Hello! Here at The Wanderers’ Library, we love some good lore, and we especially love disagreeing about lore. That’s why our current lore page needs an update! It’s several years old, and doesn’t take into account many of the user generated ideas that have been developed since it was created. With that in mind, we as staff want to do a major rewrite of it. We also want to use user input to do so.
Here’s where you can contribute your thoughts, ideas, questions, and answers to the questions about the Library. To submit a question OR answer, PM it to Rounderhouse, noting what number question you're answering. In addition, for every question you submit, you need to also submit an answer to a different question to keep things balanced. However, you can submit as many answers as you want. Keep your answers short please, no more than four or five sentences. Try to keep your questions in line with the ones here, nothing overly specific. We aren’t guaranteeing we’ll use all of the ideas here for the new Universe page, but we’ll do our best to incorporate as much user info as we can! We'll be accepting user submissions through the end of the month, on August 1st.
Library
1. What is the nature of the Library?
The nature of the Library is that it exists as a platonic projection of all the places in the world where knowledge bound together is stored, wrapped over a magical shell in the form of an all-knowing serpent who may or may not be metaphorical. This is a big part of the reason for the Library’s eclecticism, since the concept of what a library ought to look like varies hugely from universe to universe. Some people might be more familiar with a bookstore than a library and thus have some of the amenities you would find in one pop up, others might think of a musical library with recordings and instruments to make submissions, and both of these ideas get projected psychically into the Library along literal trillions of others. A book appears in the Library if it’s the kind of thing someone couldn’t imagine not being in a library or bookstore, hence why the collection is so large and constantly growing. -Saoirse_Toohey
The nature of the Library is that it is a place to store knowledge. Typically this takes place in the forms of books, but since the Library aims to store all knowledge, other forms of medium make their home there too from arts and crafts to cities to people.
Anyone ideally should have access to this knowledge, so the Library makes it available for those clever enough to find it. -UncertaintyCrossing
The Library is, at its heart, knowledge. The physical space of the Library is only an expression of this deeper truth. In sharing of itself, it is not diminished, and those it shares with are able to use what they learned to find and create new knowledge, and add it to the Library. Thus, the Library grows, expanding and branching out like a titanic, peerless tree. -Zendrelax
The Library is an extrareal reflection of all recorded knowledge: most prominently books, but also including other physical mediums for storing information. As a work is created in its original reality, its twin manifests in the Library as if it had always been there. Even if the original is destroyed, the Library retains its copy. -CatCamo
2. Is the Library infinite? Where is it?
The Library is infinite in size, but that doesn't mean it's infinite in scope. There's an infinity of numbers between 0 and 1, but none of them are 2. The Library has corridors which stretch endlessly, towering cylinders of shelves that curve upward in a boundless dance, but it always features books, and it always features staff. A few places, the Incalculable Wilds and the Last Bastion of Reason, for example, diverge from standard reality too much to be habitable; these could be considered the rough edges on the Library's otherwise pristine hull. As for where: nowhere. In between all the normal libraries, blurring somewhat in rare places. Maybe you stumble through a door that's not supposed to be there. Now you're in the coils of the Serpent. Except not literally. Except yes, literally. Legend is flexible, and myth moreso, and those are what the Library is built on. That's where it is. - MaliceAforethought
The Library is not technically infinite, but it is fractal. It is within a defined area of space that loops in on itself in enough ways that it’s incredibly difficult to map, and as perceptions of what a library ought to be change, so do the Library’s interiors. -Saoirse_Toohey
For all intents and purposes, yes, it is infinite, but mathematically probably not. As for where it is, it has its own space between universes, its branches overlapping into other universes via Ways. -UncertaintyCrossing
The Library is not infinite. That being said, there isn't usually an end-point; it is far larger than any mortal could ever explore, but for those few who near the theoretical edge, space loops in on itself to direct them back into the maze of knowledge. It is technically part of the Garden, which is more of a realized conceptual space between universes than an actual location in its own right. The Garden embodies growth. It is possible to enter the Garden, though for most mortals—and many creatures which are not mortal—it is difficult and not entirely pleasant. -Zendrelax
The Library is not infinite in size, since there is only a limited number of "good" works. While there are an infinite number of books with gobbledygook in them ("aksdfjoerhgophqwegpoh"), there is only a limited number of books with meaningful content in them. Only "true" content is allowed for nonfiction works, although that could differ by realm (different laws of physics in different worlds). That includes really badly written fictional stories, though. -galactic_observer
3. What kinds of rules does the Library have?
There are two sets of rules to the Library— the two enforced by the Library itself (don’t intentionally harm any of the books, don’t intentionally do harm to any of your fellow patrons other than in self defense— if you break these rules, your Library card is revoked and your name is forfeit) and those enforced by various groups who live in the Library, which tend to be complex or varied. The volunteer Librarians and assistants who have a contract with the Library are able to bar certain patrons from it, but beyond that it goes down to general punishment in ways that manage to circumvent the intentionality clause of the second Big Rule. -Saoirse_Toohey
The Library has rules which prevent patrons from interfering with its core purpose of sharing knowledge. They are broad and largely simple, prohibiting certain behaviors. -Zendrelax
- Books must be returned on time and in the same condition they were lent out.
- Activities must be kept at a reasonable volume in common areas, and as quiet as possible in dedicated areas.
- No food or drink is permitted in the stacks.
- The deliberate damage of books or destruction of information within the boundaries of the Library is grounds for immediate employment as a Librarian.
- Violence against Library patrons or Librarians within Library boundaries is likewise grounds for immediate employment.
- Anyone entering the Library while under a contract of ownership is ipso facto emancipated.
- Do not interfere with the nature of causality or with the fundamental structure of the universe.
-OriCat
There is only one rule - Do not take what isn't yours. How this is interpreted is up for debate, but can usually be seen as meaning things as simple as "don't steal a book" or "don't take a life" to things more complex as "do not take away from staff's time by damaging property and causing a big ol' mess". -UncertaintyCrossing
4. Who created the Library? Who can access it?
Nobody and anybody respectively. Everyone has a fair chance at entry, to begin with. You either find a Way, or you wander through a Liminal Space, and you're given a shot at making a name for yourself in its halls. Nobody built it, because who could? The Library has Gods which cannot set foot in it, and paupers who've been banished with equal severity. It exists because all that knowledge has to go somewhere, and we're lucky enough to live in a rather literal cosmos. You could say it sprang from the collective shadow of all Libraries, but that's a little bit metaphysical for my tastes. - MaliceAforethought
In the beginning, before time was born, The Serpent twisted in the darkened nether. It did not know when it came into being or whom had given birth to it,only that it's purpose was to grant knowledge. To this end, it spat out the Library and granted it life. The Library would be it's tool to spread knowledge to those who seeked it. Nobody would be barred from it's doors, so long as they respected the information held within. The staff were not constructed by The Serpent, but simply the first of those to discover it's creation. -Malvarik
The Library wasn’t necessarily created by anyone, or if it was they’ve since lost track of it and no longer have any real influence over it. If you believe the Serpent is real, then you probably believe the Serpent created it. You could say that everyone who’s heard of a library and has a conceptualization of one creates the Library. -Saoirse_Toohey
Who originally created the Library has been lost to time, but there are debates and rumors over the original creator. As to who can access it, ideally anyone, but if you are deemed a threat due to your actions or ideals, there is a chance you may be banished before you even set foot into the Library. -UncertaintyCrossing
What is today the Library originally lacked conventional material form, much like the rest of the Garden, and was one of the mightiest trees it held. In these early days, the Serpent emerged out of it, and reshaped it; its Roots were refashioned to anchor physical space to the ephemeral, and its branches were woven into the labyrinthine Stacks. All unknown Wanderers are welcome in the Library, but those who prove to be an severe or existential threat to the Library and/or its mission are cast out. -Zendrelax
5. What kind of physical structures exist inside?
Among others? Shelves, mostly. Cities, towns, but not totally normal and still bound by library etiquette. Marketplaces jut out of the edges, accessible but comparatively lawless. The Archives are well known for their strange array of rooms and riddles. People build things, people destroy things, but they always work around the Library's desire to stay just that. - MaliceAforethought
Any physical structure can exist inside the Library, although ones that seem Library appropriate are more likely than others. Hotels, houses, and villages in the stacks have been set up by patrons as well, although they’re scattered and not terribly big. -Saoirse_Toohey
Any you can think of - there is knowledge to be learned and stored via architecture. Cities, towns, structures - they are all there, but definitely have a distinct feel to them in comparison to their home universe counterparts. -UncertaintyCrossing
There is the Main Hall, the vast entryway where the most commonly-used of the Ways link into the Library, and where the Front Desk can be found. The Stacks make up the majority of the Library's expanse, and is where books are stored and presented, as well as a number of tables and desks for patron use. A vast series of rooms exist which can be reserved for free by any person with a Library Card, so long as another has not already staked a claim. The Roots are where the Serpent dwells, and are seen only by its Favorites, and those it wishes to punish personally. The latter are rare, but far more numerous than the former. -Zendrelax
6. Is the Library alive? Does it have a mind of its own?
Yes, and yes. Sort of. The Library is single-minded and noncommunicative. It wouldn't speak to people even if it could, and doesn't care about anything on our timespans. It's an ecosystem, directed by its purpose. The Serpent is perhaps the closest thing to a sapience, but even They act as more of a guardian and protector than a master. - MaliceAforethought
The Library has a kind of rudimentary consciousness. You wouldn't be able to hold a conversation, but it has an awareness of the beings inside it, like a slumbering giant. Perhaps when it likes you, and you ask very nicely, you would find yourself guided in the right direction. The floorplan didn't change for you, but it seems you were going the right way all along. -ThePianoMan1616
The Library is alive in much the same way any ecosystem can be said to be alive. It’s clear that there is enforcement of the two Big Rules, and therefore some kind of will is present throughout the entirety of the Library, but said will is ephemeral and fickle. Whatever plans it has are ineffable and unknowable, and the Library works in very subtle ways to achieve what it wants. Perhaps this makes sense, since to a consciousness as old as the concept of libraries itself, a century can pass in the blink of an eye. -Saoirse_Toohey
It is alive in the sense that it has that surreal energy to it that lets you know this is an ancient place full of history. It also does have a sense of self preservation, hence it creating Librarians to protect itself and the Librarians sharing a hivemind with each other and the structure itself. -UncertaintyCrossing
The Library is alive in a sense, but has more in common with a genius locus—a spirit of place—than any conventional creature. It operates chiefly on what might be called instinct, rather than reason. However, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the Library's instinct and the light touch of the Serpent, which is a very thoughtful creature. -Zendrelax
The library has a dormant, eminent consciousness through which drift all the volumes of knowledge contained in its books. Librarians and others native to the library are innately attuned to its resonance and can draw from its knowledge as their own. With enough practice, anyone can learn to harmonize with the library in meditation. The most experienced patrons can read without opening a book. -CatCamo
7. What other groups reside within the Library?
The Serpents Hand has plenty of people scattered in the Library, but they’re still mostly Earthbound. The Wordsmiths Guild, an ancient society made up of volunteers, are the people who keep the Library a much more safe and sane place to be for people who enjoy things like sentience and not being driven mad by Eldritch tomes. Most of the groups who enjoy general recognition and acceptance in the Library are affiliated with (or at least registered with) the Wordsmiths. Those groups who aren’t affiliated with the Wordsmiths (including the Serpents Hand) are called Inkstained groups, and they’re seen as the more criminal underbelly of the Library staff. Although there have been minor skirmishes between these groups, for the most part battles have to be fought through subterfuge and influence. This is where skirting around the intentionality clause comes in— if you send someone a bomb that will only activate if they open it, you can plausibly say you never intended for them to open the bomb, and that counts as lacking intentionality. And of course, anything outside of the Library is fair game, gloves off. -Saoirse_Toohey
Way too many to count. Over the years groups come and go as they find out about the Library and utilize its resources, only to die out years later without anyone to replace them. -UncertaintyCrossing
From political movements, to educational institutions, to governments, it might be easier to count the groups which do not have a presence in the Library. Because of this, it has become a hub of trans-universal diplomacy. The prohibition on unprovoked violence makes intrigue more difficult, but it is also present in abundance; spycraft finds a way. -Zendrelax
8. Does the Library have its own official form of communication?
The Library cards can serve as a form of communication for people who have made contracts with the Library, generally those with the Wordsmiths guild but some other groups have their own, personal contracts with the Library. There’s also plenty of creoles and lingua francas in the Library in order to communicate, the most common pidgin being known as planasthai speech. Planasthai speech is an unwieldy mix of languages living, dead, and yet to be born, and is only fluently spoken by academics and people who live in the Library. -Saoirse_Toohey
The Library structure and staff translate themselves into the language you are most familiar with. Books can be translated upon request, and there are probably language oriented folk who translate for Patrons in general common areas/use some sort of magic to make everyone understand one another. -UncertaintyCrossing
When necessary, the Library can magically communicate with any and all patrons within it, in whatever language they are most comfortable with. The Library does not favor any one language over another. Patrons mainly rely on magical forms of translation when communicating, but lingua franca have developed for cases where such methods are not available. -Zendrelax
9. Has the Library ever been attacked? What were the consequences?
The Library has been attacked a few times in its history, usually ending up with entire concepts of knowledge being demolished. When the Red King was first rising, he tore an entire wing off of the Library related to something joyous which is now lost forever, and there are debates on what that was. Nobody, the Unnamed One, led a schism in the Wordsmiths Guild that nearly wrenched the Library in half and unleashed the monsters in several dark tomes out into it— after their defeat, their faction became the Namesmiths and they still plot to return their master (defeated but not dead) into power in the Library halls and complete whatever dark ritual they had planned before. And of course, there have been plenty of incursions by fools from various universes seeking to pillage the Library— collectively known as the Magpies, although the original group with that name is now long extinct. The Chaos Insurgency was one of those groups who attempted to make use of Library resources, but after breaking both of the Big Rules in the span of two minutes found themselves barred completely (although not after destroying a valuable section on paratechnology— part of the reason why paratechnologists rarely come to the Library these days, settling for their own techno city states like Eurtec.) -Saoirse_Toohey
Over the many years the Library has existed? Of course it has. But the consequences were never bad enough to destroy the Library or prevent new people from accessing it. How much knowledge or how many Librarians were lost is up for debate, though. -UncertaintyCrossing
The Library always has enemies; there are always those who wish to control the flow of knowledge. Most often, they are overwhelmed by the Library's control over local reality, punished, cast out, and barred from reentry. On very rare occasions, it has been necessary for the Library to close itself of from an entire universe, to cordon a particularly powerful threat there. -Zendrelax
10. What kind of permanent communities exist within the Library? Are people born there? Are there people who spend their entire lives inside of it?
The Library is home to monk-like groups which dedicate themselves to knowledge and such thematically similar commitments. It also plays host to multiversal adventurer's clubs, groups dedicated to the help and re-settling of refugees from their home world threats, and numerous religious sects who want to bring their native faiths to the rest of the multiverse. Finally, but significantly, a collective educational organization has formed of various Colleges and Universities. Here, patrons can enroll, take courses, and get certified in anything from engineering to alchemy. It is collectively known as the Discera Multiversity. -ThePianoMan1616
There are various wizards circles, cabals, poetry societies, chivalrous bands, and other groups who end up making the Library their permanent home. Truly self-sustaining societies are rare, of course, but the Library has a permanent population of probably around 200,000 in comparison to the billions who rotate in and out of it. Most of the Wordsmiths Guild live in the Library permanently, although they have been called out on missions or serve in embassies in worlds where the Veil isn’t implemented. -Saoirse_Toohey
Many permanent communities exist, and there are people who are born there/spend their entire lives there. That being said, I think the whole lives being spent there is not as common as people just stopping by/passing through, mostly because the Library isn't exactly meant to be a space to raise a family in. -UncertaintyCrossing
Permanent settlement in the Library is a dubious prospect, as it is incredibly difficult to grow food there—not for any magical reason, there just isn't any soil, and bringing in enough to grow something (while very effective) tends to be prohibitively expensive. Thus, most food consumed there is imported, and anyone who lives in the Library full-time needs to come up with the resources to import it (water is one of those things the Library provides). Nevertheless, there are some settled near to the Main Hall, with businesses which provide services to patrons which the Library does not. There are also official representatives of various groups who stay in the Library long-term, and safehouses run by groups like the Serpent's Hand, for those not welcome in their universe of origin. -Zendrelax
11. What kind of amenities does the Library have? Cafes, stores, housing, etc?
Located in the Southwest District is the Library's food court, constructed by the Sixth Archivist during his short tenure. No literature is allowed within the Food Court and must be placed in the allocated depositories before entering. Patron polls state that the most popular eateries within are; Saint Cecilia's Pastries, The Comet Tree, The Painted Palace, and Zandral's Burgers. However, this is apt to change as more restuarants are discovered. -Malvarik
Hephæstus & Sons Fine Objects (Store that sells the perfect version of everything, e.g. Sword that cuts any material. watch that tells all time, pen that writes in beautiful script, etc.), Build a Character Workshop (Proprietor: Mary Sue), The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Chekhov's Gun Manufacture Lmt., CHOAM (Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantile), Barnes & Noble (Abandoned?) -Sudough Nimm
The Library has plenty of cafes, since these are a common amenity one would expect to find in a library. Hotels as well have been added, since many of the patrons wind up in situations where they spend weeks in the stacks, but permanent housing is much more rare. Certain kinds of shops have popped up from time to time, but the purchase of books in the Library itself isn’t officially sanctioned (not that that stops inkstained groups from trying). -Saoirse_Toohey
People live there, so yes, cafes, stores, housing and whatnot all exist there. Marketplaces, crafting areas, sleeping shelves, you can find them within the Library walls. -UncertaintyCrossing
In addition the checking out books and reserving rooms (usable for any purpose in compliance with the rules, including living there), the Library provides an infinite supply of water and free wifi. Just about any other service imaginable has been set up by enterprising individuals not formally affiliated with the Library. -Zendrelax
Café La Bête -Bard Bard
Librarians
1. Where do Librarians come from?
Most are produced by the Library; docents, pages, and the true archivists. They turn up, floating or scuttling out of doors which disappear when you turn your back. Some say there's a Bureau responsible for their creation and allocation, but that's entirely unconfirmed. Then there's the Volunteers. Patrons who want to give back to the structure. Lending it a more human — or not, as the case may be — quality that would otherwise be lacking. They're by no means essential, and they often cause more trouble than they're worth, but the Library tolerates their existence even if it doesn't sanction them. It helps to get direction on books, rather than just directions to them.- MaliceAforethought
Librarians come from creatures who have been twisted up on all the little fractal and magical lines that run through the Library and come out the other end changed. Existence as a Librarian can also be inflicted as punishment, although only for more severe cases of breaking the rules. And some willingly turn themselves into Librarians when they have nowhere else to go— better to exist as a willing and powerful servant with some semblance of your conscious left, than whatever thousands of awful tortures can befall you outside the Libraries walls. -Saoirse_Toohey
They are people who've broken rules in the Library. They are therefore also sentient, though they can be strange. The Pages tend to be the ones who stay the most "human" in mind of the three main types. -Mann
They are produced by the Library in one way or another. Whether it be through volunteers or harvesting rule breakers, the Library has a way to create more staff. The original archivists, the toadstool blind creatures, are the oldest of the bunch, and perhaps their spores play a role in converting new patrons into staff. -UncertaintyCrossing
Librarians are individuals whose identities have been overcome by that of the Library, subsuming them and transforming them into extensions of it. This is usually done as a punishment for violating the rules of the Library, but it can be done to volunteers, or even happen by accident. -Zendrelax
2. What is the purpose of the Librarians?
The first Librarians came into existence as a fluke of reality— some sorcerer tried a ritual to do something they really shouldn’t have and found that instead of binding the Library to themselves, they were now bound to the Library’s strange, lethargic will. Or perhaps some creature got lost in a tangle of Ways and found itself trapped as a Librarian when it found its way out. However the first one came into being, they now serve to try and keep the Library orderly and enforce the two Big Rules. Librarians are also able to make contracts with patrons via their Library Cards, and still have some individual will of their own. A proper sorcerer or warlock can easily contract with them for gaining magical power in the Library, but will also find themselves in a very poor position if they breach contract or break one of the two Big Rules. When the Wordsmiths Guild say they have a contract with the Library, what they really mean is that they have a contract spread out around most of the Librarians. -Saoirse_Toohey
Their purpose is to serve the Library, caring for and protecting it, while also adding to the eons of knowledge contained within. -UncertaintyCrossing
Librarians perform those functions which are necessary for the Library to fulfill its purpose of facilitating the spread and creation of knowledge. They maintain its facilities, track, shelve, and guide patrons to books. -Zendrelax
3. Are there any Librarians besides the three Docents/Pages/Archivists? What are they?
The Volunteers, of course, though those tend to be pages and archivists. Docents are a force of their own. The Wrights, which maintain things — mostly the personal comforts, like buildings, and lights which actually need to be maintained. The foundations of the Library, as it were, stay pretty much unscathed. Some of them (all boiler-suits and shovel-hands) stoke the boilers, while others (stalks and spines and suckers) clean the gum from under desks. Scribes sit at endless banks of typewriters, copying texts and archiving notes. Their half-avian cousins track the events of the Library, feathery humanoids perched just out of sight, logging and noting and filing. One wright in particular keeps the candles lit, though chronology gets fuzzy around the whole affair. - MaliceAforethought
A new type of Librarian has recently been recognized, the Translator. These individuals have an inmate understanding of most spoken and written languages and learn more quickly. They also have a lot of experience travelling the Ways and have encountered many forms of communication that humans would find unorthodox, like pheromones, olfactory signals, and harmonic differentiation. These Librarians are mild shape shifters, gaining various sensory appendages to suit their needs. They even have an irl counterpart, like some of the members I've seen in Discord who translate to and from Chinese. -ThePianoMan1616
There are as many Librarians as is convenient for your story. Certain ones may pop up more frequently and become established in canon, but something along the lines of 150 Librarians at any given time seems like a good number. People can modify the appearance and character of them to an extent as long as they’re bent to the Library’s will and enforce the rules. -Saoirse_Toohey
Librarians are whatever is needed for the library to function. It changes those who have transgressed into a form that's suitable to the task. The ones specifically mentioned are just the ones most commonly encountered by patrons. The Boilermen, for example, are generally found only in the archives, tending to the Boiler (as their name suggests). They are still fairly human in shape, though piled down with heavy leathers that may or may not be part of them. Their left hand (or sometimes their right) is replaced with a large scoop shovel which is used to move coal and raw words into the furnace. Rather than mouths, they have a metal grill which takes in the coal dust that seems to sustain them. -Mann
Yes, there are, but the main three are always consistent throughout the ages/the primary focus of the Library when it wants to make new staff. -UncertaintyCrossing
There are also Wrights, which are responsible for Library maintenance, but are rarely seen by patrons. Furthermore, there are rumors of others fulfilling functions which do not require interaction with patrons, but they are unconfirmed and a subject of much scholarly debate. -Zendrelax
4. Are they sentient?
Librarians retain a degree of their own self after being turned, but how much of it they retain depends on how they were made into a Librarian and their relationship to the Library itself. Best case scenario, you retain around 75% of your personality (although rumor has it that the Unnamed One turned themself into a Librarian without losing any of their individual will.) -Saoirse_Toohey
Yes, to varying degrees, the converted creatures retain some of their former self, but mostly learn to focus on the Library's needs first. They also assimilate into a sort of hivemind, able to feel and sense the Library's energy as well as the energy of fellow Librarians. -UncertaintyCrossing
As needed. -Zendrelax
5. Are Librarians immortal? Can they die or be killed?
The Librarians are functionally immortal. As in, they won't age and die on their own, their apparent age simply changes with their persona and collected wisdom. However, they can be killed (with great difficulty, it's really quite impractical). -ThePianoMan1616
Librarians killed in the line of duty, provided their corpse is atleast partially intact, are capable of being resurrected. It is not known how this process works, but Librarians have been seen carrying their recently slain bretheren into the Library's basement and returning shortly thereafter alongside them. Archivists and other Library staff have refused to comment on the process and if these are really resurrected Librarians or simply new additions. -Malvarik
Librarians are immortal unless they are killed. It’s damn hard to kill a Librarian, of course, especially without breaking the second Big Rule, but it’s possible. And Librarians have been known to turn on each other in desperate circumstances and slay each other (the Wordsmiths schism also spread into the Librarian population, leading to horrific consequences.) -Saoirse_Toohey
They are not immortal, and can die of natural causes, but you have to be clever if you want to personally kill one. -UncertaintyCrossing
The bodies they possess are theoretically mortal, but their subsumption by the Library makes killing them impossible in most practical circumstances. -Zendrelax
6. What are their duties?
Librarians keep the Library running, in some ways that seem obvious (shelving, protection of patrons, enforcement of the Two Rules) and in others that are much less so (performing an esoteric dance in a corner of the Library for two weeks in order to seal up a crack against the void, for example.) Although these more esoteric tasks are incredibly important to maintaining Library integrity, it also creates the situation that requires volunteers such as the Wordsmiths Guild to do plenty of day to day maintenance. -Saoirse_Toohey
Out of the most common three, put simply - the Docents protect, the Pages shelve, and the Archivists do administrative/recordkeeping business. -UncertaintyCrossing
They perform tasks which follow from their forms. Archivists manage the Front Desk, Docents enforce the rules and guide patrons, and Pages scutter around shelving books. -Zendrelax
Misc
1. What are Ways? Knocks? Who can use them and how?
The ways can take any form. Some ways are physical doors, some act like the transporters from Star Trek. They can have no ornamentation that relates it to the library, or they can have the logo stamped on it five ways from Sunday. In order to activate a way, the wanderer must preform some sort of action, or refrain from some other action. The activation does not require intent nor consent. The activation action usually has something to do with how the way looks or the location it is in. One example is: A way is a manhole cover in some city. In order to activate, the user must enter the manhole and close the cover over themselves. Then, the bottom will oven up, and if they continue to climb down, they will fall into the library. Most ways are activated by audio cues. -Sudough Nimm
Ways are bits of the Library that spin out into other realities— the first Ways were all located in actual libraries, but as time went on people found methods to create their own Ways, and now a Way can be located anywhere. Knocks are like locks on those Ways— many entries do have them, but plenty don’t. Ways are more likely to require a Knock in worlds where something like normalcy preservation is in effect, but openly magical worlds generally don’t require Knocks unless the Way has been made by someone who wants to keep it private. -Saoirse_Toohey
At its simplest, Ways are doorways to other places, and Knocks how you open them. Anyone can use a Way as long as they figure out its Knock, most likely through a lot of trial and error. -UncertaintyCrossing
The Ways are a network of passages and doorways linking countless universes. Contrary to popular belief, the Library isn't a nexus of Ways—the Garden is. Because the Garden is an embodiment of growth, and the birth and development of universes is a kind of growth on an unfathomably enormous scale, they are conceptually tied to the Garden, creating Ways. Since the only conventionally physical space in the Garden is the Library, all the Ways spill out there—often, but not exclusively, into the Main Hall. -Zendrelax
2. What other universes does the Library connect?
Liminal Spaces! Thematic expanses of expansive themes. Markets, fields, art galleries, the abyssal sea and the ocean blue. Third Port Off Left opens up into the inter-interstellar void; find yourself lost in a warehouse somewhere and you may just find one of the helpful signposts to the Library's main hall. Not all liminal spaces connect to the Library, of course, but a lot do. Particularly the ones which have been morphed by the usage of patrons, taking on a useful role. Even the Library itself is something of a bibliothetic liminal space — take a wrong turn in the back-end of a second-hand bookshop and you might just wind up there without even finding a Way. - MaliceAforethought
Any universe that has existed, will exist, or have ceased to exist. It is up to the discretion of the Library and its staff if they wish to sever ties to certain universes that pose a danger to the Library and its patrons. -Malvarik
The Library is connected to any universe that has a conceptual idea of what a library is. As far as the patrons of the Library are concerned, that means it’s connected to all universes, although that’s not technically correct. Some theorize that the Library serves like a wiring system between universes in order to facilitate the flow of magic or knowledge. -Saoirse_Toohey
Many. Not infinite, not all, but many. As long as the universe hasn't been deemed a danger to the Library itself, there most likely is a connection, or will soon be one. -UncertaintyCrossing
It would be easier to count the universes it did not connect to: those which are dead, and which have been cordoned to isolate something which could pose an existential threat to the Library. -Zendrelax
3. What does the Foundation think of the Library?
Which Foundation? There's a fair few out there, and a lot of them don't get on. - MaliceAforethought
The Foundation seriously underestimates the Library in every aspect. They think of it like a very large building between dimensions, with some books and which houses one of their GOI's. If they ever found out the true nature of the Library, like how much access it has to their world and how much collected power lies within, they would stop at nothing to document it's innards or a least find and contain all the Ways to their world. However, when the Library encounters problematic entities or objects, they do not hesitate to dump it on a Foundation doorstep to be conveniently contained. -ThePianoMan1616
The Library keeps to itself, and therefore isn’t a real threat to normalcy. However, given the fugitives who escape to there and how the Serpents Hand use it as an impromptu base, the Foundation would very much like to sever the Libraries connection to Earth as soon as possible. Ways are all classified as containment breaches when discovered, and as such tend to be monitored on Earth. In fact, in the Library the Foundation’s Earth has a reputation of being a very rough place to live. Telling someone you’re from that Earth is kind of like telling someone today that you’re from Syria or North Korea. -Saoirse_Toohey
The Foundation as a whole, generally, would want to put tight restrictions on the Library and its patrons while also exploiting it to its full potential. That is; however, if they knew of the full extent of the Library and what all it contains. Currently, due to the Library mostly keeping to itself, the Foundation does not pay it as much attention as it probably ought to. -UncertaintyCrossing
They understand it very poorly. They want to understand it better, with the goal of eventually controlling it. They are doomed to fail. -Zendrelax
4. Are Wanderers all magical?
Of course not. Don't be absurd. - MaliceAforethought
No. But any individual can access the library using any way of their choosing, as long as they have the correct knock. -stop1010
Not all Wanderers are magical. There are many (endless) different species, from all over the multiverse, but they have legitimate biology native to their realities. The Library is home to many people with no special abilities. However, it naturally accrues a much higher concentration of Reality Benders, Alchemists, and such folk than most any standard reality. -ThePianoMan1616
Wanderers are not all magical, although many would like you to think they all are. If you’re in the Library, you’re much more likely to pick up a few tricks, but plenty of people live and die in the Library without having a whit of magic to them. -Saoirse_Toohey
No; however, I think most everyone with access to the Library could probably learn to be more "magical," in whatever sense of the term, if they could find the right teacher - whether that be another patron or a book or whatever. -UncertaintyCrossing
There are many Wanderers who have no magical abilities. That may even describe the majority. But leaving their universe of origin has important magical effects. It changes the individual into a Wanderer; their traversal of the ways is a fundamental part of their identity on a magical level. Wanderers are creatures of the Ways, of liminal space and time. -Zendrelax
No, that would be much too limiting to the range of visitors to the Library. Certainly some amount of people that visit the library are magical or practice magic, or may have even used magic to discover a Way to the Library in the first place. However, if you were to do some light searching in amongst the shelves you could at least gain a decent understanding of magic, and you would almost certainly be able to find individuals that would be willing to teach you. -cthaepan
User-Submitted
1. What happens upon the death of a staff member?
A staff member almost never dies. That’s because of the direct life hook between the Library and staff. That means, if staff members preserve the Library and it needs protection, the Library will do everything within its power to protect them. However, even with all this, if some staff member dies, the Library will commission someone to find the dead employee's body and, through a specific ritual which was created by the dead employee, all experiences, knowledgments and secrets regard to protect and conserve the Library from the dead staff member will be transferred to the chosen person. -ZefiroMorphes
Depends on the staff member. If a well respected staff member dies of natural causes, I would like to think there is some sort of funeral or vigil for them. For the Docents, maybe a small candlelit thing, for a well respected Archivist, maybe a full on funeral. In the case of murder, assuming you have found a way to kill a staff member, the Library is probably going to be fairly pissed off. Librarians are Library property, and if the rules are to not take what isn't yours, that includes taking a life. I would think you are made to be their replacement. -UncertaintyCrossing
It depends on the staff member. If the staff member's debt to the Library was not fulfilled prior to their demise, then they will be taken to the basement and resurrected/cloned (nobody is really sure of the exact process). However, if their service during their term as Staff was equivalent to or higher in value then their debt/penance owed to the Library, then they will be allowed to pass on peacefully (the corpse is taken to the basement to be disposed of, with whatever honorific rights happen down there). -ThePianoMan1616
2. How does the Library handle day/night and similar cycles?
It's almost always a lazy Sunday afternoon. Soft orange light, the occasional warm dusty breeze as travellers come and go. Peaceful and relaxed, like all good libraries should be. Large collections of people tend to take their own time with them — towns fall into rhythms that the Library mirrors as best it can — but there's no regulation to it, and it's inconsistent at best. Time is trickier than just day/night, of course. There are clocks in the Library, and whose time they keep is anybody's guess; some of them have more faces than hands, or tick only when they're unheard. They give you a sense of when some things occur relative to others, but by and large the Library isn't strict with causality. One hour here might be three over there, or just a minute three shelves down. In the pragmatic functionality that it's known for, the Library tends to just… sort things out. -MaliceAforethought
In general, for most Patrons the concept of time passing probably is irrelevant. For those that do rely on time or day cycles, they probably have to rely on their own internal clock/routine to tell them what time it is. That being said, if an ocean can be contained within the Library, some sort of star for creatures that feed on daylight can exist as well, same with darker "night" areas for sleeping and whatnot. -UncertaintyCrossing
Various "outdoor" sections of the Library, certain garden atria and forests and such, will have skies that mimic the specific world which the atrium itself is a reflection of. 1 sun, 2 suns, a constant loop of self glowing moons, it will always be anchored and representative of some world that the Library has a Way to. As for the rest, the indoor bits lit by candles and electric lighting, each patron will experience a different lighting cycle according to their home-world/biological needs. They will see the same set of lights, but each will perceive different amounts of light in whatever cycle they're used to. -ThePianoMan1616
The Library does not give any visual representation of night time due to its connection to many different places in all kinds of worlds and their differing day-night cycles. There is however a large sign in the main hall which shows many different forms of clocks, including the one used on Earth. -MutsKun
3. What is the Serpent's Hand's relation to the Library?
The Serpent's Hand is an umbrella term, which name is derived from the Serpent of the Library. The Serpent's Hand was originally formed by patrons of the Library who sought to protect the library from external threats by any means. As time progressed more cells of this group emerged, with the same goal of the protection of the Library, its patrons and vast source of knowledge. These cells operate on a variety of worlds, realities and dimensions. Some cells work closely together, some operate alone. However, all have the same goal of the protection of the Library. -Ryker
The Serpent's Hand is a group of freedom fighters based in the Library. Generally, they fight against the governments of worlds that keep magic secret or enforce something like normalcy. The Earth of the Foundation is one such place, but there are others such as the Idiocracy of Indric or the various despotates where entire categories of knowledge are outlawed. They find the obstruction of knowledge abhorrent, and are fiercely anti-authoritarian. They view many of the volunteer groups in the Library to be cowards, content to sit on their power and not actually use it. They have been known to make individual contracts with Librarians, and when they do they get a bright green symbol on their card. -Saoirse_Toohey
They exist but do not have as much importance as people think they do. They are simply one of the many groups to have existed in the Library and that the Library has had an impact on. Over time, the group has splintered apart and scattered itself, but the Library will always remain important to them. -UncertaintyCrossing
To summarise, the Serpent's Hand is (for the most part) the Library, but the Library is not entirely the Serpent's Hand. While the Library is central to the continued functioning of the disparate groups and individuals that make up the hand, the Library would probably continue to function perfectly normally if the Hand were to cease to exist. -cthaepan
4. What's in the Library's basement?
There are three ways to answer this. The first is the most sensible, and says that it doesn't have one. You climb down the stairs enough and you either keep climbing or find yourself on some other floor entirely. The layout doesn't preserve 'up' and 'down' enough for something like a basement to have any real meaning. It's a semantic distinction. The second answer is less sensible, but rather more nuanced. The Library often runs on semantics — there's no reason there can't be a 'down' in the metaphysical sense. And then you discover the Foundations, the bedrock of the Library in every sense. What it's built on. Pillars of marble, but also ideals. Tenets, the structure that acts as its basis. The preservation of knowledge, and the halls of the Serpent. The third answer is the one nobody knows, and nobody would believe. It relies on a different view of 'down'. A slanted, warped descent. Find the mirror that the Library sits on, and crack through it, shooting into darkness. You'll find the deep, formless cavern on the other side of the mind, where the ashes of burned books settle on empty shelves, and the lightless city faces out from a long-dead serpent's skull. The place where knowledge goes to die. -MaliceAforethought
Basement is a relative term. When I think Library basement I think places that regular Patrons aren't supposed to go to. Stuff that slips through the cracks and ends up stuck in an area that's more or less inaccessible. Perhaps also a staff only area. What it contains - lost items perhaps? Or maybe forgotten concepts. -UncertaintyCrossing
The exact description of the basement of the Library is some of the only information which the Library proper does not contain. However, it is well known (well rumored) that the basement is home to the Librarian's quarters (where new Staff emerge from and where they disappear forever), as well as a huge number of unspeakable "Library Innards," which have been subject to so much speculation over the years any real truth was lost long ago. -ThePianoMan1616
5. What's the most popular book in the Library?
By technicality, the most popular book in the library is the quasiannual guidebook compiled by the librarians and available for a negligible fee at any of the fabrication kiosks scattered throughout the Library. The most recent release is the Revised Umpteenth Edition (same name as all other known releases), which is intended to get new arrivals acquainted with the most integral sections of the Library since cataloging anything beyond that is even more impossible. -CatCamo
The Book of Rules. Everyone is required to read it upon entering. -galactic_observer
The variety of visitor's guides to the structure and geography of the Library springs to mind. While the Librarians are extremely helpful to any patron, directing them to books, for example, the wide range of groups that operate within the Library also produce anything from pamphlets to guidebooks to protracted works of fiction that act as metaphorical maps of the Library - regularly or semi-regularly. These are helpful not just to the new visitor to the Library but to any patron, really - after all, the Library is a large and sometimes confusing place. -cthaepan