KKC Theory Wiki

Yllish Knots

concept · importance 55 · 2 theories

“An Yllish system of writing meaning in knots, possibly a hidden magic”

also known as Yllish Knots, Yllish knot magic, Yllish story knots, knot-writing

Appearance§

Yllish knots appear as deliberately tied story knots that resemble scrollwork, most visibly braided into Denna's hair, where Kvothe can read words such as 'lovely.' They also appear as knotwork faintly carved into the side of the Lackless box, subtle enough that the Maer cannot feel them but Kvothe can. Denna also wears a ring carved with knots. As a largely lost form of recorded language, surviving examples are rare.

Description§

Yllish knots are a knot-based system of recording language from Yll, a culture largely conquered and run over, distinct from alphabetic writing. The Yllish never developed a written language; instead they recorded meaning in woven knots, a system predating other peoples' pictograms. Yllish is taught at the University, where the Chancellor knows it and instructs Kvothe. Denna wears Yllish story knots braided into her hair, and Kvothe eventually learns to read them, deciphering the word 'lovely' in her braid, which embarrasses her. The Lackless box bears similar knotwork or scrollwork carved into its surface, faint enough that the Maer cannot feel it but Kvothe can. Kvothe describes himself as poor at tying knots but a 'dab hand' at untying and untangling them. Denna openly seeks 'a magic where you write things down and they come true,' questioning Wil, Sim, and Kvothe about it. A scrap of Yllish appears in the Archives, and Kvothe is taken for Yllish by an Yllish Ru working for Lorren.

Relationships§

  • Read By Kvothe — Kvothe learns to read them, deciphering 'lovely' in Denna's braid
  • Worn By Denna — Denna wears Yllish story knots braided into her hair
  • Taught At The University — Yllish is taught at the University
  • Found In The Archives — a scrap of Yllish appears in the Archives
  • Carved On The Lackless Box — the Lackless box bears similar knotwork or scrollwork carved into its surface
  • Linked To Master Lorren — Kvothe is taken for Yllish by an Yllish Ru working for Lorren
  • Taught By Master Herma — the Chancellor knows Yllish and teaches it to Kvothe

Established facts§

  • Yllish knots are a form of recorded language from Yll, a culture largely conquered and run over, encoding meaning in tied knots rather than letters.
  • The Yllish never developed a written language; they used a system of woven knots that predated other peoples' pictograms, recording rather than writing meaning.
  • Denna wears Yllish story knots braided into her hair, and Kvothe eventually learns to read them, deciphering the word 'lovely' in her braid, which embarrasses her.
  • Yllish is taught at the University; the Chancellor knows it and teaches it to Kvothe.
  • Denna openly seeks a 'magic where you write things down and they come true,' questioning Wil, Sim, and Kvothe about it.
  • The Lackless box has knots or scrollwork carved into its surface; Kvothe can feel them where the Maer could not.
  • Kvothe describes himself as poor at tying knots but a 'dab hand' at untying and untangling them.
  • A scrap of Yllish appears in the Archives, and Kvothe is taken for Yllish by an Yllish Ru working for Lorren.
  • Denna wears a ring carved with knots and shows some understanding of them.

Theories§

Appears in theories§

Top contributors§

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