Uhhh kind-of but not really?

The name of the wind changes from place to place, but a master namer knows how to 'hear' it's name. At the same time, it's implied that those with the potential to be namers hear whatever word they know to use for whatever the namer called ('fire' if the namer calls fire, etc.) the 'sleeping mind' heard the name and translated it for them, so they heard that instead of the name. Otherwise, they hear nothing. Which makes sense, expect when Elodin named something in the rookery and Kvothe heard the name he used instead of what he was naming. No clue what that was about, so it's entirely possible that all the speculation on the subject is completely off base and we're all thinking to hard.

 

Simmon only heard the word "wind" because his sleeping mind was not awake enough for him to consciously understand what Elodin actually said. When I first read it I assumed that the word Elodin said was "wind" in a different language that Sim knew. However, after Wise Man's Fear I believe he actually thinks he heard the word "wind." Much like Kvothe heard the word "Fire" when Exla Dal called its Name. That said, we don't know precisely how the name of the wind changes, only that it does.

 

<.< Dunno about you guys, but I always interpreted that to be a joke about where the wedding ring would go.

 

Except wedding rings go on your left hand...

 

Two things I've noticed.

First time poster, hello Was dying for some decent discussion on this series, as it's had me mesmerized for almost a month now. I've read tNotW twice and am about to start my second time on WMF.

I haven't really seen anyone mention this, but during the conversation Elodin has with Kvothe after being promoted to Re'lar, he talks about a University built over an OLDER university. Underthing anyone?

Secondly, does not Auri also give Kvothe a wooden ring in tNotW? Right before he asks to be taken to the Underthing.

Lastly, just some speculation. I am not sure if it was this forum or not, but I remember someone speculating about Kvothe's willbreaking betrayal. They speculated that, as Kvothe searches for the Amyr to deal with the Chandrian, Denna is searching for the Chandrian to deal with the Amyr. Note the Amyr are said to do heinous things to complete their objectives, Denna may have been a victim of their dealings; she's also obviously tied, no matter how indirectly, to the Chandrian, being at the point of attack and living. I know there's no evidence to back this up atm, but I thought it was extremely well-thought of, and will be searching for the post for a link ^^

 

The man behind the legend:

 

I just thought of something while reading through WMF. The waystones that lie throughout this world. Mention is made somewhere in tNotW that they are gateways into the fae; there are, literally, waystones that make doors, two standing up with one over the top. If anyone can speculate further on this that'd be great, but I'm nearing Kvothe's confrontation with the bandits, so I'll be reading about Felurian soon as well, I'll see if PR makes any note of the waystone before they enter the Fae.

 

Dude, just finish the damn book. Then come conjecture.

 

http://forbiddenplanet.com/events/2011/11/05/patrick-rothfuss-signing/

For UK fans.

 

OMG YES

<filler>

 

http://forbiddenplanet.com/events/2011/11/19/brandon-sanderson-signing-alloy-law/

There's also Sanderson two weeks after that.

 

The Brits get everything.

 

Yeah, the Brits get everything. Why can't we have massive riots and a failing political system over here in Australia?

 

Don't be selfish. You already have a heavy handed government that likes to censor media in the name of child safety, and your very own Wikipedia page of stuff that will murder the hell out of you. Believe Vegemite is the current leader on that front.

 

YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES
YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES
YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES

 

Thought people may want to know I forsee a delay in the 3rd book. Rothfuss' dad has had a recurrence pf his cancer. You can read about it at his blog if your interested.

On a side note I have been reading my favorite parts of both books and noticed when Chronicler says he thought kvothe would be older and kvothe replies that he is. I didn't think much of it until today when I realized he literally is older than he appears because of his time with felurian. And i feel sure he returned to the fae in the 3rd book. So it is entirely possible that he is several years older than the 25 or so he appears to be.

 

I don't want to sound like a dick but... I forsaw a delay in the third book just based on the second book. However, family members with cancer is no joke.

The speculation on the fae though... Do you think it will be of any import or is it just Kvothe telling a joke that only he really gets?

 

I was definitely starting to get concerned about why he wasn't posting on his blog.

I also had a mini heart attack when I saw Rothfuss and Cancer in the same sentence before I actually read it properly. Thank god it's not him at least.

 

. I have just read the whole discussion. Really, you are geniuses! I read WMF three times and I couldn't yet find where Kvothe smelled lemon wood before!

I'd like to add a couple of things I thing have not been discussed:

- Elodin (as someone already noted) tells Fela she is not yet ready for the right hand ring. We do not know (do we?) what the third university rank, "El'The" means. Re'Lar used to be awarded to those who could pronounce a Name, and students who did could wear a matching ring on their left hand. What is more than that in Naming? Probably something that allows you to wear rings on your right hand.

- Ben, Kvothe's first teacher, writes on his copy of rhetory and logic "beware folly". Could be a generic warning, but I don't think so. And after all, he knew Kvothe's parents were studying the chandrian, and at least suspected they were in danger - "folly" could be a danger connected to them. Possibly related to the sword with the same name? Words are rarely chosen for no reason in this book.

- Before starting to tell his story, Kvothe says it could be summarized with something on the lines of (I'd really like to quote the exact words but i lent my copy of NotW to a friend. Could anyone look for the sentence?) "I did this, this... I loved, and was betrayed". So we should expect a major betrayal in the third book. Denna?

- Not very important, but still unmentioned I think. During his last admissions, Kvothe notices master Hemma "smiles a great deal. Not a pleasant smile either". could be just because as chancellor he knows he will be able to set his tuition very high, but could be something more - he found out Kvothe's arrangement with the bursar, and hopes it his enough to have him expelled? Even if it benefits the university, I doubt it is legal.

- How did Kvothe manage to reach the Cthaeh and come back without being sniped by the Sithe? Bast is extremely surprised by that. Felurian surely did not help him. I don't think Rothfuss would just explain such an important plot point with something lame like "he was lucky" or "they were having lunch".

- The Cthaeh says "The Maer, however, is quite the extraordinary man. He's already come close to them, though he doesn't realize it. Stick by the Maer and he will lead you to their door", then he says "...eventually, you'll get the joke". Remember the legend of a Lockless door being the reason of the Lockless' family name? Is Meluan the Maer's connection with the Chandrian? Or the two things are unrelated? I'd really like to read again the children's son about the lockless, but can't find it anymore.

- Minor point: Kvothe offers a drink to "good friends who had it worse that they deserved", and in Name of the Wind he tells Bast and Chronicler he is not going to see any more friends one against the other (what were the exact words? really wish I had my copy of Name here...). So what happened to which friends? Sim and Wil?

Finally, a couple of things about your theories. I really do think copper has some kind effect against naming: for what other reasons should they put it in the rookery's walls? Most of its guest are namers. And it seems to make Elodin's effort to break the wall more difficult: he can't directly destroy it, he has to expose the copper and break it physically. Seems unlikely to be coincidence.

Reasons for identifying Kvothe's mother with Natalia Lockless are pretty good - that song really seems incriminating xD! Only problem: The Cthaeh refers to her as "Lauriel", and it can't lie. Maybe calling her with the name she chose is not lying?

I also support those who think the reference to "chronicler's" name locked inside glass, iron and copper unlikely to be casual. But I might be getting paranoid xD.

Theories aside, a couple of things about the book. I love it, and logic is overall very good... but am I the only one who wonders why simpathy seems not to be used in war? Ok, it is little known outside the university. But a single arcanist killer could easily take down half the world's leaders, if they are as unprotected as the Maer - and there are a thousand students at the university, wich means hundreds or thousands of full arcanists around the world. Really, none of them becomes a killer or a soldier? Kvothe demonstrates against the bandits just how lethal a fighting arcanist can be - and he does not even have a link to a fire!

In this book, I also love the way small clues and "prophecies" come true. For examples, every time kvothe refuses to buy something from a tinker (rope in NotW, wax in WMF) he regrets it in the end. And after meeting Felurian, he always uses seven words to flirt with women. I wonder about the three words wich will break a strong man's hearth...

I hope some of this made sense and it was not too boring. I also apologize for my english: I know it is not very good and quite bookish, but i learnt it mostly reading (english program just sucks in italy. Fortunately they never translate good books, so had to learn xD).

---------- Post automerged at 10:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 PM ----------

Edit: found the children's song. Worth quoting:

"seven things stand before
the entrance to the Lackless door.
One of them a ring unworn
One a word that is forsworn
One a time that must be right
One a candle without light
One a door that holds the flood
One a thing thigt-held in keeping
Then comes that wich comes with sleeping"

Pretty obscure. But if "a son who brings the blood" is needed, and Kvothe is actually son of Natalia Lackless, seems more and more likely that he will open the door - and the Cthaeh refers to that. (I can make nothing of the rest, except the thing tight-held in keeping possibly being the artifact shown by Meluan).

 

I can't speak for the rest of this, but I can for this: it's explained that the Cthaeh basically is the ultimate malevolent clairvoyant, able to see the exact impact of his every tiny word spoken. His words and actions are effectively the butterfly's wings which can and do cause the tsunami on the other side of the world.

The explanation for this is probably something like the Cthaeh said some shit to some guy a hundred years ago, forseeing this happening, knowing that saying that would somehow cause the tiny opening in the Sithe's defenses which allowed Kvothe to slip in and out. And he would want Kvothe to get out - after all, it's useless flapping his proverbial wings (IE, saying his doom words to Kvothe) if the air carrying their reaction (Kvothe) doesn't reach the sea (the material world) in order to cause the tsunami (whatever horrible shit he unleashed by speaking to Kvothe).

This may seem far-fetched, but is less so considering the fae are so terrified of the Cthaeh that they're not even willing to go near enough to kill it. After all, who knows? It could scream some off-hand comment and cause the extinction of your entire bloodline an eon down the line. There is literally no limit on the devastation which it could cause unchecked, which is why the only workable solution is to separate it from things it can work with to the best of their ability.

So yeah. How did Kvothe get through? The Cthaeh yelled at a faerie insect, who scuttled off into a faerie bog it wouldn't have otherwise, contracting a faerie disease. A faerie animal ate it and became rabid. It infected others of its kind. Somewhere down the line, one of those rabid faerie animals started gnawing on a Sithe's faerie shoes. The Sithe killed it, but a while later, the faerie shoe fell apart unexpectedly, causing the Sithe to stop a few moments to repair it with faerie shit. Meanwhile, simultaneously, a dozen other Sithe experienced similar accidents which made them pause or deviate from what they originally would have done, all of which were caused or coordinated by the Cthaeh. These deviations became the loophole which allowed Kvothe to slip in and out.

Or something like that.