KKC Theory Wiki

The Amyr Suspect Kvothe Is a Chandrian Agent at the University

fringe motive · popularity 199 · 1 source thread

Lorren and the Amyr may read Kvothe's actions as evidence he is a Chandrian-trained spy infiltrating the Archives.

About: The Amyr, Kvothe, Master Lorren

Also involves: The Chandrian, Denna, The Archives, Arliden, Trebon, The University

The theory§

The theory views the early University arc from the outside, through the eyes of Master Lorren, taken to be one of the Amyr. Lorren recognizes Arliden's red-haired son and personally walks him to the bursar, but also knows the boy spent roughly three unaccounted-for years alone after his troupe was destroyed before reaching the University. Since the Chandrian and the Amyr are understood to wage a hidden war using human agents, Kvothe's behaviour reads as that of a possible Chandrian operative: the first thing he does on gaining access to the Archives is request information on the Chandrian; he is later caught with fire in the Stacks, which Lorren could read as an attempt to destroy material; his funding is unexplained; he is unusually close to Denna, whose patron is suspected to be Chandrian; and he turns up at the scene of the Chandrian attack on the wedding near Trebon. From this vantage, Lorren's unusually severe and lasting ban from the Archives functions as a precaution while the Amyr assess whether the boy was trained by their enemy. A competing reading holds that Lorren instead recognized Kvothe's natural affinity for the Amyr and his potential usefulness, then judged him too reckless and prone to disaster to be trusted. Both readings rest on premises the books leave unconfirmed, that Lorren is Amyr and that Denna's patron is Chandrian.

Evidence§

  • Lorren is Amyr, Denna's patron is Chandrian, and Kvothe is a dumbass with a lot of fortuitous circumstances.
    OP's foundational premises framing the whole theory. — u/admiralaralani
  • Lorren knew that Arliden's troupe was killed by the Chandrian, as he's the only one who recognizes Arliden's son, and walks him to the bursar (to suss him out), but he also knows Kvothe was alone for three years with no news before he made his way to the University. … It's possible Lorren believes that Kvothe has been trained up by the Chandrian
    Core claim: unaccounted years let Lorren read Kvothe as Chandrian-trained. — u/admiralaralani
  • The very first thing that Kvothe does upon gaining access to the University is to request information on the Chandrian. … a group that's murderous about their privacy would want to keep their information out of the Archives
    Kvothe's first move looks like an agent probing for the Chandrian. — u/admiralaralani
  • almost as quickly is found with fire in the Archives, potentially disposing of questionable (to the Chandrian) material. Lorren, with no true evidence, does the only thing he can and bans the Chandrian spy from the Archives. It's commented that that's unusual
    The fire and unusually severe ban read as sabotage and precaution. — u/admiralaralani
  • he also has money somehow to pay his tuition. … enough to make Lorren suspicious that he has someone secretly funding him. Especially once he comes into contact with Denna, who does have a Chandrian patron … Kvothe being Denna's touchstone … Why, if not to share information?
    Unexplained funding plus closeness to Denna suggest a secret Chandrian handler. — u/admiralaralani
  • Then, Trebon. They know the Chandrian attacked, but Kvothe was already there. How, if not because the Chandrian called in a minion for help? … Kvothe could have lured a Draccus with a fire to destroy the town on the orders of the Chandrian
    Kvothe's presence at the Trebon attack reads as a minion answering a call. — u/admiralaralani
  • This isn't someone Lorren would suspect as a Chandrian spy. This is someone Lorren would want to *recruit*. … Here is an enemy of the Rhinta, a strong arm and sharp sword with which we can wound them, but must ourselves beware.
    CounterCounter: Lorren saw Amyr potential, then judged Kvothe too reckless to trust. — u/Bhaluun
  • We don't know either that he is amyr or that her patron is a Chandrian. These are just heavily theorized. … be careful with saying "we know" and being that definitive. We certainly dont know
    CounterCounter: both founding premises are unconfirmed, not established fact. — u/ViIehunter

Book refs: NOTW, WMF

Tier reasoning§

fringe: speculative reading of others' inner suspicions

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