Yllvalion Codex

Encyclopedia of Immeasurable Knowledge

Hundreds of tomes fill a library, each placed in a specific order, thousands of pages filled with history, science, herbology, whatever grabbed interest at that moment. Each page was perfectly transcribed in large, leather-bound tomes, each letter in the Elvish script pristine with no room for error. This library of perfection is the crowning jewel of the Northern Outposts, a collection of history that few others can say was within their grasp. Other than the histories kept by the Dragons and the Sphinxes, this might truly be the most complete recollection of the world in mortal hands.
Yllvalion has made its name in many ways, the white city of the north, the center of the Knights of Yggdrasil, home of the Ylyndar Clan, but there is one other thing that is tied closely to the name of the city. A library so massive and complete that it dwarfs those at academies the world over. No one is entirely sure why such a library exists in a place far removed from most of what is called “civilized” society, but the library exists in the cold north, safe from nearly everything. The members of the Ylyndar Clan serve as stewards of this library, protecting it in case that history is ever lost.
For nearly as long as the city has existed, so too has the Yllvalion Codex. It was once believed that the library was originally started by the founder of the Knights of Yggdrasil, but the magic of the library seems to contradict that. As the centuries passed, more tomes appeared, and the other books shifted in order to accommodate the newest arrival. Nearly five thousand years have passed since the Order was created, the magic of the library indescribable, or at least unknown to anyone alive.

Historical Details

History

Soon after the building of Yllvalion and the formation of the Knights of Yggdrasil, a room was designated in the Ylmaris Citadel to hold texts of history and other subjects that would serve the Order in all pursuits. Early on, this room had little in it other than a handful of scrolls that had been gathered from other places or had been loaned by the Academy of the Scroll. Slowly, the room began to fill with tomes written in beautiful calligraphy on a number of topics.
Upon the death of Eldrin Ylyndar, the founder of the Knights of Yggdrasil, the room was only about half full, hundreds of tomes filling the shelves. Many thought upon his death, the project would end as Eldrin was the driving force, but soon after, more tomes slowly appeared, filled with the same perfect penmanship that set the Yllvalion Codex apart from others. This caused rumors to spread about the true author of the codex, something that is still debated in modern times.
Some believe that the true author of the Yllvalion Codex is a Steel Dragon that Eldrin befriended during his time leading the Knights of Yggdrasil. Steel Dragons, especially those in the "Metallic Council", were known for their shape-shifting abilities and their love of the Elder Races. It is likely that a Dragon of this type could have continued Eldrin's work, adding to the codex long after the Elf had passed.

Legacy

After five thousand years, the Yllvalion Codex has become the most complete encyclopedia of the world outside of those supposedly held by the Dragons or the Sphinxes. That being said, many have questioned why such a wealth of knowledge was held by a Paladin Order in an out-of-the-way town, believing that such a location hindered access to the masses. Some have even attempted to convince the Elven King of the merits of moving such a library to the Academy of the Scroll, but these efforts have been futile.
Yllvalion remains one of the few strongholds of the world believed to be mostly impenetrable, having survived both the Giant Wars and the Eldritch War relatively unscathed. Because of this and the city’s construction, many Elven monarchs have believed the city to be one of the safest locations for one of the Elven Kingdom's crowning achievements.

Type

Record, Historical

Medium

Paper

Location

Yllvalion

Purpose

The Yllvalion Codex was meant to serve as an almost complete encyclopedia of the world that was not kept by the Divine Races. Both the Metallic Dragons and the Sphinxes were known for their histories and their avoidance of sharing this knowledge with others outside their own race. Because of this, someone within Yllvalion started their own cache of knowledge, slowly adding volumes that cover topics from general history to flora and fauna, and much more.

Currently Known Contents

The Yllvalion Codex consists of thousands of tomes covering millennia, but only some of the topics are known to the wider public.

Section	Contents
Volume V	The Giant Wars
Volume VII	The Eldritch War
Appendix A	Flora & Fauna of the Metallic Council
Appendix B	Flora & Fauna of the Spine of Kallex
Appendix C	Flora & Fauna of the Elven Forest
Appendix D	Flora & Fauna of the Fairy King's Wood
Appendix E	Flora & Fauna of the Spine of Lake Idryl
Appendix F	Flora & Fauna of the Great Furnaces
Appendix G	Flora & Fauna of the Great Plains
Appendix M	Flora & Fauna of the Unending Scroll