The Verdigris Meridian

Year 0 to Year 40: Salvage and legitimacy. The founders saved libraries and relics after the war. Their early victories won noble patronage and public trust. Year 41 to Year 120: Expansion and professionalization. The faction formalized training, created preservation protocols, and opened public reading halls across several cities. Rival factions emerged who viewed artifacts as commodities. Year 121 to Year 160: Schism and shadow. Tensions between purists who advocated open access and pragmatists who wanted commercial partnerships resulted in a schism. The faction weathered a public scandal when several artifacts sold through middlemen were traced back to clandestine shipments. Reforms followed, but a permanent covert wing was retained to protect priorities. Year 161 to present: Consolidation and modern ambitions. Current leadership has pushed centralization of high-value artifacts and the pursuit of unique relics. The faction now balances public preservation programs with covert operations to secure objects before rival interests can claim them. A watershed moment known as the Vaultfall defined them. During Vaultfall a remote crypt collapsed under rival treasure-seekers, threatening priceless inscriptions. The faction mounted a daring rescue and recovery. The public hailed them as saviors, but internally the operation exposed deep disagreements over acceptable risk and the power of the Silent Hand.