a great magical school and archives to continue the collect of magical knowledge, research and study of ancient artifacts.
The foundations were quarried from semi-translucent hade like granite, carved & transported from ancient quarries outside the Dry Steppes. These quarried blocks absorb sunlight, then lightly glow with moonlight & have natural enhancement properties. The Archives seven moon is title is a reference to the seven orbiting bodies in grey space commonly viewed from astronomers of the age. In addition to housing records of knowledge, the Archives also is the home to two opposing magical orders, the Order of the Meridian and the Order of the Eclipse. Each has a wing of the archives with the primary libraries, great halls and common areas in the vaulted architecture between each order.

The Order of the Meridian, its practitioners sometime locally referred to as "Candlers", have a banner of a single beam of light passing through three planetary orbits, showing the path of knowledge & encourage study of all schools of magic - excluding necromancy & downplaying summoning. They welcome sorcerers as well as traditionally trained wizards. Their wing of the Archives is known from floating stairwells and hallways, lined with magical treaties. Their current Chancellor, leader of the Order of the Meridian is Langwellan Gaulcibar the Blue - a powerful paladin sorcerer also elder of the Gaulcibar royal family of Highfolk. Chancellor & Professor Sorcery: Langwellan Gaulcibar the Blue, Sorcer-adin Magus Illuminati (Paladin 6th / Sorcerer 14th).
The Order of the Eclipse is the dark counterpart in the Cy K’Merga Archives of the Seven Moons, encouraging study in wild magic, summoning & war magic. This halls are rumored to have secret library passages that only appear during certain phases of the two moons cycle or other astrological & celestial alignments. The current Chancellor is Chancellor & Professor Evocation: Meyr N’Mindel, the Magus Demontra (14th+?). He took the chancellorship after a tumultuous period with another citystate highborn Paraswarn Balozkinar the Red (know considered chancellor emeritus).
The Cy'K'Merga Archives of the Seven Moons - General Layout Main Central Hall:

Giant circular engraved floor piece (like a magical seal or emblem) in the center.

Surrounded by shelves, desks, and reading alcoves.

Primarily the grand study or research area.

North Section (Top Side):

Private rooms/offices (northwest, northeast corners).

Spiral staircases leading up or down (top-left and top-right corners).

Reception-like desk or archival counter at the very top center.

South Section (Bottom Side):

Entryway (big double-arched openings, center-bottom).

Large, occasional communal reading rooms or gathering spaces to the left and right.

East and West Wings (Sides):

Mirror each other closely.

Contain smaller side rooms (offices, restricted archives, or storage).

Both have side exits or entrances.

At the heart of Highfolk stands the Cy'K'Merga Archives, a sprawling citadel of learning and power, divided into two great Orders:

• Order of the Eclipse
• Order of the Meridian

Each Order governs its own halls, laboratories, dormitories, and secret archives — but at the center, they share the Grand Rotunda and the Resonance Stair. The rivalry between Eclipse and Meridian is old as dust — part scholarly, part deeply personal — yet cooperation is mandated by ancient oaths to Highfolk itself.

Special Features Across the Archives

• Floating Orbs of Light: Each hall gently lit by ever-burning orbs tuned to the time of day.
• Living Statues: Silent golems patrol quietly at night, becoming active if magic breaches occur.
• Magical Announcement System: Whispered messages from the Grand Rotunda echo across the building.
• Protective Wards: Alarm spells, glyphs of warding, and passive divination fields coat the entire structure.

Student Body

• About 100 active students.
• Split between Orders of the Eclipse and Meridian.
• Hierarchy: Initiates, Journeymen, and Senior Adepts.
• Uniforms: Color-coded robes denoting order, year, and specialty (e.g., blue robes for Order of Meridian, red and black for Order of the Eclipse).

Founding (c. 310 CY)
Following the rise of Highfolk’s Six Families and the establishment of the Council of Mayors, it was agreed that the city-state needed a neutral bastion of magical learning, a place not tied solely to politics or warfare. The Rodinnhorn and Gaulcibar families spearheaded the effort, commissioning the Archives of the Seven Moons as both an educational institution and a living library for the preservation and development of Highfolk’s arcane mastery.
Material and Foundation

• The core material of the Archives was quarried from the Lost Gloaming Quarries, ancient and nearly mythical sites located at the northern edges of the Dry Steppes.
• This stone, called Hadelite Granite, is a semi-translucent gray-blue mineral with internal crystalline veining.
Properties of Hadelite Granite:
• Sunlight Absorption: During the day, the stone absorbs ambient solar energy without growing hot.
• Moonlight Emission: At night, it releases a soft silver-blue luminescence, bathing the halls in gentle light.
• Arcane Conduction: Enhances the stability and duration of enchantments, wards, and binding magic laid into it.
• Anti-Corrosive: Resistant to both mundane decay and magical erosion.
Transport: Moving the stone was a miracle of its own; a caravan of sixty arcanists and five elemental-bound galleons navigated rivers and land to carry the granite north to Highfolk.Construction Time:
• 7 years for quarrying and transport.
• 13 years for full construction.
• Consecrated in 330 CY under the alignment of the Seven Lunar Houses, which is where the Archives' name comes from.

Enchantments and Protections - The Archives is among the most warded structures in the Flanaess, thanks to multiple layers of protections, many of which were lost to history and are self-repairing.
Defensive Wards

• The Shroud of Aelethar: An invisibility shroud from the Ethereal Plane, makes the Archives partially phased at will. Triggered during major attacks or scrying attempts.
• Sigils of Shifting Heaven: A thousand tiny sigils hidden in the foundation stones cause any teleportation magic aimed at the Archives to redirect the caster 30 miles west into the Vesve Forest - or to the Obelisk of Law in the Citystate's center.
• Runes of the Unspoken Moons: Intricate arcane runes tie the outer walls to lunar cycles. During the new moon, defenses are at their strongest: spells are automatically absorbed and diffused across the Hadelite granite.

Anti-Scrying Measures

• Veil of the First Eye: An ancient protective spell originating from the pre-Suel Imperium. Blocks all divination above 4th-level unless specifically keyed to a sigil inside the Archives.
• Mirror Pools: The Archives holds four hidden pools that constantly randomize astral reflections, making even true seeing and foresight extremely unreliable inside.
• Dream Cloaks: Woven into the banners and tapestries, causing psychic “noise” that scrambles dream-divination, detect thoughts, and mind-reading.

Counteroffensive Mechanisms

• Moonlance Arrays: Crystals hidden in the rooftops can discharge focused beams of silverfire at aerial threats.
• Silent Sentinels: Stone constructs built from the leftover Hadelite granite awaken when the Archive is attacked, operating autonomously with layered abjuration and evocation magic.

Political & Arcane Balance

• Two Magical Orders (Order of the Eclipse & Order of the Meridian) were each given half of the Archive for administration, creating a tenuous but enduring balance.
• The Head Archivist must always be a non-affiliated neutral chosen by both Orders and the Six Families in secret council.
• Any violation of this balance causes the Pale Moon Sanction to trigger — a catastrophe no living archivist has dared provoke.

Summary - Built from magical Hadelite granite from the Dry Steppes.

• Glows naturally by moonlight, enhancing magic cast within.
• Massive, layered protections against scrying, teleportation, assault.
• Construction lasted 20 years, consecrated at the apex of Highfolk’s founding golden age.
• Maintains a delicate magical and political balance between the Orders and the city's rulers.

Major Halls and Sections Order of the Eclipse Halls (Right/East side of the Archives)
Grand Eclipse Library

• Use: Vaulted library of rare, dangerous, and experimental magical research.
• Decor: Dark oak shelves spiral up the walls, enchanted to float when needed.
• Special: Warded against scrying and time magic.

The Red Crucible (Alchemy Lab)

• Master Alchemist: Yiguha Sv'euss (spends time here and in Ansbach Barony)
• Use: Advanced transformation experiments, unstable potions, biomancy projects.
• Decor: Smoky halls with crimson crystal chandeliers.

The Anatomical Vaults (Necromantic Study)

• Vice Chancellor: Exorix
• Use: Study of anatomy, life magic, and necromantic arts.
• Decor: Walls lined with animated diagrams; skeletal assistants walk freely.

Astral Visionarium (Divination Dome)

• Professor: Mitokris
• Use: Predictive magic, astral projections.
• Decor: Glass dome showing real-time stellar constellations.

Arcane Forge of the Eclipse (Evocation Chamber)

• Professor: Meyr N Mindel and Carolyn Marak
• Use: Offensive magic testing, spellcraft duels.
• Decor: Scorched black stone and rune-inscribed dueling pits.

Order of the Meridian Halls (Left/West side of the Archives)
Meridian Spire Library

• Use: Scholarly works of traditional magic, refined studies of cosmology, geography, and planar travel.
• Decor: White marble staircases winding through open-air stacks.

Golden Crucible (Alchemy Lab)

• Master Alchemist: Thinway
• Use: Pure alchemical studies — potioncraft, metallurgy, precious stones.
• Decor: Bright brass fixtures, aromatic with herbs and incense.

The Mirrorworks (Illusion & Enchantment Study)

• Vice Chancellor: Guinevere Sloane
• Use: Advanced glamour magic, enchantment research.
• Decor: Endless corridors of shifting, illusory doors.

The Observatory of Meridian

• Professor: "Imp" Carpal
• Use: Study of astrology, cosmic phenomena, and planar pathways.
• Decor: Rotating telescopic mechanisms powered by etheric crystals.

The Bastion of the Meridian (Abjuration Chamber)

• Professor: Glubb
• Use: Defensive magic, counterspells, barriers.
• Decor: Adamantine-reinforced walls, humming with layered wards.

Archives of the Seven Moons (Detailed Decription of Layout)
1. Grand Entry Hall (South Center)

• Description: Huge double archways lead into a tall, vaulted marble hall. Murals depict the founding of Highfolk and the first masters of the Archive.
• Features: Enchanted lighting (floating orbs), guards from the Order of the Eclipse and Order of the Meridian posted.
• Magic: All entrants are automatically scanned for dangerous enchantments or illusions (Divination wards).

2. Registration Office (Southwest Corner)

• Description: New students and visiting scholars must register here.
• Staff: Registrar Bibulis (Professor of Abjuration) has an office here.
• Magic: Self-writing ledgers; identity-confirmation glyphs.

3. Registry of Research Requests (Southeast Corner)

• Description: Overseen by Idrafaris Grimm (Professor of Innovations). All spells, studies, and private research applications are filed here.
• Magic: Animated ink pens and living paper assistants.

4. Grand Rotunda (Center Circle)

• Description: Central hall with a massive mosaic seal of the city-state and the Archives' twin orders.
• Magic: A silent Zone of Truth — no lies spoken aloud here.
• Note: Most public meetings and major announcements happen here.

5. Hall of Evocation Studies (West Middle Wing)

• Description: Training rooms for controlled magical blasting.
• Staff: Meyr N Mindel and Carolyn Marak teach here.
• Magic: Spell-absorbent walls and reinforced barriers.

6. Hall of Enchantment & Illusions (East Middle Wing)

• Description: Small theaters and dream chambers for enchanting or deceiving practice.
• Staff: Heliffs Wolfsbane, Fliggan (Gnome Professor of Illusions), and Guinevere Sloane occasionally visit.
• Magic: Controlled "reality bubbles" to simulate different scenes or phantasms,

7. Faculty Offices (Top Left and Right)

• Left Side Offices: Evocation, Conjuration, Divination Professors.
• Right Side Offices: Necromancy, Abjuration, Astrology Professors.
• Occupants: Named professors from both the Order of the Eclipse and Order of the Meridian.

8. Lesser Reading Room (Bottom Left Side)

• Description: Quieter, general reading for beginner students and visitors.
• Magic: Anti-theft enchantments; "kindly spectral librarians" to assist.

9. Research Wing - Restricted Archives (Bottom Right Side)

• Description: Heavily warded hall housing grimoires, magical theories, and items considered too dangerous for general circulation.
• Access: By signed permission only.
• Guardians: Construct sentries under Miriam Bradengale's design.

10. Spiral Staircases (Northwest, Northeast, Top-Center)

• Leading Up: To additional floors (faculty apartments, artifact vaults).
• Leading Down: To Deep Archives and ancient vaults (pre-Highfolk relics).
• Magic: All stairways are protected with wards; teleportation disabled except by sanctioned keys.

11. Alchemy & Transmutation Labs (Northwest)

• Description: Secure areas for volatile experiments.
• Staff: Yiguha Sv'euss (Order of Eclipse) and Thinway (Order of Meridian).
• Magic: Auto-cleanse fields to eliminate spills and explosions.

12. Constructs Workshop (Northeast)

• Description: Engineering magical constructs — golems, sentinels, servitors.
• Staff: Miriam Bradengale teaches here.
• Magic: Golem-forging circles, animated limbs, testing gauntlets.

13. Observatory Tower Entrance (Top Middle)

• Description: Stairs up to the Astrological Observatory.
• Staff: "Imp" Carpal’s astrological devices were inherited from Athelbrus & remain even after his death.
• Magic: Star-mapping, planar navigation charts, minor time dilation effects.

14. Memorial Hall (between top wings)

• Description: Quiet reflective chamber commemorating fallen adjunct professors like Cascade Brunwod, Sengard, Codawl, and Athelbrus.
• Magic: "Whispering stones" recount the heroic tales of the dead. Professor Exxorix often communes here.