The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1
The Name of the Wind
by Patrick Rothfuss
Contents
CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN Winter
Overview
Kvothe vents about Elodin’s eccentricity, confirms he still faces whipping for malfeasance, and shares a moment of honest friendship with Simmon and Wilem. That night, Auri gifts Kvothe a ring and guides him through the Underthing, where he discovers vast, ancient ruins and machinery beneath the University, hinting at deeper mysteries.
Summary
After the Masters’ judgments, Kvothe meets Simmon and Wilem at Anker’s and complains that Elodin, though brilliant and protective, seems mad. Simmon reminds Kvothe of his good fortune: raised to Re’lar and paid damages for Ambrose’s broken arm. Kvothe clarifies he still must endure the whipping for malfeasance.
Simmon denounces the punishment as barbaric and accidentally spills his drink, prompting laughter that eases Kvothe’s tension. Kvothe warmly acknowledges Simmon’s decency, and the friends settle after a serving girl’s teasing cleanup.
That night on the Mains roof, Kvothe meets Auri. They exchange gifts: Kvothe offers honey wine; Auri gives a smooth wooden ring that “keeps secrets,” fitting Kvothe perfectly. They share a simple, ceremonious meal of bread, cheese, apples, and hard-boiled eggs while Auri speaks of leaves in the Underthing and a bold mother owl nesting in the Grey Twelve, musing that wisdom precludes boldness.
When Kvothe asks to see the Underthing, Auri playfully feigns modesty, then leads him below through a grate. With Kvothe’s hand lamp and Auri’s soft blue-green light, they explore tunnels, pipes, and deep stairways to the Grey Twelve and beyond. The passages shift to ancient corridors, collapsed rooms with bricked windows, and finally Throughbottom: a cavernous hall filled with colossal, rusted machinery, verdigrised pillars, and a dry canal with a fallen waterwheel. Kvothe marvels at the forgotten mechanisms and their unknown purpose as their exploration deepens.
Who Appears
- KvotheProtagonist; accepts impending lashes, bonds with friends, exchanges gifts with Auri, and explores the Underthing’s ancient halls and machines.
- AuriReclusive friend; meets Kvothe on the roof, gifts a secret-keeping ring, shares dinner, and proudly guides him through the Underthing.
- SimmonKvothe’s friend; defends him, condemns the whipping as barbaric, and provides levity after spilling his drink.
- WilemKvothe’s friend; soberly explains the malfeasance precedent and listens during the discussion at Anker’s.