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 | |
| Motto | Nunc id Vides, Nunc ne Vides ("Now you see it, Now you don't.") |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1282 AM (currentAnkh-Morpork calendar dates from founding) |
| Dean | Henry |
| Archchancellor | Mustrum Ridcully |
| Location | ,, |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colours | Burgundy and midnight blue, with yellow and purple stripes (octarine) |
| Website | Unseen University |
TheUnseen University (UU) is a school ofwizardry inTerry Pratchett'sDiscworld series offantasy novels. Located in the fictional city ofAnkh-Morpork,[1][2] the UU is staffed by mostly indolent and inept old wizards. The university's name is a pun on theInvisible College, and many aspects of the university are references toOxford andCambridge University. The exploits of the head wizards of the Unseen University are one of the main plot threads in the long-running fantasy series, and have played a central role in 13 novels[which?] to date, as well as the four supplementaryScience of Discworld novels and the short story,A Collegiate Casting-Out of Devilish Devices.
The staff usually come in a group in the books in which they appear, thoughRincewind initially followed his own storyline, only being a part of the group in theScience of Discworld books andUnseen Academicals, and theLibrarian makes solo appearances in several books.Ridcully and Ponder also appeared inGoing Postal andNight Watch. Ridcully alone appears inThud!. The wizards are referred to by their offices (e.g. "ancient runes"), rather than names. There is a slight reference to this inThe Last Continent, when the wizards notice that they not only don't know the Librarian's name, but they also don't know the names of one another. InUnseen Academicals, Ridcully has difficulty remembering the Dean's name, despite having started at UU around the same time.
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The head of Unseen University is thearchchancellor, considered an important figure and holds a seat on the Ankh-Morpork council, in which he acts as a magical advisor to thePatrician of Ankh-Morpork.
The archchancellor of UU is considered the leader of all wizards on the Disc (by those at the UU), thefirst among equals. Unseen University has existed for thousands of years, and the average Archchancellor remains in office for about eleven months.
As of the final novel, the archchancellor isMustrum Ridcully who assumed the post inMoving Pictures and held it for the rest of the novels.
At the time he became archchancellor, Ridcully had not been seen at theuniversity for forty years, having left the university to look after his family's land.
Ridcully has shown the occasional flash of magical skill. For example, inMoving Pictures, the Bursar is surprised to discover Ridcully's adeptness at using a magic mirror, which, like most Discworldscrying devices, is hard to steer. InSoul Music Ridcully improvises, at short notice and with minimal assistance, a slimmed-down version of the rite of AshkEnte for summoning Death. It is also implied that he has some degree of practical magic knowledge (The Last Continent).
Lords and Ladies reveals that he and a youngEsme Weatherwax were in a relationship some fifty years before Ridcully became Archchancellor. He is deeply affected by her death (The Shepherd's Crown).
In theCosgrove Hall animation ofSoul Music he was voiced byGraham Crowden.[3]In 2006's two-part adaptation ofHogfather he was played byJoss Ackland,[4] and in the 2010 adaptation ofGoing Postal he was portrayed byTimothy West.[5]
Professor A.A. Dinwiddie. The Bursar is a quiet, reserved person. He took over the job from the previous Bursar, Spelter, after the latter was killed trying to save the library from destruction inSourcery.
Dinwiddie reacts to the stress of the events in the series by becoming less and less tethered to reality. By the events ofReaper Man, Dr. Dinwiddie is almost completely insensible. The Bursar's insanity has become abyword inAnkh-Morpork: "to go Bursar" is "to go crazy"[citation needed].
The Dean of Pentacles/Archchancellor Henry of Brazeneck College. An obese man (Moving Pictures) who is generally found in his study reading agrimoire or in the great hall. He attends some of the functions that are held by guilds or clubs around the city on behalf of the university.
According to Ponder Stibbons, he is "normally never nice".[citation needed] He is often susceptible to any occult or semi-magical occurrence happening in the university, as well as any fads or trends – most notably inSoul Music. When roused into action he can be very enthusiastic and violent, and is a part-time Watch Special Constable – on the proviso that he not use magic in the course of his duties.
He and Archchancellor Ridcully have been friends since their first days at the university. Their friendship is tested inUnseen Academicals, when the Dean leaves to become Archchancellor of the rival Brazeneck College. The Dean became the first person to voluntarily resign from the university – something previously considered unthinkable (as people usually left "in disgrace, in a box or, in a few cases, in bits"[citation needed]).
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TheLibrarian appeared in the second novel of the series,The Light Fantastic, where he was transformed into anorang-utan.[6]This had certain advantages for a librarian, such as being able to use his hands and feet for re-shelving books.[7] The other wizards have gradually become used to the situation, to the extent that, fromNight Watch: "if someone ever reported that there was an orang-utan in the Library, the wizards would probably go and ask the Librarian if he'd seen it."[8]
He is known for his violent reaction to most people calling him a "monkey", as he is technically anape. He primarily uses the wordOok, inflected for simple affirmations and negations, though he occasionally usesEeek in moments of panic or rage.
As with other members of the UU faculty, the Librarian is referred to by his office and not by a name. There are rumours that, pre-transformation, he was named Dr. Horace Worblehat, though no one speaks about it.[6]
The Librarian is a member of the Librarians of Time And Space, a group who have the knowledge and ability to travel through L-Space, anextradimensional space that connects all libraries and other large accumulations of books.[7]
The Librarian appears in orangutan form in the video gamesDiscworld andDiscworld II. Inthe 2008 TV adaptation ofThe Colour of Magic andThe Light Fantastic bySky One, he appears in both human and orang-utan form. His human form is played by Nicolas Tennant,[9] who had previously playedCorporal Nobbs inTerry Pratchett's Hogfather.[4]
Professor Stibbons is, among other things, Head of Inadvisably Applied Magic, Praelector and Reader in Invisible Writings, the Master of Traditions, theCamerlengo of Unseen University, the keeper ofHex (the university's computer), and the right-hand man of Archchancellor Ridcully.[citation needed]
His entry inThe New Discworld Companion states:
In the film version ofHogfather he is portrayed byEd Coleman.[4]
Stibbons also appears in the video gameDiscworld II, in the High Energy Facility. He is characterized differently than in the books, evidenced by his erratic speech patterns and verbal tics, as well as his denials that he is being adversely affected by working onHex.
Rincewind holds the Chair of Experimental Serendipity, the Chair for the Public Misunderstanding of Magic, and the positions of Professor of Virtual Anthropology, Egregious Professor of Cruel and Unusual Geography, Reader in Slood Dynamics, Fretwork Teacher, Lecturer in Approximate Accuracy, and Health and Safety Officer. These apparently unwanted positions were awarded to Rincewind provided that he does not receive any salary. Prior to receiving these titles, Rincewind held the post of Assistant Librarian, but it is unclear whether or not he retains the office. Rincewind is often concerned with his life, as many people all across Discworld have attempted to take it.
In the film version ofThe Colour of Magic he is portrayed byDavid Jason.[9]
Dr. John Hix – 'Hicks with an X' inUnseen Academicals, after changing his name from Hicks because it didn't suit his position. Dr Hix is anecromancer. Since necromancy is officially banned in Ankh-Morpork, he is instead the Head of the Department of Postmortem Communications (although he acknowledges this is just a fancy way of saying necromancy). Hix has one member of staff, a reanimated skeleton called Charlie. He previously had another member of staff, the late Professor Flead, but Hix bound him to a club at the end ofMaking Money.[citation needed]
Hix frequently misbehaves, performs evil deeds and makes comments in bad taste as he is required to under university statute, a fact which the other members of UU grudgingly accept. He uses the phrase "Skull ring, remember?" as an excuse for his misbehavior, much like thePatrician's use of the phrase, "Tyrant, remember?".
Hix may be a parody ofPeter Higgs.
Hex is the UU's first mainframe computer, though instead of RAM, it is powered by a waterwheel inside a ram skull, and its mouse is an actual mouse. Its "brain" consists of a series of glass tubes filled with ants, which form its processor, and a beehive in a back room, which constitutes its hard drive. It bears a sticker up front saying that there is an anthill inside (a parody of the advertising slogan "Intel Inside"). Initially just a computer, it has gradually developed more of a personality over the course of the series. Ponder Stibbons has by default become the person in charge of developing and operating Hex, though he admits that Hex largely develops itself.
Others include Cutangle (Equal Rites), Virrid Wayzygoose (Sourcery), Ezrolith Churn (Eric), Sloman, who discovered the Special Theory ofSlood, and Preserved Bigger (Unseen Academicals).
