The Eternal Library is one of the most mysterious and revered locations in Restoria, a vast repository of arcane knowledge accumulated over millennia. Built in a parallel plane, its existence is almost legendary, known only to those who venture deeply into the study of magical arts or the few who survive an encounter with it. It is a place of infinite vastness, where ancient volumes, scrolls, and books contain the knowledge of generations of wizards — but there is a price to be paid for anyone seeking its secrets.
What makes the Eternal Library especially unique is that it not only stores the knowledge of the ages but also devours the knowledge of dead wizards. Every wizard who succumbs to death in Restoria without leaving behind a formal legacy, or those who die without heirs to their discoveries, have their souls and knowledge absorbed by this eternal library. In exchange for a grim fate, their thoughts, inventions, and magic continue to exist among the pages of the library, preserved as an eternal monument to what these individuals left for the world.
6.1 The Origin of the Eternal Library
The origins of the Eternal Library are shrouded in mystery, with few reliable sources offering definitive explanations. The most widely accepted legend suggests that an ancient group of powerful wizards, known as the Guardians of Knowledge, united their forces to create a repository of knowledge that would preserve all magical discoveries, whether good or bad. These wizards wished to immortalize the wisdom to ensure that future generations would never suffer from a lack of magical knowledge.
However, the project turned out to be more ambitious than anyone could have imagined. The magic that gave birth to the Eternal Library ended up crossing the boundaries of the material world, creating a space that existed simultaneously across multiple dimensions. Over time, the library absorbed not only the knowledge of the wizards who consciously contributed to it, but also the minds of all the wizards who died without leaving behind a record of their discoveries or a clear legacy.
The Creation of the Library: It is said that the Eternal Library was created through an arcane ritual involving powerful magical artifacts that manipulated the laws of reality. These artifacts, known as the Books of Souls, were used to channel knowledge directly into the library while simultaneously preserving the essences of the minds that created such wisdom.
The Corruption of Knowledge: As the library grew, it began to feed off the souls of dead wizards. These wizards, having failed to leave behind a formal legacy or pass on their knowledge to successors, were absorbed by the library, and their souls became part of the vast fabric of information. Over time, the very nature of the library became corrupted. What began as a repository of wisdom gradually turned into a prison for the consciousness of those who had passed, trapped between the pages of books and scrolls.
6.2 The Structure of the Eternal Library
The Eternal Library is made up of countless halls, corridors, and dimensions, creating an expanse impossible to map by any mortal being. Each section is dedicated to a specific field of knowledge, with books and scrolls about every aspect of magic in Restoria, as well as the history, sciences, and arts of other cultures that have influenced the world.
Halls of Arcane Knowledge: These are immense halls that contain the deepest wisdom about magical arts. Wizards seeking to understand the mysteries of spells, runes, and alchemy can find incomplete records here, even forbidden magics, often tempered by a strange and erratic energy that dates back to the very Guardians of Knowledge.
The Corridors of Souls: This is where the minds of dead wizards reside, trapped between the pages of books and scrolls. Each soul can be seen as an ethereal form, sometimes appearing faint, and they get lost in fragmented discussions and thoughts. These corridors are both fascinating and terrifying, as the souls often try to communicate with the living, offering knowledge but at a cost. What one receives in these corridors is not always true, and the knowledge gained often comes at a fatal price.
The Hall of Lost Chronicles: This hall is particularly secret, containing records of all forgotten magics and failed feats, especially those of practitioners who succumbed to their own creations. It is said that many wizards who dared to use forbidden magics can find, in the Lost Chronicles, fragments of their own failures. These records not only contain magical knowledge but also warnings from failed experiments.
6.3 The Guardians of the Library
The Eternal Library is protected by entities known as the Guardians of Knowledge, beings created from the very essence of the knowledge accumulated within the library. These guardians, who were originally powerful wizards who dedicated their lives to preserving wisdom, now exist as spectral beings, tasked with protecting the library from those unworthy of accessing its secrets. However, their loyalty is not absolute, and some tales speak of guardians with their own motivations, acting in unpredictable ways.
The Chief Guardian: The Chief Guardian is a mysterious figure, appearing as a wizard from ancient times, with white hair and eyes like flames. He is the central figure in defending the Eternal Library and has the power to manipulate the flow of time within the library, making him virtually immortal. Few are fortunate enough to meet him and live to tell the tale.
The Protective Spirits: In addition to the Chief Guardian, the library is surrounded by protective spirits, who were once the most loyal wizards to the Guardians of Knowledge. These spirits appear as ghostly forms that silently roam the halls, offering guidance to visitors but always with an enigmatic and mysterious tone. Not all spirits are benevolent; some have been corrupted by the very energy of the library and may try to lead intruders to the most dangerous sections.
6.4 The Price of Knowledge
While the desire to access the knowledge of the Eternal Library is an irresistible temptation for many wizards, the price of obtaining rare and powerful information is steep. To access certain tomes, intruders must be willing to offer something in exchange: a memory, a piece of their soul, or even their very life.
The Corruptor of Knowledge: The most feared of the prices a wizard may pay is what is called the Corruptor of Knowledge, an invisible force that takes part of the essence of any wizard seeking knowledge that is too dangerous. Once the library consumes that part of the soul, the wizard may be condemned to live as a shadow, unable to acquire new knowledge and forever lost in the maze of books and scrolls.
Truth and Cost: Those who seek the deepest truths of magic in Restoria must know that the library offers answers, but it rarely offers a way to use that knowledge without consequences. Powerful knowledge can corrupt those who seek it without proper preparation or control, leading them down a spiral of destruction and madness.
6.5 Conclusion
The Eternal Library is both a marvel and a nightmare. For those who seek power and wisdom, it offers the greatest treasure imaginable: the accumulated knowledge of countless wizards. However, its insidious nature, the constant threat of corrupting those who dare to explore it, and the price that must be paid for knowledge make it a place of great danger. Those who venture into its halls and corridors must be prepared to face not only the guardians and spirits but also the very risk of losing their own souls in their quest for what, for many, is an impossible dream to attain.