Artifacts
The Artifact Archive
Mysterious artifacts are unusual objects discovered throughout the city of Garza. Most appear during construction projects, infrastructure repairs, demolition work, or excavation beneath older buildings. They are rarely dramatic at first glance. In many cases they resemble ordinary items that appear to have been misplaced, discarded, or forgotten long ago.
What makes artifacts significant is not their appearance but the circumstances surrounding their discovery. Many have been found embedded inside structural spaces where no object should exist at all. Others appear sealed within materials that show no sign of having been opened or disturbed. These discoveries challenge conventional explanations and have forced investigators to reconsider how much of the city’s infrastructure is truly understood.
Over time these discoveries have led to the creation of an expanding artifact archive. Researchers, investigators, and organizations working within Garza catalog each object carefully, recording the location of discovery, physical characteristics, and any unusual observations associated with the object.
The archive continues to grow as new discoveries appear across the city.
Explore the Artifact Archive below to learn how investigators document and study these objects.
WHAT DEFINES AN ARTIFACT
Artifacts are not defined by how they look. Some resemble everyday tools or household items. Others appear slightly unfamiliar but not immediately alarming. The defining characteristic of an artifact is the context in which it is discovered and the unusual observations that follow its recovery.
Investigators studying these objects often begin by documenting the physical environment in which the artifact was found. Structural diagrams, excavation reports, and construction records are compared against the discovery site in order to determine whether the object could have been placed there through normal means.
When the records fail to provide an explanation, the object is cataloged as part of the archive.
Artifacts may behave differently depending on who interacts with them, where they are stored, or what conditions surround them. Because of this variability, investigators rarely assume that two artifacts will behave in exactly the same way.
This uncertainty has made artifact research one of the most debated fields within the city.
Visit the Garza page to explore where many artifact discoveries have occurred.
HOW ARTIFACTS ARE DISCOVERED
Most artifacts are uncovered during routine work rather than intentional searches. Construction teams renovating older buildings often encounter objects sealed within walls or foundations. Infrastructure crews repairing transit lines occasionally uncover hidden compartments or structural cavities containing unexpected items.
When a discovery is made, investigators are usually called to document the object before construction work continues. This process involves photographing the object in place, recording the surrounding materials, and carefully removing it for further study.
Over time these routine discoveries have revealed patterns across different districts of Garza. Objects found miles apart sometimes share unusual similarities, suggesting that the archive may represent a connected phenomenon rather than a collection of unrelated incidents.
Understanding these patterns has become a major focus for researchers studying the archive.
Follow new discoveries through the Authority of Ash Newsletter, where investigation notes and archive updates are occasionally released.
STUDYING ARTIFACTS
Once recovered, artifacts are typically transferred to secure facilities where investigators can study them under controlled conditions. Researchers examine their materials, weight, structure, and any unusual environmental effects that appear during observation.
In many cases the object itself remains inert. The surrounding conditions, however, may not remain entirely stable. Investigators have documented subtle environmental shifts occurring during artifact observation, though these effects are rarely consistent enough to produce immediate conclusions.
Because of this uncertainty, research organizations often approach artifacts with caution. Some groups believe careful documentation is the safest path forward. Others believe deeper experimentation may reveal answers that passive observation cannot.
These disagreements have led to the formation of competing investigative philosophies across Garza.
Learn how different organizations approach artifact research on the Factions page.
ARTIFACTS AND THE GROWING ARCHIVE
The artifact archive functions as a living record of discoveries occurring across Garza. Each artifact is assigned a classification file describing where it was found, how it was recovered, and what investigators observed during its examination.
Some artifacts remain unsolved mysteries long after their discovery. Others gradually reveal patterns when compared with objects found elsewhere in the city. In certain cases investigators have begun to suspect that the archive may contain more connections than anyone initially realized.
For readers exploring the world of Authority of Ash, the archive represents a window into the investigations shaping the future of Garza. Every entry adds another piece to a puzzle that investigators are still attempting to assemble.
Browse the Artifact Files to explore notable discoveries documented in the archive.
FEATURED ARTIFACT FILES
Certain discoveries within the archive have drawn particular attention from investigators. These artifacts are often studied more closely due to unusual behavior, rare discovery circumstances, or connections to other objects within the archive.
Featured artifact files highlight some of the most interesting discoveries currently documented in Garza. These files often include detailed descriptions, investigation notes, and cross references to related discoveries found elsewhere in the city.
As the archive expands, new artifact files will continue to be added to this section.
Explore Featured Artifact Files to examine some of the most intriguing discoveries recorded in Garza.
CONTINUE EXPLORING THE ARCHIVE
Artifacts represent only one category of discoveries currently being studied in Garza. Investigators have also begun documenting a second class of unusual objects whose behavior appears less stable and far more difficult to predict.
Understanding how these objects interact with artifacts has become one of the most controversial areas of research in the city.
Readers and players exploring the world of Authority of Ash can continue through the archive to learn more about these discoveries and the organizations attempting to study them.
What To Do Next:
- Visit the Enhancers Research Files
- Explore Garza’s investigation sites
- Read Archive Reports on the Blog
- Join the Newsletter to receive the free prequel The Archive Incident