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The Archives

location · importance 78 · 3 theories

“The University's vast, fire-feared library of dangerous knowledge”

also known as Stacks, the Stacks

Appearance§

The Archives are an enormous warren of shelves and stacks of books, patrolled by pale, quiet scrivs. The grey, windowless exterior reminds Kvothe of an immense greystone. The interior is kept dark and fireless, lit by sympathy lamps rather than candles. Above the entrance the words 'Vorfelan Rhinata Morie' are chiseled in stone. Within stands the sealed four-plate door, Valaritas, of four hard grey copper plates bearing no handle, hinge, or keyhole. Beneath and around the library lie older ruins and the Underthing.

Description§

The Archives, also called the Stacks, are the University's vast library, holding the histories, records, and dangerous knowledge that draw scholars from across Temerant. They are staffed by scrivs, who sort, scribe, and fetch books, and overseen by Master Archivist Lorren, who employs gillers and gatherers such as Viari to travel and recover books and documents for the collection; the acquisitions office keeps a map of Temerant and investigates rumors of lost works. Carved in stone above the doors are the words 'Vorfelan Rhinata Morie,' which Wilem renders as 'The desire for knowledge shapes a man.' Open flame is forbidden throughout the Archives to protect the books, the sole exception being Puppet's rooms; being caught with a candle in the Stacks is grounds for expulsion from the library, as Kvothe learns. Lorren controls access tightly and at times bars students entirely. Each University master keeps a private library holding the most dangerous knowledge of his discipline. The collection has been repeatedly reorganized under successive Master Archivists, leaving its cataloguing in flux and many books unfindable, and whole subjects are missing, their volumes removed or suppressed: Kvothe finds almost nothing on either the Chandrian or the Amyr, and no surviving record of the Amyr at all. Within the Archives stands a sealed four-plate door, called Valaritas, of four hard grey copper plates with no handle, hinge, or keyhole. The University itself is built on the ruins of an older University, connected to the four-plate door and the Underthing below.

Relationships§

  • Banned Patron Kvothe — Kvothe caught with a candle and exiled, later regains entry
  • Part Of The University — The University's enormous library, the Stacks
  • Lacks Record Of The Amyr — Kvothe finds no surviving record of the Amyr there
  • Contains The Four-Plate Door — A sealed four-plate door called Valaritas stands within
  • Connected To The Underthing — Built on an older University, connected to the four-plate door and Underthing
  • Translated By Wilem — Wilem renders the inscription as 'The desire for knowledge shapes a man'
  • Governed By Master Lorren — Master Lorren is the Master Archivist who controls access
  • Houses Puppet — Open flame forbidden except in Puppet's rooms
  • Employs Viari — Lorren employs gillers and gatherers such as Viari to acquire books
  • Inscribed With Vorfelan Rhinata Morie — 'Vorfelan Rhinata Morie' carved above the doors

Established facts§

  • The Archives, also called the Stacks, are the University's enormous library, where scrivs sort, scribe, and fetch books.
  • Master Lorren is the Master Archivist who governs the Archives and controls access, at times barring students entirely.
  • Lorren employs gillers and gatherers such as Viari, who travels and carries a sword to acquire books and documents for the collection.
  • The acquisitions office keeps a map of Temerant, investigates rumors, and recovers books from across the world.
  • Carved in stone above the doors is 'Vorfelan Rhinata Morie,' which Wilem translates as 'The desire for knowledge shapes a man.'
  • Open flame is forbidden in the Archives to protect the books, the only exception being Puppet's rooms.
  • Kvothe is caught with a candle in the Stacks, prompting Lorren's outburst and his exile from the library.
  • Each University master keeps a private library holding the most dangerous knowledge of his discipline.
  • Despite extensive searching, Kvothe finds almost nothing in the Archives about the Chandrian or the Amyr, and no surviving record of the Amyr.
  • Whole subjects are missing from the Archives, their relevant volumes removed or suppressed.
  • Written information about the Chandrian is scarce, while children's songs and plays preserve more of their lore.
  • Kvothe and his companions find a children's book that depicts the Chandrian favorably, with the lines 'The Chandrian never fight or fuss / In fact they are quite nice to us.'
  • A sealed four-plate door called Valaritas stands within the Archives, of four hard grey copper plates with no handle, hinge, or keyhole.
  • Manet implies to Kvothe that there is a secret way into the Archives.
  • Kvothe eventually finds an entrance through the Underthing using a sympathy lamp, and regains entry despite being banned.
  • Elodin says the University was built on the ruins of an older University, connected to the four-plate door and the Underthing.
  • The Archives are repeatedly reorganized under successive Master Archivists, leaving cataloguing in flux and many books unfindable.
  • The grey, windowless surface of the Archives reminds Kvothe of an immense greystone.
  • Libraries in Temerant are known targets of arson, such as the burning of Caluptena.

Theories§

Appears in theories§

Top contributors§

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