Ürs

### Background and Creation

Ürs is the ancestral home of the Aerkerym family, existing on its own plane of existence. Access to the plane requires Aerkerym blood or a token sanctified by that same blood, although there have been a few incursions by unknown means. The doors to Ürs are the liminal places between light and dark, the most commonly used being the shadow of the first tree in a forest.

No one truly knows how Ürs was created. Many of the family think it was willed into existence by a coven of Aerkerym Wizards. Some believe it to be a shard cast off from Ioun's realm the Endless Athenaeum and given to the family to protect all knowledge, both good and evil. The least popular idea is that the Aerkerym family simply stumbled upon it by chance.

### The Library

The focal point of Ürs is the library. Appearing from the outside to be a simple cottage, upon entry becoming a vast space lined with bookcases. The Library holds knowledge of the mundane, as well as grimoires aligned to "good" magic. Various plinths hold artifacts encased in glass, vast archways lead off to areas of different topics. Through one of these archways lays the orrery, a large circular room filled with planetary models and a glass ceiling to observe the stars.

#### The Sacking of the Library

In 550 AOR Ürs was breached by the Knights of the Arcane, who sought to destroy the evil contained in the Archives. It is still unknown how they entered, or who told them of its existence. Finding the Library they burnt it to the ground, destroying a large portion of the collected knowledge. Thankfully the protections around the Archive remained intact and their true goal was unaffected. Thinking the Archive destroyed they left the smoking ruin. Reconstruction was swift with the aid of magic, the lost knowledge however was not replaced so easily.

Io Aerkerym later tracked down the knights, unaware of who they were. Although confrontational at first she realized they thought the Archive destroyed and entered a wary truce with them. Since she has worked with them several times. She thinking them pigheaded and ignorant, they thinking her impulsive and treading too closely to the dark arts.

### The Archive of Maleficence

The archive is as much a prison as an extension of the Library. Found beneath the Library proper it is a repository of knowledge most would consider evil, from vile arts of necromancy to tools to bind both fiends and celestials. Like its mirror above, the Archive holds many artifacts including cursed items and other dark objects. The Aerkerym family study these in the hopes of better-combating evil. There have been cases of family members, and even visitors, becoming corrupted by the knowledge held here, most notably Grandfather.

The Archive also holds a large number of live specimens which, all be it rarely, have been known to escape their bonds. There are some here who have freely made it their home, fleeing persecution and finding a strange sanctuary. Vampires and Drider make up the bulk of these creatures and have formed a village, working to care for the Archive and alerting the Aerkeryms to any potential issues.

Like the Library, the Archive appears to be endless and shifting. Often taking you on a circuitous and dangerous route to whatever your goal may be.

#### The Ossuary

The Ossuary is one of the few fixed points in the Archive. It holds the skeletal remains of the Aerkerym family. Steeped in necromantic energy it acts as a defense as much as a resting place with the bodies ready to reanimate and protect the Archive.

### The Nibbles Conclave

The hive mind known as Nibbles was first encountered by Io while on a quest. Created by a mad Druid performing experiments into sentience using fungal spores and stray animals. Saving them from destruction Io offered them sanctuary in Ürs. The conclave is located just outside of the Library next to a lake. A small hollowed-out hillock with a carved-out dead tree serving as a watchtower. The Nibbles themselves took on the job of guarding the Library and greeting Visitors, often with some strange make-believe scenario.