KKC Theory WikiAethe
“Legendary Adem master archer who shot his student-lover Rethe”
Appearance§
No physical description of Aethe is established. He survives as the archetypal teacher-archer of Adem legend, evoked through the image of the master loosing the arrow that strikes his beloved student Rethe near the heart.
Description§
Aethe is a figure from the deep mythic past of the Adem, the founder of a school dedicated to mastery of the bow. In the legend Shehyn tells Kvothe, recounted with the religious gravity of a culture that perfectly memorizes the lineage of every sword, Aethe shot his student and lover Rethe with an arrow that struck near her heart. Mortally wounded, Rethe declared the victory hers, ending her words with the line 'Without blood, the victory.' Over the days she lay dying, Rethe dictated nine-and-ninety stories to Aethe, and these became the beginning of the Lethani and the root of all Ademre. The Adem trace their longbow mastery and origins to this ancient lineage, which is also connected to the Sithe.
Relationships§
- Root Of Ademre — the story is the root of all Ademre
- Founder Figure The Adem — founder of the Adem's bow lineage and origins
- Originated The Lethani — Rethe's nine-and-ninety stories to him became the beginning of the Lethani
- Connected To The Sithe — Adem longbow lineage connected to the Sithe
- Recounted By Shehyn — his legend is told by Shehyn to Kvothe
- Subject Of Aethe and Rethe — central figure of the Aethe and Rethe legend
- Student And Lover Rethe — shot his student and lover Rethe near the heart
Established facts§
- Aethe is a figure from ancient Adem legend, founder of a school devoted to mastery of the bow.
- In the story told by Shehyn, Aethe shot his student and lover Rethe with an arrow that struck near her heart.
- Though wounded, Rethe declared the victory hers, ending with the words 'Without blood, the victory.'
- Over the days she lay dying, Rethe dictated nine-and-ninety stories to Aethe.
- Those nine-and-ninety stories became the beginning of the Lethani and the root of all Ademre.
- The Aethe and Rethe story is bound up with the origins of the Adem and is told with religious seriousness.
- The Adem trace their longbow mastery and origins to a lineage connected to the Sithe.