History of the Library of Biblia

History of the Library of Biblia is an Official GemStone IV Document, and it is protected from editing.

A History of the Library of Biblia

Biblia is, by all accounts, the most famous and extensive library in the world. Located on the remote island of Ornath, its reclusive scribes have devoted their lives to the collection and care of the most precious writings known to the races of Elanith. But the nature of the Library, and the mission of its zealous scribes, are shrouded in mystery. Who are these strange men and women who have forsaken the pleasures of life in devotion to their Library? What secret purpose has it been hiding for so many millennia? And why do the Chronomages serve as their patrons and protectors?

The Scribes of Biblia

The Library of Biblia is located on the southern end of Ornath, a small and remote island located approximately halfway between the continents of Elanthia to the north and Finnia to the south. Dozens of buildings sprawl across its idyllic grounds, housing both the scholars who call the Library home and the vast and mysterious collections they devote their life to preserving and studying. Those collections are, for the most part, held under very little visible security and are available for viewing and study by visitors across the world. The scholars who maintain the Library and call it home are known as the Scribes of Biblia, men and women who have forsaken marriage, sex, and property to devote themselves in full service to Biblia and its mission.

The Scribes of Biblia organize themselves into communities devoted to specific niches of knowledge, language, or other arcane interest. These communities are known as Arcana. Members of an Arcanum live together in residential complexes, each with its own distinctive architectural style, as well as culture, humor, and inside jokes. (The term "Arcanum" refers interchangeably to the specific community of scribes in question and the building which they call home.) While there is no "uniform" for Scribes of Biblia, members of an Arcanum will dress and groom themselves alike. Due to the intense amount of isolation some scribes endure in their work, some Arcana have their own accents and even constructed languages for communicating with each other, all infused by the intensity of their specialty. Despite these eccentricities, all scribes are recognizable by a uniform pectoral-style amulet they wear, which bears individualized markings that can be deciphered by fellow scribes to determine a person's experience, area of expertise, and other achievements.

People become Scribes of Biblia in a few different ways. First, volunteers from around the world offer themselves up for membership, often during their visits to Biblia to browse materials. This can be an effective route to membership, should the volunteers pass very strict screening requirements and also possess skills necessary and helpful toward the Library. Yet this method can be rather challenging, owing not just to how selective the Library is, but the multitude of ulterior motives people might have in wanting to join its ranks. Second, Scribes of Biblia engage in direct recruitment during their travels around the world for materials to add to the Library. This can be a difficult pitch, considering all that must be sacrificed to become a scribe; but for lovers of knowledge, a peek at secrets they've spent their whole lives pursuing can be irresistible. The third, and more unseemly method for recruiting new scribes, is to glamour wayward visitors of ill-intent to Ornath into service to the Library as penance for their attempted crimes (discussed in more depth later).

The Scribes of Biblia collect original manuscripts as well as copies of all the important knowledge of the lands. (One Arcanum, the Trivium, is even devoted to unimportant knowledge.) Due to the secure nature of Ornath itself (described above), most items in the Library's collection are kept under little to no security, with the lion's share of attention paid toward proper cataloguing and making sure nothing is lost or misplaced.

Visitors to the Library

The Scribes of Biblia maintain no formal embassies around the world. Most anyone who can make it to Ornath and the grounds of the Library and is willing to abide by its rules is welcome as its visitor, though such independent journeys are rare. Everyone else who would seek to visit the Library and study its collections are expected to liaise with informal contacts through their local knowledge-based cultures (museums, libraries, schools) who will then arrange for the prospective visitor to be interviewed and vetted by a visiting scribe from the Library. Once approved, the scribe facilitates transportation to Ornath via the black Chronomagical obelisk at the heart of the Library's sprawling grounds. New arrivals to Biblia are greeted by a member of the Tallia, a group of scribes from various Arcana who volunteer a term of service to help visitors orient themselves. This orientation takes place at the Tallium, a grand white marble edifice at the heart of Biblia. (The Tallium also serves as a home for scribes who have not yet oriented themselves with an Arcanum, who have fallen out with their Arcanum, or who are otherwise unmoored at Biblia but unwilling or unable to unaffiliate and return to their previous lives.) First time visitors to Biblia will confine their activities to the Tallium, where they will be able to access the bulk of the Library’s materials at request. Repeat visitors to Biblia may eventually earn the privilege of staying with Arcanum of their inquiry during their trip, living and dining with them. Visitors often "pay their way" with reciprocal knowledge added to that Arcanum's libraries, but that is more of a custom than a formal requirement; traditional treasure is also welcome. Visitors are expected to leave having had a very positive experience at Biblia, and to spread far and wide amazing words about its wonder and mysteries. And most do!

Library Security

The Scribes of Biblia famously keep no fleet, yet somehow have protected Ornath from invasion for the Library's entire existence. Many have tried, but none have succeeded, to invade the island, plunder its library, and unlock its secrets once and for all. The Library's security is in the hands of hired mercenaries from the distant southern continent of Finnia, known as the Xetaki, expert mentalists who wield illusion and psychic magics to thwart any who would come to threaten the island. For most of Ornath's history, mana storms made sea navigation to its shores all but impossible. Fleets that nonetheless braved this danger in search of plunder and made it to the island's shores could find themselves turned away in confusion, their crews believing they never found the island. Some attempted invaders have even been condemned to wander the seas in confusion until their crews die of starvation, with their ghost ships returning to port as a grim warning to any others who would sail to Ornath in arms. On rare occasions, the crews of invading fleets have been compelled into service to the Library, their memories of their former selves erased as they join the ranks of the scribes. (This option is offered willingly to the condemned as an alternative to death, so is usually happily accepted.) So, while Ornath’s location is well-known and documented, it needs no arms to defend itself from invasion, and history has taught potential invaders well not to bother. In terms of air travel, the essence flows above Ornath are far too volatile to make airship travel safe, confining transport options to sea and to chronomagic. While the dissipation of these mana storms as of late has made sea navigation to Ornath safe for the first time in recorded history, Xetaki security remains as deterrence against malefactors as it has ever been.

Security on Ornath itself is rarely an issue as Xetaki mentalism allows them to detect who have come to the island with malicious purpose. Most potential malefactors are cowed by the reputation of the Xetaki from trying anything untoward. Violence on the island is almost unheard of, and can be quickly disarmed through Xetaki mental magic. The fact that magical teleportation off Ornath is all but impossible without Chronomagical means (and naval escape equally fraught thanks to the Xetaki) makes theft or violence all but futile (though there have been incidents over the millennia). The purported blades Xetaki carry in their pyramid-etched sheaths are thought of as ceremonial, but are in fact forged of low steel and designed to be wielded against the rare mentalist opponent, against whom psychic magic is useless and melee is necessary. Xetaki are otherwise recognizable by their uniform: a long white robe, white trousers, thin electrum wristbands, and outward-pointed bronze-edged pyramid tattoo under their left eye.

Posts at Biblia are highly coveted by the Xetaki, who are paid in the form of material acquired by the Library which it releases from its archives for their use. This is the only known legitimate method to acquire manuscripts and other material from Biblia for purchase; the Xetaki use this monopoly to enrich themselves greatly (and, as a result, have an even greater motivation to ensure the safety of Biblia and the integrity of its archives). Presumably, the material the Scribes of Biblia offer to the Xetaki is of lowest importance, yet so great is the Library's mystique that it still commands astronomical prices.

The Lamina

Most visitors have a relaxed time at Biblia (either at the Tallum for the day or living and dining at while working at the Arcanum of their choice for an extended period), under no security except the watchful eye of Xetaki on the grounds. That changes for visitors who wish access to more sensitive materials. Those who wish to inspect manuscripts that are, for any number of reasons, deemed sensitive, have to do so in secure rooms constructed around those documents' specific security needs. This is referred to as being "under Lamina," for both the document and the visitor. ("That tome is under Lamina" / "She is under Lamina inspecting that tome.") For most purposes, Lamina can be either singular or plural.

The lowest Lamina exist merely due to preservation issues with the materials in question. These Lamina force visitors to inspect documents in areas of low to no light, no moisture, all moisture (underwater), and even in vaults designed to co-exist in different valences. Such is the cost that must be paid to the curious.

The deepest Lamina are about the security of the materials in question. Despite all the layers of security involved with screening visitors who wish to work with the Library, and the near impossibility of entering or exiting the island magically without intercession of the Chronomages (combined with the vigilant supervision of all naval traffic), some materials in the Library are so sensitive that they are stored and viewed in ways that are deemed to render them impossible to steal or damage. Documents that some might be motivated to destroy due to taboo (sacrilegious texts, demon-summoning instructions) may only be viewable by ethereal simulacrum. Other Lamina exist in rooms with no physical exit, possibly carved thousands of feet underground, caged by teleportation wards impervious to all except the Chronomages who constructed them. And yet other Lamina are rumored to exist millennia in the past or future, so the documents and manuscripts they possess may literally never leave their cages. (Or maybe the scribes simply want you to think this so as to discourage miscreants and increase the mystique of the Library.) Either way, if you want to inspect a sensitive document, expect a lot of hoops to jump through.

Documents under Lamina are all accessed via The Vault, the central repository on the grounds of the Library. As grand and imposing as The Vault is, no one lives there or even seems to work there. Visitors are escorted in, brought to the Lamina of their choosing, and brought out. It is an odd place, possibly constructed under temporal manipulation to be larger on the inside than it appears on the outside (which is already large).

The Lumnasi Viragos

The Scribes of Biblia are not the only inhabitants of Ornath. An all-female cult of Lumnis also calls the island home, known as the Order of the Lumnasi Viragos. The Lumnasi began early in Biblia's history as an all-female Arcanum devoted to Lumnis that claimed to receive a divine command to build a shrine in Her name. This Arcanum split from the Library and built its own community at the Sleeping Drake Harbor on the northern end of Ornath (whose architectural style derives from the original structures of their former Arcanum at Biblia), complete with a shrine to their patron called the Needle of Pentas and a beautiful cliffside walkway and shops for visitors known as the Agora Promenade.

The Lumnasi and scribes exist in harmony with their one-time brethren at the southern end of Ornath, cooperating with them for mutual sustenance and benefit. They also rely on Biblia for recruitment, as a number of female scribes every year find themselves struck by the light of Lumnis, shed their amulets, and cross over to don the mantle of the Lumnasi. The Lumnasi make use of the Chronomages for their own ability to teleport visitors to and from Ornath, which they use to hold the Rings of Lumnis, a trial that many of the best and brightest from around Elanthia visit to compete in every year. While the Lumnasi have the ability to use the Chronomages to travel on and off Ornath as the scribes do, they almost never do so. The scribes feel positively about the Lumnasi, but do look down on them for succumbing to religiosity. Xetaki security at Biblia does not extend over the Lumnasi formally, but it does more or less protect them.

Chronomages

The life of Biblia would not be possible without the intercession of the mysterious Chronomages. They wield the only magic that is capable of reliably transporting to and from Ornath. This renders them the Library's gatekeepers. Yet they do not claim Biblia as their fief, and no one can ascertain their agenda in so loyally and ably serving to keep it secure and remote (though, knowing the Chronomages and their self-serving ways, they surely must have one). Some speculate that the Chronomages know Biblia to serve some purpose in the future and so protect it until then. Others believe they use the Library to serve as an agent for their agenda across Elanith, obscuring their hand as the manipulate history toward their ends. Yet others believe that Biblia is the prime recruiting grounds for the Chronomages themselves, and the activity of maintaining its archives a test of their talents. Another theory is that a secret crucial to the survival of the Chronomages has been lost to history, and that the Library's one true purpose is to find it for them (while doing enough other work to obscure this singular purpose). And yet others believe the Chronomages, existing outside our normal motives, might simply look upon Biblia as a novelty and serving it as a worthy pass time.

That service is conducted visibly by a designated Ambassador, who maintains the obelisk that allows the scribes to transport to and from any other similar obelisk worldwide, and to transport anyone in the known world to them from those same obelisks. The Chronomages also maintain wards that reportedly render all teleportation magic to Ornath but their own inoperative. This singular and impenetrable gatekeeping is responsible for Biblia's unmatched security.

The Secret of the Scribes of Biblia

Biblia purports to be little more than a grand library, with a mission to collect, preserve and share the written works of the races of Elanith. But a mystery lurks beneath their work, one that no one has been able to penetrate. The zeal with which they send their agents across the lands to collect manuscripts is proof enough for many that this is no mere library; they must be on a mission, but what? The fact that its scribes devote their entire lives to the Library, forgoing marriage, sex and property in monastic manner, only supports this suspicion. Are they on the hunt for lost knowledge that, when uncovered, could lead to unlimited power? Is Biblia in truth a cover for an apocalyptic cult of Fash'lo'nae? Or is the truth something even beyond imagination?

Biblia’s scribes keep many secrets. But one of their scribes keeps the greatest secret of all. That scribe is the Library’s leader, known as its ephus. And the Ephus of Biblia is, at any given time, the only living person who knows what is referred to internally as The Secret of the Scribes of Biblia.

The Ephus of Biblia is elected by all serving scribes to serve a life term as the leader of the Library, and the living vessel of its greatest piece of knowledge, known as the Secret of the Scribes of Biblia (outsiders may call it The Secret for short, but scribes always refer to it in full as The Secret of the Scribes of Biblia). While the Secret has never been revealed to an outsider, a certain amount of lore has filtered out about the ceremonies and rituals regarding it over the millennia. The only way to learn The Secret is to be elected ephus, whereupon it is whispered into your ear by the outgoing ephus. (Upon abdication and election of a new ephus, the outgoing ephus is murdered by their successor.) The passing of the Secret to the new ephus is a fraught moment, mostly because of the unpredictable reactions it elicits from its new bearer. Some newly elected ephuses have committed suicide themselves upon learning the Secret (necessitating a new, snap election from which there are always many eager candidates). One ephus famously died of laughter after learning the Secret. Another had to be killed after he wielded devastating psychic blasts against the assembled scribes, killing nearly half of them. The last ephus seemed to make a strange face and leave it at that, which was a relief to many but a disappointment to the Xetaki in attendance who yearned for a little drama. These reactions occur even despite the great training in mental discipline and psychic defense given to any scribe who wishes to stand for the office of ephus. Yet for all the volatility involved in the transition to a new ephus, the Secret has never been shared illicitly. No one in known history has ever possessed the Secret except the outgoing ephus and the newly elected. Even when rogue scribes or Xentaki have attempted great mentalist intercessions to try to pry the secret from the mind of the ephus, all they have turned up is nothingness (as well as a death sentence when caught treading into mental spheres where they do not belong). Female ephuses have a better track record enduring the learning of the Secret and so are generally favored in elections.

What is the Secret? Only the ephus knows. And she isn’t talking… but you can still ask.

OOC Information/Notes

• Created by GM Sindin, July 2024

Index of Terms

The Isle of Ornath has several terms often unfamiliar to those of both Elanith and Finnia. Given its unusual location and isolation, it is no true surprise that they have developed these terms, as well as adapting and modifying terms from across Elanthia as a whole. In addition, given their close relationship with Finnia's Xetaki, it is not unusual for Ornathian terms to have Finnian influences. Here are but a few of those as found in the document above.

Term	Definition/Additional Information
Arcana/Arcanum	A collective of scribes at the Library of Biblia centered around one area of study, as well as the residential college where they study and work.
Biblia	Shorthand for the Library of Biblia, the famed, ancient, and mysterious library located on the southern end of the island of Ornath.
Ephus	The leader of the Library of Biblia, elected from its scribes to continue the Library's mission and serve as the only living vessel of its great secret.
Lumnasi Viragos	The all-female cult of Lumnis who run the Rings of Lumnis event, located at the northern end of Ornath at Sleeping Drake Harbor.
Ornath	A mysterious and remote island which houses the Lumnasi Viragos and the Library of Biblia, located about halfway between the continents of Elanthia to the north and Finnia to the south.
Tallia	The collective of Biblia scribes devoted to hosting visitors to the Library and making its materials available for their study.
Tallium	The grand white marble edifice on the grounds of the Library that houses the members of the Tallia and their activities with guests.
Xetaki	The order of mentalist guards that protect the grounds of the Library of Biblia, and by extension, all of Ornath, whose members are recruited from and trained on Finnia.