The Index

[WonderandAwe]

Index is user names and passwords for the Builder's Hidden Technology.

This is why you don't write down you passwords!   Crazy people in the future will use them for their own means. 

/Crazy Ass Theory

[fish321]

I'm running with the train of thought that much like the Dresden universe all the gods are real. In the breaking of the world the ones who needed a way to survive poured some part of themself into the crystals. Somehow their power or sentience was put into something like a cryogenic state. The Index are their Names, as well as the names of supernatural figures who are still in heaven doing.....something. This ties into the burning ships because when the enemy uses their True Names it pulls them from the crystal one state in a burst of power.

Or something similar. I think part of this idea comes from reading a Raymond E Feist novel where 7 or so gods turned themselves and all the magic of their world into crystalline form. It could also be looked at like making a mantle of sorts in Dresden universe just with the beings sentience being a part of it. I haven't fleshed it all out yet and it's definitely a wag but I'll keep working on it and attempting to sway you all until I'm proven wrong, which will likely be easy.

[Shodan]

I think the index was a list of all of the known 'mages' like Folly and her master. 

The big bad that folly confronted in her dream attempted to control her and failed.  but Cavendish was probably ordered to obtain the list so her master could then go make puppets of them all.  Burning the list was probably preferable so they could not go try and protect them all.

[Quantus]

I think the index was a list of all of the known 'mages' like Folly and her master. 

The big bad that folly confronted in her dream attempted to control her and failed.  but Cavendish was probably ordered to obtain the list so her master could then go make puppets of them all.  Burning the list was probably preferable so they could not go try and protect them all.

I dont think it's that new, not something that gets maintained and updated.  Then it wouldnt be the book that is valuable, but rather teh organization that is maintaining it.  But I was thinking similarly; Im guessing it's an Index of Bloodlines and will detail the initial Warriorborn and the initial Etherealists, whom I think may both be the result of genetic manipulation. 

[Brightbane]

What if every spire has a security system and the index is a book that holds the codes to activate it?

They could kill everyone in the spire with that if there were inactive turrets they could turn on

[Quantus]

What if every spire has a security system and the index is a book that holds the codes to activate it?

They could kill everyone in the spire with that if there were inactive turrets they could turn on

The Spirearch said is contained "Names" Im not sure how that would translate to activation codes, but it could work I suppose.

[Brightbane]

The Spirearch said is contained "Names" Im not sure how that would translate to activation codes, but it could work I suppose.

Usernames and passwords.

Admin/Admin
User/Password123
AndersonJ/NeoBluepill

You know, something like that

[Mith]

Swordfish.  The password is always Swordfish.

[mikejramsey]

I am with #17.  While reading it my thought went to a list of Etherists.  They are powerful defenders of the Spire and perhaps are especially deadly to Cavendish's master(s).  If I was the Spirearch I would want to keep a force of Etherists around.  I would want to hide their numbers and identities (make my enemy uncertain as to the forces that they face and to protect those Etherist from assassination/co-option). Perhaps brother Vincent and the Brothers of the Way have a role in training them. 

But Jim Butcher is a really good writer and I would not be surprised if it turns out to be something that we can't guess.

[Quantus]

The Etherealists are all part of ancient bloodlines that crossed with The Enemy (which is where they get their innate Etheric abilities)?

[kazimmoinuddin]

I wonder how Albion was the place that multiple copies of this book was there. If it was such a priority to obtain, there must be other copies in other spires. It would be easie to get than enemy territory. Sure they wanted to destroy every copy there, so why not take them with you. That way Albion has none, while they have many. With the destruction of the library, and death of its keepers, no one could say it survived.

[Dina]

I wondered if there were no other copies in the other Wayist temples (I mean, in the other spires)

[kazimmoinuddin]

Wayist might become some kind of ally against the big bad, not sure about the enemy spire.

[Quantus]

Wayist might become some kind of ally against the big bad, not sure about the enemy spire.

Entirely possible, it's a common pattern. 

But I wonder if it's as simple as they are the one's in Albion that are most concerned with preserving knowledge.  Their operation was largely about transcription and preservation, reminiscent of the christian monasteries during the Dark Ages.  Once we see another culturally distinct Spire, we may find something else taking that role, a University perhaps?

[Dina]

eh...why not the same Wayists?