KKC Theory WikiThe Thrice-Locked Chest Is Kvothe's Lute Case Holding His Name
The chest's mismatched locks mirror Kvothe's lute case clasps, suggesting it holds the lute bearing his Name in Yllish knots.
About: Caesura, Kvothe, Naming
Also involves: The Lackless Box, The Eolian, Waystone Inn
The theory§
This theory matches the thrice-locked chest in the Waystone Inn to Kvothe's lute case from the Eolian, reading both as deliberate triplets of mismatched metal fittings. The lute case bears three mismatched clasps: worked silver, bright brass, and dull iron. The chest shows two visible lock plates, dark iron and bright copper, with a third lock unseen; the theory predicts the third is silver and the chest holds Kvothe's lute, onto which he wrote his Name in Yllish knots to become the diminished Kote. This would explain the conspicuous absence of music in the inn and Kvothe's loss of power. A closely related strand argues that what is locked away is Kvothe's name and with it his sympathy and music, since at the close of The Wise Man's Fear he cannot open his own chest, which would be impossible if he still commanded the names of things, and Elodin's warnings about losing or changing one's name fit a man who has bound away his own. A practical objection notes the chest weighs nearly four hundred pounds empty and cannot be the portable lute case itself, refining the claim to the chest containing the lute rather than being it; another notes brass and copper are distinct metals.
Evidence§
Only one of the original clasps remained, a delicate thing of worked silver. I'd replaced the others with whatever I could scavenge, so now the case sported mismatched clasps of bright brass and dull iron.
OP's book quote establishing the lute case's three mismatched clasps. — u/PM_ME_WHAT_YOURE_PMdHe nudged it idly with his foot, then bent and looked at the two separate lock plates, one dark iron, the other bright copper.
OP's book quote: chest shows two visible lock plates, a third unseen. — u/PM_ME_WHAT_YOURE_PMdThe third lock is unseen. How much will you wager it's silver and what's inside is Kvothe's lute: the reason there is no music in the Waystone… Kvothe wrote down his Name on his lute in yllish knots and became kote.
OP's core claim: third lock is silver, chest holds the Name-bearing lute. — u/PM_ME_WHAT_YOURE_PMdI always assumed Kvothe kept his most prized possessions from his old life inside. Lute, Denna's lute case, Shade, sword, etc. Things that people might identify with him but that are too meaningful to discard.
Comment refines: chest holds prized old-life items including the lute. — u/ThoughtfullyLazyIt really could be Kvothe's lute and I definitely think the name Kote is somewhere in there maybe not on the lute itself. I don't think Kvothe could bring himself to cut away pieces of his lute even to write Kote
Comment supports lute but doubts the Name was written on the lute itself. — u/StudieddagonAre you saying the chest IS the lute case? Doesn't the thrice locked chest weigh almost 400lbs empty? I doubt he'd carry that around like a lute case on his back.
CounterCounter: chest weighs ~400lbs empty, so it cannot be the portable lute case. — u/Death_By_Snu_SnooYou do realise Brass and Copper are not the same thing?
CounterCounter: the case's brass and the chest's copper are distinct metals. — u/CustodianAthiair
Book refs: WMF
Tier reasoning§
distinct from other chest theories (contents=lute claim); plausible retained
Contributors§
- u/ThoughtfullyLazy — extended · 28 pts
- u/Death_By_Snu_Snoo — countered · 15 pts