KKC Theory Wiki

The Edema Ruh May Be Descended From the Original Amyr

fringe connection · popularity 87 · 1 source thread

Haliax's mention of 'the singers' suggests the travelling Edema Ruh descend from scattered, hidden Amyr.

About: Edema Ruh, The Amyr

Also involves: The Chandrian, Haliax, The Adem, Denna, Skarpi, Kvothe, The Lethani, Naming, Felurian, Myr Tariniel, The Sithe

The theory§

This theory grows from Haliax's question to Cinder over Kvothe's slaughtered troupe: 'Who keeps you safe from the Amyr? The singers? The Sithe?' It asks why singers should menace the Chandrian, and proposes that the travelling, publicly distrusted Edema Ruh are scattered remnants of the original Amyr, who dissolved into wandering judges and wandering singers. This would explain why some who speak of the Chandrian, such as Denna and Skarpi, go unharmed while Kvothe's troupe was destroyed for performing a song that named them. The idea extends to the Adem as a second Amyr-descended branch, noted for their ancient swords and the Lethani. A strong competing reading holds that 'singers' does not mean entertainers at all but powerful Namers who wield song as a weapon, the way Kvothe shatters Felurian's power with four hard notes; on this view the Chandrian fear singers because singers who know their true names can unmake them.

Evidence§

  • Who keeps you safe from the Amyr? The singers? The Sithe? From all that would harm you in the world?
    The puzzle line: why would singers menace the Chandrian alongside Amyr and Sithe? — u/CulturalVariety8475
  • The Amyr are described as travelling judges and we know for a fact that the Ruh are travelling people as well. … Could it be that the Edema are actually the remains of the original Amyr (at least part of them)? … travelling people, hated by the public
    OP's core claim: travelling, publicly hated Ruh resemble the Amyr. — u/CulturalVariety8475
  • What if the real Amyr dissolved and some of them just kept travelling... some as judges and others as singers- which then became known as Edema Ruh...
    Mechanism: scattered Amyr split into wandering judges and wandering singers. — u/CulturalVariety8475
  • That could even explain why some people are able to talk/sing about the Chandrian (Denna/Skarpi) without consequences and others are immediatly killed (Kvothes Ruh family)
    Explanatory payoff: why Kvothe's troupe died but other speakers survive. — u/CulturalVariety8475
  • What if the Edema Ruh and the Adem are two branch’s that are from the remnants of the Amyr. … They also have all the ancient swords which I think are of note.
    Extends theory: Adem as a second Amyr-descended branch, noted for ancient swords. — u/LordCalvar
  • I heard a story once that said the leaders of their tribes aren’t great warriors, they’re singers. Their songs can heal the sick and make the trees dance.
    In-book support: Ruh leaders are singers with songs of power. — u/td941
  • IMO "singers" does not mean people playing instruments, they do not pose a threat to the Chandrian, but these people do: … I shouted out the four hard notes of song. … I felt her power shake then shatter
    CounterCounter: singers are Namers who weaponize song, not entertainers. — u/BlueVCoin
  • The ruh might be the singers (I like this theory), but I doubt they're the amyr. Why would he list them back to back like that if they're synonymous.
    CounterCounter: listing singers and Amyr separately argues they aren't the same group. — u/Looks_Like_Twain

Book refs: NOTW, WMF

Tier reasoning§

tier kept: rests on one ambiguous Haliax line, contested by commenters

Contributors§

Source threads§