Cobalt Soul

The Cobalt Soul is an order dedicated to the search and preservation of knowledge, making it as accessible to the public as possible, guided by the light of Ioun, The Knowing Mistress. Most members of the Cobalt Soul do not consider themselves her zealous worshipers, but still pay homage to her in some form.

However, their ardent pursuit has certain limitations — the curators of the Cobalt Reserve privately determine the volatile knowledge and contain it restricted archives, typically it magical in nature or secrets against unjust leaders, cults, and power-hungry factions.

Description
Some members of the Cobalt Soul are monks, while others are knowledge clerics of Ioun, bards, or fighters. Many folks are just standard researchers, caretakers, and historians.

Ranks
High Curator, to whom all other members of their archive must ultimately answer. The High Curator of Vasselheim and the High Curator of Rexxentrum (Yudala Fon) share dual and equal leadership over the entire structure of the Cobalt Soul.
 * Monk: A member of the library with the most visible public duties: searching knowledge of both modern and archaic nature or aid archivists with its preservation within an archive.
 * Expositor: Trained in the art of espionage, the expositors take on the monk's duties to uncover the secrets and obscure knowledge laborious to uncover in ordinary ways. The true mission of the expositors is unknown even to low-ranking monks, who see them simply as welltrained field agents.
 * Archivist: They are charged with organizing the overwhelming flow of information from returning researching expeditions, training new monks, and performing administrative task in their local archive.
 * Curator: A small group of three to five curators manage the top-level operations of each archive. One of their number is given the special designation of

History
In the Dwendalian Empire, the Cobalt Soul and the Cerberus Assembly have worked in an antagonistic lockstep for the better part of a century, since the inception of the Assembly. They do not outwardly show aggression towards each other, but have maintained a series of checks and balances. Both sides have done what they can to curb the influence of the other and prevent the other from achieving internal goals that went against the needs and wants of their own faction. They also work together at times out of necessity, both publicly and behind the scenes. Sometimes they maintain a relationship of frustrated convenience, and at other times, a subversive antagonism.

The Cobalt Soul has developed a relationship with the Revelry, and the Plank King is well aware of it.

The Library has commissioned a large number of cobalt golems to guard their most restricted archives.

Locations
The Cobalt Soul operates several libraries, including the Cobalt Reserve in Westruun, the Cobalt Vault in Vasselheim, and several Cobalt Archives on the continent of Wildemount: the main archive in Rexxentrum, the Valley Archive of the Cobalt Soul in Zadash, and an archive in Port Damali. These libraries are offered a degree of governmental protection.

The Cobalt Soul also has a satellite archive in Ank'Harel in Marquet.

The Cobalt Reserve in Westruun
A grand dome of blue, polished stone, the Cobalt Reserve is a well-fortified library in Westruun that is organized, overseen, and guarded by an order of monks in worship to The Knowing Mistress, goddess of knowledge, prophecy, and skill. The Reserve's collection of knowledge is so vast that individuals travel from all over the world to study here. A monk is assigned to every person that seeks entry, both as a guide and as a security escort, as Quian was assigned to Vox Machina during their quest to remove the proto-phylactery from Grog's torso.

Known members

 * Greisalda Cassios, the High Curator of the Cobalt Reserve as of 836 PD. Half-dragonblood, half-human female with silver scales.
 * Cressida Holt, an expositor of the Cobalt Reserve as of 836 PD. Orc nonbinary, slimmer than other orcs.
 * Quian
 * "CS", an author of articles based on Beauregard Lionett's intelligence, with whom Zeenoth corresponds.

The Cobalt Vault in Vasselheim
Some affluent individuals outside of the order were allowed to read books within the libraries but were carefully monitored to ensure that they did not remove any books. The Curator of this Vasselheim branch, at the time of the events of Campaign Two, had dual leadership of the Cobalt Soul with the High Curator of Rexxentrum.

Known members

 * Kusuo
 * Sura
 * Wailen

The Valley Archive of the Cobalt Soul in Zadash
Built off of the western edge of the Pentamarket in the Interstead Sprawl of Zadash, this library is known to contain rare tomes and elaborate writings. It is maintained by the Cobalt Soul. 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.

Interior
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 Rexxentrum, Port Damali, Tal'Dorei, and Vasselheim.

Known members

 * Archivist Delan
 * Archivist Demid Sunlash (Was studying Exandria's moons in Uthodurn when the Mighty Nein first passed through, but he has left. Has information on the Dust family. )
 * Archivist Galesh
 * Archivist Jennah
 * Archivist Madeer
 * Archivist Zeenoth
 * Expositor Beauregard Lionett (Currently traveling with the Mighty Nein.)
 * Expositor Dairon
 * High Curator Loman Turray
 * Tubo

Rexxentrum Archive of the Cobalt Soul
One of the two headquarters of the Cobalt Soul, the other being in Vasselheim, this library is easily larger than the Zadash archive by fifty-percent or more. There are multiple floors, with at least four full fifteen-foot high tiers visible from the interior, with many little pocket chambers. Walkways connect the tiers. In the basement are teleportation circles to Vasselheim, Westruun, Port Damali, and Zadash. The exterior is a beautiful cerulean building marked by four short multi-level domed towers of polished blue stone in the Tangles, a neighborhood in Rexxentrum.

Known members

 * High Curator Yudala Fon - Has dual leadership of the Cobalt Soul with the Curator of the Cobalt Vault of Vasselheim.
 * Expositor Sia Kresh: Secret, ruthless right hand to Yudala Fon, organizing the expositors of the Rexxentrum Archive.
 * Archivist Kathedoc - Handles the teleportation room.
 * Archivist Desaund - Works in the library at the help desk.

Other Archives of the Cobalt Soul in Wildemount
An archive in Port Damali has a teleportation room that does not link to Vasselheim, unlike both Rexxentrum and Zadash.

Temple of the Mentor
The base of the Ank'Hareli branch of the Cobalt Soul, combining a vast library and a temple to Ioun.

Known members

 * High Curator Jamil A'alithiya

Personnel at unspecified locations

 * Expositor Fraelin - Fond of Tusk Love
 * Expositor Marcella - Saw the Ruby of the Sea perform once.