Syrena Malloren had lost count of the hours she had spent in the library the last fortnight. She had been tasked with researching an odd artifact that the Council had acquired. She had been summoned in the middle of the night, and been shown a gem-encrusted cube, about two inches on its side. Its origins had stumped both the Librarykeeper and the Loremaster at the university. It had fallen on her to rummage through the codices and scrolls for any trace of information about it. As thousands upon thousands of books were kept in the winding corridors of the Great Library, the consensus of the council was that one of them had to contain the answer - a note in a margin or some small footnote in an ancient arcane manual.

The light from Syrena's thin halo illuminated her golden hair and white flowing robe as she put a scroll aside (it contained instructions for some mundane spell she did not care about) and reached for the next tome. It was supremely boring, a diary of a long dead archmage. She was starting to doubt the information she was after was even in here.

She turned a page and almost knocked the stack of unread tomes over as an illustration of the exact item she had seen was on the page. She scrambled for her notes, comparing the drawing with her own she had made. It matched exactly. She reached for the pouch on her belt, pulling out a small length of copper wire. Touching the wire to her lips, she focused and muttered the familiar incantation under her breath. "Loremaster, I have found it and you need to see this." A voice in her head, that was not her own, responded. "I am in my office. Bring what you have found."

Syrena grabbed the book, and spoke a quick incantation. As she finished, she disappeared in a flash of light, her halo lingering for a couple seconds.

The Archivists

Leader	Archmage Hedwig Crimion
Major locations	Greystone, Aphenor, Cottenhorn

Ranks

• Investigator
• Magi-scribe
• Researcher
• Loremaster
• Archmage

The Archivists is one of the greatest magical research organization across the Estian Sea. They research and catalogue the runes that make up the magical weave. They are a part of the government of the Estian Compact, being the magical department of the Estian Council. Archmage Hedwig Crimeon has a voting seat on the council.

Mission

The Archivists provide magical support and guidance for the Estian government. They also run schools of magic, most notably the Greystone Archive. Education at an Archive is not cheap, available only to nobles and wealthy commoners.

Leadership

The current leader of the Archivists is Archmage Hedwig Crimeon (LN Tiefling Wizard). Starting from almost nothing but considerable magical talent and a hunger for power, she joined the Archivists as a scribe apprentice and worked her way through its ranks tirelessly. She now sits on the Council of Estia, the only Tiefling to do so. She dresses in elaborate robes of purple and red, matching her skin tone. Archmage Crimeon never married, although rumour has it she has an ongoing relationship with Lady Salome Cassaro, but this has never been conclusively proven. She is a master conjurer, able to call on many creatures from other planes - her detractors say that she has gained her position through collusion with evil extra-planar forces, but this is usually dismissed as anti-tiefling prejudice.

Locations

Greystone Archive

The oldest and grandest library in the Estian Compact, the Greystone archive has been a center for learning since long before the Empire fell. This is the seat of the Archmage, who has a private study and living space in the western wing. The central round tower is the main library building, where thousands of tomes and scrolls are kept. Fire is strictly prohibited inside the library, with light being provided by Driftglobes. The east wing is where students are taught the magical arts by the faculty.

Aphenor Council Hall

The archivists also maintain the Council Hall in Aphenor, where the Council of Estia meet. The mages arrange for magical transportation for council members to and from their constituencies, as well as ensuring the council meetings remain secret. Many Archivist scribes are also scattered throughout the government, doing everything from secretarial work to accounting.

Cottenhorn Conservatory

This outpost of the Archivists is as much a school of music as of magic. Many bards have trained here, becoming experts in the lore of the world. The Conservatory library holds vast amounts of poetry, music and historical writings. It also houses a large shrine to Balder, where recitations are often held, open to the public.