The Archive of Mysteries

Can (currently) only be accessed via the domain doors OR by the random wormholes that pop up.   Archive of Mysteries: -an extradimensional, non-Euclidean complex of chambers and reliquaries containing (or meant to contain) artifacts, maps, books, scrolls, relics, magical objects, and cool knick-knacks from across the globe and history -its contents are collected chiefly by Seekers -it is maintained and guarded against theft by Curators

aside from their five blank eyes

-they patrol the Archive, organize new items procured by Seekers into wings of related contents (by history, or society, or contents, or type of magic) -note- one item may appear in multiple wings/collections -each item has a brief description of where/when/who it came from and what it is. however, in order for these descriptions to be understood, or for the Curators to help one find what one is looking for, one must pay the entrance toll.   -time doesn’t flow more quickly within the Archive, but it is very easy to lose track of time  

Seekers

bords magpie-esque magical automatons. seekers have black plumage by day, and white plumage by night, with iridescent patches of blue, purple, and green. they have three extra eyes arranged on their foreheads. -they are attracted to items based on how they are perceived. things which are unique, or lovely, or rare, or were treasured; things made with great care; things which were worthy of being hidden (but not mundane secrets). they are less likely to take things which are being displayed or continuously viewed/used. if something is imperiled, or intended for destruction while there are still those who consider it unique/lovely/rare/ treasured, the Seekers will retrieve it before it is destroyed. forbidden knowledge is highly sought out. things which are sealed away in the hopes of keeping out mortals are highly sought out (like tomb treasures, sorry mortals, but doing things to keep out grave robbers or just people considered unworthy is a big neon sign to Seekers to take it -things which were once cherished or highly regarded, but have since been lost, forgotten, or taken, are also worthy of retrieval. beloved toys left behind when people fled disaster, paintings that hang abandoned in mansions sold by impoverished patricians, things left in secret hiding places by children; some are more mundane than others, but are still, in a sense, relics of history (how people lived) -they WILL snatch up first-edition copies of books whenever they can if they’re not maintained in libraries. if an update is made, they will also try to hunt down the prettiest/highest quality updated copy  

Curators

trying their best Humanoid automatons with totally smooth skin and no distinguishing features (no ears, no nose, etc) that maintain and guard the archives against theft.  

The Cost of Entry

-if you wish to be enriched by the Archives, then you must enrich it in turn. if you do not have something of value (or perceived value) on your person, you may be able to pay with memories, or knowledge, or an emotional song. somehow, intangible items like these can still be catalogued by Curators and perused by future visitors. magic babey! -in exchange for this cost, you will be able to read the plaques of each item, ask Curators for help in finding things, understand the writings on any object, and speak easily to any other visitor. -if you do not pay the cost, then you will not be able to understand the context of anything in the Archive you do not already know. you will gain no new knowledge, only more questions.

if you try to donate a mortal being you will get murdered and put up on display; the child will be raised by the staff