THE ARCHIVIST
The Archivist is a faction of one, often presenting himself as a journalist, a writer, or sometimes a private eye. His extensive network of Investigators is ever growing, much to the frustration of his adversaries, though his true nature remains a mystery. A common theory is that the Archivist is an otherworldly entity of some sort, as there are at least five reported instances of enough physical harm befalling him that no human should be able to survive.
GOALS
The Archivist’s goal is to catalog and understand paranatural threats. He strives to obtain Resonant Artifacts and other dimensional anomalies to keep them safe, storing them in the archives in order to provide an external resonant order to them.
The Archivist has cultivated relationships with many who he then recruits to act as his Investigators out in the field. Bringing others into the fold, opening up the mysteries in order to entangle them seems to be a tertiary goal. The number of active Investigators that he employs fluctuates depending on active recruitment effort. Some joke that the Archivist collects people tainted by the strange as much as the anomalies themselves.
HEADQUARTERS
The exact location of the warehouse is unknown. Bureau records theorize that it must be an interdimensional space as it seems to exist in multiple places at once. The warehouse is massive, consisting of a web of interconnected storage rooms and basements. The main room is packed full of items of various sizes, spanning most recorded history. There is seemingly no rhyme or reason to the distribution of items other than to create winding pathways through the space, hopping from alcove to alcove. Most items seem normal upon first glance, as if being stored there soothes the resonant energies within. It is nearly impossible to tell what is simple antique vs a dormant Resonant Artifact.
RESOURCES & METHODS
Given that his primary goal is to collect evidence in all its forms, all of his extensive resources aim to make that a reality.
Often the Archivist will use paranatural events as a means of recruitment. By helping those touched by the weird, he places himself in the role of “Patron.” The Archivist will provide information, resources (money and/or Investigation Kits) to aid in investigations. It is rare that the Archivist will take to the field himself, he typically employs others.
His extensive collection provides a fairly comprehensive ability to offer aid but, often to the frustration of Investigators, the how and what form that aid comes in follows a logic all its own.
ALLIES
The Archivist has been known to aid the pursuits of the independent Investigators as their goal to uncover truths often aligns with his own. While not directly aligned to any of the other major factions, the Archivist has been known to cultivate relationships with members of each faction. These direct connections are often kept secret from their respective organizations and are the Archivist leveraging a specific need of those employees, creating a connection that can be used down the line.
ADVERSARIES
Given his massive collection of dimensional anomalies, his constant recruiting of others to become Investigators, and their inability to contain or control him, the Archivist is often in direct opposition to the other major factions. The Bureau (link) classifies him as a potential anomaly and has a warrant out for his arrest, Panopticon (link) covets his rumored archives.
CONTRACTS
The Archivist’s pursuit of knowledge and acquisition make him a perfect patron to those Investigators looking to battle the weird, or learn more about a mystery that has plagued them. He will provide direct support, providing information and connections, driving the Investigators into situations that drive the deeper and deeper into the strange. Some tasks the Archivist has been known to give Investigators are to:
- Investigate strange occurrences that are plaguing a town.
- Destroy or contain dimensional anomalies.
- Acquire Resonant Artifacts.