What "secrets" may the Citadel be keeping as seen through the lens of the "Thirteenth Depository?"

Potential Spoilers Below

Depository: A division of the Tower Library. There are twelve publicly know Depositories, each having books and records pertaining to a particular subject, or to related subjects. A Thirteenth Depository, known only to some Aes Sedai, contains secret documents, records and histories which may be accessed only by the Amyrlin Seat, the Keeper of the Chronicles and the Sitters in the Hall of the Tower. And, of course, by that handful of librarians who maintain the depository.

Egwene tells Bennae Nalsad of the thirteenth depository:

Keep in mind that at this time in the story Egwene is a “prisoner” of the tower.  She is being punished daily.  The punishment comes from not giving up the notion that she herself is the Amyrlin Seat.  She was made Amyrlin by a group of Aes Sedai who split from the tower because of the policies and actions of Elaida the Amyrlin who sits in the tower currently.  Bennae is one of many Aes Sedai who is to instruct her in proper etiquette as a novice.

Elaida

“She tried running the Tower with an iron hand, never a compromise on anything, running roughshod over any opposition. The Hall grew tired of it, but they couldn’t settle on a replacement, so rather than deposing her, they did worse. They left her in place and forced a penance on her whenever she tried to issue an order of any kind. Any kind at all.” She knew she was going on, sounding as if she were the one giving a lecture, but she had to get it all out. Not easing herself on the hard wood of the chair seat was difficult. Welcome the pain. “The Hall ran Shein and the Tower. But they mishandled a great deal themselves, largely because each Ajah had its own goals and there was no hand to shape them into a goal for the Tower. Shein’s reign was marked by wars all over the map. Eventually, the sisters themselves got tired of the Hall’s bungling. In one of the six mutinies in Tower history, Shein and the Hall were pulled down. I know she supposedly died in the Tower of natural causes, but, in fact, she was smothered in her bed in exile fifty-one years later after the discovery of a plot to put her back on the Amyrlin Seat.”

“Mutinies?” Bennae said incredulously. “Six of them? Exiled and smothered?”

“It’s all recorded in the secret histories, in the Thirteenth Depository. Though I suppose I shouldn’t have told you that.” Egwene took a sip of tea and grimaced. It was all but rancid. No wonder Bennae had not touched hers.

“Secret histories? A thirteenth Depository? If such a thing existed, and I think I would know, why should you not have told me?”

“Because by law the existence of the secret histories as well as their contents can be known only to the Amyrlin, the Keeper, and the Sitters. Them and the librarians who keep the records, anyway. Even the law itself is part of the Thirteenth Depository, so I guess I shouldn’t have told that either. But if you can gain access somehow, or ask someone who knows and will tell you, you’ll find out I’m right. Six times in the history of the Tower, when the Amyrlin was dangerously divisive or dangerously incompetent and the Hall failed to act, sisters have risen up to remove her.” There. She could not have planted the seed deeper with a shovel. Or driven it home more bluntly with a hammer.

After acting on what Egwene to her Bennae gets into trouble asking about the thirteenth depository and asks Egwene for advice:

“Let’s see . . .” Bennae mused. “Suppose that you were in a situation where you were in conflict with some members of your own Ajah. You have happened upon information you weren’t supposed to know, and your Ajah’s leaders are quite upset with you. Suddenly, you find yourself being sentenced to some most unpleasant duties, as if they are trying to sweep you under the rug and forget about you. Tell me, in this situation, how would you react?”

Egwene almost choked on her tea. The Brown wasn’t very subtle. She had begun asking about the Thirteenth Depository, had she? And that had landed her in trouble? Few were supposed to know about the secret histories that Egwene had mentioned so casually during her previous visit here.

“Well,” Egwene said, sipping her tea, “let me approach it with a clear mind. Best to view it from the perspective of the Ajah’s leaders, I should think.”

Bennae frowned faintly. “I suppose.”

“Now, in this situation you describe, can we assume that these secrets have been entrusted to the Ajah for safekeeping? Ah, good. Well, from their perspective, important and careful plans have been upset. Think of how it must look. Someone has learned secrets they should not. That whispers of a disturbing leak somewhere among your most trusted members.”

Bennae paled. “I suppose I could see that.”

“Then the best way to handle the situation would be twofold,” Egwene said, taking another sip of tea. It tasted terrible. “First, the leaders of the Ajah would have to be reassured. They need to know that it wasn’t their fault that the information leaked. If I were the hypothetical sister in trouble—and if I’d done nothing wrong—I’d go to them and explain. That way they could stop searching for the one who let information slip.”

“But,” Bennae said, “that probably won’t help the sister—the hypothetical one in trouble—get out of her punishments.”

“It couldn’t hurt,” Egwene said. “Likely, she’s being ‘punished’ to keep her out of the way while the Ajah leaders search for a traitor. When they know there isn’t one, they’ll be more likely to look at the fallen sister’s situation with empathy—particularly after she’s offered them a solution.”

“Solution?” Bennae asked. Her teacup sat in her fingers, as if forgotten. “And which solution would you offer?”

“The best one: competence. Obviously, some people among the Ajah know these secrets. Well, if this sister were to prove her trustworthiness and her capability, perhaps the leaders of her Ajah would realize the best place for her is as one of the caretakers of the secrets. An easy solution, if you consider it.”

Bennae sat thoughtfully, a small mummified finch spinning slowly on its cord directly above her. “Yes, but will it work?”

“It is certainly better than serving in some forgotten storeroom cataloguing scrolls, Egwene said. “Unjust punishment sometimes cannot be avoided, but it is best never to let others forget that it is unjust. If she simply accepts the way people treat her, then it won’t be long before they assume she deserves the position they’ve placed her in.” And thank you, Silviana, for that little bit of advice.

Silviana

“Yes,” Bennae said, nodding. “Yes, I do suppose that you are correct.”

“I am always willing to help, Bennae,” Egwene said in a softer voice, turning back to her tea. “In, of course, hypothetical situations.”

For a moment, Egwene worried that she’d gone too far in calling the Brown by her name. However, Bennae met her eyes, then actually went so far as to bow her head just slightly in thanks.

Some of the contents of the thirteenth depository:

                               

How much any given woman among this chosen few knows about the secret histories depends very much on their willingness to delve into the archives. Siuan Sanche knows a great deal more than most who have had this opportunity, probably as a way to defend herself from being the youngest Amyrlin in history up until that time. Shevan indicates that all Sitters at least should know something about what they contain.

Siuan Sanche also tells Egwene al'Vere that, reading between the lines, you can discern some truths that are not even recorded in the Thirteenth Depository explicitly.

Events that are chronicled there include:

The so-called vileness at the end of the Aiel War involving the summary executions of eight men who could channel, including Owyn.

Aiel pouring over the Spine of the World

The details on the six documented mutinies in Tower history. In each case, it resulted in the Amyrlin and the entire Hall resigning.

An army of Trollocs led by Dreadlords plundered and burned part of the White Tower itself.

An army made up of the followers of the false Dragon Guaire Amalasan reached the White Tower.

Records of 'puppet' Amyrlins who were dictated to by the Hall.

The exile and fate of Shein Chunla.

The consequences for the world at large when the Tower has been divided.

Siuan says that anyone swearing fealty to another sister, even the Amyrlin, is unprecedented, even in the secret histories

What does the Tower seem to fear most?

Sheriam sighed, glanced at the other Aes Sedai again, then dropped her voice to a whisper and spoke swiftly. “This is something known only to a few, child, even in the Tower. You should not learn it now, if ever, but I will tell you. There is — a weakness in being able to channel. That we learn to open ourselves to the True Source means that we can be opened to other things.” Egwene shuddered. “Calm yourself, child. It is not so easily done. It is a thing not done, so far as I know — Light send it has not been done! — since the Trolloc Wars. It took thirteen Dreadlords — Darkfriends who could channel — weaving the flows through thirteen Myrddraal. You see? Not easily done. There are no Dreadlords today. This is a secret of the Tower, child. If others knew, we could never convince them they were safe. Only one who can channel can be turned in this way. The weakness of our strength. Everyone else is as safe as a fortress; only their own deeds and will can turn them to the Shadow.”

“Thirteen,” Egwene said in a tiny voice. “The same number who left the Tower. Liandrin, and twelve more.”

Sheriam

Myrddraal

Liandrin

Does The Citadel contain a library similar to the “thirteenth depository?

“Born amidst salt and smoke, beneath a bleeding star. I know the prophecy.” Marwyn turned his head and spat a gob of red phlegm onto the floor. “Not that I would trust it. Gorghan of Old Ghis once wrote that a prophecy is like a treacherous woman. She takes your member in her mouth, and you moan with the pleasure of it and think, how sweet, how fine, how good this is . . . and then her teeth snap shut and your moans turn to screams. That is the nature of prophecy, said Gorghan. Prophecy will bite your prick off every time.” He chewed a bit. “Still . . .”

Alleras stepped up next to Sam. “Aemon would have gone to her if he had the strength. He wanted us to send a maester to her, to counsel her and protect her and fetch her safely home.”

“Did he?” Archmaester Marwyn shrugged. 

Samwell Tarly

Maester Aemon

“Perhaps it’s good that he died before he got to Oldtown. Elsewise the grey sheep might have had to kill him, and that would have made the poor old dears wring their wrinkled hands.”

“Kill him?” Sam said, shocked. “Why?”

“If I tell you, they may need to kill you too.” Marywn smiled a ghastly smile, the juice of the sourleaf running red between his teeth. “Who do you think killed all the dragons the last time around? Gallant dragonslayers armed with swords?” He spat. “The world the Citadel is building has no place in it for sorcery or prophecy or glass candles, much less for dragons. Ask yourself why Aemon Targaryen was allowed to waste his life upon The Wall, when by rights he should have been raised to archmaester. His blood was why. He could not be trusted. No more than I can.”

The Wall

Marwyn is author of a book called The Book of Lost Books.  In it he claims to have obtained three pages of the legendary long-lost Signs and Portents.  Signs and Portents is a book of visions written down by Daenys Targaryen; the maiden daughter of Aenar Targaryen before the Doom of Valyria.

Glass candles?

Pate knew about the glass candles, though he had never seen one burn. They were the worst-kept secret of the Citadel. It was said that they had been brought to Oldtown from Valyria a thousand years before the Doom. He had heard there were four; one was green and three were black, and all were tall and twisted.

“What are these glass candles?” asked Roone.

Armen the Acolyte cleared his throat. “The night before an acolyte says his vows, he must stand a vigil in the vault. No lantern is permitted him, no torch, no lamp, no taper . . . only a candle of obsidian. He must spend the night in darkness, unless he can light that candle. Some will try. The foolish and the stubborn, those who have made a study of these so-called higher mysteries. Often they cut their fingers, for the ridges on the candles are said to be as sharp as razors. Then, with bloody hands, they must wait upon the dawn, brooding on their failure. Wiser men simply go to sleep, or spend their night in prayer, but every year there are always a few who must try.”

Acolyte trying to light a glass candle

“Yes.” Pate had heard the same stories. “But what’s the use of a candle that casts no light?”

“It is a lesson,” Armen said, “the last lesson we must learn before we don our maester’s chains. The glass candle is meant to represent truth and learning, rare and beautiful and fragile things. It is made in the shape of a candle to remind us that a maester must cast light wherever he serves, and it is sharp to remind us that knowledge can be dangerous. Wise men may grow arrogant in their wisdom, but a maester must always remain humble. The glass candle reminds us of that as well. Even after he has said his vow and donned his chain and gone forth to serve, a maester will think back on the darkness of his vigil and remember how nothing that he did could make the candle burn . . . for even with knowledge, some things are not possible.”

So what secrets could The Citadel be holding?

Note: this is all conjecture on my part based upon what information is held in the Wheel of Time’s thirteenth depostory.

The Citadel knows the true origins and nature of the Others.  I believe that the members of their “thirteenth depository” are responsible for keeping that truth at all cost maybe because of a “pact” that was struck after the Long Night between themselves and the Others.

An Other

The events that are currently unfolding are violating said “pact” and this is the reason why the Others are returning.

The training that the Maesters and the Grand Maester receive is used specifically to keep said truth from being discovered.  Maesters spread the fact that magic is not real and is just in the imagination of children.  This would make the maesters “puppets” of the Others.

The reason why on the night before an acolyte says his vow and stands vigil in the vault with no lantern is because only certain people have the innate ability to “light the candle.”  These individuals are then invited/recruited to become members of their “thirteenth depository.”  Since we sort of know that the glass candles act as a form of instantaneous long distance communication they may be a way to keep in contact with the Others.  Personally I think they are used to identify those with the greensight ability.  Will we discover that they also have an ability to transport matter also?

Remember what took place between Dany and Quaithe:

A woman stood under the persimmon tree, clad in a hooded robe that brushed the grass. Beneath the hood, her face seemed hard and shiny. She is wearing a mask, Dany knew, a wooden mask finished in dark red lacquer. “Quaithe? Am I dreaming?” She pinched her ear and winced at the pain. “I dreamt of you on Balerion, when first we came to Astapor.”

“You did not dream. Then or now.”

“What are you doing here? How did you get past my guards?”

“I came another way. Your guards never saw me.”

“If I call out, they will kill you.”

“They will swear to you that I am not here.”

“Are you here?”

“No. Hear me, Daenerys Targaryen. The glass candles are burning. 

Daenerys

Quaithe

Dany aboard the ship Balerion

Note: So does this suggest that Dany and Quaithe were connected via a waking greensight vision?  Is this the reason why she said that the guards would not know she was there?  Do they act as Facetime for those with the greensight ability or the ability to utilize the glass candles?  Did Dany see the past or the present when she saw Quaithe riding aboard the ship Balerion?  If this is the case then the glass candles behave like dreamwalking in Tel'aran'rhiod in the Wheel of Time.

I believe that one of the three pages from Signs and Portents that Maester Marwyn has contains information on the War for the Dawn.

I think that Sam will end up in the role of Bennae and while at the Citadel will discover this hidden library.  He will then learn the true nature of the “broken horn”, what I believe to be the Horn of Joramun, that Jon gave to him.  Sam one day may become the Archmaester himself because of the role he will play in the coming war.

Horn of Joramun?

Jon Snow

The secret of the Citadel will be the fact that the Others really exist and they are turning little children, only boys as far as we know, into themselves.  They have turned that fact into a tale to scare little children.  The Others became “snarks and grumkins” and when they grow up they put those tales behind them.  They know that without them they could never convince everyone they were safe.

Comments encouraged.  Love to hear the idea’s of others.  Most believe that since I present my idea’s as “fact like” I’m not open to change my viewpoints which is far from the truth.  I simply look at the information presented and go from there.  If you can shine a light on another way of thinking that opens the door to debate.