The vaults of Castle Black are used for subterranean storage, including for books[1][2] and food,[3] at Castle Black. Maester Aemon's tower also has its own library.[4]
Layout
The subterranean vaults are accessible from the wormwalks of Castle Black. One with barrel-vaulted ceilings contains narrow aisles of tall wooden shelves filled with thousands of books and bins of scrolls and ledgers.[1] Tables can be found in niches carved into stone walls with lamps hanging overheard.[1] Texts in the dusty vaults are disorganized.[5]
Items in the vault include drawings of heart trees; a book about the language of the children of the forest; copies of Annals of the Black Centaur, the Jade Compendium, and Dragonkin; and an account of a journey taken by Redwyn, a ranger of the Night's Watch.[1][2] The collection also includes scrolls from Valyria, accounts of seasons written by maesters, and inventories of the Watch.[1] There are four chests full of loose pages separated from books.[2]
Below the armory of Castle Black is a cavernous stone cellar divided by two rows of square stone pillars. The hall has barrel-vaulted ceilings, tables, and great casks of wine and ale along the walls. A potbellied kettle can be found by a hearth in the corner.[6]
The Night's Watch stores food in some of the vaults, including in storerooms found underneath the Wall.[3]
History
Maester Aemon has examined the archives of the Night's Watch at Castle Black.[7]
Recent Events
A Clash of Kings
In preparation for the great ranging, Maester Aemon sends Samwell Tarly to the vaults to search for maps for Jeor Mormont, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Sam finds at least a dozen maps of lands beyond the Wall, and he is intrigued by an account written by Redwyn.[1]
A Storm of Swords
Since the common hall was burned during the attack on Castle Black, the Night's Watch take their meals in a cavernous stone vault below the armory.[8]
A Feast for Crows
Jon Snow, the new Lord Commander, has Sam research the Others in the vaults; Sam sees a mouse during his hours of reading. Aemon has Sam find the copy of the Jade Compendium so the elderly maester can give it to Jon.[2]
A Dance with Dragons
Lord Commander Snow and Bowen Marsh, Lord Steward, review food stored in vaults.[3]
Jon researches books in the vaults and determines that they will need to be reorganized once Sam returns from Oldtown.[5]
Quotes
The air smelled of paper and dust and years. Before him, tall wooden shelves rose up into dimness, crammed with leatherbound books and bins of ancient scrolls. A faint yellow glow filtered through the stacks from some hidden lamp. Jon blew out the taper he carried, preferring not to risk an open flame amidst so much old dry paper. Instead he followed the light, wending his way down the narrow aisles beneath barrel-vaulted ceilings.[1]
—thoughts of Jon Snow
Samwell: This vault is a treasure, Jon.
Jon: If you say so.
Samwell: I do. I found drawings of the faces in the trees, and a book about the tongue of the children of the forest ... works that even the Citadel doesn't have, scrolls from old Valyria, counts of the seasons written by maesters dead a thousand years ...[1]—Samwell Tarly and Jon Snow
I could hide in the vaults amongst the books. I could live down there with the mouse and sneak up at night to steal food. Crazed thoughts, he knew, as futile as they were desperate. The vaults were the first place they would look for him.[2]
—thoughts of Samwell Tarly
Sam was right, the books desperately needed to be sorted, listed, and put in order, but that was no task for stewards who could neither read nor write. It would need to wait for Sam's return.[5]
—thoughts of Jon Snow
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 6, Jon I.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 5, Samwell I.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 17, Jon IV.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 41, Jon V.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 21, Jon V.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 10, Jon III.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Ancient History: The Dawn Age.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 75, Samwell IV.