KKC Theory Wiki

Kvothe Sealed His Own Magic Away Using a Mommet and Copper Chest

fringe mechanism · popularity 57 · 1 source thread

Kvothe may have bound a mommet of himself in a copper-lined Lackless box to strip his own powers.

About: Kvothe, The Lackless Box

Also involves: Sympathy, The Ketan, Alar, Bast, Shehyn

The theory§

This theory proposes that the framed-day Kote sealed his own magic away by binding a mommet made to be as nearly identical to himself as possible, then sealing that mommet inside the thrice-locked chest, which he lined entirely with copper. It rests on the unproven premise that copper not only resists sympathetic links but wholly negates the use of sympathy and related magics, possibly including the Ketan if the Ketan is itself a form of magic. With a perfectly tied mommet entombed in copper, Kvothe would be cut off from his own arts as surely as if he himself were caged. The chief objection is mechanical: a mommet works only while a sympathetic binding is actively held, so Kvothe would have to maintain his Alar against a doll locked beyond his reach indefinitely, and dropping that Alar, or merely opening the chest, would restore his powers, making it a poor permanent seal.

Evidence§

  • kvothe made a mommett of himself, as tied to him as possible so it could be as 1-1 as possible.
    OP's first step: a near-identical mommet bound to Kvothe himself. — u/Tronda91
  • He lines the thrice locked chest totally with copper. and puts the mommett in the chest
    OP's second step: copper-line the chest and seal the mommet inside. — u/Tronda91
  • Makes sure the chest is indestructible and so hard to open to make sure seal is never broken and mommet is always sealed in
    OP's third step: ensure the seal is permanent and unbreakable. — u/Tronda91
  • what if it completely removes all use of sympathy and any related magics? even use of the ketan when someone is sealed in there? … if he had a mommett sealed in a copper case, it would be like he was, thus removing his ability to use any magics.
    OP's core premise: copper negates all magic, so sealing the mommet caps Kvothe. — u/Tronda91
  • The ketan point does depend on that theory that the ketan as a whole is a form a magic as well, which I personally support
    OP refines: the Ketan claim relies on the Ketan itself being magic. — u/Tronda91
  • What if said mommet was artificed around his 5-way gram - that would be pretty debilitating.
    Adds mechanism: artificing the mommet around his five-way gram strengthens the seal. — u/Aasher_Gellan
  • Wouldn’t he have to constantly be holding a sympathetic binding between the mommett and himself if this were the case? Opening the chest/regaining his powers would be as simple as dropping his alar, and breaking the binding.
    CounterKey counter: a mommet needs an actively held binding, making it a poor permanent seal. — u/HoarsePJ
  • he would have to permanently keep up a sympathetic binding with the doll and himself. And he couldn't do that If the doll is locked away. … I think copper is just nameless, just a material that can't be tempered with easily.
    CounterCounter reinforced: binding cannot persist while doll is locked; doubts copper works as claimed. — u/Nano_Bites

Book refs: WMF

Tier reasoning§

fringe correct; rests on an unverified copper premise that commenters rebut

Contributors§

Source threads§