- "The Neitherlands is Grand Central for the Multiverse."
- ―Penny
The Neitherlands are a series of Möbius strip-shaped planets at the center of the Multiverse, each of which containing countless Fountains that serve as portals to other worlds, and the main headquarters of the Order of the Library of the Neitherlands.
History
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Establishment
- "I know you hate it now, but Travelers wrote our most precious books. The Library is what it is because of them."
"You make it sound so simple and fun."
"No. But it is valuable. And in my observation, Master Travelers have a fantastic time doing it." - ―Zelda Schiff and Penny Adiyodi
The Neitherlands is the home of the Fountains, portals to worlds throughout the Multiverse.
The Neitherlands was established as the main headquarters for the Order of the Library of the Neitherlands, who used the location to collect an infinite supply of knowledge from the Multiverse with the help of Travelers who explored the worlds connected to the Fountains and recorded their experiences.[1]
Visited by Santa Claus
- "This one guy, he rode a sled pulled by flying- what do you call them? Not zebra. Reindeer."
"Santa Claus?"
"Yeah. You know him? He's a really nice guy, right?" - ―Eve and Penny Adiyodi
When trying to complete a spell designed to find good children, Santa Claus visited the Neitherlands on his sleigh when he discovered that Library had the information he needed in a facility called the Poison Room. When the Librarians wouldn't allow Claus to enter, he sent a group of Elves in through the Poison Room's Fountain, which resulted in their deaths and Claus' imprisonment by the Library.[2]
Rescue of Penny Adiyodi
Penny arrives in the Neitherlands.
Penny Adiyodi was transported to the Neitherlands by the Button taken from the Plover Residence, where he met Eve, one of the natives of the Neitherlands, who asked how he arrived before attacking. Adiyodi attempted to Travel back to Earth, but soon realized he had no idea how to get back. Astral projecting to the Physical Kids' Cottage, Adiyodi entered Quentin Coldwater dreams to ask for help, learning he'd been gone for two weeks on Earth. Coldwater agreed to search the Fillory and Further books for mentions of the Neitherlands and find a way to rescue him.
Penny discovers the Library of the Neitherlands.
Adiyodi hid from Eve and the Neitherlanders after speaking with Coldwater, using his magic to send them away whenever they got close. When Eve found him again, Adiyodi fled before falling through a book return chute into the Library of the Neitherlands, where he met Zelda Schiff, the Head Librarian. Schiff chastised him for being late, much to Adiyodi's confusion as she explained that he was safe in the Library due to the natives were banned from entering. She stated that they used to serve the Order as custodians until labor issues arose, and were cursed from using the Fountains, but they were now allied with The Beast to attack travelers who arrive.
Penny sees the beacon to the Earth fountain.
Schiff later copied several pages from Martin Chatwin's Book to help Adiyodi and his friends find the Leo Blade before sending him back to the Neitherlands. Afterward, Coldwater and Alice Quinn performed a spell that illuminated the Earth Plaza for Adiyodi. Seeing the beacon, Adiyodi smiled before running to the Fountain, but realized the Neitherlanders had seen the beacon too and quickly ran to the Fountain, jumping in moments before Eve could attack and returning to Earth.[3]
Chase in the Neitherlands
To be added
Infiltration of the Poison Room
To be added
Great Blank Spot
To be added
Escape from the Library of the Neitherlands
To be added
Abandoning Christopher Plover
To be added
Trivia
- Lev Grossman explained that the Neitherlands are an allusion to the Wood Between the Worlds from The Magician's Nephew, a book that also references William Morris’s novel The Wood Beyond the World. In The Magicians, Quentin Coldwater spots a sapling poking up through the paving stones of the Neitherlands, and Grossman explained: "I like to think that the Wood will one day grow up there in that same spot. Or maybe whoever built the Neitherlands paved over it".[4]
