Lorekeepers[]
The Lorekeepers are a faction allied with Trefoil Academy. Their symbol is below.
Alignment and Affiliation[]
The Lorekeepers view themselves as the unbiased documentarians of the world. Most often, this is where their stance of True Neutral originates from, as interference could be seen to taint the narrative and alter the outcome of the stories and events they are fatebound to record. Once a story is recorded, it is considered immortal.
Due to their collective nature as True Neutrals, the Lorekeepers as a whole are typically pacifist scholars. If, however, you threaten knowledge, history, or the narrative, they’re going to have a problem with you. It is said that due to their unrepentantly destructive nature, and a few notably catastrophic events, the Westgaards are the only group (or at least the largest) to have made enemies of the Lorekeepers.
Some, but not all, factions respect the impartiality of the Lorekeepers and recognize their bardic or diplomatic immunity. Other factions...prefer their privacy.
While Lorekeepers are True Neutral as a group, this does not stop other factions from taking an active (often self-serving) interest in the information the Archives and Lorekeepers have to offer. Due to the information gathering inclinations of Lorekeepers, Lorekeepers are often sought out by members of various organizations, factions, and governments. While the exchange of information can go both ways, and is not always malicious in intent, some have labeled one participant or the other as “spying.” Some factions do not take kindly to their secrets being spread, while others will attempt to misdirect the Lorekeepers to an untruth in the hopes of propagating propaganda; while the Lorekeepers will often record such secrets and untruths, it is the Lorekeepers’ own discretion as to whether the information should be further spread.
Historically speaking, the Lorekeepers have been very accepting of Mundanes and Magekind alike, seeking out all possible avenues for lore collection and expansion of knowledge. While the true nature of their lore collection may not have been disclosed to all Mundane informants, it is whispered by the more daring Lorekeepers that there may have even been a few non-magical people among the ranks of the Lorekeepers over the millennia. Because they value both groups as lore resources, it is with great sorrow that Lorekeepers must watch as tensions rise between Magekind and the Mage Hunters who to seek to wipe them out. The age-old debate of non-interventionism is said to be ongoing amongst the higher-ranked Lorekeepers, trying to determine if it is worth the preservation of the asset (in this case, possibly the entire wizarding world) to involve themselves and risk becoming entangled in the narrative. The Archivist has not been available for comment.
The Lorekeepers have an alliance with Trefoil Academy. It is rumored that there may be a tenuous truce with the Blood Heralds on behalf of their mutual ally. Some also allege that as part of this truce, a lore exchange deal has been negotiated and research on various materials of interest is being conducted. The Sentinels and Lorekeepers have seemed to be professional and respectful of each other in the past, but appear to be more frequently seen communicating together, so some form of understanding may also be in the works between them. Rumor tells that it may also have to do with the ongoing activities of the Westgaards, only known enemy of the Lorekeepers and continuing threat to the Academy as well as the Lorekeeper Archives.
History[]
Proto-Lorekeepers[]
Throughout what we would call civilization, oral tradition has been a dominant if not sole contributor to the communication and cultural development of the world. It is difficult to call the keepers of the oral tradition, who learned the tales word by word from their forebears, and so on, for these individuals are nameless voices in the long history of the world. However, most Lorekeepers look back with great fondness and inspiration on the tale tellers of old, as their dedication in preserving the tales of the ancients gave way to the Lorekeepers’ passion and ability to record them using more preservable and documentable means. Many Lorekeepers still hold oral tradition practitioners in high regard, and view things like speeches, theater, and bedtime stories as their own unique and beloved artforms.
Enki's Legacy[]
The first true Lorekeeper is said to have been a mortal man called Enki, although others say he was more than truly mortal. Accounts conflict, but it is likely that he was mageborn, and felt a strong affinity to the ocean and the Merfolk near the shore of his homeland. It is said that he first began to curate his private library and collect his lore in an underwater cavern off the coast in the Persian Gulf.
The clay tablets Enki collected were waterproof, and the water provided a natural barrier to the elements. His collection featured myths of the creation of man, general intellectual pursuits, crafting of artifacts, and records of mischief as written (and occasionally perpetrated) by him and his followers.
To this day, Enki’s legacy is still felt among the Lorekeepers; an inspired Lorekeeper is said to be Enkindled, and young ink foxlings still listen eagerly to tales of Grandpa Inky. While Enki’s passion for information may have begun the Lorekeeping tradition, these days we tend to prefer drier and more accessible Archives since the invention of papyrus and paper.
Archive Sumer[]
The Lorekeepers were founded millennia ago, in Sumer in the Mesopotamian Valley. It is said that the people of Sumer invented an intricate script (called cuneiform) which could be carved into the unfired clay and then baked into tablets to preserve the information. Half a millennium later, a rudimentary method was developed by the Sumerians by carving text into bricks and then stamping them in unfired clay to replicate the inscriptions. Most of the existing documents are economic transactions and were stored in the earliest and most rudimentary libraries, but none are the first true story preserved by the Lorekeepers, but it is said that this marked the turning point of human culture from prehistory to history, and marks the birth of the Lorekeepers.
Archive Nippur[]
Nippur was an educational mecca by all accounts, having 40,000 tablets ranging in subject from propriety, mathematics, writing, medicine, law, some of the earliest written music, and even the Sumerian Farmer’s Almanac. Its records go back to about 500 years after the founding of the Lorekeepers, and it was the first Archive to implement an indexed system of organization.
Archive Ebla[]
Situated off of a broad receiving room, the Archive Ebla contained two dominant sections. The first antechamber housed cultural, political, governmental and economic records required to sustain the city. The second contained myths, epics, hymns, and rituals. Its documents swelled because it was not only a major educational center, but also the first example of a lore “market”. The library was organized by subject, displayed its works with its incipit (the opening line of the tablet, before there were titles); clay tags were added to easily identify works, and a catalog of the incipits was kept to allow users to easily peruse the collection. After the city of Ebla was destroyed 400 years after the Lorekeepers were founded, any remains of the Archive are closely guarded and not open to the public.
Archive Ebla is in fact home to the “Eblaite Tradition”, wherein travelers would bring writings from their journeys or homes and exchange them for copies of materials housed in the Archives. This exchange, in preserving the original copy whenever possible, is still upheld within the Lorekeepers today.
Archive Harappan[]
Home to the pictographic Indus script, or Harappan script, the Harappan Archive may be one of the oldest and most mysterious Archives. While it does house many local works more recent than the Harappan script, the Harappan mystery still hangs as a pall over the Archive. It is a somber reminder that if, like the Harappan script, the key to a language is lost, it becomes beautiful but indecipherable art. While several artifacts in the Archive bear the stamped or carved inscriptions of the Harappan script, little more than conjecture can tell you what the true meaning of the markings are, a fact that troubles many fainthearted Lorekeepers and spurs more diligent Lorekeepers to future-proof their records.
Archive Alexandria-Defunct[]
One of the first paper-like substances created was a reed-based concoction made well-known by the Ancient Egyptians, known as papyrus. It was fragile and perishable, but had the benefit of being more easily written upon and stored. Fabric was unfurled and the papyrus laid upon it to inscribe it, and then rolled up for compact and more resilient storage. At one time, the Alexandria Archive was reputedly home to more than 500,000 scrolls before it met with a series of destructive events between two and a half to three millennia ago.
Archive Constantinople[]
Three millennia after the creation of the Lorekeepers, the Byzantine empire established a Royal Library in Constantinople, which blossomed at one time to the size of around 120,000 scrolls. A series of neglectful actions and fire weakened it until it was ultimately destroyed in a Crusader sacking of the city. However, many documents survived, and its diligent scribes are credited with the preservation of innumerable Greco-Roman records that would have otherwise been destroyed by time, as the fragile papyrus on which they were written decayed.
Archive Quipu[]
Another mysterious Archive, dating to about 2000 years after the Lorekeepers were founded, contains many Ancient Andean works. Although the ultimate diversity and use is still being debated, Archive Quipu is home to the uniquely textile based form of communication home to the Andes mountains. Similar to some ancient Chinese and Hawaiian record keeping practices, the Quipu or “talking knots” could be intricately woven and tied in such a way as to record data on taxes, censuses, date keeping with calendars, and even military organization. The full scope of the thousands of strings and myriad ways in which they could be tied to communicate complex meanings is still being studied by the Lorekeepers of the Quipu Archive.
Archive Shi Wu[]
As early as one millennium after the founding of the Lorekeepers, Lorekeepers and intellectuals of history (Shi) and divination (Wu) were emerging from the labor classes of China in order to cultivate and document culture. They housed records on law, genealogy, historic events, and natural phenomena, and were some of the first to organize their records based not only on category but also chronology. It is also said that Lorekeepers were especially enraptured with the then-popular divination techniques of pyromancy and consulting oracle bones with the then-new Chinese characters inscribing their meanings. Why exactly the Lorekeepers were keen on these practices remains a matter of debate.
Archive Ashurbanipal[]
While elements of the libraries and Archives of Lorekeepers were found much further back in history, some 2000 years after the Lorekeepers were founded, the first library we would recognize as such was the Royal Library of Ashurbanipal of Nineveh in Mesopotamia. Its 30,000 tablets covered subjects as broad as medicine, mythology, magic, science, poetry, and geography. It is best known for its copy of The Epic of Gilgamesh and its halls being the inspiration for the Library of Alexandria.
First Lorekeeper Story []
The first story, by modern definitions of the word, is The Epic of Gilgamesh, which is said to have taken place around the time of the founding of the Lorekeepers, although the oldest surviving copy was written half a millennium later. It is likely that there was a previous Sumerian copy of the story originally created by the Lorekeepers, but tragically it has not been recovered. The story follows Gilgamesh, ruler of Uruk, his encounters with gods and mortality, and his search for immortality.
Archive Fuji []
Japan was already rich in culture before the immigration of the Chinese written language, but it was the adoption of these characters as kanji that saw the creation of the Japanese written language and the start of written lore in Japan. Thousands of scrolls were soon written and the Fuji Archive was created as a subterranean storage location to house everything from illustrations of kabuki and brush painting to cultural documents and philosophy. Additionally, this is perhaps the Archive with the most perfuse population of kitsunes and ink foxlings compared to other species, as it is said many call this place home. Indeed, the present Archivist is said to have taken his position after serving in Archive Fuji as a Lore Guard; his combined contributions to the Lorekeepers span nearly a millennium.
Archive Alexandrise []
The Lorekeepers have long been fond of those who have mastered the art of divination, as it not only foresees the greatest pivotal points of the narrative where Lore Seekers and Watchers can be deployed to observe history unfold, but even foretell disaster. An Oracle Kitsune among the ranks of the Lorekeepers of Alexandria was able to foretell some of the destruction that would soon befall the Archive. With her warning, many of the most critical texts and artifacts were able to be moved to safety in other remote Archives around the world.
Additionally, a rogue time traveler (name withheld) was spotted working diligently with the ink foxlings to save yet more scrolls from untimely destruction. Some were moved to alternative locations; others were hidden deep within the recesses of other monuments, to be happily discovered by future archaeologists and ultimately recovered by the Lorekeepers. Between his efforts, and the efforts of the Oracle, the Lorekeepers were able to save nearly all of the texts (leaving fake copies to burn in their place), and there were no mortal casualties among the destruction as a result of their forewarning.
A not altogether unsuperstitious lot, the Lorekeepers have carefully guarded the location of the rescued Archive Alexandria tomes lest history repeat itself. However, whispers tell that its location, though hidden to all but the most trusted Lorekeepers, is known as Archive Alexandrise in honor of its phoenix-like rise from the ashes. The recent destruction of the Archive Ebla at the hands of the Westgaards has made the Lorekeepers no more willing to open Archive Alexandrise to the public.
Organization[]
Lorekeepers can come from any species, origin, etc., but most often are in information-rich fields if they have a second occupation. Full members are almost never non-magical in nature, but there may be some Mundane informants amongst those that deliver information to the Lorekeepers for safe keeping. Lorekeepers tend to target individuals who have entered into adulthood, as they have a broader ability to move freely in this world; they will almost never recruit individuals younger than Agnes, unless there is a history of Lorekeeping in the family. This preference is generally upheld to allow the Agnes’ personality to develop independent of the Archives’ influence. There are no restrictions on age of a Lorekeeper informant.
Most Lorekeepers have been drawn to Lorekeeping in the pursuit of knowledge. Either an individual is approached by the Lorekeepers regarding some information they have access to, or an informant approaches the Lorekeepers with lore of interest. If all parties are willing, the Lorekeepers may extend an invitation to join their ranks; if accepted, the informant rises to the rank of Initiate, where they are challenged to learn and grow as needed to fulfill their new role. Librarians, scholars, academics, reporters, bards, artists and more are often recruited to help provide the Lorekeepers with a steady stream of lore and information. Some become even further involved by rising from informant to a member of the Lorekeepers.
As an Initiate, they will be granted mostly unlimited access to the main Archives around the world, although may be accompanied by an escort in sensitive areas. A full member of the Lorekeepers has completed their Initiation and has a full Library Card, which has more general access to all but the most carefully guarded secrets of the Lorekeepers. Informants are sometimes granted limited access to the Archives, but are more often asked what information they seek and offered what the Lorekeepers deem prudent.
Besides the shadowy legend of the Archivist, there is a minimal hierarchy to the Lorekeepers. They are a group of passionate and driven individuals who seek to gather as much lore as possible without interfering with the narrative (or the course of history). They are not especially demanding of their allies, nor are they particularly judgmental, but they can be shrewd and persistent negotiators where they have a curiosity in the lore a group has to offer.
Outside the Archives, Lore Seekers are rarely to be found in the same place, often travelling far and wide to record the narrative. Reports of Lore Watchers indicate the inkfoxes and Lore Guards, rarely seen outside the comfort and familiarity of the Archive, have been sighted out among wizardkind more frequently than any previous recording. And the Lorekeepers keep excellent records.
Types of Lorekeepers[]
There are three main types of Lorekeepers known:
Lorewatchers[]
Lore Watchers are field researchers or agents assigned to watch one specific event or story as it unfolds. Their role is to passively observe only, and must never interfere. In the past, raven-shapeshifters Huginn and Muninn were tasked with watching the encounters of the Academy and the Westgaards (a task endangered when Peeves carelessly tore apart Huginn’s notebook and left its pages scattered on the grounds). As such, stealth is a particularly valuable skill to prevent further...incidents.
Loreseekers[]
Lore Seekers are assigned a broader scope of lore collection than Lore Watchers. Rather than collecting information on one specific subject, they endeavour to seek out any and all information on behalf of the Lorekeepers, which is then sent or relayed to the Archives for preservation. Because their role is more actively “seeking” lore as a roving-reporter-at-large, they quite often find that they must interact with the subjects of their lore, and as a result are more involved with the communities which they draw upon as their sources. Lore Seekers are often scholars, researchers, reporters, writers, and bards, and blend in well with communities and academic institutions in order to gather lore effectively.
Loreguards[]
Lore Guards typically dwell in the Archives and endeavour to protect and preserve the vast amounts of lore entrusted therein. Most Lore Guards appear to be ink-spirit foxlings, creatures of ink with unique skills such as levitation (even flight, some say), multi-lingual (including a language unique to inkfoxes), and ink manipulation. They have been known to use their ink-tipped tails to write or draw, leaving a floating ink trail around them, and even bleed ink (which itself has special magical properties). They can absorb ink from the page, lift the letters from the page, turn ink into works of art, and even Inkmeld so fully that their entire form is absorbed into the page. Other species are at times found sequestered within, whose quiet nature is benefited by the solitude of a library hushed with dust. Most Lore Guards do not leave the Archives, except as messengers or occasionally in dire circumstances. Meraki and Susu (Susurrus) are two notable Lore Guards who have emerged from the Archives over the years; Meraki’s whereabouts are unknown, and it is said that Susu tends to travel with a particular Lorekeeper at the Academy.
The Archivist[]
The Archivist is less of a role and more of a myth, as far as records have been able to verify. Little is known of this individual, and it is only for the faithful record that these legends are given substantiation at all. The main archive is said to exist in a dimension not entirely our own, which can be accessed from across the globe...if you know where to look. There are many fables concerning the identity of The Archivist. It is said that The Archivist is an ancient celestial nine-tailed kitsune who ravenously seeks out lore; some say he even subsists on the lore itself. He is said to be a collector of knowledge, and a protector of truth.
The Archivist powers are vast, and vary greatly with the numerous retellings of his tails. It is said that bringing forth a particularly unique and delectable piece of lore may earn the Lorekeeper or informant a personal meeting with the Archivist himself. Some say the Archivist can teleport; others that he is an expert healer; still others that he can use lunar and solar fire in addition to foxfire. The Archivist can summon or conjure beasts to do his bidding, or craft illusions from thin air. Some rumors say that the Archivist can even sense the motive or truth or perhaps even thoughts of the individuals who come before him (few though they are).
One individual is rumored to be consistently at the side of the Archivist is one Wan Shi Tong, a Fae owl whose shadowy moves within the Archives nearly rival the Archivist himself. Surely “he who knows ten thousand things” knows how best to contact the Archivist; whispers tell he may even know the true name of the Archivist.
Skills[]
Lorekeeper skills are as many and varied as the species that support them, but there are particular assets amongst them that tend to recur as beneficial. Stealth, particularly for Watchers, is critical to allow the observer to be unobserved. Perception is also key for Watchers, whereas some Seekers favor Insight, for discerning truth or gaining sometimes subtextual understandings to the interactions you are perceiving. For the less stealthily inclined Seekers, or possibly just unlucky or clumsy, Persuasion tends to be a useful skill for convincing the target to let you go, or even that you were meant to be there all along. Lore Guards have no known skills they gravitate towards.
The Lorekeepers have been known to prize many different types of magic, not the least of which is divination. Divination is revered and well-respected, as it often leads to a Lorekeeper observing a pivotal point in the narrative. It is a very desirable skill or aptitude for a Lorekeeper. Lorekeepers have been known to scry for sources of information, and sometimes turn to the subtle art of divination to determine likely courses of the narrative flow.
Lorekeepers have also been known to utilize illusion spells and can sometimes even shapeshift to ensure their presence is unnoticed and unrecorded in the narrative. To a Lorekeeper, the Butterfly Effect is a horror story.
Lorekeepers are not omniscient, so one Lorekeeper not knowing something does not mean the faction itself does not have the lore. Libraries are vast and exist in written documentation for a reason. If a Lorekeeper does not know something, they have the ability to check the public record Archives for Insight. Additionally, relative rank may allow certain Lorekeepers access to public and some more restricted records, which contain sensitive or need-to-know information not readily available elsewhere.
Identifying Lorekeepers[]
Lorekeepers can be known sometimes by asking them, but often times the nature of their loreseeking causes them to use more subtle identifications. A Lorekeeper can identify other Lorekeepers in the field by their badge or sigil on clothing or possessions. A purple badge indicates that the Lorekeeper is a full member, a white badge indicates an initiate, and an informant may have no insignia at all. They have been known to favor purple as a diplomatic and neutral color, but may also elect to wear other colors. A Lorekeeper does not have to identify themselves as such, but may elect to appear as simply an interested member of the community.
The most sure-fire way of getting in touch with a Lorekeeper is to reach out to the nearest Archive, and ask their Front Desk for any assistance. However, as this is also known as Complaint Row, they may be too mired in minutiae and red tape to assist much, therefore this approach can be discarded as “needlessly impractical”. You can write an owl addressed to their Question and Answer group, but reading and processing can take as many as 1-4 business weeks, with answers going out anywhere from 2 weeks to 5 years after getting into the system. For this reason, this process is discarded as “painfully slow”. As such, the optimal ways to get ahold of a Lorekeeper to address any concerns or negotiate a lore exchange are somewhat limited. If you know your local Lorekeeper representative, please feel free to address them politely and ask for their assistance. If you are unsure of how to contact your local Lorekeeper representative, please address an owl to their Lorekeeper mailbox and a representative will be in touch.
The Grand Tenet of the Lorekeepers: Do Not Interfere when recording history.[]
Lorewatchers, who observe and collect history for future generations, will allow events to unfold naturally, organically, and do nothing to influence their outcome. Among all Lorekeepers, neutrality in all respects is heavily encouraged for scholarly pursuit, as bias will taint the scribe's writing and cause a researcher to make assumptions, miss subtle factors, and overlook connections. The Sacred Duty of a Lorekeeper is to observe and record, to preserve history and song so that it is then immortal within the annals of our archive, that it shall never be lost. As pure Academics, there may be members of the Lorekeepers among the staff of any magical school, or at least staff members who have talked with them to exchange knowledge. Lorekeepers, while uninvolved and purely Academic, can be great sources of knowledge, if appealed to in a way that they are willing to share it.
While the key tenet of the Lorekeepers is Do Not Interfere, there are differing schools of thought within the group itself. Specifically, debates arise regarding the level of information that should be allowed to leave their care, to whom, and to what effect. Some prefer to use the lore to educate the future generations; others fear it will taint the narrative. This is a debate that has gone on for centuries, and is sometimes known as the Dark Ages/Renaissance Crux.
While some Lorekeepers will willingly share non-sensitive lore with those who seek knowledge, usually in exchange for lore of the knowledge seeker’s own, others are more resistant to this school of thought, as providing some information could unwittingly change the course of history. The steepest shift in Lorekeeper public opinion in the direction of resisting this idea correlated to the so called Dark Ages in Europe, around three millennia after the founding of the Lorekeepers. So restrictive were the regulations on outgoing information that even today this era is considered to have the least literary and cultural output. It was as though there was a lore drought for half a millennium, with so few new stories being produced and limited lore offered in return stagnating the growth of the Lorekeepers and European culture.
A millennium after the Dark Ages hobbled the growth of Europe, a movement for change had slowly been rising to a boil within the Lorekeepers. The Dark Ages had stifled the Lorekeepers so much that many (in fact the majority) of Lorekeepers began to believe that lore would be forever stunted without a catalyst. One of the most perfume Lore Leaks then ensued: some Lorekeepers began exchanging extensively with knowledge seekers, giving away epic sagas and scientific sagas left behind by the ancients in exchange for very little in return or, at times, nothing at all. But while the initial lore exchange was doubtless slanted in favor of the recipients, the art and literature of the Greeks and Romans inspired the Europeans to an almost unprecedented era of growth. Lorekeepers had practically donated many of their copies to the Lore Leak, but had received hundreds of new ideas, stories, artworks, scientific texts, and inventions in return.
However, the Lore Leak that inspired the Renaissance and ultimately kickstarted one of the most prolifically Lore-productive eras in Europe was not without dissenters. Purists insisted that the Lorekeepers who donated the Classical texts to the movement had acted outside of the Lorekeepers principles, citing that their actions had clearly tampered with the narrative and influenced the course of history. Ultimately, the Renaissance was not unappreciated for what it was as a reawakening of Lore, but the perpetrators were firmly punished to avoid teaching newer generations of Lorekeepers that acting outside of the principles was acceptable. But rather than being cast out as betrayers of the Lorekeepers, most punishments were for a period of 10-50 years and fairly mild in nature (see Betrayers of the Lorekeepers); leniency was granted because ultimately their actions had been in the best interests of helping the Lorekeepers create new assets of lore.
The Archives[]
The Lorekeepers store all of their gathered Lore in places called Archives, which are massive libraries that can only be accessed through magical means. Loreguards protect these Archives and serve as gatekeepers and librarians, along with some other higher-ranked Lorekeepers.
An Archive is often home to historical relics and items of myth so old that humans have given them up as fiction. It is said that the stories of some items are known only to the Lorekeepers and the sands of time, and that humanity may be better for it. So vast is the Archive that it would take years, possibly centuries, to catalog it all, and while one Loreguard could tell you much of what was or not missing of their respective sections, it would take an era to discover that the haystack in fact contained no needles whatsoever. For this reason, good record keeping is imperative to ensure that no tome gets misplaced or, tragically, lost.
Gathering Information
Lorekeepers collect lore of all varieties. Artwork, debates, literature, theater, dance, textbooks and oral tradition are some of the various prized mediums. Some prefer to research other factions, for while they will not interfere, knowing the motions of others is still of interest. Other lorekeepers have preferences or specialties (prose over poetry, fiction over fact), but all lorekeepers seek to preserve all types of lore.
While the individual preferences of Lorekeepers and the uniqueness of the lore offered do play a significant role in the success of a lore exchange, a fair amount of the transaction is how the deal is brokered in the first place. Asking courteously, often times without the expectation that the lore will be given, is often the best start. From there, the Lorekeeper will typically ask what you want to know, why, and occasionally what you intend to do with the information. Most Lorekeepers have a surprisingly keen sense of Intuition and can often tell if you are false in your story or reasons given for seeking lore. If they sense your motive is being concealed or you are lying, they may call off the negotiation; it is always advised to be truthful when explaining why they should help you.
While the Lorekeepers will eagerly collect lore from all parts of the world and all genres, the more unique the lore the greater prestige it can have assigned to. A retelling of a classic fairy tale or reprinting of Sherlock Holmes is all well and good; but a first draft of a Charles Dickens novel or a one-of-a-kind macaroni art piece are more prized and worth protecting. In whispers of the darkest corners of the Archives, it is said that even the flavor of the lore is improved when particularly rare or well-aged, but it is heretical to think that any self-respecting Lorekeeper would consume such a prized piece of lore. When a Lorekeeper brings in a particularly noteworthy story, book, or revolutionary research, the Archivist will meet with them personally to discuss it.
Lore Leak[]
Lore Leak is a fortunately infrequent occurrence wherein a Lorekeeper offers something for little, if any, return. Often perpetrated by those with limited negotiating experience, a Lorekeeper offers a disproportionate amount of lore or information in return for an inordinately small amount of lore. The most egregious cases of Lore Leak occur when no information at all is given to obtain the lore; the most common cases of these are where a Lorekeeper just wishes to excitedly share a new piece of information, but Lore Leak also occurs when a Lorekeeper wishes to instigate a timely intervention to aid an ally or neutral party. Lore Leak leaked to allied or neutral parties is punished with probationary filing time; Lore Leak to adverse parties is treated much more seriously.
Lore Leak is tracked by documenting the outgoing and incoming lore from the Archives. Copies of important documents are more heavily tracked than others. Should the net information going out significantly exceed the net information coming in, it is identified as a case of Lore Leak, and the responsible Lorekeepers are investigated to find the cause of the disparity. Loopholes are not easy but can be exploited on an as needed basis; those caught face similar reprimands. One way of combating Lore Leak implications is by encouraging the recipient to provide a comparable amount of lore in return; examples might enclose a particularly vivid retelling of a classic fairy tale, an especially detailed recipe or list, or even a dramatic retelling or one’s day. While not appropriate for all cases, it does at least raise the suspicion that a non-legitimate lore transaction has taken place; additional care should be taken for critical information and documents. A less reliable but even less traceable method of avoiding Lore Leak implications is by simply relaying the information without a written copy; mime is a historical favorite, but verbal delivery is still sometimes used.
Relics[]
Quill of Marutuk[]
Among the relics to be found in the Archive, one that the Academy has heard of is of the Quill of Marutuk. Not all Lorekeepers know about the Quill or its abilities, just as not all students know the exact contents of every museum in the world. Supposedly, this Quill has the power to write or rewrite history, and is reported to have been stolen by a Lorekeeper named Nebo at the same time the Westgaards raided that Archive and burnt it to the ground. It is unknown whether Nebo is still working with the Westgaards. To Lorekeepers, and particularly the Guards and Archivist, there is no greater tragedy than a fire among priceless documents. The Archives still reel from Alexandria’s loss millennia later.
Fragments
The general Lorekeeper perspective fragments is that the items in question are often powerful and historically valuable items, and therefore are viewed with a mixture of respect and concern. As historical artifacts, the Lorekeepers are interested in the procurement and preservation of the fragments; as items of potent power, additional concerns come into play regarding outside protection and neutralizing any ill effects related to the fragment. As such, the Lorekeepers are seeking information regarding the fragments and their presumed locations, and working to coordinate efforts to secure their findings in a safe location. Further details have not been made available to the public at this time.
Betrayers of Lore
Fortunately few and far between, there have been those amongst the Lorekeepers who have had the distinction of acting such that the Archivist looks upon them with disappointment or scorn and, at times, even ire. Depending on the severity of the action and the life expectancy of the actor, punishments can last anywhere from a month to 50 years (even life) for a mortal being; longer lived spirits or kitsune, for instance, are given proportionally higher sentences.
Punishments start at the practically probationary level of filing, which is intended to be a productive time of quiet contemplation on one’s actions. It is said to be the least harsh punishment because many Lorekeepers view it in part as a reward. More significant offenses are dealt with by temporarily reassigning Lorekeeper roles to be outside the comfort zone of the user. Lore Seekers are often reassigned as Lore Guards, where they must spend the days toiling quietly in the Archives with no new lore to pursue; Lore Guards are sent to field work as Lore Seekers, where they must adjust to being comfortable interacting with their Lore subjects; Lore Watchers can be reassigned as either Lore Guards or Lore Seekers, depending on their personality.
If reassigning Lorekeeper roles is insufficient to teach the Lorekeeper the error of their ways, they are assigned to the Front Desk, known as Complaint Row. There among a stream of constant complaining (textual errors, incomplete lore, incorrectly alphabetized authors, and information the user personally disagrees with, to name a few), it is all but impossible for the Lorekeeper to not contemplate how to never return to this duty. For most cases, this is the most severe action necessary.
However, there are occasionally those that betray the hospitalities and duties of a Lorekeeper, for instance by giving away sensitive information to factions or governments that alter the outcomes of clashes, by knowingly spreading misinformation repeatedly, or by willfully acting against the Lorekeepers or Archives with malicious intent. A Lorekeeper found to be in violation of any of these may be handled on a probationary basis, or if severe enough or if a pattern has emerged, they may be cast out altogether.
Those rare few who persist beyond being cast out, and use their stolen knowledge to try and upend the Lorekeepers and all they hold dear, who try to alter the course of history with ill-gotten gains, risk one of the ultimate punishments of the Lorekeepers: to have their names stricken from all public records and erased from history, such that all of their so called accomplishments fade into obscurity. Should their actions continue to endanger the Lorekeepers, the Archives, or the narrative, additional punitive actions may be authorized.
Known and Suspected Lorekeepers
In the Wider World[]
As far as the Wizarding World is concerned, two of the most influential wizards of the last century, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and Newton ‘Newt’ Artemis Fido Scamander, are all but confirmed as Lorekeepers (or strong Lorekeeper allies). It is often suggested that in his later years, Albus may well have been a Lore Watcher, while Newt was almost certainly a Lore Seeker throughout most of his life. One historic wizard of note is one Leonardo da Vinci, whose aptitude as a polymath (an individual whose broad scope of knowledge on many subjects is often used to creatively solve problems from different perspectives) garnered him the attention of the Lorekeepers. After a few years of eager lore exchange, he was reportedly inducted as a full member of the Lorekeepers as a Lore Seeker. One of the few openly affiliated individuals in recent history is one Montgomery Ashenbright, whose outspoken advocacy for lore preservation is well known throughout the magical community, whose consultations with the Archives of the world have helped secure their facilities against outside breaches, and whose exact role within the Lorekeepers is most likely as a Lore Guard and security consultant. Many other members of Magekind and humankind are thought to have affiliations, but rumors are little more than that.
In the Academy[]
Kestrel
Kestrel has been a known member of the Lorekeepers for some time, specializing in written works, performances, and art. Kestrel's notebooks, often left unattended, seem to indicate pieces of information researched for the Lorekeepers and others. Possibly Allegedly the Quibbler? Ultimate motive not known. Neutrality may be...negotiable.
Alyss[]
Alyss is an uncommon creature occasionally seen around the grounds of the Academy, at times appearing humanoid, and at others a black panther (although frequently mistaken for a black cat, which bothers them none). Appears to have an affinity for “making friends”, this individual seems to make tentative alliances based on their interactions with students and professors alike, and has been occasionally a strong ally to those “friends” in times of need. Seems to be chaotic neutral, willing to get involved if a “friend” is in need, and has at times been seen associating with known Lorekeepers or even wearing their insignia. Requires further investigation.
Sunshine[]
Sunshine is a Lorekeeper seeker who uses her hummingbird companions to find and send information on solarials and the fire realm. Why this specific area of study and what is she after?
Egg[]
Egg has been a Lorekeeper for a couple of years now, researching magical properties of certain materials. In return for being able to look at the archives, she provides lore on wood nymphs. What sort of research has she been conducting, and why?
Quark[]
Quark is a suspected Lorekeeper. Quark's research has made them more than a few enemies; luckily they've found a neutral faction that takes their research in stride.
Canary[]
Canary is suspected to have connections to the Lorekeepers. A reporter’s job is to expose the truth, which among Lorekeepers is considered noble. However, it might lead to groups like the Westgaards putting a target on a reporter’s back. Hiding out and running becomes normal, but sometimes they find a place where it seems like they might be able to go undetected… for now.
Current Events
Lore Guard Meraki's Amulet Stolen[]
During the spring of 2002, the Westgaards captured Lore Guard Meraki as well as the Artifact she was trying to protect (the Amulet of Blood Absorption). While during the encounter with the Westgaards the students and staff of the Academy were able to rescue the fretting librarian Meraki, they were unable to retrieve the Amulet from Westgaard control at that time. During this time, students also discovered that the Amulet requires inkfox blood to operate. Most Lorekeepers are unaware of the trials and tribulations of Lore Guards Susu and Meraki, largely due to loose communication amongst the Archives. Most Lorekeepers remain blissfully unaware in their Archives, although Lore Seekers and Lore Watchers alike are reporting an increasing concern over the Muggle Wars and a rise in propaganda (which makes lore collection particularly difficult, as the narrative is muddled with mistruths).
Westgaards Destroy Lore Archive[]
With the help of a rogue Lorekeeper Nebo, Westgaards brazenly broke into the Archive Ebla in 2001 to loot the Archives for invaluable historic artifacts and information. May be in possession of the Quill of Marutuk, allegedly pilfered from the Archive before its destruction. (Witnesses say they did not even have a Library Card.)
When the Westgaards set fire to the Archive Ebla, injured Lore Guard Susurrus (Susu to allies) fled the Archive Ebla to the Academy, then not an ally but home to several Lore Seekers. Bearing a scroll of unknown origin or contents, he reported that several Westgaards, led by a traitor to the Lorekeepers, swept the Archive in search of something and then burned the Archive down when they were through. Neither the traitor nor the Westgaards have been brought to justice, to this reporter’s knowledge. Susu presently resides in the care of Kestrel, Lore Seeker and professor at the Academy, until his home is safe to return to.
While he could not escape with much, he did manage to rescue one scroll of an unknown origin, whose official status is listed as “missing, presumed destroyed”. The Lorekeepers of the Academy spent the last year discussing what to do with the scroll; who should protect it, where it should be stored or preserved, what it was for, whether to decipher it...the list goes on. All that was certain is that it must not leave Lorekeeper protections. When questioned “why that scroll”, Susurrus gave this account:
“I was fleeing, in a blind panic. I had seen them come in with Nebo, I did, clear as day him, and I should know as it was us working as Initiates together when we first started. I couldn’t believe it. I ran through the halls, warning everyone I came across to grab their work and flee, and as I came to my superior’s office, I rounded the corner and there it was. Lying in a display case, locked and charmed against theft and the elements, yet the case was open. And the scroll was...almost beckoning me. Its strange runes seemed to undulate invitingly. No, it was quite ridiculous. Books and scrolls sat on shelves and waited to be read, that was all they did. I looked down at the scroll again, and again I saw the rows and rows of arcane symbols scrawled across its page. But this time there was something else, and that something else was the most ridiculous something of all. I could swear that as I looked at the scroll, the scroll was somehow looking back at me. So I grabbed it and I stowed it, and I ran. I don’t know what came over me. I checked for my superior and she was gone. I didn’t know what else to do, so I just...ran. Here. I didn’t even know you were here. I think...it knew. But that’s impossible.”
While some progress was made in beginning the decryption of the scroll last year, much remains to be determined. Several Academy students were able to discern faint markings not unlike constellations inscribing its surface, and more tests have been run to find other hidden text lying just beneath the visible surface. The Academy Lorekeepers, last year torn between preserving the scroll as is or trying to reveal more of its secrets, have tentatively agreed to “restore” the scroll to its true form before determining their next choice of action. During the restoration, the faint lettering ‘Astrologia Quaerere’ began to appear. While ultimately the Lorekeepers will have to decide what to do with the Astrologia once it has been fully revealed and understood, it is clear that this is still too soon to make any decisions, or to know where the scroll might lead them.