Loremaster's Archive: Infinite Archive (Questions sent to Master Malkhest)

ZOS_Kevin

Welcome all to our next installment of the Loremaster's Archive! This time, we're flipping the tomes of the Infinite Archive! In this Infinite archive (get it, because this is the Loremaster's Archive focused on an archive ... ah you get it) you'll get your chance to discover more about the liminal space where "written records of events that were, are, or could yet be" are held. Answering your questions this time around is none other than archival scholar Master Malkhest!

To help our Loremaster answer as many questions as possible, please keep your questions short (no more than a line or two) and limit yourselves to one question apiece. We'll keep this thread open for one week (closing 10/04/2023 @ 10am ET/3pm UTC) for everyone to get your questions in starting today. Do not keep Master Malkhest waiting for your questions!

*Once the question asking period is over, we will move this to the lore section of the forum. A separate post will be made with the Loremaster's Archive article link.

CE_Nex

Dear Master Malkhest,

The Gardener of Men's power over the weave of Fate and Time is unquestionable and unfeigned: the Endless Archive is proof of this. Which leads to the question: what is the Prince's relation to Akatosh - He Who Births Duration and Fathers all Vectors?

- C.E.Nex

ESO_Nightingale

i love these little QnA loremaster articles. i find it a fun and engaging way to create more lore about things that are underdeveloped, such as wardens.
"Greetings Master Malkhest,

I am looking for any scrap of information regarding the origin of the Order of Wardens. I was wondering if you had any leads on where i should look to find the origin point? be it time periods, locations or... well, anything? Perhaps anything related to the cultures that worship Jephre such as the Bosmer or, if we want to lean into the mystery a little, there could even be ties to the Snow Elves of Skyrim and Solsthiem! We know they had an affinity for frost magic and likely a great reverence for elven gods like Jephre.

Also, In my search for the mysteries about the origins of my order I have heard tales of unique armor that comes from within this archive that uniquely enchances the powers of us Wardens. I should mention that it is not only us, but also of Nightblades, Necromancers, Dragon Knights, Templars, Sorcerers and Arcanists.
What do you know of these pieces of armor? And how did they even get here? If i had to guess, i would say they might have been created with knowledge stolen from each of our orders.

Thank you for your time.

—Rime Frostwar, Warden of the Frost."

Aliyavana

As the Endless Archive contains documents on significant events that were or could be, I presume its records may also contain information on legendary figures and artifacts. Assuming my theory is correct, and you can and do not mind sharing such details originating from the Endless Archive, can you tell me where the artifact Chrysamere may currently be, and anything (even if just theories or stories) that may shed light on its ambiguous origins?

Also, can you tell us what people and province you originally hailed from, and how you came to be a custodian of the Endless Archive?

- Dame Gratias of the Knights of Saint Eleidon

Atharaon

Esteemed Master Malkhest,

The Prince of Forbidden Knowledge has been known to promise certain promising individuals the chance to become "an Ageless One" in return for services rendered. Can you shed some light on what an Ageless One is and how this relates to the most well-known of them all, the elven god Xarxes?

Respectfully yours,

- Aythan Caledyn, Member of the Forums of the Phynastery (White Haven Annex)

Inari Telvanni

Most Honorable Master Malkhest,

On behalf of Great House Telvanni, I, Inari, ask of you: how is it that Hermaeus Mora can have such authority over the threads of fate and things that have yet to come through the Endless Archive, and have such an influence on the Mundus, when he is impeded from affecting Nirn by law of the Coldharbour Compact?

Sallymen

Greetings Master Malkhest,

I am curious on how it is possible that mortals, creatures and even other daedra that threatened Tamriel are remade in The Endless Archive. Are they simply a one-to-one copy that retains their memories or are they simply creatures that mimic other beings?

Both eagerly and dreading for your response,
-Battlemage Palatine Absentis Vesanus

Legoless

Esteemed archivist,

Have you ever come across a tome from the Great Library of Jyggalag? All the knowledge that was once contained within its halls has supposedly been lost, but surely the Prince of Secrets remembers. Or does Hermaeus Mora take umbrage at the suggestion that the threads of fate can be accurately predicted through logical deduction?

—Legoless, Tiger-Doyen of the United Explorers of Scholarly Pursuits

Lorkhatosh

Greetings, Master Malkhest,

I seek your expertise as a mage well-versed in liminal barriers. When Liminal barriers are fully reinforced, such as with the lighting of Dragonfires, I am keen to understand precisely how they prevent Daedric invasions. Do they prohibit the creation of permanent large portals of some arbitrary size, or do they restrict the number of Daedric entities that can exist in Mundus? If they simply thwart the formation of larger Oblivion gates, why have Daedric forces not attempted to gather armies of Oblivion through the use of conjurers and smaller portals, albeit covertly, which could potentially amass a formidable force?

- Anonymous Conjurer

CoolBlast3

Evening, Malkhest.

I've actually asked the Prince of Fate a similar question before but they rarely give a straight answer. So I was hoping you could enlighten me.
This "Endless Archive" supposedly brings forth different versions of monsters and people found throughout the lands. So again I wonder, -is- there any connection between Shadow Magic and Mora's (and the Arcanist's) "fateweaving"? This manipulation of fate, other selves and possibilities truly seems to me to be like a Apocryphal version of Shadow Magic and its titular Shadow Realms. If there isn't any such connection, could you explain how two drastically different varieties of the arcane came to have such similar potentials?
I'd appreciate some true elaboration, instead of the apocryphal answer given by your Prince.

Thank you, and toodles
- Alexis Z. Ashwing, Breton Nightblade & Undaunted

OgrimTitan

Ah, an archive. Will cook up a question in a proper form today.

UPDATE

---

The Endless Archive reminds me of an endless debate we have among my peers and students about the supposed connection between your god and my patron, Julianos. As you may know, both deities share curious spheretersetion (intersection of spheres), which is being interpreted by some as a verisimilitudinous proof of some mundex-scaled crypto-collaboration of the two. Care to put your spin on this age-long debate of Hermaeus Mora's relationship with another god of wisdom, history and literature, Master Malkhest?

Lord Nicolas le Bellerose, Knight Mentor of Daggerfall City School of Julianos, lector of mageography and interplanar studies

---

End of the question. The inspirations of the question:
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/General:Michael_Kirkbride's_Posts
https://web.archive.org/web/20200219223916/http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1037216-julianos-and-hermaeus-mora/#entry15030361

• - On a possible connection between Julianos and Hermaeus Mora (2009-09-07)
  - Hmm...the Nords kicked Jhunal straight outta their patheon for a reason, no?
  
• Multiple googalble threads around the internet about Julianos vs. Hermaeus Mora spinning across the years for more than a decade.

Tyrvarion

Greetings, freehand Malkhest,

The Archive stores the past, present, and potential future, not just the written word. Can oral stories, like sagas of the great Vateshrans Eoinola and Allaghach, or Bosmeri Spinner magical tales, find a place within the Archive? If so, how are they stored? What about stories that have occurred but remain untold?

-Tyrrosh of Clan Firewolf, Reachfolk Historian and Scholar

MafiaCat115

Greetings, Master Malkhest,

I have heard much of this "Endless Archive". If it is truly endless, is there information stored within regarding the elusive Prince of Order, Jyggalag? There are claims he had an expansive library himself, and I would like to know how the Endless Archive compares to its counterpart formerly owned by the Prince of Order.

Signed,
Asrea Starlight, an Altmer Scholar of Knowledge and Theologies

Benefactor

Greetings Master Malkhest,

Being an archivist myself, I have read about this endless library and how it holds the knowledge of "written records of events that were, are, or could yet be". Most interesting to me is the could yet be part. When a dragonbreak occurs are the written works from all timelines saved? If so how does the library catalog works from different timelines? What occurs to those works that don't make it back to the "fixed" timeline?

Thank you,
Benefactor, Librarian of The Imperial Library

BloodyStigmata

Mortal,

My lord has been inconsolable since losing his only copy of "101 Recipes For Brain Pie (And Other Demented Dishes)" and, for reasons that escape me, has made me go looking for it. Is it possible this volume ended up in the Endless Archive? I can't go back to the Isles until I have it."

-Autkendo Nyrilla

WhiteCoatSyndrome

Greetings Ceruval,

Are the ink creatures native to the Archive considered Daedra? Could they be summoned as such? Naturally such facsimiles could never properly be part of my collection, but I can see potential use in testing new enclosures to ensure the desired specimens do not escape, once acquired.

- Eristaanwe

TheRimOfTheSky

Yo Mister Malkahest,

To my understanding, the Tho'at Replicanum is a Daedra, but what kind? She appears to look almost like glass come to life...

-Sir Cyandor of Seyda Neen

Cairlaith

Greetings, Master Malkhest,

As a daughter of the Green and a follower of the Old Ways of my people, understanding the great spirits of Oblivion is one of my duties.

It is known that the Golden Eye has a strong influence over destiny and his arcanists have a share of this mastery over the threads of time. Regarding this, one friend of mine and a nibenese scholar, Iacob Dir'Tharkun of the Ancestor Cult of Regulus Revivaler, spoke to me of an account of a hero's meeting with Hermaeus Mora in Bangkorai, in which the Daedra claimed his sphere was the recording of the course of the fates alone, not the powers to change destiny and thus certainly not the many pathways fate themselves.

He further suggested there was an explanation to be found in some Khajiit myth from "Spirits of Amun-dro", which discusses a god named Akha who made "the many paths" before being shattered, with some of his fragments being reformed as Akatosh, or Alkosh according to text. As I'm curious about the spirits of the Dark myself, tell me, what is the relation between Mora and Akatosh/Alkosh? Are the paths that Akha once formed the many threads of fate? Is Mora just another facet of this ancient spirit, just like Akatosh?

- Spirit-Chanter Cair'laith, Storyteller and Archdruid of the Lotusgem Circle.

LunaFlora

Dear Master Malkhest,
As i sit here reading under a tree in my garden i wonder, if you have one out of the likely countless books in the endless archive you reside in, what is your favourite book?

May the Green keep you,
Greehnhart

Raltin

Warm sun and gentle waters, Beek-Ojel Malkhest. I hope this letter finds you well, as I was told by 'sources' that you are best equipped to answer the questions that linger on my tongue. I am Jeetum-Neeus, and I raise the spine of inquiry on behalf of The Undaunted. While many of my tribe-away-from-tribe gladly rush headlong into danger, I believe a warrior's best weapon is preparation. Knowledge is the egg-sire of survival, and when word reached us of a never-ending challenge, you can imagine how eager the guild was to pursue, xhu? To that end, I ask what dangers my comrades will face. It is Oblivion after all, the usual daedra and their tricks are expected. No, to sharpen the tongue of this question, I provide an example.

The description of this 'Endless Archive' bears likeness to an Ayleid ruin in the North of my homeland called Gandranen, which is said to draw books from across space and time. In spite of its nature, this ruin seems a stable place. You go in, and you come back out. There is no displacement in when you are, and where you go. Nothing inside is of other times and places, except for the books. There is only the ayleid dead-not-dead inside to worry about, no foes or hazards from the distant before or after. Now you can begin to understand what I am asking, beek-ojel.

If you were to warn seasoned adventurers, delvers, and heroes of anything in this place, the kind of people who are already well-prepared for most things Oblivion might throw at them, what are the most unexpected dangers they will face in the Archive? As I have told the young recruits many times: "It is not the haj mota you can see that will be the one to kill you".

maxandkon

Greetings, Dearly Honored Master Malkhest,

Perhaps you know about someone «Miraak», or some other vassals of Lord of Realm, so I want to ask:

Is it possible to assume that some books could intentionally or even accidentally be passed or paraphrased to someone for self-serving reasons, while this is not the wish of the Lord of the Realm? Could this violate the concept of time and place belonging to these books?

Thank you for your attention! And for a possible answer!

Solinar

Salutations, Master Malkhest,

I read someplace that Endless Archive utilizes a device that you refer to as the “Index”, a large sphere capable of locating any writings in your archive - would you please explain the specifics on how this functions, and if such a thing could be replicated on a lesser scale, for libraries here on Nirn?

Sincerely,

Runitar Fairfrost of Winterhold, Archivist of the Conclave of Aetherius

Nitewalker314

Greetings Master Malkhest,

How excited I am to have a chance to ask about this from someone who will no doubt have an answer! Or be able to find it for me. I wrote so many drafts and had a lecturer look at them for me, cutting out most of the "extraneous material" as he called it.

Anyway, for the last few years, I have been trying to study pocket realms. Of course, without a good reason to try my hand at creating one, I have not. Now for my question: could this "Endless Archive" be classified as a pocket realm, or could its purpose - a vast library, without all the beasties I have heard about popping up - be recreated within one?

- Dilineth, student of the Leyawiin Mages Guild

ZOS_Kevin

Hi all! You have just about 24 hours left to submit questions for Master Malkhest! Questions close tomorrow 10/04/2023 @ 10am ET/3pm UTC.

Vinovin15

"To, presumably, Master Malkhest,

If this "Endless Archive" of yours, as you say, has records of everything "that were, are, or could yet be", then logically, my question to you should already be present there, correct? Assuming that is the case, then you should be able to tell me: What is the answer to my question?

-Benny Two-Thumbs, Illusionist, Skeptic"

prof-dracko

Mister Malkhest

The Spinners back home can tell stories. Usually of what was, sometimes what is. More than a few times I've heard them carry on, and start talking about things that haven't happened yet. These things (usually) end up coming to pass, so is there any link between the stories of the Spinners and the books of the Archive? Does knowledge of the future all come from the same source? Do other kinds of divination or premonition relate as well?

-A baffled Bosmer.

menedhyn

Three blessings, Sera,

I find it perplexing and rather saddening that in my many peregrinations across my homeland, and indeed abroad where possible, the pleasure in finding a well-stocked bookshop is uncommon, and yet so many precious publications are seemingly discarded hither and thither! I am curious to know if there is an obvious explanation I have overlooked, and that my own modest shop and lending library in Mournhold is not as rare as it seems.

Llevas Ulen
Book merchant & procurer of rare tomes

FayJolyn

Greetings Master Malkest,

Zha'Ishii does not read many books, too much trouble. This one prefers to travel light, with few possessions. However, there is one thing this one loves more than anything in Tamriel. And that is receiving letters. Did you know Zha'ishii is a very accomplished crafts-person? She knows many, many trades, and once she even employed many wonderful hirelings from all over Tamriel! We corresponded over the course of many moons! This one got to know them and their little lives while they went on about their day while collecting materials for me. Oh, this one looked forward every morning when the mail would arrive with new letters from her hirelings.

Some eventually moved on with their lives or settled in, some met an unfortunate end and Zha'Ishii would need to look for a replacement. But this one would never have to mourn for long as the new hirelings quickly introduced themselves and wrote me about all sorts of new adventures.

At some point, one by one. This one noticed, the letters that my hirelings send me would mysteriously stop, except the very last letter they had sent me. These last hireling letters would endlessly repeat themselves! Much like this peculiar Endless Archive! It's like my dear hirelings have been lost in Mundus! This one is still receiving her materials of course, as she paid for them with her skill points. But the whole ordeal has made this one very sad, indeed. And also confused.

So, my question then as you seem to know about things that have not yet come to pass... And letters are just variations on books right? Just smaller and with fewer words... Oh, anyway my question!
Will there ever be more hireling letters? Zha'ishii misses them so!

Sincerely,

-Zha'ishii

PS: This one is also looking for a recommendation for an improved anti-flea recipe. Asking for a friend, of course. This one would appreciate your discretion on this matter.

folder_rats

Master Malkhest,
The Prince Hircine has been split into Five Aspects, separate manifestations of His self -- as a Hunter, a Wolf, or a Bear, and others, each representing different spheres which Prince Hircine embodies. Such a relationship seems to exist for Clavicus Vile as well, whom is split between a Skaafini aspect and a Hound named Barbas. Based on this logic, one might infer that Herma Mora exhibits separate Aspects as a Prince of Oblivion; if so what might be their names and spheres?

Prescient thanks,
Scenarist Guild Citadel

Mindtrait0r

To that esteemed Master Alkhest,

I have rarely seen references to so-called "Dreamsleeve transmissions" used by early Imperial and Aldmeri mages for fast communication across vast, potentially trans-liminal spaces. These transmissions seemed to be highly classified and encoded. I ask of you, wise Master, do these transmissions fall under the written records the Archive contains? How does the nature of the nature of the Dreamsleeve differ them from typical writings?

With best regards,
Talanor Jerren, Field Researcher of the United Explorers of Scholarly Pursuits

Raulfran891

Greetings, Master Malkhest.
I hope this letter has not missed words of this writing after the transport between planes from Nirn to Apocrypha, after a discussion with an old Altmer master scholar has awakened in me a doubt that can only be supplied by your vast knowledge of the Endless Archive. In researching the implication of the Endless Archive in the realm of Hermaeus Mora, I could not help but realize that within the Endless Archive is kept a sort of hourglass that "resets" time in the area. Is this hourglass capable of altering Akatosh to indefinitely reset time in a given location?

With best regards,
Dervir Oaklock, Abyssal Explorer