The Lore Master’s Deck is now in the wild, and we had a blast coming up with some lore with the open beta during our launch party livestream.
If you tuned in, you already know exactly how we ended up with the lore web below. (In fact, you probably influenced some of our decisions.) For the rest of you, we thought we’d give you a quick recap to run you through some of the highlights.
The lore web from our launch day livestream
Keep in mind that this is only a loose summary – and as with any worldbuilding exercise, the facts are mutable and open to interpretation. Reply in the comments to let us know what you’d do with this prompt, or check out the replay of the livestream if you want to get the full story!
Without further ado, let’s take a journey to the Archive of Endlings!
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Our story begins with a conclave of cryptozoologists – which is closer to regular zoology in this particular world. This Conclave has an affinity for extinct and endangered creatures, many of which have mythic properties in this setting. Members are expected to be comfortable with dangerous monsters, which is why initiates need to pluck a feather from a griffin in order to become a member.
The Conclave itself was created to find the fabled Archive of Endlings (yes, “archive” won the great “archive” vs “museum” debate).
There have long been rumors about the Archive of Endlings – a mythical zoo that only houses creatures that no longer exist. According to the legend, the magical Owl that built the Archive is itself the last member of its species. Whenever another creature is about to go extinct, the Owl calls the endling – the last of its kind – to the Archive for protection. The endlings cannot leave (the Owl is a prisoner of its own design), but they are safe from further harm. The Archive only exists in the space between worlds, and is further guarded by an array of powerful enchantments.
Those enchantments can only be broken with the help of a Rod. No one knows where that Rod is today. The stories suggest that it was originally found buried beneath the Archive (though no one can explain how it got out if that was indeed the case). However, everyone agrees that the Rod provides a direct line to the Archive. Those one of a kind properties also make the Rod extremely valuable, which is why the market is flooded with knockoffs from people trying to make a quick buck off the gullible. The Conclave’s decision to use the Rod as its symbol could be viewed as an attempt to manifest the goal of their search.
Of course, ambiguous legends have been known to cause intense disagreement. The Conclave first learned of the Archive through ancient, rudimentary carvings. Most members of the Conclave saw a griffin. Others saw a dragon – and insisted on it so aggressively that they were eventually expelled. The fan club eventually came to worship the dragon, though its loyalty is in doubt. Everyone knows that the club’s leaders can be bought, and their constantly shifting allegiance has created considerable mistrust with the public.
However, the fan club is still bitter about its exile, and its most devout members are still bent on revenge. One day, they just might unleash the Armadillo god upon the world.
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We hope you enjoyed this journey to the Archive of Endlings! Catch the rest of our livestreams for more exercises in lore!
