- "What what. Hush hush."
- ―Trapis[1]
Trapis is a resident of Tarbean who takes in and assists homeless children of the city.
Description[]
Trapis is described as having grey hair, but appearing no older than forty. He displays a tender demeanor, never complaining about his situation. Most notably Trapis is described as never wearing shoes, as well as only owning a single heavily patched robe. He lives in the basement of a burned out building in Tarbean, taking it upon himself to care for children who cannot take care of themselves due to disability or infancy. He is also well loved by the child waifs of the city, as he is known to provide them medical care, food, and shelter when and if he can.
In The Chronicle[]
Kvothe encounters Trapis after following a group of young beggars to the damp basement where he lives. Trapis offers him two-day-old bread in return for carrying water and later other chores. At first Kvothe visits the basement infrequently, as he is made nervous by the other able bodied orphans that visit. However, when Kvothe is beaten by a guard in Hillside Trapis nurses him back to health and he subsequently visits more frequently. It is during Kvothe's stay with Trapis that he hears the story of Perial, Tehlu and Encanis. This is the only story Kvothe ever hears him tell and it raises Kvothe's suspicion that Trapis may be a Tehlin Priest. This is later addressed by the author, Patrick Rothfuss, who explained in the TOR interview that Trapis is actually a disciple of a schism of Tehlinism referred to as the Mender Heresies. This belief may be that Tehlu became human in the form of Menda, since Menda and Mender are related.[2]
Kvothe expresses an extreme fondness for Trapis, calling him the closest thing he's had to family since the death of his parents and troupe. When he leaves for Imre, he visits Trapis' basement a final time to tell him of the location of his meager possessions, as well as bid him farewell.
Later, Kvothe returns to visit and offer money, although Trapis refuses to accept more than five talents, saying more would attract attention.
Wards[]
Trapis will help any child who comes to his basement, those mentioned by name are listed below: