The Historians' Guild is a group of scholars and researchers who seek to
study and preserve the past in the hope that it will provide clues to the
nature of the Blight and how to undo the calamity that has befallen the
world.
As refugees from places far and wide descended on Altheria while fleeing the
Blight, they brought with them the history and memories of their people and
the places that used to be, or at least the memories not devoured by the
Blight during their arduous journeys. Kellen, a prominent scholar from
Galrathia, took it upon himself to interview as many people as he could and
record their stories, lore, and memories. These records quickly grew into a
library that he came to call The Chronicle.
Convinced that something in these stories, memories, and the past held the
key to understanding the Blight, he gathered like-minded scholars and
founded the Historians' Guild. Their mission was to record as much knowledge
as they could to ensure it could pass to future generations as well as
research the true nature of the Blight. To do this, they turned their
attention towards Artifacts, mysterious objects left over from the time of
the Ancients.
These objects were known and marveled at through much of recorded history,
noted for either being composed of strange materials or having some kind of
ambient effect on the area around them. Artifacts vary significantly from
tiny cubes that fit in one's hand to massive building-sized obelisks, and
are found in various shapes and states of disrepair. But with the coming of
the Blight, it was noted that some Artifacts seemed to change in strange
ways.
Blight Lanterns were discovered almost by accident after a junior Historian
noted that a family heirloom brought by a refugee seemed to have
Artifact-like qualities. With the Lanterns brought the possibility of
exploring the Blightlands, and an expedition program was founded in short
order to look for lost records, Artifacts, and other curiosities to expand
the Guild's knowledge.
By studying the past, the Historians believe they can build a better future,
and are one of the most prominent guilds in Altheria.