KKC Theory Wiki

Denna May Have Heard Arliden Sing the Night the Chandrian Came

fringe connection · popularity 52 · 1 source thread

Denna might have been in Hallowfell hearing Arliden's songs, the first place she heard Savien and the seed of her Lanre song.

About: Denna, Arliden

Also involves: Laurian, The Chandrian, Cinder, Arliden's Lanre Song, Hallowfell

The theory§

On the night the Chandrian came to the troupe near Hallowfell, two songs were performed: Arliden and Laurian sang 'The Lay of Sir Savien Traliard,' and Arliden played the Lanre song he had been secretly composing. This theory speculates that Denna was present that night to hear both. When Denna later sings Sir Savien with Kvothe at the Eolian, she remarks she has heard the song twice but names only the second occasion, leaving the first unaccounted for, which Sir Savien being a rare and difficult song makes notable. If she heard Arliden's performance, it may also have planted the seed of her own later song casting Lanre as a hero. Cinder's parting line that 'someone's parents have been singing entirely the wrong sort of songs' uses the plural, raising the possibility that Sir Savien, not only the Lanre song, was an offending performance. The theory strains against the central asymmetry of the Chandrian killing Arliden's troupe for its song yet leaving Denna and her Lanre song untouched.

Evidence§

  • Two things happened that night: **1- Arliden and Laurian sang "The Lay of Sir Savien Traliard".** **2- Arliden sang the song about Lanre**.
    OP's premise: two songs were performed the night the Chandrian came. — u/navispacial
  • What if Denna heard them both that night? **After she sings "The Lay of Sir Savien Traliard"**, she tells Kvothe that she heard Savien Traliard twice and only mentions where she heard the second time.
    Core claim: Denna's unaccounted-for first hearing of Savien. — u/navispacial
  • What if the first time was when she heard Arliden sing? We know that is not a common song to sing.
    Rarity of the song makes a prior hearing notable. — u/navispacial
  • And it's **where she came with the idea of a Lanre's song** for the first time, maybe?
    Hearing Arliden may have seeded Denna's later Lanre song. — u/navispacial
  • Interesting that cinder indicates: > “Someone’s parents,” he said, “have been singing entirely the wrong sort of **songs**.” … the plural “songs” is significant and indicates that Sir Savien is A or THE prime offender.
    Cinder's plural 'songs' supports Sir Savien being an offending performance too. — u/Shartriloquist
  • It’s hellishly complex, and my father was probably the only one in the troupe who could do it justice. … I wonder how many people actually can perform it perfectly?
    Refines rarity point: few can perform Sir Savien, strengthening uniqueness. — u/Shartriloquist
  • I wonder if the players are as important as the song? Perhaps Arliden and Laurian / Kvothe and Denna combinations are somehow significant when it comes to their performing a particular part in the song.
    Extends theory: the specific singer pairings may matter. — u/Shartriloquist
  • I think is a good observation and maybe not a coincidence.
    Endorses the theory as plausible rather than coincidental. — u/niitalert

Book refs: NOTW

Tier reasoning§

tier confirmed fringe: single thin quote, speculative

Contributors§

Source threads§