Chapter 60: Baxil

Spoiler Notice: This page contains details about the plot of The Way of Kings. If you haven’t read this chapter yet, proceed with caution.

Summary

The chapter follows Baxil, an Emuli hireling, as he nervously accompanies his confident cousin Av and their enigmatic mistress through the lavish palace of Ashno of Sages, a wealthy and holy man. The mistress, a tall, lean woman with strikingly pale violet eyes, moves through the Hallowed Hall destroying religious art—slashing a painting of Epan, Lady of Dreams, gouging a bust, shattering a vase, and pounding apart a statue with a padded mallet. Baxil cringes at each act of vandalism but obeys, handing over tools as requested. He and Av keep watch, with Av relaxed and Baxil perpetually on edge, fearful of discovery.

While the mistress works, Baxil and Av discuss the Old Magic. Baxil expresses a desire to seek the Nightwatcher and ask for courage to overcome his cowardice. Av warns against it, recounting how most of his family received regrettable curses alongside their boons—only his father, who gained valuable cloth that saved the family from starvation, accepted his curse of seeing the world upside down. The mistress briefly interjects that she’d like a Shardblade but worries it would make her destruction too easy. The chapter closes with Baxil resolving to seek the Old Magic despite the risks, as the thuds of the mistress’s mallet continue to echo.

Key Events

  • Baxil and Av accompany their unnamed mistress into the palace of Ashno of Sages in Emul.
  • The mistress systematically destroys religious art: a painting of the Herald Epan, a bust, a vase, and a statue.
  • Baxil, nervous and jumpy, contrasts with Av’s relaxed demeanor.
  • Av and Baxil discuss the Old Magic and the Nightwatcher, who grants a boon accompanied by an unpredictable curse.
  • Av shares the story of his father’s boon (luxurious cloth) and curse (seeing the world upside down).
  • The mistress mentions wanting a Shardblade but feeling it would make her task too easy.
  • Baxil decides he will seek the Old Magic to ask for courage.

Character Development

  • Baxil: He is deeply insecure about his cowardice and worships the mistress from afar, hoping that courage might make him worthy of her notice. His decision to pursue the Old Magic shows a growing willingness to change, but he remains oblivious to the dangers.
  • Av: A pragmatic and world-weary man who understands the pitfalls of the Old Magic through family experience. He is protective of Baxil but not coddling, offering blunt advice and sardonic commentary.
  • The Mistress: She remains mysterious. Her single-minded destruction of religious imagery—specifically targeting representations of a Herald—suggests a personal vendetta or compulsion. Her physical description (tall, lean, pale violet eyes) and comment about a Shardblade hint at a larger role in the world, possibly as a Herald herself or someone connected to them.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • The Old Magic and Boon-Curse Duality: The chapter emphasizes the central theme of trade-offs. Every boon from the Nightwatcher comes with a curse, often unrelated and ironic. Av’s father’s story illustrates that curses can be reframed, but the risk is ever-present. This mirrors broader cosmere ideas about power and cost.
  • Destruction of Art as Rejection of Faith: The mistress deliberately targets holy images. Her vandalism may symbolize a rejection of the Heralds, the Vorin religion, or the very concept of worship. The act is deliberate, methodical, and seemingly personal.
  • Courage and Self-Worth: Baxil’s internal struggle and his belief that courage is a boon he can obtain externally reflect a common human desire to fix perceived flaws through magic, ignoring that true change often requires self-acceptance.
  • Worldbuilding Through Dialogue: The discussion immerses readers in Emuli culture—the Prime Kadasix, the Hallowed Hall, and the reverence for Kadasix (Heralds)—while also expanding the mythology of the Nightwatcher and the Old Magic.

Why This Chapter Matters

This interlude serves multiple purposes. It deepens the worldbuilding by exploring Emul and the concept of the Old Magic, which will become increasingly relevant later in the series. It introduces a mysterious woman whose actions—destroying art of the Heralds—may connect to the larger plot about the Heralds’ true natures and the Recreance. Finally, it offers a poignant character study in Baxil, whose relatable desire for courage mirrors the struggles of many protagonists, while also hinting at the dangerous allure of magical solutions.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. What does the discussion of the Old Magic reveal about the cost of power in Roshar?
    The Old Magic always pairs a boon with a curse, emphasizing that power never comes without a price. Av’s family stories show that curses can be debilitating or manageable, but they cannot be avoided, reflecting a world where balance must be maintained.

  2. Why does the mistress destroy art, and what might this suggest about her identity?
    The mistress destroys only religious art, specifically pieces depicting Heralds. This targeted vandalism hints at a personal grievance against the Heralds or the faith. Coupled with her physical description (pale eyes, tall build) and her casual mention of a Shardblade, she might be a Herald attempting to erase her own iconography, though the chapter leaves this ambiguous.

  3. How does Baxil’s character arc in this chapter reflect the theme of self-improvement?
    Baxil believes that courage is something he can obtain externally through the Old Magic, rather than cultivating it himself. His fixation on this magical shortcut mirrors a common human tendency to seek quick fixes for personal flaws, and his arc raises the question of whether such change can ever be genuine.

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