KKC Theory Wiki

The Four-Plate Door

object · importance 72 · 8 theories

“The sealed door in the Archives with no hinge, handle, or lock”

also known as Four Plate Door, Four-Plate Door, The Four-Plate Door, Valaritas

Appearance§

A heavy door set into stone deep in the Archives, a single seamless slab of grey stone set flush with its frame. It is faced with four large copper plates arranged in a square, each pierced with an unconventional keyhole, and the word 'Valaritas' is chiseled into it. It has no hinges, no handle, and no window or sliding panel, presenting as a smooth, blank, immovable barrier. The plates' small holes yield nothing to the light of a single candle.

Description§

The Four-Plate Door is a sealed door set deep in the University Archives, the Stacks. It is a seamless slab of grey stone set flush with its frame, faced with four hand-sized copper plates arranged in a square, and bearing the chiseled word 'Valaritas.' It has no hinges, no handle, and no window or sliding panel of any kind; each copper plate is pierced with an unconventional keyhole, but there is no visible means of opening it, and it has never been seen open. Kvothe finds it on an early visit to the Stacks and tries to peer through holes in the plates by the light of a single candle, but the darkness beyond yields nothing. Located underground fairly close to the Underthing, near the southern east stairwell, it stands as a recurring object of student fascination and a standing mystery of the University. It belongs thematically alongside the series' other sealed vessels, the Lackless box and the thrice-locked chest.

Relationships§

  • Discovered By Kvothe — Kvothe finds it on an early visit to the Stacks
  • Mystery Of The University — A standing mystery and object of student fascination at the University
  • Located In The Archives — A sealed door set deep in the University Archives, the Stacks
  • Parallels The Thrice-Locked Chest — Belongs thematically alongside the thrice-locked chest
  • Parallels The Lackless Box — Belongs thematically alongside the Lackless box
  • Near The Underthing — Located underground fairly close to the Underthing

Established facts§

  • The Four-Plate Door is a sealed door set deep in the University Archives, the Stacks.
  • It is a seamless slab of grey stone set flush with its frame, faced with four hand-sized copper plates and bearing the chiseled word 'Valaritas.'
  • It has no hinges, no handle, and no window or sliding panel; each copper plate has an unconventional keyhole, but there is no visible means of opening it.
  • The door has never been seen open.
  • Kvothe discovers it on an early visit to the Stacks and tries to peer through holes in the copper plates by the light of a single candle, but can see nothing inside.
  • It is located underground, fairly close to the Underthing, near the southern east stairwell.
  • The four key plates set into the door are copper, while the door and frame themselves are a single seamless piece of grey stone.
  • It is a recurring object of fascination for students and a standing mystery of the University.
  • It belongs thematically alongside the series' other sealed containers: the Lackless box and the thrice-locked chest.

Theories§

Appears in theories§

Top contributors§

People on r/KingkillerChronicle who built the theories above.