RWBY Wiki
Register
Advertisement
RWBY Wiki

Overview Image Gallery



A Scroll is an object that functions as a collapsible, holographic tablet. It can be used as a phone, a portable computer, a camera and a streaming device as well as a gaming controller, among other functions.

During combat it is able to gauge a user's Aura and depict it as a life bar, along with those of the user's teammates.

Description[]

The Scroll is clearly more advanced in some ways than contemporary handheld devices. Visibly, they are nothing more than a translucent, touch-sensitive panel between two solid end grips; the interlocking design of these grips allows the unit to be collapsible, much like a scroll of paper, hence the name.

Each Scroll has a yellow, diamond-shaped button in its center when the device is in its closed state. The user presses this button to unlock the two grips and deploy the screen. This button also flashes when the Scroll gives an audible alert, such as when a new message has been received.

Scrolls appear to come in two different sizes. Small Scrolls can deploy to be approximately the size of a smartphone, while large Scrolls can deploy to be the size of a medium-sized tablet. It appears that the size of a Scroll's screen is adjustable by how far apart the user pulls the grips. Scrolls can be opened horizontally or vertically, though it appears that the widely preferred orientation is horizontal for large Scrolls and vertical for small Scrolls.

V2 05 00083

Emerald, using a small Scroll

They can also come in different colors, as most students have white Scrolls while most adults have been seen with black Scrolls. Some seem more personalized than others as Arthur Watts' Scroll is black with a gold trim and featuring his last initial in gold lettering. It is not clear if Scrolls at Beacon Academy are standalone devices, or mobile terminals for a larger, fixed computer system that serves all the students and faculty.

Scrolls are powered by Dust.[1] In RWBY: The Grimm Campaign, it is stated that Scrolls can be charged similarly to cell phones.

Usage[]

Scrolls are shown to have a range of sensory and interfacing functions, such as relaying information from surveillance devices in real time and monitoring the Aura levels of multiple people at once. Several icons at the top right of the display hint at Internet-style browsing functions, such as Home, Search and Mail. There are also folder icons, indicating that the device can be used to store data.

The 'mail' function has been shown to access voice messages as well as displaying short text-only messages, similar to the real-world SMS system. Scrolls also seem to function as keys, seen when Ruby Rose asks Jaune Arc if he locked himself out of his room and he denies it, showing her his Scroll as proof. Whilst in voice message mode, Jaune's Scroll is also showing an audio pattern analyzer window. It is not clear if this is a standard part of the audio playback software or if it is an individual preference setting used by Jaune.

14 00023

Jaune's Scroll mounted on the back of his shield

During his battle with the Ursa in "Forever Fall, Pt.2", Jaune's Scroll showing his Aura gauge appears to be attached to his shield. This suggests Scrolls can be mounted onto other objects depending on the user's needs.

It was shown in "A Minor Hiccup" that Scrolls can also be used as methods of identification and as mobile data storage devices. Both functions are used by Weiss at the Cross Continental Transmit System Tower. It was also revealed that the Scroll can take pictures, as Ruby pulled it out after she said she was going to take one of the CCT Tower. The camera lens of Weiss Schnee's Scroll can be seen on the back of the right-hand handgrip when she uses the device's ID function in a lift at the CCT Tower.

The device can transmit and receive data both through a port on the bottom, as well as through direct contact. Weiss receives files through the port in the CCT, and Ironwood places his Scroll face-down on Ozpin's desk to show a projection in "It's Brawl in the Family".

"Lessons Learned" also shows that Scrolls can be used as game controllers, similar to how wireless devices in the real world can be programmed to replace dedicated controllers, shown when Ruby, Qrow Branwen and Yang use their Scrolls to play a fighting game.

"Argus Limited" expands upon this by showing that scrolls can be used as a mobile gaming device. Ruby is shown playing a game on her scroll in Team RWBY's room on the train. RWBY: Amity Arena takes advantage of this to present itself as a canonical scroll game played on Remnant.

Both "The Emerald Forest, Pt.2" and "Fall" show the Scroll's capability of watching live events streamed to the device. In the respective episodes, Ozpin uses his device to watch camera feeds of prospective students, and people watch the Vytal Festival Tournament via their handhelds.

V4 C0 00072

Ruby, in a four-way call with Jaune, Nora and Ren

In the World of Remnant episode "Cross Continental Transmit System", it was revealed that the Scrolls access wireless information through the use of the Cross Continental Transmit System towers within a safeguarded part of each kingdom.

In "Battle of Beacon", a Scroll is used to broadcast live video.

In the "Volume 4 Character Short", Scrolls are shown to be capable of conference calls, connecting at least four Scrolls to the same audio call.

In "The Coming Storm", it is shown that Scrolls have a flashlight function, as Ruby uses hers to illuminate a dark room.

Scrolls can also be used for hacking. In "A Night Off", multiple Scrolls were used by Arthur Watts to change the election poll results.

Weather effects can interfere with a Scroll's communication feature, as seen in "Worthy", when a sandstorm prevented Emerald Sustrai's Scroll from receiving signal.

In RWBY: The Grimm Campaign, Scrolls are stated to have apps for social media and to pay for such things as restaurant meals or other commonplace expenses. They are also capable of playing music. In "When Life Gives You Lemons", it was shown that there is a Huntsmen network application that is used for communication between Huntsmen.

Systems[]

Scrolls are shown to have a range of sensory and interfacing functions capable of monitoring the Aura levels of the user and their team.

  • Contemporary Smartphone Functionality
    • Internet-style browsing with Home and Search functions.
    • The device can store data in digital files and folders.
    • Electronic Mail functions, Social Media, Networking, and Financial apps.
    • Media playback. Scrolls can be used to record, store and playback video and audio.
    • The device can transmit and receive data both through a port on the bottom, as well as through direct contact. Weiss receives files through the port in the CCT, and Ironwood places his Scroll face-down on Ozpin's desk to show a projection in "It's Brawl in the Family".
    • Scrolls can make and receive phone calls, with a dedicated contacts list for ease of dialing.
  • Communication:
    • In the "Volume 4 Character Short", Scrolls are shown to be capable of conference calls, connecting at least four Scrolls to the same audio call.
    • The "mail" function has shown to offer text-only and voice messaging options.
    • While in voice message mode, Jaune's Scroll showed an audio pattern analyzer window. It is not clear if this is a standard part of the audio playback software or if it is an individual preference set by Jaune.
    • Live Video Streaming. In both "The Emerald Forest, Pt.2" and "Fall", Ozpin uses his device to watch live camera feeds of prospective students. People have been shown watching the Vytal Festival Tournament via their handhelds. In "Battle of Beacon", Mercury used a Scroll to broadcast live video of the active battle.
    • Short-distance communication. When outside the range of an active CCTS Tower, Scrolls are shown to be able to wirelessly communicate with one another across a limited distance. Scrolls automatically detect the strength of nearby signals and can identify another Scroll's owner if they have been entered in the user's contacts. In "Argus Limited", Ruby is shown monitoring the distance the front of the train is from them based on the signal strength of Nora's Scroll. In "The Grimm Reaper", Jaune learns that Team RWBY has reached Argus when he notices that his Scroll is detecting Ruby's signal.
    • Blocking communications. During the events of "Gravity", General Ironwood blocked communications between Ruby and her friends and allies using his own scroll after turning against them. This was likely a privilege he had as the General of the Atlas Military, who had direct control over the Atlas CCT. Pietro Polendina was able to use his own access to the CCT to restore communications to Team RWBY's Scrolls.
    • Relaying information from surveillance devices in real time.
  • Gaming Device Functionality
    • "Lessons Learned" showed that Scrolls can be used as game controllers, similar to how wireless devices in the real world can be programmed to replace dedicated controllers.
    • "Argus Limited" expands upon this by showing that scrolls can be used as a mobile gaming device. Ruby is shown playing a game on her scroll in Team RWBY's room on the train.
    • RWBY: Amity Arena takes advantage of this to present itself as a canonical scroll game played on Remnant.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Built-in camera, Ruby pulled her Scroll out after mentioning she was going to take pictures of the CCT Tower. The camera lens of Weiss Schnee's Scroll can be seen on the back of the right-hand handgrip when she uses the device's ID function in a lift at the CCT Tower.
    • Beacon Locker Equipment. In Dance Dance Infiltration Ruby called her weapon locker which delivered itself to her.
    • Built-in flashlight. In "The Coming Storm", Ruby used her Scroll to illuminate a dark room.
    • Medical imaging. In "Dark", Klein Sieben uses his scroll to view Penny Polendina's internals. The image is displayed in real-time and the sensors are powerful enough to see through metal. This functionality is likely unique to Scrolls belonging to medical practitioners.

Trivia[]

  • Ruby mentions on her Twitter account that she gets to have her own Scroll, now that she is enrolled at Beacon Academy.

Image Gallery[]

Types of Scrolls[]

Usage[]

References[]

Setting
Advertisement