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The Thrice-Locked Chest

object · importance 72 · 6 theories

“Kvothe's sealed chest with three locks, one of which he can no longer open”

also known as Rhinna chest, the chest

Appearance§

A chest of black roah wood, an extremely dense and dark-grained hardwood, fitted with three distinct locks of different materials, including iron and copper. The lid is smooth and lifted from above; Kvothe places his hands on the sides of the lid and presses his forehead against the cool dark wood. The chest has no visible hinges and no visible keyhole for one of its locks. It is heavy and immovably sealed, requiring two people to carry. Struck with an axe, it rings softly rather than splintering.

Description§

The Thrice-Locked Chest stands in Kote's room at the Waystone Inn. Kvothe made it himself, a fact Bast confirms during a lesson, and it is built of black roah wood, an extremely dense, dark-grained hardwood. It is bound with three locks of different materials: an iron lock, a copper lock, and a third lock that cannot be found and cannot be opened by ordinary lockpicking. The chest is so heavy that both Kvothe and Bast are needed to carry it up the stairs, and it has no visible hinges. In the frame story Kvothe strains to open it, pressing his forehead against the lid and whispering 'Open, damn you. Edro,' but the lid will not move, leaving him looking small and wounded. He and Bast discuss forcing it, but Kvothe notes that using acid would likely destroy whatever is inside, and when Bast strikes the chest with an axe it produces a strange, soft, ringing noise like a padded bell struck in a distant room rather than splintering. Its contents are never shown. The chest belongs to the series' recurring set of sealed containers, alongside the Lackless box and the four-plate door.

Relationships§

  • Made By Kvothe — Kvothe made it himself, confirmed by Bast
  • Resists Naming — Kvothe whispers 'Open, damn you. Edro,' but the lid will not move
  • Witnessed By Bast — Bast helps carry it and strikes it with an axe; cannot open it
  • Located In Waystone Inn — Stands in Kote's room at the Waystone Inn
  • Parallels The Four-Plate Door — One of the series' sealed containers alongside the four-plate door
  • Parallels The Lackless Box — One of the series' sealed containers alongside the Lackless box
  • Made Of Roah — Built of black roah wood, a dense dark-grained hardwood

Established facts§

  • A chest in Kvothe's room at the Waystone Inn that Kvothe himself made, confirmed by Bast during a lesson.
  • It is made of black roah wood, an extremely dense, dark-grained hardwood.
  • It is bound with three locks of different materials: an iron lock, a copper lock, and a third lock that cannot be found.
  • The third lock cannot be opened by ordinary lockpicking and has no visible keyhole.
  • In the frame story Kvothe tries and fails to open it, straining at the lid and saying 'Open, damn you. Edro,' before it refuses to budge.
  • Kvothe and Bast discuss opening it by force, but Kvothe notes that using acid would likely destroy whatever is inside.
  • When Bast strikes the chest with an axe it produces a strange, soft, ringing noise like a padded bell struck in a distant room rather than splintering.
  • The chest is extremely heavy, requiring both Kvothe and Bast to carry it up the stairs, and has no visible hinges.
  • Neither Kote nor Bast can open it.
  • Its contents are never revealed in the text.
  • It is one of several sealed-container parallels in the series, alongside the Lackless box and the four-plate door.

Theories§

Appears in theories§

Top contributors§

People on r/KingkillerChronicle who built the theories above.