Obsidian Forge (/ɑbˈsɪdɪən fɔːrʤ/)
The Grand Archive of the Obsidian Forge, often just known as The Obsidian Forge, is a collective of knowledge seekers who are trying to keep all knowledge publically avaliable in the aims of preventing another large cataclysm like The Shatter. However, in doing so, they have also created some powerful members of society who can act in its defense if necessary.
Description
Many people who join the Obsidian Forge are from all backgrounds, with most entering as either a student to one of the Academies within an archive, or they enter as a researcher, caretaker, or historian. In all cases, these people have a thirst for knowledge and its preservation. Regardless of the person, all are expected to contribute to and defend the archive if needed.
The Obsidian Forge is split into three primary branches, based on the abilties of the individual as they enter the archive. These branches work together, but are all overseen by a singular leader that acts as the main spokesperson with the Emerald Jewel. In this structure there is a chain of command and responsibiilty for each individual. Its also not uncommon for someone from one branch to learn and become adept at more than the skills that are taught with their own branch. For example, if a Ruby possesses some innate magic, they are often taught alongside the Sapphires to help manage their potential
Ruby
The Ruby branch of the Obsidian Forge comprises mostly of warriors, particularly those who are skilled at channelling part of their physical essence through their direct attacks. Though often Rubies are trained in weapon combat to ensure that they are more able to defend themselves in all forms. Rubies are represented by the red gemstone in the insignia of the Obsidian Forge.
Obsidian Forge Insignia by Owen Davies
Obsidian Forge Insignia by Owen Davies
Sapphire
The Sapphire branch is comprised mostly of historians and those who are more skilled at research. Each of them have spent hours pouring over tomes and copying different manuscripts to learn how to accurately note down information. Sapphires are often imbued with some form of arcane or divine knowledge that allows the to hold their own if they leave their archive. Sapphires are represented by the blue gemstone in the insignia of the Obsidian Forge.Amethyst
Stealth and deception are the two core tenets of the Amethyst branch, particularly when they are ready to go out from the archive. Often naturally gifted at stealth, Amethysts are hand selected for their skill, chosen to go out of the archive and bring back knowledge from parts of the world that are considerably more dangerous. Amethysts are represented by the purple gemstone in the insignia of the Obsidian Forge.
Obsidian Forge Insignia by Owen Davies
Ranks
There are many different people within the ranks of the Obsidian Forge, as a result, a system was devised to allow for a more accurate overlook of the different parts of the Obsidian Forge. Primarily this was done to root out any possible corruption that existed within the organization, but also to ensure that everyone could be checked in the case of a possible invasion by an enemy of the archive. This section outlines the main ranks and their role within the archive.- Emerald Jewel - The leader of the Obsidian Forge. They are given the position for life, having shown an intense dedication to the cause.
- Ruby/Sapphire/Amethyst - The rank given to the leader of the relative branch. They act as an overseer of the whole branch, consorting with the leaders of various archives.
- Topaz - The name given to a chosen advisor of the Emerald Jewel. They, along with the branch leaders, act as the highest council of the Obsidian Forge.
- Diamond - The leader of an archive. They have an intense knowledge of their archive and also propose those who are ready to work their way up the ranks.
- Opal - A contact for those outside of the archive. Usually someone who works externally from an archive and reports directly to the leader of their branch.
- Pearl - A trusted member of the archive. They are usually a member who has shown themself worthy of trust and knowledge of deeper secrets.
| Obsidian Forge |
|---|
Obsidian Forge Insignia by Owen Davies |
| Basic Information |
| Full Name | Grand Archive of the Obsidian Forge |
| Type | Academic |
| Base |
|
| Favoured Deity | Thoura |
| Goals | Halt progression of another cataclysm Highlight the truth of the world |
| History |
|---|
| Formed | 0 AR, in the wake of The Shatter |
| Membership |
|---|
| Leader | Emerald Jewel Zythar Maldridge |
| Demographics | Pan-ancestry |
| Relationships |
|---|
| Allies |
|
| Enemies |
History
The full history of the Obsidian Forge is deeply embedded into the hisotry of each of their different archives and the ways that people have reacted ot them. Many of these are covered in their own articles. This section will contain information about the full organization and the ways that they have found themselves innately linked to the needs of the world.
Origins
From the days directly after The Shatter, the Obsidian Forge were said to be devolved with a full font of knowledfe from across the realm. This knowledge was collected and transcribed into an archive by a small collection of scholars. In collecting the information, each of the scholars discovered that their work was enhanced by the work of others within the group, whether arcane, religious, or purely academic pursuits. Its from this recognitiion that the Obsidian Forge was formed. A group of these scholars recognising that their power was in the ollection of knowledge that they had gathered, forming a group to ensure that knowledge is shared among regions. Slowly over the course of the first century, parts of the world became more aware of the way that the Obsidian Forge worked and implemented them into their society. Often times, the Obsidian Forge became known for developing a greater understanding within a region, or as advisors in times of conflict and trouble. In the east, the Obsidian Forge embroiled themselves within archives before the reign of Malithan Bornate, meaning that the region was filled with archives that even Bornate recognised as a place of knowledge. After the destruction of the Light Elven homelands in 342 AR, the Obsidian Forge were the primary organization that offered people a place that they could stay in during the times that they needed the time to look after themselves.
Placeholder Flower by Owen Davies
Placeholder Flower by Owen Davies
Reformation
By 593 AR it had become clear that there was a significant amount of members in the Obsidian Forge who were using their abilities for their own benefit rather than that of the world. As a result, the Emerald Jewel of the time set forth possible reformations that woudl allow for the organization to be more definied and allow it to self-regulate. In short, no one individual would be above the rules of the archive. As part of these reformations, the three branches of the organization were formally defined, chosen to take on the names of three gemstones, as each were a precious part of the organization. Additionally, the existence of Opals became a well guarded secret, allowing each of them to explore further into the lands of the world without necessarily being seen as a member of the Obsidian Forge. In restructuring the organization, it was closed off to many forms of external influence meaning that each part of the organization was more able to complete the actual mission of the Obsidian Forge and preserve knowledge for each individual. It also allowed for a stronger structure if someone chose to defect from this mission and cause harm for the world using the knowledge, any person could call another out and get the truest form of retribution, justice.Locations
There are hundreds of different locations that the Obsidian Forge utilise as an archive of the knowledge they have gathered from a region. Yet, in large cities there are a number of major archives that are central hubs for these smaller locations. This section will mainly focus on a number of these major archives.
Nagran Archive
Built as the city was being settled after The Leivron Rebellion, the Nagran Archive is a purposed built building, with classrooms for students alongside a mass of different large libraries and studies for researchers and scholars. There is room under the building that is purpose built for housing students who are staying at the archive, giving a chance for students from smaller archives in the rest of Myvora to gather and learn from some of the best people in their fields. The current Diamond of the archive is Dryvin Bronzehammer, who has been in charge of the archive for the past few decades. As a result, he has overseen renovations after attacks have damaged the archive. This has meant that there has been expansions to the archive to include a teleportation circle and some small chapels dedicated to several prominent deities in the city.
Placeholder Flower by Owen Davies
Placeholder Flower by Owen Davies
Sovmoran Archive
The oldest archive in Nonvyrox, the Sovmoran Archive was created by the founding members of the Obsidian Forge, as a result it has some of the most intricate knowledge about the world. It also is the only archive in the entirty of the Obsidian Forge that has a section known as the Forbidden Knowledge. All the stuff in this section are pieces of information that are considered dangerous and can only be accessed with permission from the council of the Obsidian Forge. The archive itself was founded in the central district. It distringuishes itself from the many temples of the city by forming a large spire in the city, similar to that of other cities, but this shard digs deep into the ground, with parts of it excavated to expose stairs to its ground. This design is upheld with the power of several small enchantments that maintain the hold of the earth and the floating elements of the archive. The current Diamond of the archive is Kelys Merethon, one of the most prominent divine followers of Thoura within the Obsidian Forge. As a result of her divinity, they Sovmoran Archive acts as as the primary temple to Thoura, with a large part of the upper spire dedicated to the temple itself. Many members of the Obsidian Forge who possess divine knowledge find themselves taken to the Sovmoran Archive to learn from the best divine casters in the Obsidian Forge.Ankh'eal Archive
Built in the last century, the archive in Ankh'eal has sparked an intellectual revolution in the Obsidian Forge. While members of the organization in other parts of the realm are learning more about history, the Ankh'eal Archive is cataloguing it. Every day, members of the public or of the organization bring in relics from the Slycol Desert in an aim to archive a part of history. Some are genuin, and others are completely false, focusing on the story and possible fame that may arise from their name being attached to a piece of history. As a result, the Ankh'eal Archive has managed to recruit several Arcanologists to act as experts on relics from the ancient world. The actual archive is made up of three relatively demure looking buildings built ontop of an elevated region. These buildings when combined together form the archive's libraries and other needs. The building is made of sandstone with large open windows to allow for the intense heat of the city. The archive was designed by its current Diamond as a part of creating the archive where there were smaller archives expanding. The current Diamond is Akarna Stellatha, a long-standing member of the Obsidian Forge who trained under Zythar Maldridge in the Grantour Archive. As an Opal she explored many ruins around her home, finding knowledge about the location and wanting tom put it to good use. She requested the construction of an archive in Ankh'eal, initially presuming someone else would lead the archive. When asked, she was unsure, thinking that she wasn't ready. It was a conversation with Zythar that convinced her to take on this position. Even to this day, she still feels very underprepared for her role after several decades of experience.
Placeholder Flower by Owen Davies
Known Members
High Council
| Name | Pronouns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Zythar Maldridge | He/Him | The current Emerald Jewel. An earthen elementra, his focus has been on ensuring safety and knowledge for those who are unable to protect themselves. He has been strongly outspoken against several prominent members of both the Archani Conclave and the Veritas Convention, ensuring that both have been accurate in their research and finding the corrupt individuals who could have nefarious purposes in them. |
| Harvold Darvisa | He/Him | The current Ruby. A rough spoken dwarf, Harvold was one of the founding members of the Grantour Archive, and in his time has worked hard to train his body to peak physical strength, developing a better understanding of how to push his physical presence through his form. After many decades of this work, he was ascended to Ruby by Zythar after he defended the archive by himself from an attack with a wyvern. |
| Evera Moonstone | They/Them | The current Sapphire. They present as an ancient high elf sorcerer, wisened after centuries of knowledge of not only the world, but of the Obsidian Forge. Some claim that Evera has been a member of the archive since its founding after The Shatter. In reality, Evera is the latest persona of the moon dragon Kletharaton. They have decided to put a vested interest in the Obsidian Forge and its mission of keeping the |
| Sevra Marstoon | She/Her | The current Amethyst. Sevra is a lithe catari who worked as an Opal for many decades before ascending to their current rank. As an Opal, Sevra became a member of the Order of Shadows. In doing so, she was able to learn more about their dealings and give this back to the Obsidian Forge, who were able to halt some of the more nefarious of their schemes. She ascended to the role of Amethyst when she was able to take down one of the many barons of the Order of Shadows, in doing so, she was able to put a stop to a powerful attack against the Obsidian Forge directly. This has given many people a sense of respect for Sevra, even among those who are outwith her branch. Some believe that she will be the next Emerald Jewel if she lives long enough. |
Notable Members
| Name | Pronouns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dryvin Bronzehammer | He/Him | The Diamond in charge of the Nagran Archive, Dryvin is very brash in his words, but also very caring. In 745 AR he stumbled across the group known as . In doing so, he opened up the archive to some of them, allowing many of them to get an understanding of the world around them. After an incident involving members of the group, they were granted full access to learn more about The Three Sisters, who seemed to be attatched to one among them. In the middle of an attack on the city of Nagran, Dryvin led a number of the Obsidian Forge in defending the archive and the city as a whole. In doing so, he was injured losing an arm, thankfully he was supplied with a prosthetic arm that has given him full use of his arm's movement. |
| Opal Vekla Northwind | She/They | A fiendling who was sent to the archive young. She spent more than 10 years learning all she could to fight in the world and control her innate magical powers. Soon she was selected to join the Amethysts, being sent out on missions of espionage after only an additional 2 years. Learning more about the world by being sent to Xhen-dra to discover the secrets of the land's corruption. |
| Opal Xantheyr Noreya | They/Them | A half-elf of light elven descent, Xantheyr was a member of the Sapphire branch for several years. After an accident involving another friend trapped them within a book, Xantheyr ventured further into the world to look for an ancient artifact that claimed to be able to help someone stuck in their friends situation. In doing so, Xantheyr came across a group of wandering destinies |
Placeholder Flower by Owen Davies
Placeholder Flower by Owen Davies
Former Members
| Name | Pronouns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Jothra Orrenis | She/Her | A strong-willed orc, Jorthra was a powerful member of the Obsidian Forge, once considered to take over as the Amethyst, particularly for her ability to invade and infiltrate a location. She had become the most succesful member of the Amethyst branch of all time. However, there were always doubts about her allegiances, with some believing she had alterior motives. After her presumed snubbing as the next Amethyst, Jothra left the organization in dramatic fashion, poisoning several powerful Opals through her knowledge of their missions. In doing so, she revealed her connection to The Cloaked Lineage, a spy on their behalf. |
| Gertha Xhorvis | They/Them | Gertha is a poweful human sorcerer, who was invested in the arcande dealings between mortals and extra-planar creatures. In doing so, she summoned a powerful fiend beneath the grounds of her home in Ulvrahill. Several other Sapphires entered her home and attempted to banish the creature, succeeding at the cost of several lives. In thestruggle Gertha managed to escape, taking her knowledge of the occult into the winds. Since, there has been a mission of several members of the Ulvrahill Archive to find Gertha and make her pay for her crimes to each of them. |
| Zerxus Zethlan | He/Him | Zerxus is one of the only continuous prisoners of the Obsidian Forge. He is a half-elven warrior who was imbued with a fragment of divine power. This power allowed him to infiltrate the Obsidian Forge under the command of his master, Zeradoth. Slowly he climbed his way to the rank of Opal, working hard for the role. In doing so however, he slowly started to murder a small number of people around the archive. Not many, but just enough to start to make an impact on the world. After discovering Zerxus' habits, the Obsidian Forge placed magical bindings that kept him forced into a single position. This was aimed to keep him away from any others. Some archivists believe that over time, they can possible cure Zerxus of the dark divine infliction. |
What an interesting organisation. I really like that their ranks are all gems, though I think 'pearl' is my favourite. Nice to be seen as trustworthy, for sure. :D
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