Valley Archive of the Cobalt Soul

The Valley Archive of the Cobalt Soul, sometimes known as simply the Valley Archive, is a branch of the Cobalt Soul in Wildemount, located in the city of Zadash, for which it is also sometimes called the Zadash Archive. The Valley Archive is the oldest of the Cobalt Soul's archives and is the library's original headquarters.

Description
The Valley Archive is located on the western side of the Pentamarket in the Innerstead Sprawl of Zadash. Although open to the public under supervision, it has off-limits areas requiring special approval for access. After signing in, a monk is assigned as a watchful escort. Within the public areas, attendees can read and take notes on the materials within, though removing items from the library is strictly forbidden.

The archive has a tall, tapering tower that curves at the top into a dome-like pinnacle. Flanking the sides of this tower are three smaller spires. The stonework of the main tower has a smooth, concrete-looking texture. In the morning sunlight, the tower shines brightly and reveals intricate carvings on the various tiers that spiral down the tower. The interior of this library consists of:
 * Several curved staircases carved through the bookshelves, rising to different heights and connecting the higher levels of the library at various points.
 * Rooms usable for meetings or quiet research and study of the materials found within.
 * Subterranean training boxes with sand pits for sparring, as well as urban and wilderness obstacle courses.
 * Private and guarded teleportation circles to the Cobalt Soul archives in Rexxentrum, Port Damali, Tal'Dorei, and Vasselheim.

Known members
All members of this archive are active as of 835 PD unless stated otherwise.
 * High Curator Loman Turray, Herald of the Zadash Archive, personally conflicted between his loyalty to the Cobalt Soul and the Crown.
 * Expositor Dairon, Beau's teacher who was sent on a secret mission to Xhorhas during the War of Ash and Light.
 * Expositor Beauregard Lionett, member of the Mighty Nein, member of the task force investigating the Cerberus Assembly.
 * Archivist Delan, oversaw the section of the library where Yasha stole a book while controlled by Oban.
 * Archivist Demid Sunlash, studied Catha and Ruidus at the Vellum Steeple in Uthodurn, has information on the Dust family.
 * Archivist Galesh, guided the Mighty Nein through the archive while Zeenoth was wounded.
 * Archivist Jennah, provided Caleb with information about the Soltryce Academy.
 * Archivist Madeer, helped Caleb and Beau find information about the Age of Arcanum.
 * Tubo, a halfling monk of unknown rank (presumed Expositor) who sparred with Beau in an underground training pit while Dairon was away.

Former Members

 * Archivist Adon Zeenoth, elven archivist who had personally overseen Beau's induction into the Cobalt Soul and thus frequently interacted with the Mighty Nein, removed from position following an investigation into and a subsequent trial for corruption.

History
When the Cobalt Soul was founded shortly after the Calamity, the Valley Archive was constructed as the library's headquarters in Zadash, at the time the capital of the Julous Dominion circa 400 PD. When the Dwendalian Empire conquered the Dominion at the end of the Marrow War in 546 PD, the Cobalt Soul was allowed to be integrated into Dwendalian society. Some time after this, the Cobalt Soul's headquarters were moved to Rexxentrum, where a new, larger archive was constructed.

In 833 PD, Thoreau Lionett secretly payed Archivist Zeenoth to have his daughter Beauregard Lionett forcibly taken to the archive, where he oversaw her tutelage. During this time she trained as a monk and showed promise but chafed under its rules. In 835 PD, Beauregard ran away from the archive to Trostenwald, where Zeenoth called in a favor from Dairon to track her to. There Dairon dismissed Zeenoth as Beau's tutor and took her under their wing as a prospective Expositor, telling Beau to continue her travels and seek out corruption.

A few weeks later towards the end of Sydenstar, Beau returned to the Valley Archive to check in and spar with Dairon, as well as inform them of the Mighty Nein's encounter with Thuron following the attack on the Zauberspire. Dairon then told Beau that they were planning to go to Bladegarden to keep an eye on the rising conflict. After the Harvest Close Festival, Beau took Caleb Widogast to the Archive, which he had been seeking entry to for some time, along with Nott. There Caleb researched magic of the Age of Arcanum, particularly dealing with manipulation of time. He also brushed up on the current archmages of the Cerberus Assembly.

Over a month later in mid Quen'pillar, after the Mighty Nein had returned to Zadash from completing some jobs for The Gentleman, Beauregard and Caleb returned to the Valley Archive. Beau intended to talk to and train with Darion again, but was informed that after the declaration of the War of Ash and Light, Dairon decided to gather information in Xhorhas and hadn't yet returned. Instead, Beau spent four days training with Tubo, refining her martial arts. During that time, Caleb spent a day researching the Kryn Dynasty, learning that they worship an entity called The Luxon instead of Lolth like other drow societies. He then spent the remaining three days delving further into the magic of time, finding that the Cerberus Assembly has been recently experimenting with a magic called Dunamis, which has properties relating to time.

Trivia
The Valley Archive appears as a location on the game board for Clue: Critical Role. For gameplay purposes, the archive has a pathway connected to The Gentleman's hideout beneath the Evening Nip. No such passageway is known to exist canonically.