The Wise Man's Fear

Kvothe and Denna walk the streets. They talk about a range of subjects before they sit and Denna critiques his lute case, which is falling apart. Kvothe notices that Denna’s ring is missing and learns that Ambrose offered to have the fitting repaired, but when his interactions with Denna soured did not return it. Kvothe offers to get it back.

Kvothe lures Ambrose out of his room by slipping a note under his door at the Golden Pony, then breaks in through his window with Simmon and Wilem acting as lookouts. He searches the rooms and does small mischiefs but is quickly alerted to Ambrose’s return. As he tries to leave, he realizes that the window is lined with runes that alarmed Ambrose to his presence and sealed the window shut. Kvothe jams the keyhole to prevent Ambrose from entering, then breaks the ward on the window. As he leaves, he cracks a tile and breaks a windowpane, falling to the ground. He is hit by falling tile as he flees. He returns to his room and is later joined by his friends, who realize he is bleeding from a gash on his back. Simmon stitches his wound while Wilem warns Kvothe about his feelings for Denna.

Kvothe rises early to harvest willow bark for his pain, then goes to work in the Fishery. The student running the ledger warns him that the girl who claimed he sold charms was looking for him, then notices that Kilvin has refused that Kvothe be issued materials until they talk. Kvothe goes to Kilvin, helps him with a glasswork project, and learns that Kilvin wants him to pursue more complicated projects. Kvothe agrees, then faints due to the heat in the room. He awakes at the Medica, where a student-doctor named Mola is attending to him. She comments on his wounds and recognizes their source but does not tell anyone because Kvothe saved Fela from burning alive the semester before. Wilem and Simmon arrive. They share why Kvothe sneaked into Ambrose’s room, then leave as Mola re-stitches Kvothe’s wound.

In Advanced Sympathy class, Kvothe learns about slippage, which occurs when energy enters a sympathist’s body, and that in extreme cases it causes death. Master Elxa Dal creates competitions and duels for the students, where Kvothe keeps winning. Dal warns him about taking care of himself when he learns of Kvothe’s “heat exhaustion”. They then discuss naming and Elodin’s class. Kvothe goes to the Eolian and encounters Count Threpe, a would-be-patron, then asks about Denna’s strange patron situation; Threpe warns him to be careful. Kvothe walks home and is overwhelmed with heat. He jumps into the river to cool himself down, growing fearful at his strange symptoms.

Kvothe talks to Simmon and Wilem about his symptoms at Anker’s. He performs, but experiences intense chills. He takes his friends up to his room, where he uses a candle to restore his temperature. He reveals a burn on his chest, then gushes blood from a sudden welt on his arm. They realize that he is experiencing malfeasance, the manipulation of blood. Kvothe uses his Alar to fend off incoming mental attacks, convinced it is Ambrose although the others are less certain. They learn about Devi and invite Kvothe to spend the night with them so they can watch over him. As he travels the roofs, a storm begins, and he encounters Auri. She claims he looks like one of the “Ciridae”. Kvothe forgets that he is not supposed to ask her questions and asks what she knows, but in the next flash of lightning she disappears.

Kvothe travels to the underground after a crying Auri. He apologizes for asking questions and they talk about lightning. Auri takes him to the Clinks, an underground river with unpredictable flow. They put Kvothe’s blood and hair into bottles and throw them in, ensuring he cannot be tracked by whoever has his blood. Kvothe then goes to stay with his friends, which he does for “many [nights] to come” (217).

Kvothe tries to get the schema for a gram, a protective amulet, but Master Kilvin will not show him because of the dangerous nature of the runes involved. Kvothe gets a private work room, then goes to a seedy in to speak to an illegal materials dealer named Sleat. They exchange gossip about each other, then try to negotiate for a gram schema. When that fails due to high expense, Kvothe instead gets a crossbow using gold and silver obtained from the Fishery. Later, he meets Fela in the library and explains his situation, asking for help finding a schema. After several hours, they decide to involve others in their search.

Kvothe goes to visit Devi and realizes she sold Ambrose the plum bomb recipe. When she refuses to show him his blood, he reveals a wax doll he made of her that he uses to keep her motionless with sympathy. However, with help from a burner and her own exceptional magic, she defeats him then ends their business relationship.

Kvothe catches Wilem and Simmon up on recent events, then reiterates his belief that Ambrose is responsible. The three then join Fela in the Archives. They spend days looking for the schema, as well as tracking Ambrose’s movements to confirm that he is alone when Kvothe has symptoms.

The exhaustion of keeping his magic active for protection causes Kvothe to lose his first duel in Advanced Sympathy. After nine days, Fela finds the schema written in a language only Simmon reads. Simmon and Kvothe spend two days translating the design, then Kvothe begins working on it when he is sure Ambrose is too occupied to attack him. Kvothe splits his time between the gram, a secret project to impress Master Kilvin, and the Golden Pony inn where Ambrose lodges.

Kvothe returns to his room at Anker’s to discover his lute has been stolen. He is devastated.

Elodin guides the class on thinking about things that are unexplainable. He and Kvothe argue about whether music can be explained, a debate that turns sour when Elodin embarrasses Kvothe and Fela while creating a metaphor. Kvothe is in a poor mood due to the compounding troubles in his life but receives a letter from Denna inviting him to dinner two days after the fact. He searches for her and finds her crying. They comfort each other before she claims to have a surprise for him. She takes him to a music store where the shop owner presents Kvothe with a very expensive lute case that is both strong and waterproof. The shopkeeper reveals he has Kvothe’s lute, and Kvothe bursts into tears. Outside, after he has calmed down, Denna explains that her intent was to take it and invite him to dinner on the same night so he would never know it was missing. They commiserate over their bad luck and failures before spending the day together.

With his lute back, Kvothe’s mood improves. He visits Simmon in the alchemy building, where Simmon presents him with a temporary heat insulator for skin.

Kvothe walks through the forest north of the University at night, meeting Mola, Fela, Wilem, and Simmon by a bonfire. Kvothe shows off his completed gram and they test it with a wax doll, confirming its viability. The group references a plan for the next night. Simmon makes a comment about Devi, leading Kvothe to confess his folly to the girls. Everyone returns home to rest.

Kvothe prepares for the night. A boy brings a dinner invitation from Denna, but it arrives too late, so he sends an apology and attempts to reschedule. He then returns to the forest. He builds a bonfire with Wilem and Simmon before Fela appears, dressed provocatively for a date with Ambrose. Mola arrives next with Devi, who hates Ambrose and wants to help. She and Kvothe temporarily establish a truce with plans to talk in the future. Everyone gives Fela advice on how to keep Ambrose occupied but gentlemanly.

An hour later, Wilem and Kvothe are playing cards at the Golden Pony. Someone shouts that a fire has started and Kvothe sprints up the stairs, seeing smoke come out from under Ambrose’s door. He breaks into the room using a magical siege stone hidden in his hand, then sees Ambrose’s dresser on fire from where it contained Kvothe’s blood. He throws the drawers out the window, where onlookers stamp out the flames. With helpful citizens, Kvothe puts out the rest of the fire as Ambrose arrives and yells slurs at him. Onlookers defend Kvothe, but he leaves.

The group reconvenes around the forest bonfire, sharing stories of the night. Kvothe reveals that he has the jeweler’s slip for Denna’s ring but hides that he stole six talents.

Kvothe scours jeweler’s shops for Denna’s ring. He eventually finds it but cannot find Denna in Imre.

As he heads to the Fishery, Kvothe spots a girl in a blue cloak who matches the description of the girl who has been spreading rumors about him. He recognizes her as Nina, the girl from Trebon he met while searching for information about the Chandrian. She is the only person who saw an ancient clay pot depicting their images. She claims that she has been dreaming of the pot and gives him a recreation of the images she saw. He recognizes Cinder, who killed his family, and Haliax, their leader. He also recognizes one of the Amyr, a knight of the Tehlin Church and member of an elite group that was disbanded 200 years prior. Nina departs.

Kvothe, Simmon, and Wilem go drinking to celebrate besting Ambrose. Drunk, they debate the origin of both greystones and the Amyr, deciding to settle their disagreements the next day in the library. Kvothe’s friends ask if he is truly Edema Ruh, leading Kvothe to talk about his parents. They then bemoan their collective bad luck with romance before Kvothe tells a story.

Kvothe’s story is about an old man trying to share fire and dinner with camping strangers. He visits five fires without success before finally finding safety with the Edema Ruh, with whom he stays for several years.

The boys discuss the story, as well as the stereotypes it presents. Kvothe tells them that if they are ever offered wine before water by a traveling troupe, they are Ruh. They finish walking home.

The next day, Wilem tells Kvothe about Simmon’s unfortunate family life as they walk to the Archives to settle their bets. They do not find clear information on whether greystones are ancient road markers, as Kvothe believes, or pagan sites, as Simmon states. While researching the Amyr, they find contradictory information as to whether they were disbanded by the Tehlin Church or the emperor. When Kvothe expresses his dismay at such contradictions, the boys take him to meet Puppet.

Simmon and Wilem instruct Kvothe on how to behave as they lead him deep into the library, where they knock on a door to reveal a strange, tall man who impersonates Taborlin the Great before he lets them inside. The man, Puppet, and Kvothe exchange witticisms and Kvothe guesses that Puppet is a student whose mind “cracked” under the pressures of arcanum. Puppet impressively gives the location of a text from memory, then presses the boys to ask their question. He confirms that the Church disbanded the Amyr, and the boys speculate that the contradictions were the result of intentional blame-shifting by historians. They depart and Puppet asks for Kvothe to return, noting that he has “some more work to do on him” (332).

Studying together, Kvothe shows Simmon an original medical diagram from a problematic researcher named Gibea, where there is an ancient script reading for the greater good. Kvothe matches this to the Amyr motto, although Simmon is dubious about the connection. They are suspended from the library for five days after Kvothe intervenes to kick out some loud students, breaking a rule in the process.

Banned from the library, Kvothe catches up on necessary tasks before forcing himself to go see Devi. After some tense discussion, Kvothe notes that they both have made mistakes recently: he accused her of malfeasance, she made the plum bomb that poisoned him. Devi extends Kvothe’s loan to its previous due date, and the two have a pleasant talk.

Kvothe receives a letter from Denna, explaining her departure from town. During his next class, Elodin arrives on time and well-kempt. After preamble, he announces Fela has learned the name of stone. She showcases her ability by turning a river rock into a ring and is promoted to Re’lar.

Kvothe approaches Kilvin to showcase his invention, a device capable of stopping arrows using sympathy. After chastising Kvothe for using an illegally acquired crossbow and for purchasing it with Fishery metals, he approves the arrow catcher for sale and pays him for the prototype.

While playing at Anker’s, Kvothe is arrested for dealing with demonic powers to break Ambrose’s arm the semester before, an event Kvothe thought was dealt with after his whipping. There is a six-day trial involving the local constable and the church. Kvothe is cleared of all charges.

Kvothe stops telling his story to get ready for the lunch crowd. The inn becomes packed. Kvothe hides his upset when a villager suggests he bring someone in to play music.

Old Cob argues with a young man about the “demon” from the infamous Kvothe trial, a topic brought up by Chronicler while Kvothe was out of the room. Cob tells a fanciful version of the trial. In revenge, Kvothe invents tales about “The Chronicler”. After the men leave, Kvothe tells Chronicler that he needs perspective on what it is like to have his life in other people’s mouths.