KKC Theory Wiki

Auri

character · importance 68 · 31 theories

“The fey, broken girl of the Underthing whom Kvothe named”

Appearance§

Auri is small, thin, and fragile, with an ethereal, childlike quality and an air of brightness and sweetness. She has wild, fine hair and birdlike, easily startled movements as she passes through the Underthing's tunnels. She is most often seen in near-darkness, her pale skin visible by the soft blue-green glow of Foxen, the alchemical light she cradles in cupped hands or keeps in a dish.

Description§

Auri is a young woman who lives in the Underthing, the network of ancient tunnels beneath the University, where Kvothe befriends her. Once a student of alchemy under Master Mandrag, her mind broke and she withdrew into the tunnels, where she lives hidden and largely unknown, emerging chiefly at night and wary of unfamiliar people and things. She is gentle, skittish, and fey, moving with light, careful footsteps and eating with fastidious care. Kvothe gives her the name Auri, telling Elodin it means 'sunny' because she is bright and sweet despite having no reason to be; the act of naming her impresses Elodin and contributes to his agreeing to teach Kvothe naming. Auri exchanges small gifts with Kvothe, among them a ring, a key she says opens a door in the moon, a silver coin only shaped like an Aturan penance piece, and a candle she makes herself. She carries a soft blue-green light she calls Foxen, an alchemical creation rather than a flame. She shows a deep affinity for the true nature of things, names every place in the Underthing, and insists on doing things the proper way. Before Kvothe leaves for Severen she gives him three gifts: a candle, a kiss on the forehead with holly-berry-stained lips, and a safe place. Kvothe thinks of her as his little moon fae, and keeps her existence secret to keep her safe. The novella The Slow Regard of Silent Things is devoted entirely to her daily life in the Underthing.

Relationships§

  • Friend Kvothe — Kvothe befriends her, names her, and exchanges gifts; she comforts him
  • Affinity For Naming — deep affinity for the true nature and names of things
  • Former Student The University — studied alchemy at the University before withdrawing
  • Impressed Elodin — Kvothe's naming of her impresses Elodin and contributes to his teaching Kvothe naming
  • Identifies Kvothe With The Amyr — tells Kvothe he is one of the Ciridae among the Amyr, above reproach
  • Lives In The Underthing — lives in the Underthing, the tunnels beneath the University
  • Subject Of The Slow Regard of Silent Things — the novella is devoted entirely to her daily life in the Underthing
  • Carries Foxen — carries a soft blue-green alchemical light she calls Foxen
  • Former Teacher Master Mandrag — studied alchemy under Master Mandrag at the University
  • Studied Alchemy — was once a student of alchemy

Established facts§

  • Auri is a young woman who lives in the Underthing, the network of ancient tunnels beneath the University, where Kvothe befriends her.
  • Her mind is broken; she was once a student before something happened to her.
  • Kvothe gives her the name Auri, telling Elodin it means 'sunny' or 'bright', because she is bright and sweet despite having no reason to be.
  • Elodin is impressed when Kvothe names her, which contributes to his agreeing to teach Kvothe naming.
  • She studied alchemy under Master Mandrag at the University before withdrawing into the Underthing.
  • She carries a soft blue-green light she calls Foxen, created by alchemy rather than a flame.
  • She exchanges small gifts with Kvothe, including a ring, a key, a coin, and a candle she makes herself.
  • Before Kvothe leaves for Severen, she gives him three gifts: a candle, a kiss on the forehead with holly-berry-stained lips, and a safe place.
  • She tells Kvothe the silver coin is only shaped like an Aturan penance piece and will keep him safe at night, and that the key opens a door in the moon.
  • Kvothe thinks of her as his little moon fae, and keeps her existence secret to keep her safe.
  • She shows a deep affinity for understanding the true nature and names of things.
  • She names every place in the Underthing and insists on doing things the proper way.
  • She identifies Kvothe as one of the Ciridae among the Amyr and tells him he is therefore above reproach.
  • She comforts Kvothe in a vulnerable moment, telling him not to be afraid because she is there and he is safe.
  • While suffering the effects of the plum bob, Kvothe wept and spoke to her of his mother's death.
  • She uses artificing terms such as 'exothermic cascade', the same phrase Kilvin uses.
  • She offers Kvothe food in riddling terms, such as an apple that thinks it is a pear or a lettuce that thinks it is a lettuce.
  • She keeps a strong box of stone on the mantelpiece in her room, Mantle, alongside a yellow leaf and a jar of dried lavender.
  • She conceals her traces in the Underthing, sending bottles down churning water to hide herself.
  • The novella The Slow Regard of Silent Things is set entirely in the Underthing and chronicles her daily routines, culminating in her crafting a candle for Kvothe.
  • In The Slow Regard of Silent Things she works her will upon the world without ever voicing a name.
  • Rothfuss based her partly on a real person nicknamed 'Tunnel Bob'.
  • She did not exist in the original drafts of the novels and was added through revision.
  • She moves with light, careful footsteps and eats with fastidious care.

Theories§

Appears in theories§

Top contributors§

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