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"He spoke gently, laughed often, and never exercised his wit at the expense of others. He cursed like a drunken sailor with a broken leg, but only at his donkeys... [he] fed them carrots and lumps of sugar when he thought no one was looking."
―Kvothe, of Abenthy[1]

Abenthy (PR: /'æbənθi/), or Ben (PR: /bɛn/)[2], is Kvothe's first teacher.

Description[]

Abenthy is described as an older, portly gentlemen with twinkling eyes. He has greying hair, and most prominently, eyebrows that are in a perpetual state of regrowth. He drives a wagon pulled by two donkeys, Alpha and Beta. He is a full arcanist from The University. He sings in a tenor voice that tends to go wandering off looking for notes.

In The Chronicle[]

Kvothe meets Abenthy in a town where his troupe is performing. He witnesses Abenthy invoke the name of the wind in response to being harassed by the local constable for being an arcanist. Kvothe is both amazed and impressed by this and approaches the man. Ben asks to join the troupe to which Kvothe agrees; however before he can officially join Arliden asks to see his Guilder (also known as a gilthe)to ensure that Abenthy truly is a member of the Arcanum.

As the troupe travels, Ben and Kvothe spend much of their time together. Eventually, Ben begins to instruct Kvothe in all manner of academics, stimulating his thirst for knowledge and training his mind for scholarly studies and the rigors of sympathy. He is the first to suggest Kvothe might go on to join The University.

Abenthy's vast education and knowledge eventually leads Arliden and Laurian to query him about the Chandrian, whom they are writing a song about. It is during this conversation that it is suggested speaking the names of these creatures is dangerous.

Eventually, Ben leaves the troupe after falling in love with a woman in the town of Hallowfell. Upon his departure, Ben gives Kvothe a copy of "Rhetoric and Logic," providing a dedication which he eventually uses as a reference to gain admission to the University.

References[]

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