I've seen a bunch of posts in the last few weeks (actually two posts, but it feels like more, because they really annoy me) wondering what Neville would've been like if he had been the chosen one, as if that were a possibility. Posts theorizing that Harry and Neville would have switched places, Neville would have the scar, Harry's parents would be in St. Mungos.
Here are my thoughts:
I do think that Neville's parents would've died protecting him, that's not even a question to me. However, I don't think that dying protecting Harry is all of why he had that scar. James died protecting him just as Lily did, and yet no one ever talks about his father's sacrifice. That could just be because our society is horribly sexist, and thinks that the mother's sacrifice matters more, or it could just be chronological, but I don't think it was either. Neither James nor Lily had their wands when Voldemort entered their house, as such, James's death was a foregone conclusion. He knew it the second Voldemort walked through the door. Nobody claims that he sacrificed his life for Harry's because he didn't have a choice. He was going to die either way. Lily on the other hand, could have chosen to live. Snape asked Voldemort to spare her and, had she gotten out of his way, he would have. Snape would have made no such request for Alice or Frank, so while they would have died before their son, they wouldn't have been able to make the choice to die for their son.
I don't know why this annoys me so much, but it does. </rant>
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Kingkiller Chronicles Theories & More
When I was rereading the Kingkiller Chronicles in anticipation of Auri's novella coming out in October, I decided to compile a list of some of my running theories and things I've noticed. This is more for myself than anyone else, but feel free to comment if you've read the books (I love hearing other people's perspectives on things). If you haven't read them, I strongly recommend them they're some of the most well-written and interesting fantasy books I've ever read. There are two books in the series so far, plus a short story in Rogues (an anthology of short stories by various authors) and a novella about Auri. I'm including information from all four, so there will be spoilers if you haven't read them. (I'm also updating this post as I re-read and notice more)
Someone pointed out to me that the sevens in the Pairs cards each represent one of the Chandrian's signs. The seven signs are:
Collapse, the Dark, Death, Fire, Sickness, Storm, Strife.
I'm trying, based on the information we have, to match each sign with the member of the Chandrian I think it's most likely to go with.
Given that he's depicted by a dog biting his leg, I'm guessing that Stercus represents Strife.
The information about the meaning of Ferule and Ferula made me curious as to whether any of the other names have meanings in Latin that might be relevant. Stercus means manure in Latin (although I'm not sure if that's relevant), Cyphus means chalice (again, I'm unsure of relevance).Usnea is a type of lichen, which is interesting because lichen is often a sign of sickness in trees.
The Chandrian fear The Amyr, the singers, and the Sithe.
The Singers:
I'm assuming this has something to do with Selitos's punishment for Lanre, "Your own name will be turned against you, that you shall have no peace."
Stories:
Trapis's Story:
While I think for the most part Trapis's story is just the Tehlin church's morality tale, loosely based on the events that happened surrounding the end of the Creation War and the betrayal of the seven cities, there are still a couple of things I found interesting. First I think that the "demons" of the story are just Fae (hence their fear of cold iron and clean fire). Second, Trapis has Tehlu saying "all lives end in death, excepting one. Such is the way of things" and I can't help but wonder if that's referring to Haliax. We already know that the "Gods" mentioned in the stories of the time aren't actually Gods, so it stands to reason that, while they won't necessarily die of old age, they can still be killed. The only person we hear that being untrue of is Haliax, which is what makes me wonder if that's who he's talking about (even though they clearly pulled some of the descriptions of Encanis from Haliax.) Now, it seems like Encanis is a storybook version of Haliax, which would mean there should only be six who refuse to cross, instead of seven. When Tehlu strikes down the fourth, there's "a sound like quenching iron and the smell of burning leather". The story says that he wasn't a man at all, but a demon wearing the skin of man. We could take that literally and assume that he's a skin-walker, but the smell of burning leather makes me wonder if that's the parable version of the Cthaeh, and rather than literally wearing the skin of men, it's speaking of its ability to act through men, pushing them toward the wrong actions. Trapis's story talks about how Encanis travels, killing crops and poisoning wells, and he later speaks of feeling the chill of his passing. I'm wondering if that refers to some of the signs of the other Chandrian. Since they often travel together, it's unsurprising that people would come to associate various signs with Haliax. I also thought that Tehlu's words when he was on the fire with Encanis were interesting, "if I am needed and called in the proper ways then I will come again to judge and punish." We know that Cinder took notice of Marten when he started praying to Tehlu, but I wonder if it was the specific prayer that drew Cinder's attention to him, "Tehlu who was Menda who you were. Watch over me in Menda's name, in Perial's name."
Skarpi's First Story:
The first story we hear Skarpi tell is the story of Lanre and the Creation War. The first thing that caught me when rereading this story, is how parts of the description of Myr Tariniel, remind me of Haert, "It sat among the tall mountains of the world like a gem on the crown of a king [...] the buildings were tall and graceful, carved from the mountain itself, carved of a bright white stone that held the sun's light long after evening fell." Since noticing that, I've been imagining Myr Tariniel nestled into the V made by the Stormwal Mts. in Ademre. He mentions the eight cities, Belen, Antus, Vaeret, Tinusa, Emlen, and the twin cities of Murilla and Murella, along with Myr Tariniel. The story speaks of a great beast at the Blac of Drossen Tor "with scales of black iron, [and] whose breath was a darkness that smothered men." I'm wondering if this beast was some sort of relative of the draccus. Lanre fights the beast, and dies defeating it, and the beast is set beyond the doors of stone (while he's dead). Lyra calls Lanre back into the world of the living, and people begin to have hope again. Rumors start to surface about Lyra's health and well-being, and then about Lanre fleeing the Empire, "some even said Lanre had killed himself and gone searching for his wife in the land of the dead". I think the rumors of Lyra being unwell are true, and I think that the rumors of Lanre leaving the Empire refer to his time in the Fae (visiting the Cthaeh) and his time beyond the Doors of Stone (visiting Iax). Lanre returns to Myr Tariniel, betrays the city, and Selitos sees "how Lanre, nearly mad with grief, had sought the power to bring Lyra back to life again. Out of love for Lyra, Lanre had sought knowledge where knowledge is better left alone, and gained it at a terrible price." Personally I think this refers to the deal he made with Iax, he got naming power, but lost the ability to enter any of the four doors of the mind to escape his grief. Selitos adds to his curse "this is my doom upon you. Your own name will be turned against you, that you shall have no peace. This is my doom upon you and all who follow you. May it last until the world ends and the Aleu fall nameless from the sky." I think this is why the Chandrian seek out and kill people who know their names. I imagine it as an annoyance, as if every time someone says their name, they are forced to hear a piece of what that person is saying. One person talking about you would be a mildly annoying disruption, a world full of people would be excruciating.
Skarpi's Second Story:
I honestly hadn't thought about Skarpi's second story (or second half of the first story, depending on your perspective) until recently, when I saw a post in a fan group asking about it. I decided to read it again, and noticed a few interesting things. First, Aleph appears to be an almost Godlike character in this story, but in the Lanre story, Selitos describes Aleph as a namer (one of three that can match his talent, the other two being Lyra and Iax). I assume that this means that Aleph is a shaper, as well as a namer, and as such has some abilities that seem Godlike (like the ability to change the true names of some of the Ruach, and essentially make them into Angels of Justice). One of the Ruach that he transformed in this way, was Tehlu. I've always assumed that the story that Trapis told was just the Tehlin morality tale, and happened to draw from the story of the Creation War, and the Tehlin priests' reaction to Skarpi's story makes me feel that that's likely. Obviously, they wouldn't want people to know that Tehlu was just an angel, or that he'd been made such by a shaper.
I also found it interesting that Skarpi knew Kvothe's name (and Erlus's), and knew about Kvothe's hiding place on the roof. I'm guessing that he studied at the University and has some naming prowess.
Daeonica:
Daeonica is mentioned several times in the book, and while we don't get to hear the entire thing, I've been wondering if Daeonica might be a different version of the story of Lanre and the Chandrian (though obviously with different names) which shows Lanre in a more positive light. This is more of a feeling that I have than a fully-flushed out theory, but I think it could fit. Arlidan mentions stories in which Lanre sells his soul (though Ben says that this is nonsense), and we know that in Daeonica Tarsus sells his soul. I think the "hell" mentioned in Daeonica is actually the realm beyond the Doors of Stone. I'm not sure if the revenge that Tarsus says he's bringing down would be on the world that stole Lyra from him, Selitos, or Iax himself. Also, in Wise Man's Fear, when Kvothe is researching the Chandrian, he mentions that the names are easier to come by, but most of them are stolen from the Book of Path or Daeonica.
The Cthaeh:
Obviously the Cthaeh is important because of his role in Kvothe's story. From what the Cthaeh told him, I'm guessing that Kvothe is going to be rash when he goes after Denna's patron, but I'm not sure what else his words will lead to.
I found it interesting to know that the Cthaeh had started at least two major wars in the Faen realm, and that both Iax had visited the Cthaeh before he stole the moon, and Lanre had visited it before his betrayal of Myr Tyriniel. I think that Lanre went to it to get the flower to revive Lyra, only to be lead astray instead.
I also think that the way Bast describes the Cthaeh is a little off. I think it can see what effects its words would have, and see the choices that the person it's speaking to would make, but not necessarily see the choices that other people would make (hence not seeing that it was going to be imprisoned, and probably not seeing which people the Sithe would accidentally leave alive.) I feel like the mythology surrounding the Cthaeh is similar to the stories surrounding Kvothe, it's grown beyond what the Cthaeh can actually do. I also think that in the case of the Cthaeh, people magnify its powers when they talk about it to prevent people from going to see it. Fewer people are likely to try to beat it if they believe that it's omniscient.
"Though no family can boast a truly peaceful past, the Lacklesses have been especially ripe with misfortune. Some from without: assassination, invasion, peasant revolt, and theft. More telling is misfortune that comes from within: how can a family thrive when the oldest heir forsakes all family duty? Small wonder they are often called 'Luckless' by their detractors.
It seems a testament to the strength of their blood that they have survived so much for so long. Indeed, if not for the burning of Caluptena, we might possess records tracing the Lackless family back far enough for them to rival the royal line of Modeg in its antiquity..."
Laurian
Dark Laurian, Arliden's wife
Has a face like a blade of a knife
Has a voice like a prickledown burr
But can tally a sum like a moneylender
My sweet Tally cannot cook.
But she keeps a tidy ledger-book
For all her faults I do confess
It's worth my life to make my wife
Not tally a lot less...
Not tally a lot less sounds rather like Netalia Lackless, and I imagine that that's the real reason that he found himself sleeping under the wagon.
Kvothe also feels like he recognizes Meluan when he meets her, "I knew her, I was certain of it. But I couldn't for the life of me remember where we might have met..."
The Lackless Box:
When we see the Lackless Box, it's in a chest made of birch and bound in brass, about the size of a drum. Meluan exposed the lock by pressing on two panels (so it looked to be lockless at the beginning). When the lock is exposed, it's circular, rather than normal lock shaped and the key is also circular.
The box itself is made of wood, with carvings that had mostly rubbed away over the years. It looked like a solid piece of wood, but Kvothe mentioned that it "felt" like a box. I wonder if it's his slight ability as a namer that let him notice that, or if that's something anyone would notice. The wood itself was dark, like roah, but with a deep red grain and with a smell like spicewood. Kvothe guessed it was about three thousand years old, but if the Creation War was five thousand years ago, it would've had to be older than that, I doubt the Creation War lasted two thousand years.
Swarn Gill, from a group I'm in pointed out that the smell of the wood of the Lackless box is described very similarly to the smell of the tree the Cthaeh is in. When Kvothe comes upon the Cthaeh's tree he says "the wind shifted, and as the leaves stirred I smelled a strange, sweet smell. It was like smoke and spice and leather and lemon. It was compelling smell." Later, when he's looking at the Lackless box he notes "the wood itself was interesting. It was dark enough to be roah, but it had a deep red grain. What's more, it seemed to be spicewood. It smelled faintly of... something. A familiar smell I couldn't quite put my finger on [...] something almost like lemon. It was maddeningly familiar." I also noticed in my latest reread, that when we first see Kvothe's thrice-locked chest, which is made of roah, it says "the wood filled the room with the almost imperceptible aroma of citrus and quenching iron". Graham also mentions that when he was searing the mounting board it "made a stink like old leather and clover", and leather was one of the things Kvothe smelled when approaching the Rhinna tree the Cthaeh is in. I'm not at all sure if it's significant, but perhaps roah has properties that make it ideal for holding onto things. We know things are different in the Fae (and obviously the trees in the mortal realm don't carry panacea flowers) but the wood used for the Lackless box and the wood at the Cthaeh's tree seem to at least smell very similar to roah.
I'm splitting it into sections to make it easier. This post is part list, part a collection of theories, and part a place to save things that I think will be important later. As such, sorry if it's a little disjointed, and sorry that some things are repeated. There are things that fit into multiple categories. Someone suggested that I split it into separate posts, so I'm slowly working toward that, while keeping this as a list of all of my thoughts and theories on the Chronicle.
Kvothe's names:
Maedre - Given by the Adem, means The Flame, The Thunder, or the Broken Tree [prophetic?]
Dulator - Given by his first real lover
Shadicar -
Lightfinger - possibly because of his lute, or because of his cut-purse abilities
Six-String - Definitely because of his lute
Kvothe the Bloodless - probably because of his tendency to take nahlroot before whippings
Kvothe the Arcane -
Kvothe Kingkiller
Kote - means disaster
I've seen people discussing the possibility that kote actually means expect, because when Kilvin explains "chaen vaen edan kote", Chaen obviously means seven, and Kvothe says "seven years... I don't know kote" but in that moment it isn't clarified which of the two words means disaster and people think that it's a red herring, and kote could instead mean expect. In the second book, when the glass Kilvin is blowing breaks he shouts "kist crayle en kote". I think it's unlikely (although still vaguely possible) that whatever he's shouting ends with "expect".
I've seen people discussing the possibility that kote actually means expect, because when Kilvin explains "chaen vaen edan kote", Chaen obviously means seven, and Kvothe says "seven years... I don't know kote" but in that moment it isn't clarified which of the two words means disaster and people think that it's a red herring, and kote could instead mean expect. In the second book, when the glass Kilvin is blowing breaks he shouts "kist crayle en kote". I think it's unlikely (although still vaguely possible) that whatever he's shouting ends with "expect".
Obviously, a big part of Kvothe's name-change was to avoid his notoriety and the consequences that come with it, especially as he obviously killed a king. I wonder though, if he also changed his true name, to bind his powers, out of guilt because he felt responsible for starting the war. It's obviously possible to change your true name, or else Elodin wouldn't have freaked out when Kvothe mentioned changing a name. It would explain his sudden inability to do basic sympathy.
An alternate to that sort of name change, is the idea that he's trying to use his actions to change his name (as they say that things and people are shaped by their names, and they in turn shape their names). Given that knowing a true name gives you mastery over a thing or person, he could be trying to change his name in order to prevent someone who has learned his name from having mastery over him.
An alternate to that sort of name change, is the idea that he's trying to use his actions to change his name (as they say that things and people are shaped by their names, and they in turn shape their names). Given that knowing a true name gives you mastery over a thing or person, he could be trying to change his name in order to prevent someone who has learned his name from having mastery over him.
Aaron mentions a poem about Kvothe. I think it's likely that it's talking about the names that Kvothe knows, which makes me wonder what the last one is.
On his first hand he wore rings of stone,
Iron, amber, wood and bone,
There were rings unseen on his second hand,
One was blood in a flowing band,
One of air all whisper thin
And the ring of ice had a flaw within,
Full faintly shone the ring of flame,
And the final ring was without a name.
Kvothe's "Thrice Locked Box"
I've wondered a lot about what's in Kvothe's box. Part of me thinks that the Loeclos box is in there, but I also don't think he'd need a box that large just for that. I wonder if part of Kvothe's name is in there. That could be how he bound his powers.
It's obviously got a lock of iron and one of copper, but I'm wondering what the third lock is. He has the keys for the obvious locks, but it seems like the third is something he can't open. I'm also guessing that Roah (or a shaped version of Roah) is the wood used for the Loeclos box. A wood that can't be cut with a hatchet or burned seems like it would be capable of lasting thousands of years.
The Chandrian
I've wondered a lot about what's in Kvothe's box. Part of me thinks that the Loeclos box is in there, but I also don't think he'd need a box that large just for that. I wonder if part of Kvothe's name is in there. That could be how he bound his powers.
It's obviously got a lock of iron and one of copper, but I'm wondering what the third lock is. He has the keys for the obvious locks, but it seems like the third is something he can't open. I'm also guessing that Roah (or a shaped version of Roah) is the wood used for the Loeclos box. A wood that can't be cut with a hatchet or burned seems like it would be capable of lasting thousands of years.
The Chandrian
Cyphus bears the blue flame.
Stercus is in thrall of iron.
Ferule chill and dark of eye.
Usnea lives in nothing but decay.
Grey Dalcenti never speaks.
Pale Alenta brings the blight.
Last there is the lord of seven:
Hated. Hopeless. Sleepless. Sane.
Alaxel bears the shadow's hame.
"When the hearthfire turns to blue,
what to do? What to do?
Run outside. Run and hide.
When your bright sword turns to rust?
Who to trust? Who to trust?
Stand alone. Standing stone.
See a woman pale as snow?
Silent come and silent go.
What's their plan? What's their plan?
Chandrian. Chandrian."
The main thing in this song that I find interesting is the "stand alone. Standing stone." I wonder if that means that Waystones can offer protection from the Chandrian if approached correctly, or if it's just a reference to the fact that Waystones are an entrance to the Fae and the Sithe (and possibly Amyr) are of the Fae. I think it's likely that the reason the Chandrian left so quickly after murdering the rest of Kvothe's troupe (without even staying to finish what they came to do) is that either the Sithe or the Amyr were getting ready to come through the Waystones.
"When the hearthfire turns to blue,
What to do? What to do?
Run outside. Run and hide.
When his eyes are black as crow?
Where to go? Where to go?
Near and far. Here they are.
See a man without a face?
Move like ghosts from place to place?
What's their plan? What's their plan?
Chandrian. Chandrian."
This one is similar to the other, except that the individual verses are obviously talking about different members of the Chandrian, the second referring to Cinder, and the third referring to Haliax.
"When the hearthfire turns to blue,
What to do? What to do?
Run outside. Run and hide.
When his eyes are black as crow?
Where to go? Where to go?
Near and far. Here they are.
See a man without a face?
Move like ghosts from place to place?
What's their plan? What's their plan?
Chandrian. Chandrian."
This one is similar to the other, except that the individual verses are obviously talking about different members of the Chandrian, the second referring to Cinder, and the third referring to Haliax.
Someone pointed out to me that the sevens in the Pairs cards each represent one of the Chandrian's signs. The seven signs are:
Collapse, the Dark, Death, Fire, Sickness, Storm, Strife.
I'm trying, based on the information we have, to match each sign with the member of the Chandrian I think it's most likely to go with.
1. Alaxel/Haliax/Lanre
In the story of Lanre, Selitos tells him "Your own name shall be turned against you that you shall have no peace". I wonder if that's why the Chandrian don't want any songs about them, and why they need protection from the singers as well as the Amyr and the Sithe.
I think we can guess that Lanre went to see the Ctheath, and was told whatever truths it took to cause the death of Lyra (or just fail to prevent it).
They depict Haliax as having a mirror by his feet and moon stages all around him. It's possible that the moon stages are because he makes the moon go dark whenever he appears, but it could just as easily have something to do with the Fae. I think the Fae is more likely. It could also be a depiction of his connection to Iax. They also picture him with two candles, one yellow candle with orange flame, and one gray candle with black flame. I wonder if this is also a reference to the Fae, in that everything in the Fae works slightly differently than it does in the normal realm and Haliax is tied to both.
In the story of the Creation War, Skarpi talks about the beast Lanre slayed at the battle of Drossen Tor being put behind the doors of stone. Months or years later Lanre shows up in Myr Tariniel wearing the beast's scales as armor, and with naming powers that he didn't possess before. Given that Iax is also locked behind the Doors of Stone, I think it's likely that Haliax made a deal with him in order to get some of his power. We're told that Haliax visited the Cthaeh before his betrayal of Myr Tariniel, probably to get one of the panacea flowers, and I imagine that the Cthaeh said something along the lines of "Lyra is already dead, my flowers can't heal the dead. If only you had the power to call her back from the doors of death, as she did you, but you're no Iax." (Keep in mind that all of that is just speculation). If that were the case, it would also make sense that Selitos, sensing Iax's power on Lanre, would include Iax in his new name.
He's described a couple of times as shadow-hamed, and the Adem's poem says he "bears the shadow's hame". A hame is part of a draft horse's collar, which makes me wonder what Haliax is collared to. Similarly, Arlidan has heard him described as "yoked to shadow". If my theory is correct and the Doors of Stone lead to a third realm, one of monsters and shadows, I think it's likely that his connection to Iax has him collared to that realm (note: I use realm for lack of a better word, if you can think of a better word, please share it). Someone in a Kingkiller Chronicles group I'm in mentioned that the archaic meaning of the word hamed is skin, or covering. Knowing that, I think it's also possible that shadow-hamed is solely a description of the shadow covering his face, and not any sort of connection, and yoked to shadow has come from people's misinterpretation of that phrase, or just the obvious connection between Haliax and shadow. It would still be interesting though.
I think it's clear that "the Dark" would be his sign.
In the story of the Creation War, Skarpi talks about the beast Lanre slayed at the battle of Drossen Tor being put behind the doors of stone. Months or years later Lanre shows up in Myr Tariniel wearing the beast's scales as armor, and with naming powers that he didn't possess before. Given that Iax is also locked behind the Doors of Stone, I think it's likely that Haliax made a deal with him in order to get some of his power. We're told that Haliax visited the Cthaeh before his betrayal of Myr Tariniel, probably to get one of the panacea flowers, and I imagine that the Cthaeh said something along the lines of "Lyra is already dead, my flowers can't heal the dead. If only you had the power to call her back from the doors of death, as she did you, but you're no Iax." (Keep in mind that all of that is just speculation). If that were the case, it would also make sense that Selitos, sensing Iax's power on Lanre, would include Iax in his new name.
He's described a couple of times as shadow-hamed, and the Adem's poem says he "bears the shadow's hame". A hame is part of a draft horse's collar, which makes me wonder what Haliax is collared to. Similarly, Arlidan has heard him described as "yoked to shadow". If my theory is correct and the Doors of Stone lead to a third realm, one of monsters and shadows, I think it's likely that his connection to Iax has him collared to that realm (note: I use realm for lack of a better word, if you can think of a better word, please share it). Someone in a Kingkiller Chronicles group I'm in mentioned that the archaic meaning of the word hamed is skin, or covering. Knowing that, I think it's also possible that shadow-hamed is solely a description of the shadow covering his face, and not any sort of connection, and yoked to shadow has come from people's misinterpretation of that phrase, or just the obvious connection between Haliax and shadow. It would still be interesting though.
I think it's clear that "the Dark" would be his sign.
2. Cinder/Ferule
Cinder is described as pale and white haired, sharp, and cold, and almost beautiful. He's depicted as standing on water and surrounded by snow. One of the signs of the Chandrian mentioned is a chill in the air, maybe that's what this is depicting.
All of the Fae we've heard described (Bast and Felurian) are described as having no whites in their eyes, like Cinder. Since they say that none of the Amyr were human, it doesn't seem unlikely that some of the Chandrian aren't either.
I think that he's Master Ash. We know that Kvothe occasionally names thing accidentally, and when Kvothe is finding a name for Master Ash, he first goes through a series of names starting with f, many of which are close to ferule. He settles on Master Ash (despite the fact that Denna implied that it might not've been an Ash leaf), which in itself is telling. Master Ash sent Denna to the Mauthen wedding and had her give him a guest count right before the Chandrian arrived and slaughtered all of the guests. The day that Denna met Master Ash, the canister holding the reagent shattered because it got too cold, and Cinder is depicted as surrounded by snow on the urn. If it's true that Cinder is Master Ash, it's interesting that he's researching genealogies. Maybe he's looking for progeny of the Amyr or Selitos (though they've said that none of the Amyr were human), I think it's more likely that he's looking for Iax's descendants, to try to find the Loeclos box.
Amish at a forum here also shared that ferule is an actual word for a rod, cane or flat, ruler-like piece of wood used to discipline children. Foreveraloneboy at the same forum shared that ferula is also a plant from which the Romans used to make hollow rods, also used for punishment. We know that names are extremely important in this world, so I definitely don't think that it's a coincidence and I think it points further to Cinder being Denna's patron.
Given that he's depicted on the vase in snow, I think it's likely that Cinder's sign is storm (or other weather-related changes).
All of the Fae we've heard described (Bast and Felurian) are described as having no whites in their eyes, like Cinder. Since they say that none of the Amyr were human, it doesn't seem unlikely that some of the Chandrian aren't either.
I think that he's Master Ash. We know that Kvothe occasionally names thing accidentally, and when Kvothe is finding a name for Master Ash, he first goes through a series of names starting with f, many of which are close to ferule. He settles on Master Ash (despite the fact that Denna implied that it might not've been an Ash leaf), which in itself is telling. Master Ash sent Denna to the Mauthen wedding and had her give him a guest count right before the Chandrian arrived and slaughtered all of the guests. The day that Denna met Master Ash, the canister holding the reagent shattered because it got too cold, and Cinder is depicted as surrounded by snow on the urn. If it's true that Cinder is Master Ash, it's interesting that he's researching genealogies. Maybe he's looking for progeny of the Amyr or Selitos (though they've said that none of the Amyr were human), I think it's more likely that he's looking for Iax's descendants, to try to find the Loeclos box.
Amish at a forum here also shared that ferule is an actual word for a rod, cane or flat, ruler-like piece of wood used to discipline children. Foreveraloneboy at the same forum shared that ferula is also a plant from which the Romans used to make hollow rods, also used for punishment. We know that names are extremely important in this world, so I definitely don't think that it's a coincidence and I think it points further to Cinder being Denna's patron.
Given that he's depicted on the vase in snow, I think it's likely that Cinder's sign is storm (or other weather-related changes).
3. Cyphus
According to the Adem blue flame is his sign. We don't hear a real description of Cyphus on the pot, but Nina mentions fire, so I'm guessing he was depicted with blue flame.
Cyphus is probably fire.
Cyphus is probably fire.
4. Stercus
The Adem's poem describes Stercus as "in thrall of iron". I'm guessing that Stercus is Faen, and that he's the man on the plate with a dog biting his leg.
Given that he's depicted by a dog biting his leg, I'm guessing that Stercus represents Strife.
5. Usnea
"Usnea lives in nothing but decay".
I'm guessing that she makes metal rust and is the woman portrayed on the vase as holding a broken sword.
I think Usnea's sign is Collapse.
I think Usnea's sign is Collapse.
6. Dalcenti
Dalcenti is the only one without a sign specifically mentioned by the Adem, but I'm guessing that his sign is death (hence the silence) and that this is the man depicted on the Vase next to a dead tree. The only thing this doesn't fit with for me is the song, "see the woman, pale as snow, silent come and silent go", as I don't think Dalcenti is a woman.
I think Dalcenti's sign is Death.
I think Dalcenti's sign is Death.
7. Alenta
"Pale Alenta brings the blight". I'm guessing this is the woman depicted on the Plate with some of her clothes off, mostly because I couldn't think of anyone else that would be. Maybe she causes infertility in people, as well as killing crops.
Alenta's sign is likely Sickness.
"Pale Alenta brings the blight". I'm guessing this is the woman depicted on the Plate with some of her clothes off, mostly because I couldn't think of anyone else that would be. Maybe she causes infertility in people, as well as killing crops.
Alenta's sign is likely Sickness.
It's obvious from the fact that they hunted down and killed Arlidan's troupe, and from the rules that the Adem have surrounding their story that they can track the people who use their names.
The information about the meaning of Ferule and Ferula made me curious as to whether any of the other names have meanings in Latin that might be relevant. Stercus means manure in Latin (although I'm not sure if that's relevant), Cyphus means chalice (again, I'm unsure of relevance).Usnea is a type of lichen, which is interesting because lichen is often a sign of sickness in trees.
The Chandrian fear The Amyr, the singers, and the Sithe.
The Amyr
The Amyr are mentioned in many forms. According to Felurian, the Amyr were never mortals, but from the history of the church, it seems that some of them must have been.
Some think that Gibea was a secret member of the Amyr- he killed thousands to gain knowledge of physiognomy. It could be said that what he did, though incredibly disturbing, was for the greater good. If he was an Amyr, it's obvious that some of them were human, because I feel like the Fae wouldn't be particularly interested in the physiognomy of humans.
They talk also of the Ciridae, whose actions can never be questioned. I was also interested to find that Sir Savien (whose song Kvothe won his pipes with) was one of the Amyr.
I think that Lorren is one of the Amyr, it would explain his curiosity about Arlidan (surely the Amyr would've heard of the troop that was murdered by the Chandrian) and would explain his desire to keep Kvothe from studying the Amyr and the Chandrian (though the reasons he gave are also legitimate). It also seems quite impossible that someone could be censoring books in the Archives without Lorren's knowledge, and it would be remiss of the Amyr not to have a member placed in what is arguably the largest library in the world. Additionally, if the Archives were built around the four plate door to protect it (I'd always thought of the four plate door as coming second, but someone recently pointed out that it makes more sense for the University to have been built around it) then the Amyr would have another reason to make sure the Master Archivist was one of their own. While this isn't related to my belief that Lorren is one of the Amyr, I think it's likely that he's Ademic. They mention his expressionless regularly, and have mentioned his hand gestures on more than one occasion.
I think that Lorren is one of the Amyr, it would explain his curiosity about Arlidan (surely the Amyr would've heard of the troop that was murdered by the Chandrian) and would explain his desire to keep Kvothe from studying the Amyr and the Chandrian (though the reasons he gave are also legitimate). It also seems quite impossible that someone could be censoring books in the Archives without Lorren's knowledge, and it would be remiss of the Amyr not to have a member placed in what is arguably the largest library in the world. Additionally, if the Archives were built around the four plate door to protect it (I'd always thought of the four plate door as coming second, but someone recently pointed out that it makes more sense for the University to have been built around it) then the Amyr would have another reason to make sure the Master Archivist was one of their own. While this isn't related to my belief that Lorren is one of the Amyr, I think it's likely that he's Ademic. They mention his expressionless regularly, and have mentioned his hand gestures on more than one occasion.
The Singers:
I'm assuming this has something to do with Selitos's punishment for Lanre, "Your own name will be turned against you, that you shall have no peace."
The Sithe:
The Sithe seem to be essentially the Fae equivalent of the Amyr (although according to Felurian the Amyr are of the Fae too, so who knows). They do whatever is necessary for the greater good. I wonder if Lanre's visit to the Ctheath was what made them realize that they needed to keep people from going near the Ctheath, or kill them to keep them from leaving after they spoke to it. Obviously
Stories:
Trapis's Story:
While I think for the most part Trapis's story is just the Tehlin church's morality tale, loosely based on the events that happened surrounding the end of the Creation War and the betrayal of the seven cities, there are still a couple of things I found interesting. First I think that the "demons" of the story are just Fae (hence their fear of cold iron and clean fire). Second, Trapis has Tehlu saying "all lives end in death, excepting one. Such is the way of things" and I can't help but wonder if that's referring to Haliax. We already know that the "Gods" mentioned in the stories of the time aren't actually Gods, so it stands to reason that, while they won't necessarily die of old age, they can still be killed. The only person we hear that being untrue of is Haliax, which is what makes me wonder if that's who he's talking about (even though they clearly pulled some of the descriptions of Encanis from Haliax.) Now, it seems like Encanis is a storybook version of Haliax, which would mean there should only be six who refuse to cross, instead of seven. When Tehlu strikes down the fourth, there's "a sound like quenching iron and the smell of burning leather". The story says that he wasn't a man at all, but a demon wearing the skin of man. We could take that literally and assume that he's a skin-walker, but the smell of burning leather makes me wonder if that's the parable version of the Cthaeh, and rather than literally wearing the skin of men, it's speaking of its ability to act through men, pushing them toward the wrong actions. Trapis's story talks about how Encanis travels, killing crops and poisoning wells, and he later speaks of feeling the chill of his passing. I'm wondering if that refers to some of the signs of the other Chandrian. Since they often travel together, it's unsurprising that people would come to associate various signs with Haliax. I also thought that Tehlu's words when he was on the fire with Encanis were interesting, "if I am needed and called in the proper ways then I will come again to judge and punish." We know that Cinder took notice of Marten when he started praying to Tehlu, but I wonder if it was the specific prayer that drew Cinder's attention to him, "Tehlu who was Menda who you were. Watch over me in Menda's name, in Perial's name."
Skarpi's First Story:
The first story we hear Skarpi tell is the story of Lanre and the Creation War. The first thing that caught me when rereading this story, is how parts of the description of Myr Tariniel, remind me of Haert, "It sat among the tall mountains of the world like a gem on the crown of a king [...] the buildings were tall and graceful, carved from the mountain itself, carved of a bright white stone that held the sun's light long after evening fell." Since noticing that, I've been imagining Myr Tariniel nestled into the V made by the Stormwal Mts. in Ademre. He mentions the eight cities, Belen, Antus, Vaeret, Tinusa, Emlen, and the twin cities of Murilla and Murella, along with Myr Tariniel. The story speaks of a great beast at the Blac of Drossen Tor "with scales of black iron, [and] whose breath was a darkness that smothered men." I'm wondering if this beast was some sort of relative of the draccus. Lanre fights the beast, and dies defeating it, and the beast is set beyond the doors of stone (while he's dead). Lyra calls Lanre back into the world of the living, and people begin to have hope again. Rumors start to surface about Lyra's health and well-being, and then about Lanre fleeing the Empire, "some even said Lanre had killed himself and gone searching for his wife in the land of the dead". I think the rumors of Lyra being unwell are true, and I think that the rumors of Lanre leaving the Empire refer to his time in the Fae (visiting the Cthaeh) and his time beyond the Doors of Stone (visiting Iax). Lanre returns to Myr Tariniel, betrays the city, and Selitos sees "how Lanre, nearly mad with grief, had sought the power to bring Lyra back to life again. Out of love for Lyra, Lanre had sought knowledge where knowledge is better left alone, and gained it at a terrible price." Personally I think this refers to the deal he made with Iax, he got naming power, but lost the ability to enter any of the four doors of the mind to escape his grief. Selitos adds to his curse "this is my doom upon you. Your own name will be turned against you, that you shall have no peace. This is my doom upon you and all who follow you. May it last until the world ends and the Aleu fall nameless from the sky." I think this is why the Chandrian seek out and kill people who know their names. I imagine it as an annoyance, as if every time someone says their name, they are forced to hear a piece of what that person is saying. One person talking about you would be a mildly annoying disruption, a world full of people would be excruciating.
Skarpi's Second Story:
I honestly hadn't thought about Skarpi's second story (or second half of the first story, depending on your perspective) until recently, when I saw a post in a fan group asking about it. I decided to read it again, and noticed a few interesting things. First, Aleph appears to be an almost Godlike character in this story, but in the Lanre story, Selitos describes Aleph as a namer (one of three that can match his talent, the other two being Lyra and Iax). I assume that this means that Aleph is a shaper, as well as a namer, and as such has some abilities that seem Godlike (like the ability to change the true names of some of the Ruach, and essentially make them into Angels of Justice). One of the Ruach that he transformed in this way, was Tehlu. I've always assumed that the story that Trapis told was just the Tehlin morality tale, and happened to draw from the story of the Creation War, and the Tehlin priests' reaction to Skarpi's story makes me feel that that's likely. Obviously, they wouldn't want people to know that Tehlu was just an angel, or that he'd been made such by a shaper.
I also found it interesting that Skarpi knew Kvothe's name (and Erlus's), and knew about Kvothe's hiding place on the roof. I'm guessing that he studied at the University and has some naming prowess.
Daeonica:
Daeonica is mentioned several times in the book, and while we don't get to hear the entire thing, I've been wondering if Daeonica might be a different version of the story of Lanre and the Chandrian (though obviously with different names) which shows Lanre in a more positive light. This is more of a feeling that I have than a fully-flushed out theory, but I think it could fit. Arlidan mentions stories in which Lanre sells his soul (though Ben says that this is nonsense), and we know that in Daeonica Tarsus sells his soul. I think the "hell" mentioned in Daeonica is actually the realm beyond the Doors of Stone. I'm not sure if the revenge that Tarsus says he's bringing down would be on the world that stole Lyra from him, Selitos, or Iax himself. Also, in Wise Man's Fear, when Kvothe is researching the Chandrian, he mentions that the names are easier to come by, but most of them are stolen from the Book of Path or Daeonica.
The Cthaeh:
Obviously the Cthaeh is important because of his role in Kvothe's story. From what the Cthaeh told him, I'm guessing that Kvothe is going to be rash when he goes after Denna's patron, but I'm not sure what else his words will lead to.
I found it interesting to know that the Cthaeh had started at least two major wars in the Faen realm, and that both Iax had visited the Cthaeh before he stole the moon, and Lanre had visited it before his betrayal of Myr Tyriniel. I think that Lanre went to it to get the flower to revive Lyra, only to be lead astray instead.
I also think that the way Bast describes the Cthaeh is a little off. I think it can see what effects its words would have, and see the choices that the person it's speaking to would make, but not necessarily see the choices that other people would make (hence not seeing that it was going to be imprisoned, and probably not seeing which people the Sithe would accidentally leave alive.) I feel like the mythology surrounding the Cthaeh is similar to the stories surrounding Kvothe, it's grown beyond what the Cthaeh can actually do. I also think that in the case of the Cthaeh, people magnify its powers when they talk about it to prevent people from going to see it. Fewer people are likely to try to beat it if they believe that it's omniscient.
The Creation War:
The story of Jax/Iax a the Creation War seem like they're going to become more relevant in the next book. I think it's clear from Felurian talking of Iax stealing part of the moon and from what Skarpi says of the Creation War (and his mention of Iax being one of the three people in the world who could match Selitos's skills in naming) that Hespe's story has some sort of historical basis.
-The story talks of Jax living in "an old house at the end of a broken road". It's possible that that's just a weird wording in the story as Hespe's mother told it, but I can't help if that road is the "road that's not for traveling" from the Lackless song that Kvothe got caught singing as a child.
The other things that I think are important are the three things in the tinker's third pack. Kvothe mentions many times the importance of the numbers three and seven in stories, so I would expect the third pack to be important even if it weren't as obvious as it is. The third pack contained a flute that could draw creatures to it when played, even the moon. It seems to have the same sort of enthralling power as Felurian's song. I'm not sure if that will be important later, or if that was just added to the story to make three objects in the pack. The second item in the box is the folding house. They describe it as a little off, some of the rooms "showed a strange sky of unfamiliar stars. Everything about the place was slightly skewed. In one room you could look out the window at the springtime flowers, while across the hall the windows were filmed with winter's frost. It could be time for breakfast in the ballroom, while twilight filled a nearby bedroom." I don't think that Jax unfolded a folding house and created the Fae, but I think that the folding house was the storybook version of the creation of the Fae (since the actual story would've been long, complicated, and somewhat less interesting). The story also says "Because nothing in the house was true, none of the doors or windows fit tight. They could be closed, even locked, but never made fast. And as big as it was, the mansion had a great many doors and windows, so there were a great many ways in and out." I think this is a reference to all the places in which the Fae can be entered and exited when the time is right. The third item in the tinker's pack is the box in which he trapped a piece of the moon's name. I think that box is the Lackless box. It would explain the line about "in a box, no lid or locks, Lackless keeps her husband's rocks." Since the name is the essence of a thing, it would make sense that from the outside, a box that held part of the moon's name would feel as if it contained heavy rocks. I also wonder if this is why Cinder had Denna researching genealogies. Perhaps he's trying to find Iax's descendants.
Selitos mentions in his story of the Creation War that there was one city that didn't fall, this is also true in the Ademic version. Their version describes the empire as having "seven cities and one city. The names of the seven cities are forgotten, for they are fallen to treachery and destroyed by time. The one city was destroyed as well, but its name remains. It was called Tariniel." The Ademic version speaks of Alaxel (who is known as Lanre in Selitos's version) as poisoning seven others against the Empire, but one remembered the Lethani in time, and didn't betray the Empire, so his city didn't fall. I'm wondering if that one person, became one of the first Amyr, alongside Selitos, or if he founded Ademre.
I'm not sure if they actual location of Myr Tariniel will end up being important. It's described as being nestled in the mountains ("it sat among the mountains of the world like a gem on the crown of a king"), and Skarpi's description of it is extremely similar to descriptions of Haert. Skarpi's description of Myr Tariniel: "The buildings were tall and graceful, carved from the mountain itself, carved of a bright white stone that held the sun's long light long after evening fell." While Kvothe doesn't describe the color of the stone in Haert, he talks about how the Adem houses are "worked cunningly into the landscape". It's quite possible that I'm reading too much into this, and equally possible that someone who had visited the Adem started describing Myr Tariniel that way at some point, having never visited Myr Tariniel, and knowing that most would never visit any part of the Adem. I'm just a little curious where Myr Tariniel was.
Selitos mentions in his story of the Creation War that there was one city that didn't fall, this is also true in the Ademic version. Their version describes the empire as having "seven cities and one city. The names of the seven cities are forgotten, for they are fallen to treachery and destroyed by time. The one city was destroyed as well, but its name remains. It was called Tariniel." The Ademic version speaks of Alaxel (who is known as Lanre in Selitos's version) as poisoning seven others against the Empire, but one remembered the Lethani in time, and didn't betray the Empire, so his city didn't fall. I'm wondering if that one person, became one of the first Amyr, alongside Selitos, or if he founded Ademre.
I'm not sure if they actual location of Myr Tariniel will end up being important. It's described as being nestled in the mountains ("it sat among the mountains of the world like a gem on the crown of a king"), and Skarpi's description of it is extremely similar to descriptions of Haert. Skarpi's description of Myr Tariniel: "The buildings were tall and graceful, carved from the mountain itself, carved of a bright white stone that held the sun's long light long after evening fell." While Kvothe doesn't describe the color of the stone in Haert, he talks about how the Adem houses are "worked cunningly into the landscape". It's quite possible that I'm reading too much into this, and equally possible that someone who had visited the Adem started describing Myr Tariniel that way at some point, having never visited Myr Tariniel, and knowing that most would never visit any part of the Adem. I'm just a little curious where Myr Tariniel was.
The Lackless family and the Songs/Poems
I've suspected from my first reading that Laurian might be Meluan's sister. She hints many times at her noble birth, and being stolen away by Arlidan's beautiful voice. Meluan's sister was stolen away in just that way. I also thought that mentioning Laurian's reaction to the song as Kvothe sang it was a really tidy way to introduce this possibility. The fact that he remembers her rebuke so many years later suggests that it was important, even if Kvothe didn't know it. Someone else also pointed out that in Arlidan's song, he hints at the fact that she was Netalia Lackless (and calls her Tally). From Meluan's deep anger I'm guessing it goes beyond that, I wonder if Meluan was also rather taken by Arlidan and bitter at not being chosen, or if that bitterness truly comes just from being abandoned by her sister.
There's a lot of rumor surrounding the Lackless family, that extends beyond a couple of children's songs. Caudicus mentions a mysterious family heirloom that dates back to the beginning of their line. He also talks of rumors that on the oldest part of their lands there's "a secret door. A door without handles or hinges [...] There's no way of opening it. It is locked, but at the same time, lockless. No one knows what's on the other side."
There's a lot of rumor surrounding the Lackless family, that extends beyond a couple of children's songs. Caudicus mentions a mysterious family heirloom that dates back to the beginning of their line. He also talks of rumors that on the oldest part of their lands there's "a secret door. A door without handles or hinges [...] There's no way of opening it. It is locked, but at the same time, lockless. No one knows what's on the other side."
"Though no family can boast a truly peaceful past, the Lacklesses have been especially ripe with misfortune. Some from without: assassination, invasion, peasant revolt, and theft. More telling is misfortune that comes from within: how can a family thrive when the oldest heir forsakes all family duty? Small wonder they are often called 'Luckless' by their detractors.
It seems a testament to the strength of their blood that they have survived so much for so long. Indeed, if not for the burning of Caluptena, we might possess records tracing the Lackless family back far enough for them to rival the royal line of Modeg in its antiquity..."
First Lackless Song
Seven things has Lady Lackless
Keeps the underneath her black dress
One a ring that's not for wearing
A ring of wood or bone, I'm guessing wood
One a sharp word, not for swearing
I expect this is a name. When Kvothe knew Felurian's name he made it seem as if he could cut her open as easily as breathe. A true name would certainly be considered a sharp word.
Right beside her husband's candle
There's a door without a handle
The Doors of Stone, probably
In a box, no lid or locks
Obviously this is the Lackless box, I'm wondering (along with everyone else who's read the books) if it's also the box that Kote has in his rooms, or in the box he has in his rooms. I also think this is the box from the story of Jax.
Lackless keeps her husband's rocks
Since a name is the essence of a thing, I'd imagine a piece of the moon's name would feel rather like rocks.
There's a secret she's been keeping
She's been dreaming and not sleeping
I have two theories on this. The first is that she was a namer. From someone on the outside, entering the sleeping mind would look like daydreaming. Also Felurian describes the ones who know the names of all things and move to change them as "shapers, proud dreamers" which makes me thing this theory is the true one. My other theory is that perhaps this is their way of saying that she's entering the Fae. Surely to a mortal the place would seem rather dreamlike (perhaps nightmarish), and it can only be entered on moonlit nights.
On a road that's not for traveling
The broken road from the story of the Jax, perhaps? Felurian describes the moon as "not so. a traveler, yes. a wanderer, no. she moves but cannot freely go."
Lackless likes her riddle raveling.
I'm assuming this is a reference to the fact that she ran off with one of the Edema Ruh
Lackless Poem:
Seven things stand before
The entrance to the Lackless door
I think the Lackless door is one of many of the Doors of Stone. I think that whatever its purpose is (whether it's an entrance to the Fae or not) it's the same as the four plate door at the Archives
One of them a ring unworn
I'm guessing this is the wooden ring again, it could also be a reference to the Doors of Stone all being protected by Copper, as in the days of people wearing rings for the names they know, Copper wouldn't be one that was worn often
One a word that is forsworn
One a time that must be right
I'm guessing this is that time when one can enter the Fae
One a candle without light
Haliax is portrayed with a candle with black flame, given that the Lackless box came about at the time of the Creation War, which is around the same time as Lanre became Haliax, this could be related
One a son who brings the blood
Foreshadowing to Kvothe? I thought for a moment it could be a reference to Iax, but the creation war was thousands of years before the name Lackless was changed from Loeclos. Then again, it's possible that the name in the song changed over the years to match the family's name.
One a door that holds the flood
I'm wondering if this is the Doors of Stone. There have only been a few mentions of the doors of stone, and they mention putting troubling creatures or beings behind it. I wonder if they're the flood.
One a thing tight-held in keeping
A Key maybe? (Perhaps the Key Auri gives Kvothe)
Then comes that which comes with sleeping.
Dreaming? Or naming.
Laurian
Dark Laurian, Arliden's wife
Has a face like a blade of a knife
Has a voice like a prickledown burr
But can tally a sum like a moneylender
My sweet Tally cannot cook.
But she keeps a tidy ledger-book
For all her faults I do confess
It's worth my life to make my wife
Not tally a lot less...
Not tally a lot less sounds rather like Netalia Lackless, and I imagine that that's the real reason that he found himself sleeping under the wagon.
Kvothe also feels like he recognizes Meluan when he meets her, "I knew her, I was certain of it. But I couldn't for the life of me remember where we might have met..."
The Lackless Box:
When we see the Lackless Box, it's in a chest made of birch and bound in brass, about the size of a drum. Meluan exposed the lock by pressing on two panels (so it looked to be lockless at the beginning). When the lock is exposed, it's circular, rather than normal lock shaped and the key is also circular.
The box itself is made of wood, with carvings that had mostly rubbed away over the years. It looked like a solid piece of wood, but Kvothe mentioned that it "felt" like a box. I wonder if it's his slight ability as a namer that let him notice that, or if that's something anyone would notice. The wood itself was dark, like roah, but with a deep red grain and with a smell like spicewood. Kvothe guessed it was about three thousand years old, but if the Creation War was five thousand years ago, it would've had to be older than that, I doubt the Creation War lasted two thousand years.
Swarn Gill, from a group I'm in pointed out that the smell of the wood of the Lackless box is described very similarly to the smell of the tree the Cthaeh is in. When Kvothe comes upon the Cthaeh's tree he says "the wind shifted, and as the leaves stirred I smelled a strange, sweet smell. It was like smoke and spice and leather and lemon. It was compelling smell." Later, when he's looking at the Lackless box he notes "the wood itself was interesting. It was dark enough to be roah, but it had a deep red grain. What's more, it seemed to be spicewood. It smelled faintly of... something. A familiar smell I couldn't quite put my finger on [...] something almost like lemon. It was maddeningly familiar." I also noticed in my latest reread, that when we first see Kvothe's thrice-locked chest, which is made of roah, it says "the wood filled the room with the almost imperceptible aroma of citrus and quenching iron". Graham also mentions that when he was searing the mounting board it "made a stink like old leather and clover", and leather was one of the things Kvothe smelled when approaching the Rhinna tree the Cthaeh is in. I'm not at all sure if it's significant, but perhaps roah has properties that make it ideal for holding onto things. We know things are different in the Fae (and obviously the trees in the mortal realm don't carry panacea flowers) but the wood used for the Lackless box and the wood at the Cthaeh's tree seem to at least smell very similar to roah.
Doors of Stone:
The first time I noticed the Doors of Stone mentioned was in the story of Lanre. When he slayed the great beast it was set beyond the Doors of Stone.
Felurian mentions it again. She mentions that the one who stole the moon is "shut beyond the doors of stone."
I'm assuming (based on what Felurian said about Iax, and the fact that Lanre came to Myr Tariniel wearing the skin of the beast he'd slain, which had been set behind the Doors of Stone) that he went beyond the doors of stone to somehow make a deal with Iax to get the power he wanted in exchange for something (although I haven't figured out what yet).
I'm assuming (based on what Felurian said about Iax, and the fact that Lanre came to Myr Tariniel wearing the skin of the beast he'd slain, which had been set behind the Doors of Stone) that he went beyond the doors of stone to somehow make a deal with Iax to get the power he wanted in exchange for something (although I haven't figured out what yet).
The Ctheath mentions the Doors of Stone as well (or so I believe) "Stick by the Maer and he will lead you to their door." So far, all the Maer led Kvothe to was the University, which leaves me with two theories, either Kvothe will find his way back to the Maer at some point (which seems pretty likely, as I believe he has the Lackless box), or the Doors of Stone are the same as the doors in the Archives (as in it's one door, that can lead many places), or the door in the Archives is one of the Doors of Stone.
Personally, I think that Valaritas is one of the Doors of Stone, that they've chosen to protect using a second door of copper on top of it (since students of naming are at the University, and copper is a more difficult name to master than stone.)
Copper
I've read on a couple of forums that Copper is essentially unnameable in this word (their evidence being that Elodin doesn't know the name of copper, Taborlin carried a copper sword, and Faen folks fear copper knives), but I think that's pretty unlikely. I don't think that there's any material that's beyond understanding in terms of names. I think it's more likely that that's simply one of the most difficult things to name. If that's the case, it would make sense that Taborlin would carry a sword of Copper, because carrying a sword he'd made with his use of one of the most difficult names would be a huge sign of status as a namer. Similarly, Faen folk would fear people who wield copper knives, because they'd know that they're extremely powerful namers.
Waystones
There's a lot of mythology regarding Waystones, but I think that they mark places where you can enter the Fae when the time is right (I don't think it's a coincidence that Kvothe walked past one after leaving Felurian).
Personally, I think that Valaritas is one of the Doors of Stone, that they've chosen to protect using a second door of copper on top of it (since students of naming are at the University, and copper is a more difficult name to master than stone.)
Copper
I've read on a couple of forums that Copper is essentially unnameable in this word (their evidence being that Elodin doesn't know the name of copper, Taborlin carried a copper sword, and Faen folks fear copper knives), but I think that's pretty unlikely. I don't think that there's any material that's beyond understanding in terms of names. I think it's more likely that that's simply one of the most difficult things to name. If that's the case, it would make sense that Taborlin would carry a sword of Copper, because carrying a sword he'd made with his use of one of the most difficult names would be a huge sign of status as a namer. Similarly, Faen folk would fear people who wield copper knives, because they'd know that they're extremely powerful namers.
Waystones
There's a lot of mythology regarding Waystones, but I think that they mark places where you can enter the Fae when the time is right (I don't think it's a coincidence that Kvothe walked past one after leaving Felurian).
Accidental Naming
We see several incidences of Kvothe accidentally stumbling upon names without realizing. Let me know if I've forgotten any.
-Keth-Selhan - "One Sock"
-Master Ash (I can't say this one for certain, but I think that with the help of the wind, Kvothe found this name for Cinder)
-Auri (assuming that's why Elodin decided to teach Kvothe)
-Spinning Leaf - This one might not be a case of accidental naming, but I think it was. It makes sense that to find the Lethani as the path of the Letantha does would require going into the Spinning Leaf. I also think that while he described Spinning Leaf as largely useless, it's similar enough to the waking up of the sleeping mind that I think he'll realize its value later
-Ceasura (which turns into Kaysera) - The poet killer. At first, wondered if this meant that he killed Ambrose. Now I'm thinking it was named Ceasura because of the break in the line to the Vintish throne that would occur if Kvothe killed King Calanthis.
Although this isn't the same sort of naming you'd think of. Elodin mentions that there are seven words that will make a woman love you. I think that these seven words are different for each woman. Denna notes Kvothe's ability to do this, and he notes it himself with Losi "'For all that, she lacked your fire' and she loved me for those seven words".
I think that's a part of naming.
Auri
I was hoping that some of my questions about Auri would be answered in her novella. I think it's quite likely she was a student of naming, it would explain why Elodin had sought her out so much, and had already felt rather responsible for her before he came across her with Kvothe. After reading the novella, I also think that she was studying alchemy and that could have just as much to do with her mental state as her study of naming. I think the key Auri gives Kvothe will be important later. I think it's rather like when a tinker tries to sell you something that seems random. You know you'll need it later. I wonder if it can be used to open the lackless box (even though there are no visible locks) since Auri says that it opens the moon. The wooden ring Auri gives Kvothe also raised questions for me. I wonder if she knows the name of wood, or if she just found it. It think it's pretty clear from that gift that she's not Vintish (though admittedly that still doesn't narrow things down too much). If she were she'd never have given Kvothe a wooden ring. I'm making a list below of all of the gifts she gives Kvothe as I think some of them will be relevant later. It seems she has a knack for knowing where things belong, and who they belong with. The thing that made me wonder the most was her bottles of hair and blood. I can't help but wonder who she's hiding from, and if perhaps her past catching up with her made her crack, rather than the mentally dangerous nature of naming and the contact with potentially volatile alchemical processes. It's also interesting that she knows about the Ciridae, people seem to have very little accurate knowledge of the Amyr (given that most people think they haven't been around for hundreds of years) and yet she knows of their tattoos, and recognizes the figure she finds as one of the Ciridae, which she somehow feels is appropriate for Kvothe. I wonder too if a part of her knows that he'll eventually commit murder "for the greater good". I'm also wondering if Auri is really princess Ariel (though this is really me grasping at straws, and this is more of an offhand wondering than an actual theory) because Kvothe has mentioned that the story of Princess Ariel is still to come, and because her deeply ingrained manners and sense of propriety imply a royal (or at least upper class) upbringing. If she was a princess, it would also explain her precautions with the blood and hair, as a king would have the resources to have people dowse for her using blood and hair.
Gifts from Auri:
I think that at least in some cases, as with the offers a tinker makes, Auri's gifts will follow the principle of Chekhov's gun, only things that will later be relevant are mentioned. I'm re-reading Wise Man's Fear now, so I'll add her from Wise Man's Fear and from Slow Regard of Silent Things as I go.
A key that, according to Auri, unlocks the moon "that way, if there's a door in the moon you can open it [...] Not that I would encourage that sort of reckless behavior". I thought from the first time that I read Name of the Wind that this key would eventually be useful, and having read Wise Man's Fear I think so even more. Whether it has something to do with the Lackless box or not, I think that if Kvothe holds on to it over the years, he'll be grateful for that.
A coin that will keep him safe at night. It's shaped like an Aturan penance pieces, but it's silver.
The wooden ring that "keeps secrets" and fits Kvothe perfectly because they're his secrets. My first thought about this ring was that it's the wooden ring from the Lackless song. If that's the case, it's hard not to wonder who Auri really is and how she came by it. I also wondered if perhaps she'd made it through her knowledge of the name of wood as it seems very likely that she was studying naming at some point.
A candle that smells of lavender and contains "happy dreams", a kiss and a place to stay if he ever needs one. In the novella, when she's making the candle and his room, she also talks of making him a name (when he comes to her, broken and in need). I wonder if she's the one who re-names him to bind his powers (if that's what happens) and hide who he is. She gives these gifts to him on page 105 of the second book, and we see her make them in her book.
Denna:
Denna is clearly a driving force in a lot of Kvothe's decisions, and I'm constantly curious about her past. It's pretty clear that she's an escort, especially when she's talking to the young girl in Vintas.
The song she's writing is interesting. If it's true that Cinder is her patron, it's interesting that he'd want to rewrite the story of Lanre.
Gather round and listen well,
For I've a tale of tragedy to tell.
I sing of subtle shadow spread
Across a land, and of the man
Who turned his hand toward a purpose few could bear
Fair Lanre: stripped of wife, of life, of pride
Still never from his purpose swayed.
Who fought the tide, and fell, and was betrayed.
I also find it interesting how Denna and Kvothe seem to always end up in the same places. It's unsurprising that they'd find one another in Imre, but finding one another in Tarbean and Severen as well seems too much like fate.
Ambrose:
As I mentioned, I'm hoping that the name Kaysera means that Ambrose is the king Kvothe kills. It's mentioned in the first book that he's sixteenth in the peerage, and he gets several steps closer in the second book (he moves to 13th early on, and then a prince regent dies later, which would bring him to 12th). It's also pretty well-established that he isn't the sort of person who should be allowed to rule. That said, I don't think it's particularly likely. On another note, if Kvothe didn't kill Ambrose, I'd be interested to see Ambrose's reaction when Kvothe's story gets out into the world.
Bredon:
I've heard theories about Bredon being one of the Chandrian, (usually Cinder) but that doesn't seem likely to me, especially since when Kvothe saw the Ctheah it told him that meeting Cinder again was a "twice in a lifetime opportunity" (and Kvothe met with Bredon over and over). I do however think he's one of the Fae. That would explain why he knows Tak (which I assume is a Faen game, rather than a human one) and might explain the rumors of his pagan romp (though it's equally possible that those are just rumors).
Saicere/Ceasura/Kaysera
Saicere means to break, to catch, and to fly. Ceasura is "the jarring break in a line of perfect verse. It [is] the broken breath. It [is] smooth and sharp and deadly". I'm not 100% sure what Kaysera means. It could mean Poet Killer, but it's also possible that it means something else entirely and people just call it the poet killer because that's what it did.
Saicere is clearly several thousand years old. The battle of Drossen Tor is mentioned in its atas, (late enough in the atas that it was no longer interesting, or depressing, and had just become boring). Given that the battle of Drossen Tor was one of the battles during the Creation War, which occurred five thousand years ago, I think it's safe to say that Saicere is at least six or seven thousand years old.
Chronicler notes that Folly isn't Kaysera, I wonder where Folly came from, but I'm also unsurprised that Kote doesn't have Saicere, as it belonged to the school, and would've had to be returned there at the point of his (fake) death. Keeping that sword would've been like telling the whole world that he was still alive.
Kvothe's time in the Fae:
Kvothe describes Felurian's voice as being like Elodin's (and draws several other parallels between them), I don't think that Elodin is one of the Fae, but I think that his naming ability gives all of his speech a power similar to Felurian's power.
This is a long section that I'm copying, but there are several parts of it that I think will be relevant later.
Felurian tells Kvothe this of the moon:
"here is the moon [...] she's tethered tight to both the fae and mortal night [...] thus moves the moon [...] now when I look above, there is no glimmer of the light I love. instead, all like a flower unfurled, her face shines on your mortal world. [...] now all your mortal maidens sigh, for she is fully in my sky. [...]"
Kvothe responds " Beloved by both the Fae and men. Our moon's a merry wanderer then?"
"not so. a traveler, yes. a wanderer, no. she moves but cannot freely go [...] the moon has our two worlds beguiled, like parents clutching at a child, pulling at her, to and fro, neither willing to let go [...] when she is torn, half in your sky, you see how far apart we lie [...] no matter how we long to kiss, the space between us is not ripe for this [...] and when your moon is waxing full, all of faerie feels the pull. she draws us close to you, so bright. and now a visit for a night is easier than walking through a door or stepping off a ship that's near the store [...] 'twas thus while wandering in the wild, you found Felurian, manling child"
"And this is true of any fae?"
"have they the will, and know the way. there are a thousand half-cracked doors that lead between my world and yours. [...] most fae are sly and subtle folk who step as soft as chimney smoke. some go among your kind enshaedn, glamoured as a pack mule lade, or wearing gowns to fit a queen [...] we know enough to not be seen [...] many of the darker sort would love to use you for their sport. what keeps these from moonlit trespass? iron, fire, mirror-glass. elm and ash and copper knives, solid-hearted farmer's wives who know the rules of games we play and give us bread to keep away. but worst of all my people dread the portion of our power we shed when we set foot on mortal earth. [...] when she is full you may still laugh, but know there is a darker half [...] a clever mortal fears the night without a hint of sweet moonlight [...] on such a night, each step you take might catch you in the dark moon's wake, and pull you all unwitting into fae [...] where you will have no choice but stay [...] and on such unfamiliar ground, how can a mortal help but drown [...] I do this so you cannot help but hear. a wise man views a moonless night with fear."
This section is important for a few reasons, first, it tells when movement to and from the Fae is possible, which I think will come up again later. Second, Felurian tells us exactly what one can use to protect against the Fae. I'm not sure if that's just part of how she tells this, or if she knows that it's knowledge Kvothe will need later, but I think parts of it will be important. Third, she mentions once again, that a wise man fears a moonless night.
Kvothe's ability to grab a moonbeam when Felurian commanded him and he wasn't thinking about it was interesting to me. Obviously such things aren't possible in the mortal world (if they were, people with abilities like Elodin's would be able to manipulate shadows and moonbeams like Felurian does) but I'm assuming that his ability to do that was rather like when he called Felurian's name, as Elodin said if he'd known how difficult it was he'd never have been able to do it. He was able to do it because he did it without thinking about it.
Dennerlings:
Dennerlings are mentioned a couple of times throughout the book, and the impression that I get is that they're some sort of Fae creature that's known for being mischevious, and perhaps somewhat unwise. Throughout the book, Denna's white teeth were mentioned quite a bit. I've heard people theorize that it's because she became addicted to Denner resin, but I wonder if instead she's a little bit Dennerling, and if Denner resin was so named because it makes your teeth as white as a Dennerling. Similarly, attention is always drawn to Cinder's white teeth. I've always assumed he was Faen (because of his eyes), but perhaps he's a Dennerling.
Rhinta
The Adem mention that it would be better to call the Chandrian the Rhinta. Since "Vorfelan Rhinata Morie" means something along the lines of "the desire for knowledge shapes a man", I think that Rhinta means shaped or shaper. That would mean that when the skin walker asked Kvothe "Te Rhintae?" he was asking if he's a shaper.
King Killed:
I think that Roderic Calanthis is most likely the king Kvothe kills. When Kvothe was helping to prove to the Maer that he was being poisoned, he sacrificed sipquicks (also known as Calanthis) in order to protect the Maer. Personally, I think that was foreshadowing to Kvothe killing King Calanthis to protect the Maer. I think the Maer will abjure his actions in an attempt to not be seen as a conspirator, which would explain Kvothe's contempt for the Penitent King. If the previous king was killed by someone who is associated with the Maer, that would also explain the unrest, as well as the title of "Penitent King". Given that the soldiers travelling through Newarre wear the Maer's colors (despite not being in his lands), I think that this is the most likely.
Sometimes I hope that the king Kvothe killed is Ambrose, but I also think that's what Rothfuss expects us to think, so it probably won't be. I think there's also a chance that he's the penitent king. He has a lot to pay penance for, and it would explain why Kvothe was so horrified by the idea of toasting to the Penitent king (though there could easily be other explanations as well).
I'm wondering about Vashet's "poet king". While a large part of me is hoping that it's just a red herring (because that large part of me wants Kvothe to have gotten his name of Kingkiller, and his sword's name of the Poet Killer, by killing Ambrose), I wonder if her "poet king" is instead the one he kills. She mentioned him enough times that I think he'll be important somehow, though I don't think he's the king Kvothe kills.
Other interesting things:
During admissions, when asking a question only a Namer can answer, Elodin asked Kvothe "Where does the moon go[...] when it is no longer in our sky?" I wonder if that's because Namers are able to look at things and understand their true nature, or because Namers have a connection to the Fae that hasn't really been mentioned here yet.
In the second book, Kvothe tells Aaron that he could tell him the story of what really happened to Princess Ariel. I'm not sure if it's just my intense desire to know more about Auri, but a part of me wonders if it's her.
Elodin says "our names shape us and we shape our names in turn". I'm guessing that this means that our true names change over time, as we do. I also wonder if that means that someone who knows your true name would cease to have power over you if you changed enough for your true name to change significantly (without you taking measures to change it yourself). If that's the case, perhaps that explains the change in behavior and abilities from Kvothe to Kote.
In Kvothe's story of Faeriniel, he describes it as "where all the roads in the world meet [...] not a place any man has ever found by searching. It is not a place you travel to, it is the place you pass through while on your way to somewhere else. They say that anyone who travels long enough will come there. This is a story of that place, and of an old man on a long road, and of a long and lonely night without a moon." The name is interesting to me, as it reminds me of both the Fae (obviously) and Myr Tyriniel. While it's often implied that the Fae can be reached when the moon is full, Felurian says that it can also be reached on moonless nights, when it's full in the Fae. I think that Sceop and the story of Faeriniel will come up again later.
Denna asks Sim, Wil and Kvothe if they've heard of a type of magic where you write things down and they become true. Later, Kvothe claims that the Chronicler is able to do exactly that.
Denna mentions in the second book that she prefers moonless nights because "It's easier to say things in the dark. It's easier to be yourself."
The Cthaeh's effect is essentially a butterfly effect, (he's able to maximize the impact because he chooses words that will have the greatest effect on the greatest number of people, but it's still the butterfly effect), I love the symbolism of him surrounded by, and destroying butterflies. I realize that this isn't likely to be pertinent in future books, but I love it.
Aleph is the first letter of the aleph-bet, and is also used to represent the number 1.
Caluptena is mentioned several times, mostly in the context of having been burned to the ground. In Rothfuss's description of Pairs (a card game that has three Kingkiller themed decks) Rothfuss mentions "pre-plague Caluptena". I'm assuming that this means that Caluptena was burned to prevent further spreading of the plague. I'm wondering if the Amyr were the ones who did the burning, and (if that's the case) if that's where their emblem came from.
Random Foreshadowing:
I don't know that these will be relevant in the third book, but I'm always a fan of foreshadowing, so I'm including some foreshadowing that we know is foreshadowing, and some possible foreshadowing.
In the first book, after he hears Skarpi's story and realizes that the Chandrian killed his family, Kvothe says "Kill the Chandrian? How could I even begin? I would have more luck trying to steal the moon. At least I knew where to look for the moon at night."
Threpe tells Kvothe when he's getting ready to board his ship, "Remember: There are there things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man." Over the course of this book, Kvothe has experience with at least two of the three, I'm not sure about the third.
At the end of the second book, when talking about Denna, Sim says "Kvothe would turn the world upside down for this girl. You can see that, can't you?" Based on what the Cthaeh said, I'm guessing that we'll all see that.
When Kvothe wants to prove to the Maer that Caudicus is poisoning him, he sacrifices sipquicks/flits/calanthis to do so. Given that Kvothe is known as Kingkiller, and the current king of Vint at the end of book two is King Roderic Calanthis, I can't help but wonder if Kvothe will essentially sacrifice him for the greater good.
Translations
Ivare Enim Euge - For Greater Good (in Tema)
Vorfelan Rhinata Morie - The Desire for Knowledge Shapes a Man
Valaritas - ?
Kist Crayle en Kote - (Seems to be a swear-phrase in Siaru)
chaen vaen edan kote - Expect Disaster Every Seven Years (Siaru)
So-haketh ka Siaru krema'teth tu? - How well do you speak Siaru
Rieusa, ta krelar deala tu - Not very well thank you.
Tehus antausa eha - not clearly defined, but some sort of call to Tehlu or "Tehlu banish you" or something of that nature.
En Temerant Voistra - ?
Aethin tseh cthystoi scthaiven vei. - ?
Te varaiyn aroi Seathaloi vei mela. - ?
Te-tauren sciyrloet? Amauen - ?
Te aithiyn Seathaloi? Te Rhintae? - ?
Aroi te Denna-leyan? - ? I think this one is "Are you a Dennerling?" but that's just conjecture.
Arcanum titles:
E'lir - See-er
Re'lar - Speaker
El'the - currently unknown, but I think it will be shaper. It's clear that the titles aren't based around current requirements for moving up in the ranks, and shaper is what I would expect to come next.
Time
Span - 11 days
Lunar Month - approximately 72.33 days
I found it interesting that a lunar month is so long, it makes me wonder whether or not their calendar months are based on the lunar calendar. If they are, his descriptions of time passing are much longer than what I was assuming.
Vintish Rings
Iron - for someone whose standing is below you.
Silver - for a social equal
Gold - for social betters
Horn - expressing a deep enmity
Bone - a profound and lasting debt
Wood - a ring you give to someone you see as less than human
Let me know if you have any thoughts, I'm sure there are things that I have wrong and theories that need to be adjusted. I'm also working on my perfect cast for a Kingkiller Chronicles series (although I rather doubt that will ever happen), and I'd love to know what you think of it. Some of the actors aren't exactly the right age, and there are some gaping holes (I can't cast Tempi for the life of me) but it's been fun to put together.
Gifts from Auri:
I think that at least in some cases, as with the offers a tinker makes, Auri's gifts will follow the principle of Chekhov's gun, only things that will later be relevant are mentioned. I'm re-reading Wise Man's Fear now, so I'll add her from Wise Man's Fear and from Slow Regard of Silent Things as I go.
A key that, according to Auri, unlocks the moon "that way, if there's a door in the moon you can open it [...] Not that I would encourage that sort of reckless behavior". I thought from the first time that I read Name of the Wind that this key would eventually be useful, and having read Wise Man's Fear I think so even more. Whether it has something to do with the Lackless box or not, I think that if Kvothe holds on to it over the years, he'll be grateful for that.
A coin that will keep him safe at night. It's shaped like an Aturan penance pieces, but it's silver.
The wooden ring that "keeps secrets" and fits Kvothe perfectly because they're his secrets. My first thought about this ring was that it's the wooden ring from the Lackless song. If that's the case, it's hard not to wonder who Auri really is and how she came by it. I also wondered if perhaps she'd made it through her knowledge of the name of wood as it seems very likely that she was studying naming at some point.
A candle that smells of lavender and contains "happy dreams", a kiss and a place to stay if he ever needs one. In the novella, when she's making the candle and his room, she also talks of making him a name (when he comes to her, broken and in need). I wonder if she's the one who re-names him to bind his powers (if that's what happens) and hide who he is. She gives these gifts to him on page 105 of the second book, and we see her make them in her book.
Denna:
Denna is clearly a driving force in a lot of Kvothe's decisions, and I'm constantly curious about her past. It's pretty clear that she's an escort, especially when she's talking to the young girl in Vintas.
The song she's writing is interesting. If it's true that Cinder is her patron, it's interesting that he'd want to rewrite the story of Lanre.
Gather round and listen well,
For I've a tale of tragedy to tell.
I sing of subtle shadow spread
Across a land, and of the man
Who turned his hand toward a purpose few could bear
Fair Lanre: stripped of wife, of life, of pride
Still never from his purpose swayed.
Who fought the tide, and fell, and was betrayed.
I also find it interesting how Denna and Kvothe seem to always end up in the same places. It's unsurprising that they'd find one another in Imre, but finding one another in Tarbean and Severen as well seems too much like fate.
Ambrose:
As I mentioned, I'm hoping that the name Kaysera means that Ambrose is the king Kvothe kills. It's mentioned in the first book that he's sixteenth in the peerage, and he gets several steps closer in the second book (he moves to 13th early on, and then a prince regent dies later, which would bring him to 12th). It's also pretty well-established that he isn't the sort of person who should be allowed to rule. That said, I don't think it's particularly likely. On another note, if Kvothe didn't kill Ambrose, I'd be interested to see Ambrose's reaction when Kvothe's story gets out into the world.
Bredon:
I've heard theories about Bredon being one of the Chandrian, (usually Cinder) but that doesn't seem likely to me, especially since when Kvothe saw the Ctheah it told him that meeting Cinder again was a "twice in a lifetime opportunity" (and Kvothe met with Bredon over and over). I do however think he's one of the Fae. That would explain why he knows Tak (which I assume is a Faen game, rather than a human one) and might explain the rumors of his pagan romp (though it's equally possible that those are just rumors).
Saicere/Ceasura/Kaysera
Saicere means to break, to catch, and to fly. Ceasura is "the jarring break in a line of perfect verse. It [is] the broken breath. It [is] smooth and sharp and deadly". I'm not 100% sure what Kaysera means. It could mean Poet Killer, but it's also possible that it means something else entirely and people just call it the poet killer because that's what it did.
Saicere is clearly several thousand years old. The battle of Drossen Tor is mentioned in its atas, (late enough in the atas that it was no longer interesting, or depressing, and had just become boring). Given that the battle of Drossen Tor was one of the battles during the Creation War, which occurred five thousand years ago, I think it's safe to say that Saicere is at least six or seven thousand years old.
Chronicler notes that Folly isn't Kaysera, I wonder where Folly came from, but I'm also unsurprised that Kote doesn't have Saicere, as it belonged to the school, and would've had to be returned there at the point of his (fake) death. Keeping that sword would've been like telling the whole world that he was still alive.
Kvothe's time in the Fae:
Kvothe describes Felurian's voice as being like Elodin's (and draws several other parallels between them), I don't think that Elodin is one of the Fae, but I think that his naming ability gives all of his speech a power similar to Felurian's power.
This is a long section that I'm copying, but there are several parts of it that I think will be relevant later.
Felurian tells Kvothe this of the moon:
"here is the moon [...] she's tethered tight to both the fae and mortal night [...] thus moves the moon [...] now when I look above, there is no glimmer of the light I love. instead, all like a flower unfurled, her face shines on your mortal world. [...] now all your mortal maidens sigh, for she is fully in my sky. [...]"
Kvothe responds " Beloved by both the Fae and men. Our moon's a merry wanderer then?"
"not so. a traveler, yes. a wanderer, no. she moves but cannot freely go [...] the moon has our two worlds beguiled, like parents clutching at a child, pulling at her, to and fro, neither willing to let go [...] when she is torn, half in your sky, you see how far apart we lie [...] no matter how we long to kiss, the space between us is not ripe for this [...] and when your moon is waxing full, all of faerie feels the pull. she draws us close to you, so bright. and now a visit for a night is easier than walking through a door or stepping off a ship that's near the store [...] 'twas thus while wandering in the wild, you found Felurian, manling child"
"And this is true of any fae?"
"have they the will, and know the way. there are a thousand half-cracked doors that lead between my world and yours. [...] most fae are sly and subtle folk who step as soft as chimney smoke. some go among your kind enshaedn, glamoured as a pack mule lade, or wearing gowns to fit a queen [...] we know enough to not be seen [...] many of the darker sort would love to use you for their sport. what keeps these from moonlit trespass? iron, fire, mirror-glass. elm and ash and copper knives, solid-hearted farmer's wives who know the rules of games we play and give us bread to keep away. but worst of all my people dread the portion of our power we shed when we set foot on mortal earth. [...] when she is full you may still laugh, but know there is a darker half [...] a clever mortal fears the night without a hint of sweet moonlight [...] on such a night, each step you take might catch you in the dark moon's wake, and pull you all unwitting into fae [...] where you will have no choice but stay [...] and on such unfamiliar ground, how can a mortal help but drown [...] I do this so you cannot help but hear. a wise man views a moonless night with fear."
This section is important for a few reasons, first, it tells when movement to and from the Fae is possible, which I think will come up again later. Second, Felurian tells us exactly what one can use to protect against the Fae. I'm not sure if that's just part of how she tells this, or if she knows that it's knowledge Kvothe will need later, but I think parts of it will be important. Third, she mentions once again, that a wise man fears a moonless night.
Kvothe's ability to grab a moonbeam when Felurian commanded him and he wasn't thinking about it was interesting to me. Obviously such things aren't possible in the mortal world (if they were, people with abilities like Elodin's would be able to manipulate shadows and moonbeams like Felurian does) but I'm assuming that his ability to do that was rather like when he called Felurian's name, as Elodin said if he'd known how difficult it was he'd never have been able to do it. He was able to do it because he did it without thinking about it.
Dennerlings:
Dennerlings are mentioned a couple of times throughout the book, and the impression that I get is that they're some sort of Fae creature that's known for being mischevious, and perhaps somewhat unwise. Throughout the book, Denna's white teeth were mentioned quite a bit. I've heard people theorize that it's because she became addicted to Denner resin, but I wonder if instead she's a little bit Dennerling, and if Denner resin was so named because it makes your teeth as white as a Dennerling. Similarly, attention is always drawn to Cinder's white teeth. I've always assumed he was Faen (because of his eyes), but perhaps he's a Dennerling.
Rhinta
The Adem mention that it would be better to call the Chandrian the Rhinta. Since "Vorfelan Rhinata Morie" means something along the lines of "the desire for knowledge shapes a man", I think that Rhinta means shaped or shaper. That would mean that when the skin walker asked Kvothe "Te Rhintae?" he was asking if he's a shaper.
King Killed:
I think that Roderic Calanthis is most likely the king Kvothe kills. When Kvothe was helping to prove to the Maer that he was being poisoned, he sacrificed sipquicks (also known as Calanthis) in order to protect the Maer. Personally, I think that was foreshadowing to Kvothe killing King Calanthis to protect the Maer. I think the Maer will abjure his actions in an attempt to not be seen as a conspirator, which would explain Kvothe's contempt for the Penitent King. If the previous king was killed by someone who is associated with the Maer, that would also explain the unrest, as well as the title of "Penitent King". Given that the soldiers travelling through Newarre wear the Maer's colors (despite not being in his lands), I think that this is the most likely.
Sometimes I hope that the king Kvothe killed is Ambrose, but I also think that's what Rothfuss expects us to think, so it probably won't be. I think there's also a chance that he's the penitent king. He has a lot to pay penance for, and it would explain why Kvothe was so horrified by the idea of toasting to the Penitent king (though there could easily be other explanations as well).
I'm wondering about Vashet's "poet king". While a large part of me is hoping that it's just a red herring (because that large part of me wants Kvothe to have gotten his name of Kingkiller, and his sword's name of the Poet Killer, by killing Ambrose), I wonder if her "poet king" is instead the one he kills. She mentioned him enough times that I think he'll be important somehow, though I don't think he's the king Kvothe kills.
Other interesting things:
During admissions, when asking a question only a Namer can answer, Elodin asked Kvothe "Where does the moon go[...] when it is no longer in our sky?" I wonder if that's because Namers are able to look at things and understand their true nature, or because Namers have a connection to the Fae that hasn't really been mentioned here yet.
In the second book, Kvothe tells Aaron that he could tell him the story of what really happened to Princess Ariel. I'm not sure if it's just my intense desire to know more about Auri, but a part of me wonders if it's her.
Elodin says "our names shape us and we shape our names in turn". I'm guessing that this means that our true names change over time, as we do. I also wonder if that means that someone who knows your true name would cease to have power over you if you changed enough for your true name to change significantly (without you taking measures to change it yourself). If that's the case, perhaps that explains the change in behavior and abilities from Kvothe to Kote.
In Kvothe's story of Faeriniel, he describes it as "where all the roads in the world meet [...] not a place any man has ever found by searching. It is not a place you travel to, it is the place you pass through while on your way to somewhere else. They say that anyone who travels long enough will come there. This is a story of that place, and of an old man on a long road, and of a long and lonely night without a moon." The name is interesting to me, as it reminds me of both the Fae (obviously) and Myr Tyriniel. While it's often implied that the Fae can be reached when the moon is full, Felurian says that it can also be reached on moonless nights, when it's full in the Fae. I think that Sceop and the story of Faeriniel will come up again later.
Denna asks Sim, Wil and Kvothe if they've heard of a type of magic where you write things down and they become true. Later, Kvothe claims that the Chronicler is able to do exactly that.
Denna mentions in the second book that she prefers moonless nights because "It's easier to say things in the dark. It's easier to be yourself."
The Cthaeh's effect is essentially a butterfly effect, (he's able to maximize the impact because he chooses words that will have the greatest effect on the greatest number of people, but it's still the butterfly effect), I love the symbolism of him surrounded by, and destroying butterflies. I realize that this isn't likely to be pertinent in future books, but I love it.
Aleph is the first letter of the aleph-bet, and is also used to represent the number 1.
Caluptena is mentioned several times, mostly in the context of having been burned to the ground. In Rothfuss's description of Pairs (a card game that has three Kingkiller themed decks) Rothfuss mentions "pre-plague Caluptena". I'm assuming that this means that Caluptena was burned to prevent further spreading of the plague. I'm wondering if the Amyr were the ones who did the burning, and (if that's the case) if that's where their emblem came from.
Random Foreshadowing:
I don't know that these will be relevant in the third book, but I'm always a fan of foreshadowing, so I'm including some foreshadowing that we know is foreshadowing, and some possible foreshadowing.
In the first book, after he hears Skarpi's story and realizes that the Chandrian killed his family, Kvothe says "Kill the Chandrian? How could I even begin? I would have more luck trying to steal the moon. At least I knew where to look for the moon at night."
Threpe tells Kvothe when he's getting ready to board his ship, "Remember: There are there things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man." Over the course of this book, Kvothe has experience with at least two of the three, I'm not sure about the third.
At the end of the second book, when talking about Denna, Sim says "Kvothe would turn the world upside down for this girl. You can see that, can't you?" Based on what the Cthaeh said, I'm guessing that we'll all see that.
When Kvothe wants to prove to the Maer that Caudicus is poisoning him, he sacrifices sipquicks/flits/calanthis to do so. Given that Kvothe is known as Kingkiller, and the current king of Vint at the end of book two is King Roderic Calanthis, I can't help but wonder if Kvothe will essentially sacrifice him for the greater good.
Translations
Ivare Enim Euge - For Greater Good (in Tema)
Vorfelan Rhinata Morie - The Desire for Knowledge Shapes a Man
Valaritas - ?
Kist Crayle en Kote - (Seems to be a swear-phrase in Siaru)
chaen vaen edan kote - Expect Disaster Every Seven Years (Siaru)
So-haketh ka Siaru krema'teth tu? - How well do you speak Siaru
Rieusa, ta krelar deala tu - Not very well thank you.
Tehus antausa eha - not clearly defined, but some sort of call to Tehlu or "Tehlu banish you" or something of that nature.
En Temerant Voistra - ?
Aethin tseh cthystoi scthaiven vei. - ?
Te varaiyn aroi Seathaloi vei mela. - ?
Te-tauren sciyrloet? Amauen - ?
Te aithiyn Seathaloi? Te Rhintae? - ?
Aroi te Denna-leyan? - ? I think this one is "Are you a Dennerling?" but that's just conjecture.
Arcanum titles:
E'lir - See-er
Re'lar - Speaker
El'the - currently unknown, but I think it will be shaper. It's clear that the titles aren't based around current requirements for moving up in the ranks, and shaper is what I would expect to come next.
Time
Span - 11 days
Lunar Month - approximately 72.33 days
I found it interesting that a lunar month is so long, it makes me wonder whether or not their calendar months are based on the lunar calendar. If they are, his descriptions of time passing are much longer than what I was assuming.
Vintish Rings
Iron - for someone whose standing is below you.
Silver - for a social equal
Gold - for social betters
Horn - expressing a deep enmity
Bone - a profound and lasting debt
Wood - a ring you give to someone you see as less than human
Let me know if you have any thoughts, I'm sure there are things that I have wrong and theories that need to be adjusted. I'm also working on my perfect cast for a Kingkiller Chronicles series (although I rather doubt that will ever happen), and I'd love to know what you think of it. Some of the actors aren't exactly the right age, and there are some gaping holes (I can't cast Tempi for the life of me) but it's been fun to put together.
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