Windtracer Lore: Obsidian Armory, Part 2

A library that almost no one has ever heard of. It may also be the greatest hope for Awldor if the Great Collapse continues, or happens again.

Last time, in Windtracer Lore: Obsidian Armory, Part 1, we were getting into the “worldbuilding is an iceberg”. Were a lot of what you create is really fodder for future stories, but still supports your current one. At least a little bit.

So, as I promised, let’s get into Part 2 about the Obsidian Armory. For anyone who has read Dark Device of the Great Chasm in Windtracer Tales, some of this might seem a bit familiar.

Oh, if worldbuilding isn’t your thing, no problem! The next chapter of the current story drops this coming Friday!

Obsidian Armory, Part 2

Curious Content

At first glance, the library’s shelves appear to be arranged in a type of organized chaos. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Library custodians maintain a strict categorization method to keep track of items from innocent to lethal.

Books, items and more are sorted to the floor and what that level is build to withstand. Then, items are once more sorted by lethality from front to back of that floor. Here, starting with the basement and heading to the second floor, this is the broad categories for items in the Obsidian Armory.

Structure of the Library

The library is divided into three floors: Basement and Undercroft, the Ground Floor, and then the Second Floor which also contains the Observatory. Visitors to the library enter on the Ground Floor.

Basement and The Undercroft

I have always questioned the thought behind storing cursed or undead infested items near the emergency water supply and farmland. Unless you’re looking to grow undead broccoli to do your bidding, I suppose.

— Windtracer Kiyosi Valchar

Despite the underground lake and farmland, the Undercroft is where cursed, unstable, and necromantic items are kept. The infamous necromantic book, the Xinder Codex, is one of many found in this dark iron bound vault. The Talabreans keep the Undercroft under guard by members of the Slate Watch. A steel door, banded in runic carved iron and secured with an enchanted lock, keeps the room sealed off. Visitors are only allowed inside with an escort because of a mishap with an unescorted necromancer being possessed by the Xinder Codex a few years back.

Ground Floor

On the ground floor, curators and the Slate Watch make the most use of the limited space available. Journals on masonry, mechanics, cloudglider designs, and topics concerning healing and related magics are kept here. Likewise, the main alchemy laboratory, which is used for alchemy training, is on the far western side. Books on combat alchemy are near the laboratory. Preserved specimens of small animals no larger than geckos or fish that have been twisted by magic storms or Deepland energies are on display.

Off the back of the ground floor, is the main training fields for the Slate Watch. Here members train with various weapons, potions, and alchemy based items to use against Deepland threats. A barracks is attached to this training ground where a contingent of the Slate Watch house members assigned to the Armory.

At the eastern side of this floor is the hallway to the Hunter's Hall. This hallway is made of the same briskstone as the rest of the structure. Steel doors, bound with the same enchanted iron as used in the Undercroft, can be closed in an emergency on both ends of the hallway.

Second Floor and Observatory

The second floor contains more volatile information. This covers books and items on topics such as dealing with shadow demons, elemental swarms, and undead infestations are kept here. Here, the larger preserved specimens from recent assaults against Talabrae’s Deep are on display. Several heads of hydra-roosters are in jars at reading tables. Inert bone golems, shelves of various undead hands, and more provide decor at the end of each bookshelf. At the very back is the room where undead plants and aggressive fungus are studied.

As I hear it, they also have a domesticated mimic rolling around as a tea serving cart.

— Windtracer Kiyosi Valchar

Last, at the top of the Armory, is the Observatory. This serves a dual purpose of watchtower and astronomy study. The Slate Watch practice fast casting spells here to hone their ability to contain demons or other aberrations. Such training requires a wide space which the Observatory and roof have an excess of. Larger weapons used for defense of the library are maintained here, such as the dwarven ballista or elven dragon cannons.

What’s In A Name?

It’s not unusual for visitors to ask about the library’s name. The ‘Obsidian Armory’ is an unusual choice, but one that the Talabreans are comfortable with. This name dates back to before the even the original fortress that was the cornerstone of Talabrae’s Deep.

Most visitors believe the name is a reference to the ample volcanic rock found along the Great Chasm. But this isn’t the case. The name was a conscious choice by the two founders of Talabrae’s Deep. Clovia Deepmarrow, a dwarven silversmith and Innoc Talabrae, a dark elven swordmaster.

Surviving refugees from the shattered dark elven and dwarven great underground empires had reached the surface without hope. They were a rag-tag collection of people from across their respective cultures. Loss of their homes had broken them so that all they wanted was to survive until tomorrow.

Clovia, the leader of the dwarven refugees, and Innoc, leader of the dark elf survivors, took the first step. They set aside generations-old grudges to talk and realized the only way to survive was together.

The name was taken from an ancient fortress that sat on the boundary between their former Deepland empires; the Obsidian Rampart fortress. It had been long contested and changed hands more than once. But Clovia and Innoc recognized their people needed a symbol. A beacon to inspire them.

So the new fortress and home to those dark elven and dwarven refugees was named ‘Obsidian Armory’. The refugee leaders intended it to inspire hope, and it did.

Lorekeeper Notes

I've never been there myself but Tela's sketches and her accounts of the place make me want to visit it! - Lorekeeper Gwelnuis Istril

It's interesting to say the least. A long trip by windwagon, but worth going. Just make sure you pay attention to the seasons. - Lorekeeper Ihodis Jenro

Seasons? Why? The things from the Deeplands? - Lorekeeper Gwelnuis

The same. Those seasonal assaults from Deepland swarms, like corpse devils? It can make things fairly tense to visit, if not deadly. - Lorekeeper Ihodis

Swarms of corpse devils and other things out of the Deeplands? So that's what that was? - Lorekeeper Rudigar Brockhouse

Yes... why? What else did you think it was? - Lorekeeper Ihodis

Why, a contest of course! I netted one myself! - Lorekeeper Rudigar

Netted? You, kept one, didn't you? - Lorekeeper Gwelnuis

I... uhm... it was a little one, only the size of a wagon wheel! It seemed cruel to toss it into the wilderness. - Lorekeeper Rudigar

Rudigar... they're venemous aberrations with a paralytic venom that spit electrified acid. - Lorekeeper Ihodis

Her name is 'Fifi' and I'll thank you both to be polite. She's rather sensitive. - Lorekeeper Rudigar

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Until next time!

-Kummer Wolfe