The Athenaeum
The Athenaeum at the foot of Mirhydas Génna, one of the many mountains found along the Dragonstone Mountain Range, is the largest, and most significant library in Eldûra. The library is situated within the abandoned halls that once belonged to the violent and war-mongering Nathaeic Dwarves, and was established by a Taenorhar named Cînun fe’Mîllagéc. The Athenaeum wasn’t established until Cînun realized that he was running out of room in the house he was renting in the Taenorhar capital of Mîllagéc, and that if he wished to continue preserving history, he needed to move. People thought he was mad for leaving civilization to set up in the middle of nowhere, but he refused to listen and accomplished the insane.
No one can really say just how many books and scrolls are stored within the snug walls of the Athenaeum. Yet this massive collection is dutifully cared for by a small army of dedicated curators that share in the same passion Cînun did.
The Athenaeum has come to be regarded as an unparalleled hoard of knowledge, and the capital of study. Many scholars have come to work in the Athenaeum, though many more scholars have come to view the library in contempt due to the Curators there effortlessly becoming experts in nearly every field of study.
Despite this, the Athenaeum is a hub for the coming and going of information. Information in the form of books and scrolls and artifacts flow nearly continuously into the library, and visitors visit nearly as often. No copies are given to these visitors but they are invited to sit at one of the many study-desks scattered about the expansive main room. The only time any of the books are copied is when they begin to fail—in order to protect the information and keep it from being lost. Even if a king comes asking for something with the intent of taking from the library, the Grand Curator will refuse them outright.
The Athenaeum is comprised of four sections, some of which slowly continue to expand as the Collection continues to grow. The main section is the library proper, and it is positioned in a place where it can easily be expanded when needed. The library is filled with books, the scrolls having been transcribed into books, which are more durable, and comfortable sitting areas are scattered throughout. There’s the occasional desk, which is there for visitors to sit at while they study.
The second section is filled with row upon row of desks, totalling 50 set up in a large square with all the desks facing the same way. The ceiling of this room is transparent, constructed of large pillars of gypsum crystal that had been mined from the depths of a boiling, water-filled cavern deep within the earth. This allows plenty of daylight into this room during the day, allowing those reading and studying the old texts a clear view of the old words.
The third section of the Athenaeum is dedicated entirely to housing. There’s enough space that each curator is able to have a small room, a small haven to spend time alone in if they wish. This section is filled with rooms, a communal area, a kitchen, and bathrooms with toilets that lead directly to an underground river and tubs that connect to an ancient piping system that heats its water in the deep underground springs that well up near the ancient and forgotten Nathaeic forges.
The fourth section is dedicated solely to the true archive of the Athenaeum. It is located on a deeper level than the other sections, and is laid out like a museum, proudly displaying the most historically important artifacts. It is here that the worn out books are taken and stored until they can be transcribed into new books. Not many curators have the clearance to come down here without supervision. Only Scholars and the Grand Curator are allowed toe enter without permission.
Outside the Athenaeum, on the gently sloping foothills that roll down from the base of Mirhydas Génna, are fields of fruits and vegetables that supplement that which the curators are able to trade for. Many Pupils find themselves out tending to the crops when they are done with their training. Many curators who find themselves unfit for the task of gathering and taking care of the knowledge in the Athenaeum often decide to stay in order to make sure those who do enjoy such a profession are well fed.
Location: Halls of the Bloodstone Throne, Mirhydas Génna, Talnor
Established: 200 years before the reign of the Sorcerer Queen
Items collected: any books and artifacts
Size: unknown; massive
Employees: estimated to be around 200 curators on average.
Type
Archive
Related Professions
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
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