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Pay attention, for we shall tell you of fiends. A group of such anger and hatred that we advise even the most seasoned explorer to avoid them at all costs. In this volume, we discuss the Darkreave Curators of Apocrypha.
SUMMARY
In previous volumes, we described methods of placating the various fauna found across the myriad planes of Aurbis. Unlike throwing raw meat to a Scamp, the Darkreave Curators (hereafter referred to as Darkreaves) have no easy distractions. Once one perceives you, the only options available are to destroy them or run. Fortunately for you, Darkreaves have little in the way of weaponry. They rely on pure, emotion-driven brutality in their attacks.
Our suggestion is to avoid them if possible. If not, attack them from long range.
HISTORY
Since we obviously cannot ask a Darkreave directly about their origins, we must turn to the other inhabitants of Apocrypha for answers. For a realm devoted to knowledge, it was quite difficult to find someone with information about this particular clan of Dremora. In the end, we turned to our most reliable source—Madam Whim of Fargrave.
For the sake of transparency, we paid Madam Whim for details about the Darkreaves. We provided secrets about another infamous Dremora clan that we learned about in our travels. In exchange, she delivered a tablet made of thin red chitin on which was engraved Daedric script.
From this tablet, we learned that the Darkreaves seek to catalog every segment of existence, from the intensely banal to the deeply arcane. They desire a written record of every chair, spoon, orb, and Daedra. They ostensibly work for Hermaeus Mora, however the level of zeal they display betrays an obsession that goes beyond service.
Dedication to the cause forces Darkreaves to become violently protective of written works. One imagines the enormity of their task has warped them into a fanatical and deadly single-mindedness.
ENVIRONMENT
Typically, an explorer of the planes can expect to find the Darkreaves inside Apocrypha's repositories of knowledge. These places predictably cover the landscape, but one should be more cautious when entering the larger facilities. The Darkreaves congregate in significant numbers within such places.
In particular, stay attentive should you enter the Obscured Forum, found in the Ravening Morass. The Forum serves as a hub for information exchange where outsiders can swap documents or secrets with each other. This practice attracts the Darkreaves due to the daily arrival of unique knowledge.
SURVIVAL TIPS
Do not try to engage the Darkreaves in conversation. If they notice your presence, you're already in trouble.
Do not attempt to bribe them. Even tossing a book in their direction will not distract them.
Darkreaves do not seem especially observant. Sneaking by them may be your best tactic.
Observing Darkreaves from a distance can be a fun and intellectually satisfying experience. As long as they don't also observe you.