Changes: Black Library

Revision as of 04:32, 11 July 2010

The Black Library of Chaos (also known simply as the Black Library) is the secret Craftworld that serves as the Eldar's repository of forbidden lore concerning the Ruinous Powers that exists somewhere within the chaotic passages of the Eldar Webway. The Eldar Craftworlds became the only surviving sources of their ancient knowledge of sorcery and the Ruinous Powers of Chaos after the Fall of that race to the birth of Slaanesh. As the Craftwords have drifted apart, this knowledge has consequently become fragmented, and as some Craftworlds have become lost over the millennia, more precious Eldar knowledge has been lost with them. The Black Library is the only source of the Eldar's knowledge concerning Chaos that has remained untouched. It was created by the Eldar deity Cegorach, better known as the Laughing God. Though for what purposes the god created this repository can only be guessed. The Black Library is spoken of by the Eldar as a dark Craftworld existing within the Webway, far beyond the reach of the Imperium of Man. Within are the collected tomes and writings describing the Eldar's studies of the Warp and all the entities that live within it. These writings also describe all aspects of Chaos: its perils, promises and horrors. The Library is enclosed within a nearly impenetrable psychic barrier, and is watched and maintained by its Guardian-Scribes, who collate and transcribe the knowledge of the Black Library, a task they have carried out since the Fall. The Black Library contains not just the Eldar's knowledge of Chaos; any new knowledge of Chaos gained by any intelligent race of the galaxy is taken and kept within the Library, such as a copy of the Book of Magnus, the potent tome of sorcery created by the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion's Primarch before the Horus Heresy. The Black Library is as much a source of knowledge for those who fight Chaos as it is a vault to keep dangerous knowledge hidden and protected from those who would misuse it. The existence of the Black Library is known to few, and even fewer are allowed access to it. The Library's collective psychic mind defends itself, barring the weak and corruptible. Only those who have mastered the temptations of Chaos within themselves are able to enter. Only two groups come and go at will: the Human Illuminati and the Eldar Solitaires. The Imperial Inquisitor Czevak gained entry once, but had to prove himself worthy. The Chaos Sorcerer Ahriman of the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion sought entrance to the Library in his vain attempt to understand his master, the mercurial Tzeentch, Changer of the Ways and Chaos God of Sorcery. Inquisitor Jaq Draco also managed to find a way into the Black Library and steal the Book of the Rhana Dandra, also called the Eldar Book of Fate.

Sources

Warhammer 40,000: Compendium
Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness, p. 215
Realm of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned
Harlequin (Novel), Ian Watson, BL Publishing
Xenology, Simon Spurrier, BL Publishing

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The '''Black Library of Chaos''' (also known simply as the '''Black Library''') is the secret Craftworld that serves as the Eldar's repository of forbidden lore concerning the Ruinous Powers that exists somewhere within the chaotic passages of the Eldar Webway. The Eldar Craftworlds became the only surviving sources of their ancient knowledge of sorcery and the Ruinous Powers of Chaos after the Fall of that race to the birth of Slaanesh. As the Craftwords have drifted apart, this knowledge has consequently become fragmented, and as some Craftworlds have become lost over the millennia, more precious Eldar knowledge has been lost with them. The Black Library is the only source of the Eldar's knowledge concerning Chaos that has remained untouched. It was created by the Eldar deity Cegorach, better known as the Laughing God. Though for what purposes the god created this repository can only be guessed. The Black Library is spoken of by the Eldar as a dark Craftworld existing within the Webway, far beyond the reach of the Imperium of Man. Within are the collected tomes and writings describing the Eldar's studies of the Warp and all the entities that live within it. These writings also describe all aspects of Chaos: its perils, promises and horrors. The Library is enclosed within a nearly impenetrable psychic barrier, and is watched and maintained by its Guardian-Scribes, who collate and transcribe the knowledge of the Black Library, a task they have carried out since the Fall. The Black Library contains not just the Eldar's knowledge of Chaos; any new knowledge of Chaos gained by any intelligent race of the galaxy is taken and kept within the Library, such as a copy of the ''Book of Magnus'', the potent tome of sorcery created by the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion's Primarch before the Horus Heresy. The Black Library is as much a source of knowledge for those who fight Chaos as it is a vault to keep dangerous knowledge hidden and protected from those who would misuse it. The existence of the Black Library is known to few, and even fewer are allowed access to it. The Library's collective psychic mind defends itself, barring the weak and corruptible. Only those who have mastered the temptations of Chaos within themselves are able to enter. Only two groups come and go at will: the Human Illuminati and the Eldar Solitaires. The Imperial Inquisitor Czevak gained entry once, but had to prove himself worthy. The Chaos Sorcerer Ahriman of the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion sought entrance to the Library in his vain attempt to understand his master, the mercurial Tzeentch, Changer of the Ways and Chaos God of Sorcery. Inquisitor Jaq Draco also managed to find a way into the Black Library and steal the ''Book of the Rhana Dandra'', also called the Eldar ''Book of Fate''.
+The '''Black Library of Chaos''' (also known simply as the '''Black Library''') is the secret Craftworld that serves as the Eldar's repository of forbidden lore concerning the Ruinous Powers that exists somewhere within the chaotic passages of the Eldar Webway. The Eldar Craftworlds became the only surviving sources of their ancient knowledge of sorcery and the Ruinous Powers of Chaos after the Fall of that race to the birth of Slaanesh. As the Craftwords have drifted apart, this knowledge has consequently become fragmented, and as some Craftworlds have become lost over the millennia, more precious Eldar knowledge has been lost with them. The Black Library is the only source of the Eldar's knowledge concerning Chaos that has remained untouched. It was created by the Eldar deity Cegorach, better known as the Laughing God. Though for what purposes the god created this repository can only be guessed. The Black Library is spoken of by the Eldar as a dark Craftworld existing within the Webway, far beyond the reach of the Imperium of Man. Within are the collected tomes and writings describing the Eldar's studies of the Warp and all the entities that live within it. These writings also describe all aspects of Chaos: its perils, promises and horrors. The Library is enclosed within a nearly impenetrable psychic barrier, and is watched and maintained by its Guardian-Scribes, who collate and transcribe the knowledge of the Black Library, a task they have carried out since the Fall. The Black Library contains not just the Eldar's knowledge of Chaos; any new knowledge of Chaos gained by any intelligent race of the galaxy is taken and kept within the Library, such as a copy of the ''Book of Magnus'', the potent tome of sorcery created by the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion's Primarch before the Horus Heresy. The Black Library is as much a source of knowledge for those who fight Chaos as it is a vault to keep dangerous knowledge hidden and protected from those who would misuse it. The existence of the Black Library is known to few, and even fewer are allowed access to it. The Library's collective psychic mind defends itself, barring the weak and corruptible. Only those who have mastered the temptations of Chaos within themselves are able to enter. Only two groups come and go at will: the Human Illuminati and the Eldar Solitaires. The Imperial Inquisitor Czevak gained entry once, but had to prove himself worthy. The Chaos Sorcerer Ahriman of the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion sought entrance to the Library in his vain attempt to understand his master, the mercurial Tzeentch, Changer of the Ways and Chaos God of Sorcery. Inquisitor Jaq Draco also managed to find a way into the Black Library and steal the ''Book of the Rhana Dandra'', also called the ''Eldar Book of Fate''.
 ==Sources==
 *''Warhammer 40,000: Compendium''