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Edema Ruh

faction · importance 78 · 12 theories

“Nomadic troupers and performers, marginalized keepers of songs and roads”

also known as Edema Ruh, Ruh

Appearance§

The Edema Ruh are colorful traveling entertainers, performing on stage with music, song, and theater. They are recognizable by their wagons, their troupe organization under a leader, and a performer's bearing. Centuries of travel and intermixing leave them with no uniform physical type, though Kvothe's striking red hair is a notable trait. Their fires, when properly kept, are hidden and smokeless.

Description§

The Edema Ruh are a nomadic people of traveling performers, musicians, and actors, scattered across the Four Corners. Kvothe is one of them, born into his father Arliden's troupe. Though they can travel under noble patronage — Arliden's troupe served Lord Greyfellow — they are a marginalized, widely distrusted minority, accused of theft and deceit, and historically persecuted; the Aturan Empire branded them filth that filled the roads. Their culture has strict markers: ravel is the deepest insult to a Ruh, true troupes hide their fires and burn smokeless rennel wood, and they offer water and wine in a ritual where a true Ruh refuses the wine and insists on water. Membership is a matter of belonging rather than blood, so those adopted into a troupe are counted as full family. The Ruh keep the old stories and songs, and hold a tradition of honoring waystones, which Arliden tied to old roads leading toward Myr Tariniel. Kvothe uses these cultural tells to unmask a false troupe led by Alleg, then kills them, branding the impostors with a broken circle as the mark of those cast out.

Relationships§

  • Member Kvothe — Kvothe is Edema Ruh, born and raised in Arliden's troupe
  • Slain By The Chandrian — Kvothe's parents and the whole troupe were murdered by the Chandrian
  • Member Laurian — Laurian, born Netalia Lackless, left her family to join the Ruh
  • Old Roads To Myr Tariniel — Waystones associated with old roads leading toward Myr Tariniel
  • Shared Origin The Adem — Both trace origins to people who fled the destruction of a single great city
  • Troupe Leader Arliden — Kvothe born into his father Arliden's troupe
  • Despised By Meluan Lackless — Meluan's hatred of the Ruh stems from her sister running away with a troupe
  • Impostor Alleg — Alleg led a false troupe Kvothe identified as impostors and killed
  • Patron Lord Greyfellow — Arliden's troupe held the patronage of Lord Greyfellow
  • Caravan Bound For Anilin — Broent's caravan Kvothe traveled with was bound for Anilin

Established facts§

  • A nomadic people of traveling performers, musicians, and actors; Kvothe is Edema Ruh, born and raised in his father Arliden's troupe.
  • A marginalized, widely distrusted ethnic group, often accused of being scammers and thieves; the Aturan Empire encouraged killing them as filth that filled the roads.
  • Ravel is the gravest insult one can call an Edema Ruh.
  • Troupes can travel under a noble patron's name; Arliden's troupe held the patronage of Lord Greyfellow, which Kvothe's family used to open doors and stay solvent.
  • True Ruh hide their campfires and burn smokeless rennel wood to avoid drawing attention on the road.
  • Among the Edema Ruh, custom is to offer and accept water; a true Ruh refuses wine.
  • Membership is by belonging, not blood: a person becomes Edema Ruh by being taken into a troupe and is then counted as full family.
  • The Edema Ruh keep the old stories and songs and are reputed to know all the stories in the world.
  • They hold a tradition of paying respect at waystones and standing stones, which Arliden associated with old roads leading toward Myr Tariniel; Kvothe thinks of these stones as roads to safe places.
  • Kvothe's mother, Laurian, was born Netalia Lackless and left her noble family to join the Edema Ruh.
  • Meluan Lackless's hatred of the Ruh stems from her sister running away with a troupe.
  • Kvothe's parents and the whole of his Edema Ruh troupe are murdered by the Chandrian.
  • Kvothe's troupe numbered well over two dozen performers across at least eight wagons, most of them never named.
  • False troupers impersonate the Ruh to gain trust and commit crimes, fueling their ill reputation.
  • Kvothe identifies the false troupe led by Alleg as impostors because they did not hide their fire and admitted stealing from Levinshir, then he kills them.
  • Kvothe describes the Edema Ruh as a circle and brands the false troupers with a broken circle as the mark of those cast out.
  • Kvothe kills Alleg with a slow gut-wound, avenging the children the impostors had wronged.
  • Edema Ruh law punishes grave wrongdoing against the troupe with branding and death.
  • Broent's caravan, which Kvothe traveled with, was bound for Anilin before he left it to attend the University.
  • In Edema Ruh lore, a troupe restores a nameless, hopeless old man by having him tell his own story.
  • The Edema Ruh are distinct from the martial Adem, though both trace their origins to people who fled the destruction of a single great city.

Theories§

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