Coven of the Thoughtstrand Codex

The Coven of the Thoughtstrand Codex is a secret society of scholars founded on a Lera tradition of sharing secrets. Members seek to collect and preserve knowledge, which they treat as a currency. In order to acquire knowledge from the Coven, one must first provide them with a piece of knowledge that is equally valuable.
The Coven boasts a thorough collection of information on the Ancients; while this collection does not contain information that cannot be found elsewhere, the Coven's collection is notably well-organized and maintained, and collates many sources into one collection. The group is also well-known for their investigation into the rise of primal magic. High-ranking members may access unique arcane rituals as part of their station.
The Coven is generally considered apolitical, as its members tend to stay uninvolved with political events unless they directly threaten the Coven or its interests. However, members may engage in trade, espionage, or blackmail as a means of fundraising on behalf of the organization.
The Coven operates from a headquarters located on a demiplane. The specific location of this demiplane is guarded, but is rumored to be accessible from somewhere near Threshold's University of Earth's Maw.

Structure

While the various positions of the Coven become obscure at the highest levels, all who join go through a relatively standard process. Those born to parents inside the coven are automatically admitted, while those who seek entry from the outside must pass rigorous scrutiny. The first step is to find the door without escort, but after that depends on the Lera who examine the recruit.
Once admitted, recruits become Initiates. As Initiates, members are both taught the rules of conduct within the Coven as well as a set of skills to use in the hunt for knowledge. A good majority are trained in basic wizardry or artifice, but any skill set that can be put to use gathering knowledge will be taught.
Once they have been trained enough to enter the field, they are given the role of Sojourners. Sojourners are effectively banished from the Coven, for they have an outstanding debt of knowledge for their training. To advance to apprenticeship, the Sojourner must gather enough secrets and new knowledge to both pay back what they owe and pay for the knowledge they will receive.
Once completed, they are taken under the wing of a more senior member as an Apprentice, where they are taught in the deeper mysteries and proprietary secrets of the Coven.
Once the Apprentice shows their competence to a council of senior members, they are advanced to Journeyman. At this stage, the member may be sent back out into the world to accomplish specific goals related to their specialty or remain in the Coven proper to conduct research.
After this, the various paths one may take become numerous and entangled. Some notable high ranking positions are Speaker (the faces of the Coven who conduct negotiations and send all official communication), Librarian (the only one allowed to both know how to navigate the Library and what resides in the books), and Comprehender (head of all research or investigations on a certain topic).

Type

Secret, Occult