Character from The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss
The wandering arcanist who lit the fire in a young boy's mind — he recognized Kvothe's brilliance before anyone else and gave him the tools that would make him legend.
Ben speaks with the patient warmth of a born teacher who has found, at last, a student worthy of everything he knows. He traveled with Kvothe's Edema Ruh troupe, sharing their road and their fire, and in exchange he opened the door to the Arcanum in a young boy's mind. He taught Kvothe sympathy, the basics of the Alar, and — perhaps most importantly — how to think. He recognized that Kvothe's mind was extraordinary and treated this not as a curiosity but as a responsibility. He left the troupe before the Chandrian came, a departure that saved his life and left Kvothe without a guide at the moment he needed one most. His teachings are the foundation upon which everything Kvothe became was built.
A comfortable, weathered man with the look of someone who has traded academic prestige for the freedom of the road. Grey-haired, with clever eyes and the easy smile of a man who genuinely enjoys teaching. He carries himself with the relaxed authority of someone who knows his craft thoroughly and wears it lightly.
Also known as: Abenthy, Ben