House of Answers

Horace standing amid the bins

The **House of Answers** is a Tanu warehouse operated by the Wardens.

## Background

The House of Answers is located in an alley off Wexler Street, somewhere in northwest Chicago.

While it most closely resembles a curiosity shop, it does not seem to function like one. One of its bins is marked "Unaffordable", but none of the characters ever need to pay for anything there. Mrs. Hapsteade remarks that closing time is "neither here nor there". Mr. Meister describes the House of Answers as a market and a "museum, refuge, subterfuge". He emphasizes that the House of Answers is itself a trial designed to determine and apply the aptitudes of visitors.

## Description

The House of Answers is advertised using a tall, narrow sign which hangs off a building on Wexler Street. The sign appears weathered and very old, with yellow text on a blue background which reads:

Oddments

Heirlooms

Fortunes

Misfortunes

Artifacts

Arcana

Curiosities

Miseries

Mysteries

and more at the

HOUSE OF ANSWERS

The entrance is located near the end of a long alley, between two tall apartment buildings, one of which includes a defunct Laundromat and the other an electronics store. The arch-shaped blue door is at the bottom of a weathered brick staircase, and bears a Tanu sign made by Brian Souter. The door is squeaky, with a rusty handle.

The door leads to a short, cramped hallway about twenty feet long, which opens into a larger passage. The walls here are made of varied birdcages containing an enormous number of songbirds; their music can be heard throughout the House of Answers. This leads into a much larger room with wooden rafters and stone columns rising out of a stoned floor. It is dimly lit by stone Tanu lamps which emit twisting shimmers of light. Shelves line the walls and tables are placed down the center of the room, both piled high with neatly labeled containers of varied size, shape, and color. Near the entrance is a short wooden podium upon which rests a new, elegant guest book, as well as the Vora. The entire warehouse smells old, with a variety of thick, natural smells.

Both Keepers and people with aptitudes to be Keepers are drawn to the House of Answers through some unknown method. This method does not seem to discriminate between human and Riven Keepers.

### Defenses

It seems to be protected by a leestone, as Horace walks past the sign multiple times without noticing it. This leestone is likely responsible for a spatial distortion effect which makes the alley appear shorter than it actually is.

On the door is a small Tan'kindi sign. This reads "STATE YOUR NAME", or, ambiguously, "NAME YOUR STATE", as the words are written in a circle. Once the user has given their name and state of mind truthfully, the door unlocks.

The birds in the entrance hallway are also described as protecting the House of Answers, possibly by giving warning when the Riven are near.

There is a passkey embedded in one of the walls, which Mr. Meister uses to leave and return discreetly.

At the back of the House of Answers is a fortress door, ten feet tall, made of wood and metal with a thick crossbar.

## Inventory

The House of Answers contains many bins and containers, including the following:

* Whatsits
* Worthy of Consideration
* Lost Bits
* Mostly Incomplete
* For the Weary
* For the Wee
* Truculent *(Note: Horace does not know what this means)*
* Invisible (Defective)
* Odd-Shaped
* Even-Shaped
* Ship-Shaped
* Shape-Shaped
* Miscellaneous
* Foul-Smelling
* Unremarkable
* Unsellable
* Unaffordable
* Unbinnable *(Note: Horace observes that this bin must be empty)*
* Implausible
* Palpable
* Often Lost
* Never Found
* Tourmindae *(Note: Horace calls this one "extra mysterious")*
* Flat
* Subtle
* Utensils
* For the Fearful
* Edibles
* Inedibles
* Passkeys
* Assorted Tan'kindi
* Ongrellondae
* Useless
* Misplaced
* Displaced
* Oblong
* Unsavory
* Tangible *(Note: Horace calls these last few insensible)*
* Of Scientific Interest
* Ravens' Eyes *(Note: A wooden bin)*
* For the Initiate *(Note: A wide, shallow bin)*

It also contains many Tanu and unusual objects, including the following (in certain bins):

* A very large three-barbed fishing hook
* A small red pyramid
* An accordion arm with a spiky wheel on the end
* A dead rabbit with a unicorn horn
* Many sheets of blank paper (Flat)
* A foot-long, extremely thin sliver of metal (Subtle) *(Note: This may be a reference to the Subtle Knife in* His Dark Materials*)*
* A two-foot-long, finger-thin corkscrew (Utensils)
* A double-headed hammer (Utensils)
* A pair of scissors with blades sharp on the outside, rather than the inside (Utensils)
* A device resembling an ice cream scoop, with a scooper as big as a head (Utensils)
* A pile of blankets (For the Fearful)
* Two ceramic vials twisted together, one black, one gold (For the Fearful)
* A large quantity of canned corn (Edibles)
* Several rusty gears (Inedibles)
* A spiked chain (Inedibles)
* A golf club (Inedibles)
* A thin mask in the shape of a human woman's face (Of Scientific Interest)
* A transparent rod containing Uroboros (Of Scientific Interest)
* A golden clockwork ball the size of a plum (Of Scientific Interest) *(Note: This ball was made by Sil'falo Teneves, who insinuates that its abilities may have something to do with physical expansion or contraction.)*
* The Laithe of Teneves (Of Scientific Interest)
* The Fel'Daera (Of Scientific Interest)
* Several ravens' eyes (Ravens' Eyes)
* A powerful leestone (For the Initiate)

## History

While riding the bus home from school, Horace noticed the sign, mistaking it for his own name. After being distracted by Ja'raka Sevlo, he returned and entered. After signing in, he had a brief conversation with Mrs. Hapsteade, who gave him a raven's eye. The next day, Horace visited again and met Mr. Meister, who encouraged him to explore the inventory; after a few minutes of searching, he discovered and immediately bonded the Fel'Daera. Mr. Meister gave him a powerful leestone and some parting advice.

## Trivia

* Horace F. Andrews originally misreads the sign as his own name.
* In several promotional materials for the series, it is stated that the House of Answers only raises further questions.
* The name "House of Answers" potentially refers to the warehouse's purpose: to create new Keepers and begin the process of the Find. Horace describes bonding the Fel'Daera as feeling like finding the answer to a question that hadn't been asked yet.
* Between Horace's first and second visits, the entire House of Answers inventory has been rearranged, apparently by Mrs. Hapsteade. She may have done this so Horace could more easily find an instrument suited to his aptitudes. On this note, several items in the bin marked *Of Scientific Interest* seem as if they are not usually on display.
* Despite the House of Answers being heavily featured in images and promotional materials, it actually appears very little in the series, being destroyed less than halfway through the first book.

## Gallery

Interior, stocked with many bins of TanuFront door, at the bottom of a stairwellAlley entranceHorace and Chloe entering amid the birdcagesAmbiguous sign on the front doorStreet sign