Of Mysteries Unseen
Within the Grand Libraries of Remembrance, echoes of the past resound, offering glimpses into the legacy of Ertha’s most profound mysteries. These libraries, repositories of light and thought, are curated by the Archivale, a master storytellers who intertwine wisdom with discovery. Within their halls, players might uncover fragments of ancient knowledge about pivotal figures, such as the Grammaton Wizard. This enigmatic founder of the Holy Rollers shaped the tides of Ertha’s First Age and established a guild tasked with upholding harmony across the realms. Since the Second Age, the Grammaton Wizard has vanished—leaving a legacy that lingers in tales, scrolls, and whispered secrets safeguarded in these repositories.
Each Grand Library is a portal to Ertha’s rich and turbulent history. They await rediscovery, standing as eternal sentinels of wisdom in re-emerging cities or secluded ruins. As an enlightened Archivale once proclaimed, “The most powerful armament is knowledge, for it transcends the mortal coil and reshapes the fates of nations.”
The Shadowgate Era and Beyond
The First Age’s Great War marked a catastrophic period for the Grand Libraries. Many were lost to the flames ignited by the Shadowgate’s corruption. Yet, in the Fourth Age, these institutions endure as Ertha’s preeminent historians. According to preserved records, the First Ones infused the libraries with unparalleled wisdom, ensuring their resilience. This knowledge shaped the construction of the magnificent First and Second Cities, their architecture rooted in secrets yet to be fully understood. Even amid destruction, fragments survived—serving as a foundation for rebuilding and rediscovery.
Untapped Secrets Beneath Dust
Hidden within the vast, vaulted corridors of the Grand Libraries are treasures beyond comprehension. These archives preserve the esoteric knowledge of the First Ones, divine beings who walked Ertha with boundless lifespans and insight. Their scrolls explore time’s essence, the cosmos’ framework, and the delicate interplay between destiny and free will.
Among the libraries’ rarities are technological marvels and blueprints from the First Age. These include designs for airships powered by crystalline energies, sentient automata, and devices that transcend spatial boundaries—artifacts of potential that could usher in a new golden era for Ertha, merging magic and science.
Further buried within these hallowed walls lie arcane grimoires and chronicles of the Word Singers and Ember Whisperers—ancient practitioners whose mastery of magic through song and whispered incantations remains unmatched. These texts, untouched for millennia, could reignite forgotten disciplines of sorcery.
The Role of the Grand Libraries
In an age shadowed by darkness, the Grand Libraries represent both hope and opportunity. They offer a canvas for adventurers willing to delve into their mysteries, uncovering tools that might restore balance to a fractured world. From philosophies on moral ambiguity to schematics for ancient crafting techniques, these libraries provide players and GMs with endless opportunities to weave unique narratives into their campaigns.
GM Tips
Dynamic Exploration: Utilize the Grand Libraries as living dungeons. Include puzzles, traps, and remnants of long-forgotten defensive mechanisms. Let these elements test players’ problem-solving skills.
Hidden NPCs: Introduce the Archivale as quest-givers, mentors, or enigmatic figures who guide characters toward rare discoveries. Their knowledge could serve as a gateway to broader story arcs.
Arcane Potential: Scatter rare texts or blueprints within the libraries that require collaborative effort to decipher, rewarding characters with unique spells or technologies that blend into your narrative.
Moral Complexity: Incorporate ethical dilemmas surrounding the rediscovery of dangerous knowledge. What happens when characters uncover texts that could reshape civilizations—or destroy them?
Setting the Tone: Emphasize the libraries’ duality as places of wonder and danger. Use vivid descriptions of ancient, glowing manuscripts, whispering walls, and guardian constructs to create an atmosphere of reverence and tension.
With the Grand Libraries of Remembrance, the story possibilities are boundless, offering players and GMs an intricate tapestry of lore to explore and expand upon in their campaigns.
