"My honourable sister, ladies and gentlemen of the floor. The Brown Ajah has long sought to gather knowledge, to seek it, and to organise it, searching after it in the halls of the Tower or going out in the world to locate manuscripts or rumours of hidden libraries. They devote themselves entirely to the search for knowledge, and the preservation of it.

That over, I will begin my speech in earnest. This may seem a little esoteric to some, but bear wtih me; for I will begin by a classification of the purpose and meaning of knowledge in itself.

People collect, record, preserve and - eventually - seek knowledge for one underlying purpose, and one purpose alone; that is, the solution of problems. No matter what the problem might be, or of what nature, knowledge is in itself collected and recorded as a solution to a problem. Without problems, the world itself would still be in the chaotic, primitive state it was during and directly after the War of Power; only the need to solve problems, and the desire to eradicate them, has brought the human race to what it is today. Knowledge is collected and amassed still, for the sole purpose of solving problems. You speak of documents in the Old Tongue? A problem of communication. Historical commentaries on Artur Hawkwing's reign? Doubtless they were recorded to stop people making the same mistakes that were made in that reign again - and thereby solve a potential problem.

And now I ask you, honourable Sister, ladies and gentlemen of the floor; what is the main cause of problems, of strife in the world? What -has- been the cause for three thousand years and more? The answer is obvious, and simple; the Shadow. The Shadow stimulates a desire for knowledge, through creating problems; and therefore, in fact, stimulates the human race to higher achievements, to become more than they were before. Therefore, my honourable sister, you could say that you owe all the knowledge in your famous library - to us. Thank you."

In Defense of the Dreadlords

Raina's Hold / Raina's Library / Raina's Library - Other People's Humour