The Cascades

The Cascades of Knowledge are a monastery archive nestled in Baelor's Teeth, the mountain-range that draws a border between Averland and the Barrowdowns. From the outside, it appears to be a large stone tower perched near the summit of one of the highest peaks. Large waterfalls pour out from around the tower and tumble down the mountainside. In reality, the archives stretch deep down into the mountain, sprawling almost endlessly. Scholars seek out the Cascades to devote their lives to research. The libraries of the Cascades are so vast that maps are required to navigate them and scholars have been lost to the sea of bookshelves and never found again. The furthest reaches of the archives are deep into the mountain where light is hard to find. This is where the Cascades almost cease to be a library and the Catacomb of Tomes begins. The bookshelves sit along cave walls instead of furnished wood. Lanterns are required. The tunnels lined with books open up into large caves with streams flowing through them. The scratching of feet and claws can begin to be heard amongst the shelves. Deep in the Cascades, the scholars dug tunnels to hold their tomes and found themselves accidentally connecting the Cascades to another network of tunnels. One that held something more sinister than books.

Culture

It is considered common culture in the Cascades to never leave once you arrive. Some scholars come and go but they are looked down on by the rest. The culture of the Great Library revolves around knowledge and learning. It is common practice to hold live book readings whenever a new book is discovered within the walls of the Great Library or deep within the Catacomb of Tomes. The scholars of the Cascades wear blue and gold robes, adopted as a sort of uniform long before many of them can remember. The formal leadership of the Cascades is based mainly around seniority and extent of knowledge. The Head Archivist is appointed by vote and often takes over a year of arguing before a decision is made. The position of Archivist is kept for very long periods of time.

History

The building that the Cascades inhabit is an ancient library that precedes recorded history. Centuries ago, the building was discovered by explorers, and its halls were filled with ancient tomes. Since then, researchers and scholars have taken up residence in the library, amassing research and books from all over the realm and dedicating their lives to documenting each and every unknown book the Cascades holds.