Name of the Wind 85 - 87

Chapter 85

There is a disciplinary hearing for Kote and Ambrose. Kote argues successfully to have Ambrose pay him 20 talents for stealing and breaking his lute. The masters then vote unanimously for Kote to get 6 lashes and be expelled from the university.

Could his be the moment of Kote's expulsion? But he hasn't even learned to master calling he wind - seems doubtful he could do it again on purpose. At least he got some money to buy a new lute and pay Devi!

Chapter 86

Kote gets a reprieve! Elodin moves to repeal the expulsion and also promote Kote to the rank of Re'lar (which we learn means "speaker", as in speaking the names of things). This motion is passed by the masters, but no word on the lashes. Later Kote talks to Elodin, who tells him of the history of the university. Kote wonders how he was able to call the wind. Elodin is cryptic but explains that although he doesn't consciously know the name, his subconscious mind does. Elodin explains that it is often in anger, tapping into he subconscious, that a student is first able to call the name of something, and this is how it was with Elodin himself. So it's almost an expected thing, and not likely to result in expulsion. Despite being a Re'lar, Kote does not gain access to the Archives. Elodin also declines to tell him more about he four plated door in the archives. Elodin then goes on cryptically about naming, leaving Kote confused.

Phew! Kote is saved and on his way to being a great arcanist. Elodin is pretty opaque in discussing the power of names, so I was at least as confused as Kote. Luckily, it seems Elodin has taken a special interest so Kote will learn from the best.

Chapter 87

Kote reveals to his friends that despite having his expulsion sentence commuted, he will still get lashes. Later, he meets with Auri and convinces her to show him around the underground tunnels of the university. He finally reaches a room with some ancient-appearing machines. The chapter ends with an interruption mid-sentence.

The Underthing is described as massive, far bigger than I had been imagining, almost like an underground city. Makes you wonder how big the university was in the past and what had been going on there. You get the impression that it is now a pale shadow of what it once was, a very interesting thought.  Hopefully we will get to know more about these machines that are fascinating Kote.