Chapter:One - A Place for Demons (The Name of the Wind)

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N/A	Chapter:Two - A Beautiful Day (The Name of the Wind)

It's Felling night and within the Waystone Inn, Old Cob is recounting the tale of Taborlin the Great to Jake, Graham, Shep, Aaron, and the innkeeper. In it, Taborlin is said to be locked within a high tower with nothing to escape while the Chandrian are hinted to be near due to blue flame.

The story is paused as the men eat their dinner. As he quickly finishes eating, Old Cob resumes the story and mentions that Taborlin knew the name of all things and utilized this ability to escape from the cell by calling upon the name of stone. He is met with a drop that would kill most, but Taborlin also knew the name of the wind.

It's explained that Taborlin lands safely due to an amulet given to him by a tinker, at which point Graham mentions that "a tinker pays for kindness twice". Jake corrects him by saying "a tinker's advice pays kindness twice," at which point the quiet innkeeper speaks for the first time, correcting both by saying: "A tinker’s debt is always paid: Once for any simple trade. Twice for freely-given aid. Thrice for any insult made."

The story continues and devolves into an argument about the Chandrian until Carter comes into the Waystone, bloody and injured. Old Cob assumes that men attacked Carter, at which point he yells at him that he shouldn't have taken the risk. Carter drops a large black spider, hollow and made of a stone-like material with blades as sharp as razors along its legs. The innkeeper seems unaffected by the "demon" as he explains to the rest that he'd heard of them from a traveling trader. He uses a shim to confirm if it's a demon, as all demons fear three things: Iron, fire, and as Jake adds, the name of God. A crackling sound can be heard as he presses the coin against it, at which point the innkeeper asks what they should do now.

Hours later, the innkeeper is standing in the doorway of the Waystone, taking note of the road and the fact that it "didn't seem to lead anywhere, as some roads do." He seems as though he's waiting for something to happen. He calls himself Kote, but it's hinted that it isn't his true name as he'd "chosen the name carefully when he came to this place." It's also explained that he'd "taken a new name for most of the usual reasons, and for a few unusual ones as well, not the least of which was the fact that names were important to him."

He looked up and saw a night sky without a moon, full of stars, all of which he knew the names and stories of. Kote sighs without realizing and heads back into the Waystone, where he cleans methodically for roughly an hour despite the fact that the Waystone is already nearly immaculate. He hums to himself without realizing, as he would've stopped himself had he noticed. He seems younger as he cleans, younger than a man in his thirties, young for an innkeeper.

Kote heads upstairs and enters his room which is described plainly as "monkish" with only a bed, desk, chairs, fireplace and a chest. A charming young man enters the room, bringing Kote food although he calls him Reshi. Kote asks the young man, named Bast, what he's learned today. Bast explains that he didn't read Celum Tinture, as a beautiful girl distracted him, but Kote cannot bring himself to be angry with him.

Kote then informs Bast that Carter was attacked by a scraeling, which causes Bast to partially panic. Kote explains that he took all of the proper steps in helping dispose of the scraeling. Bast believes that the other inhabitants are incompetent and uninformed in matters, hinting that Kote must ensure their safety. Kote mentions to Bast that the blacksmith will be quite busy, implying that Bast may not wish to be around at the same time before shooing him out of the room.

As he sat alone, Kote's eyes purposely avoid noticing an object. Unavoidably, however, they eventually linger on a wooden chest.

It was made of roah, a rare, heavy wood, dark as coal and smooth as polished glass. Prized by perfumers and alchemists, a piece the size of your thumb was easily worth gold. To have a chest made of it went far beyond extravagance. The chest was sealed three times. It had a lock of iron, a lock of copper, and a lock that could not be seen. Tonight the wood filled the room with the almost imperceptible aroma of citrus and quenching iron.

– Narrator

At that moment, Kote's age returned and he did not seem young anymore. He seemed empty and full of regret as he met the chest's gaze. He sighed once more without realizing it, rose to his feet and went to bed.

The Waystone's regulars returned the following day, though the prior day's events soured the mood. This time they spoke of important matters such as rumors of the Penitent King dealing with rebels in Resavek, a third levy tax as soon as the harvests were in, along with talk of deserters on the roads making even short trips risky.

No one spoke about what happened the night prior, but it was on everyone's mind as they complained that things were growing worse. They tried to return to normalcy, but still, each of them bought a piece of iron from the smith, heavy as they could swing. Despite the fact that none shared their true thoughts, their conversations naturally took a dark turn and the evening ended on a grim note.

Characters

Characters physically appearing in the chapter

• Old Cob is telling stories, and giving advice.
• Graham is listening to the stories.
• Jacob Walker is listening to the stories.
• Shep Is listening to the stories. Since something bad happened on his farm the previous span, he fears demons.
• Aaron the Blacksmith’s prentice is listening to the story. Commonly called "Boy" or "The Rannish Lad".
• Kote is tending the bar, listening to the stories, and recites a rhyme about Tinkers. He is also called Reshi, by Bast.
• Carter enters mid-story, having been attacked on the road and his horse Nelly killed.
• Bast appears after the others have left, discussing deeper knowledge of the "demon" than they let the locals know.

Characters mentioned in the chapter, but not physically present

• Taborlin the Great is the hero in the first story Cob tells.
• The Penitent King is mentioned in reference to a rebellion.
• Crazy Martin is a villager, who has planted the wrong crop this year and is trying to build a well inside his house.

Creatures

Creatures physically appearing in the chapter

• Scrael are spider-like creatures, commonly thought to be a demon. Scraeling is a term used for those not yet fully grown. They are made of a stone-like material, with no traditional internal anatomy.

Groups

Groups mentioned in the chapter, but not physically present

• The Bentley Family are a family in town, experiencing hard times.
• The Chandrian are Taborlin’s foe in the story. Debated as possibly being demons.
• The Orisson Family are a family in town, whose sheep keep disappearing.

Locations

Locations physically appearing in the chapter

• Waystone Inn is the main setting for the frame story.

Locations mentioned in the chapter, but not physically visited

• Rannish is mentioned as to where the Smith’s prentice came from, a few towns over.
• Baedn and Baedn-Byrt are mentioned in regard to banditry on the road. It is presumed these are the same town, or very close together.
• Resavek is currently experiencing a rebellion.
• Melcombe is mentioned by Kote as where Scrael may be.

Objects

Objects physically appearing in the chapter

• Celum Tinture is a textbook Kvothe has given to Bast, who largely avoids it.
• Kote's roah chest, locked and fragrant, is in Kote’s chambers.

Objects mentioned in the chapter, but not physically present

• Taborlin the Great's Amulet is featured in Cob's story as a protective charm.

Terms

• Demons are commonly mentioned as a concept, but generally disbelieved to be actually real.
• Felling is the name of a day in the Calendar of Temerant.
• Naming is a magical art known by Taborlin the Great.
• Tinker is the name for a person who makes a living traveling, mending metal objects and selling useful items.

Significant Phrases

A tinker's debt is always paid:
Once for any simple trade.
Twice for freely-given aid.
Thrice for any insult made.