The Qirinan Registry of Natural Classification or QR-NC
Also known as the Velvet-Lumen Codex
Purpose
The Qirinan Registry of Natural Classification was created to organize, define, and preserve knowledge of natural phenomena—namely flora, fauna, minerals, and ore—through a standardized scientific framework. Originally prompted by the explosive discovery of multiple ley-aligned species during the Lothenari-Qirinan Accord, the document aimed to prevent the misuse, misidentification, or overexploitation of naturally occurring resources. Its ultimate goal was to establish a gold-standard classification system that could be used by naturalists, arcane researchers, alchemists, and industrialists alike.
It was also conceived as a unifying act in response to conflicting taxonomies between warring guilds, arcane circles, and state ministries. By consolidating terminology, identification methods, and harvesting ethics into one official registry, Qirina offered the world a common language for the natural sciences.
Document Structure
Clauses
The document is divided into four major classification volumes:
Vol. I: QIRINA Flora Risk Registry or Q-FRR
This section encompasses plant life, fungi, and sentient botanical species. Each entry includes: morphological description, magical alignment, environmental niche, reproduction methods, historical use, alchemical properties, harvesting risk, and ecological impact.
Vol. II: The QIRINA Faunal Stability Compendium or Q-FSC
Covers terrestrial, aquatic, and aerial creatures, from mundane beasts to borderline magical species. It defines: anatomy, behavior, life cycles, known habitats, regional variants, interaction with other species, and compatibility with domestication.
Vol. III: QIRINA Ore & Mineral Risk Registry or Q-OnMRR
Focused on geologic resources, this volume describes ore composition, extraction difficulty, leyline influence, magical conductivity, structural stability, and known refinements. It also highlights key alloys and compound materials derived from these ores.
Vol. IV: QIRINA Exceptions & Mutations or Q-EnM
This specialized section tracks anomalous specimens: unstable mutations, leyline aberrations, cursed strains, magically-evolved lifeforms, or extinct/revived entries. This volume is only editable by the Qirinan High Commission of Natural Integrity and reviewed annually.
Each volume is cross-referenced through a coded sigil system, allowing practitioners of both magic and science to interpret entries through multidiscipline lenses. Additionally, the document incorporates updates from field researchers who submit discoveries to the Velvet-Lumen Annex.
Caveats
The Registry is a non-commercial document, and its knowledge is considered a civic utility. While private corporations and foreign nations may utilize it, all reproductions must acknowledge the original authorship under the Qirinan Academic Charter. Misuse—such as altering entries for exploitation, ignoring preservation flags, or falsifying ecological assessments—constitutes a Class II scientific offense under Qirinan Law.
References
The Registry draws upon and supersedes several regional works:
- The Herbalists’ Compact of Lothenar (now absorbed as Addendum IV, Section 3)
- Sylvan Mycofauna Primer (included with fey consent as translated entries)
- The Elementalist’s Guide to Reactive Stones (converted into mineral entry format under strict hazard guidelines)
It also references Qirina’s own Statute of Conservation Ethics, which dictates the ethical boundaries of specimen collection.
Publication Status
The Registry is fully public, displayed in Qirina’s Grand Hall of Codices, and widely distributed in printed and sigil-etched form throughout the known world. Most academies, guilds, and state ministries accept it as factual canon. While abridged versions exist for students and traveling researchers, the unabridged edition is continually updated and remains the definitive authority.
No major deviation from the Registry has been recorded in over three centuries. Even fringe scholars tend to annotate rather than replace it.
Legal status
The Registry was developed and is maintained by the Qirinan Ministry of Natural Order and ratified by the Velasian Concord for Scientific Advancement. Though originating from Qirina, it holds recognition in Lothenar, Esliviel, and other countries with some slight deviations. It is one of the few state-born documents whose authority has transcended national borders.
Historical Details
Background
The Registry was born in a time of sharp division among natural philosophers and arcane conservators, particularly after disputes over leyline-aligned species like soulvine and blazestone led to diplomatic tension. Qirina, then a rising power in cross-disciplinary sciences, positioned itself as a neutral, empirical nation-state and proposed the Registry to end disputes through documentation, not dogma.
Its compilation became a national mission. Over thirty scholars and naturalists died during its initial research period due to exposure to unstable creatures and unrefined materials. Their sacrifice has become part of Qirinan scientific lore.
History
The publication of the Registry marked a turning point in how natural resources and living species were treated across the known world. It led to the First Alchemical Accord and the establishment of joint field teams between druids, miners, and mages—previously rival factions. It also preempted the Lothenari Reclassification Crisis, wherein many magical species were redefined according to the Registry’s criteria.
Public Reaction
The scientific and academic communities received the Registry with overwhelming acclaim. Critics outside Qirina initially feared it was a ploy for influence, but the transparency and rigor of the work silenced nearly all skepticism within a decade.
Even in regions where Qirina has limited political sway, the Registry is trusted as neutral, exhaustive, and profoundly useful.
Legacy
The Registry set a precedent for state-supported, academically neutral documentation of natural knowledge. It laid the foundation for Field Codexing Protocols, cross-national sample ethics, and the Velasian Archive Standard, now used across libraries and magical colleges.
Its sigil-based indexing method has been adapted for everything from medicinal guides to bestiaries. It is also credited with saving at least nine species from extinction by triggering preservation acts through endangered classification flags.
Term
The Registry has been in continuous use since its ratification. Though refined with each decade, the original structure and authority remain intact. It is a living document, updated via the Velvet-Lumen Annex, and is expected to remain the dominant framework for centuries unless fundamentally challenged by a new scientific revolution.
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