The Malazan Fallen discussion

Onearm's Host, in that time, was perhaps the finest army the Malazan Empire had yet to produce, even given the decimation of the Bridgeburners at the Siege of Pale. Drawn from disparate regiments that included companies from Seven Cities, Falar, and Malaz Island, these ten thousand soldiers were, by roll, four thousand nine hundred and twelve women, the remaining men; one thousand two hundred and sixty-seven under the recorded age of twenty-five years, seven hundred and twenty-one over the age of thirty-five years; the remaining in between.
Remarkable indeed. More so when one considers this: among its soldiers could be found veterans of the Wickan Wars (see Coltaine's Rebellion), the Aren Uprising (on both sides), and Blackdog Forest and Mott Wood.
How does one measure such an army? By their deeds; and that which awaited them in the Pannion Domin would make of Onearm's Host a legend carved in stone.

East of Saltoan, a History of the Pannion Wars
Gouridd Palah

Fascinating. The Malazan army is almost 50/50 male/female yet the list of know characters is more like 80/20 male/female. In my rough guess, with no actual research.

I like the way the women are listed first!

Ugh I hadn't noticed how bloody things were when the Trygalle arrived. How K'rull is bleeding out. It's quite an alarming scene.

Also, altho not related to this chapter but I just was thinking about how the Imass committed genocide, and yet we still like them, especially Tool who we know the best right now. Weird how SE can do that, and I wonder why that is. Perhaps it's because as always with him we see both sides of the story, how the Imass were completely crush by the Tyrant, and how that so blindsided them, how much they were victimized and lost self-respect that obsession was their only answer.

So it's really all Kallor's fault, the whole damn thing. How could Brood and Rake continue to tolerate him? I hate him and want him smashed like a bug. At least TCG has an excuse for being horrid, Kallor is just a psychopath.

Way to go Whiskeyjack! lol.

I can only imagine that something has get resolved with the Warrens, or maybe everyone just runs away?

Not having casters for the next 7 books would be BORING. Shit's getting crazy though.

Lori wrote: "So it's really all Kallor's fault, the whole damn thing."

Well, Kallor puts the blame on those who actually brought down the crippled god

Eight mighty wizards, who sought to oppose me and so loosed a nightmare that rises once more, millennia later. Fools. Now, they are dust and ashes . . .


Interesting to see that kallor uses alchemy, not magic to keep himself alive. Inhaling Century candles.

these Century Candles, for one, are well named. Upon my life, yet another layer seeps into my flesh and bone – I can feel it with each breath. A good thing, too. Who would want to live for ever in a body too frail to move? Another hundred years, gained in the passage of a single night, in the depth of this one reach of columned wax. And I have scores more . . .

Hmmm...but aren't wax candles used in necromancy?


And what egotistically lunatic sits on a throne in the privacy of his own tent? He has a few tickets on himself Kallor does. He even imagines that he's the focus K'rul's attention. It's all about him

And one of you remains, pursuing me once more. Oh, I know it is you, K’rul. But, instead of me, you have found another enemy, and he is killing you.


And Kallor is visited by Gethol, former Herald of Death, now Herald of the crippled god, inviting him to be High King of the newly formed House of Chains.

We also learn that the crippled god intends to monopolize the warrens. The "poison" to K'rul's blood is not poisonous to the crippled god. He is simply re-terraforming the warrens (so to speak) to suit himself, an alien god, so only his followers will be able to access the warrens and use magic.

Kallor’s eyes thinned to slits. ‘The poisoning of the warrens? The Crippled God is a fool. What point in destroying the power he requires to assert his claim? Without the warrens, the Deck of Dragons is nothing.’
‘The appellation “poison” is erroneous, Kallor. Rather, consider the infection one of enforcing a certain ... alteration ... to the warrens. Aye, those who resist it view it as a deadly manifestation, a “poison” indeed. But only because its primary effect is to make the warrens impassable to them. Servants of the Crippled God, however, will find themselves able to travel freely in the paths.’

So Kallor agrees - provided he is given a shot at taking out Silverfox.

So these last couple of chapters have become very important for the Crippled God. He has gone from a guy in a smoky tent, to beginning to put his personnel together.
He has the K'Chain Che'Malle back in the world, with a Matron, he has his herald, a Jaghut no less and now it seems he has the most bitter and twisted mortal as his High King. The house of chains is going to be a house to be reckoned with.

Mayhbe hitches a ride with a soletaken Dragon, a bonecaster it seems. Is this the same dragon that dropped in on Kulp on the Silanah? I wonder.

Lee wrote: "Mayhbe hitches a ride with a soletaken Dragon, a bonecaster it seems. Is this the same dragon that dropped in on Kulp on the Silanah? I wonder. "

I think that's a safe bet


And these dreams are turning out to be more than just a normal dream but an actual construct or dreamscape. Like Kruppe’s dreams – a kind of alternate reality.

She saw a darker patch, ragged at its edges, flow over a hillside. A herd. I have walked that land before. Here, in my dreams . . . there were footprints . . .

The undead dragon has been sent by Silverfox to take her mother to a safe place in her own dreams. A place where she is young and not having the life sucked out of her.

To have so commanded the greatest of the Bonecasters – true, she comes in answer to the child’s summons. The Gathering.

It is intended as a mercy, an escape – but the Myhbe is tormented by having to wake into her broken body.

Oh, why did you save me! Why? Only to awaken – spirits below – to awaken—.

In the dream there are others
‘So,’ the voice continued, ‘will you see us now?’
I wonder who they are.

Speaking of dreams, and possibly going off on a tangent, there was this from Keruli about the family who had died in the house, now temple

‘I have wiped clean their slates,’ he said. ‘They now dwell at peace. Their souls have fashioned a worthy dream-world. I can hear the children laughing.’

And we also know Kruppe has his own dream world where he meets with K’rul.

What about Burn.
‘Why does Burn sleep?’
‘She sleeps ... to dream.’

So what is she dreaming.

Before K’rul reawakened to the mortal world – where was he? Was he in his own dream-world?

Er, so instead of answering my question you give me 10 more to think about ;)

Lee wrote: "Er, so instead of answering my question you give me 10 more to think about ;)"

Yes. Lol. I spun out of control there. I did answer the question before that though. Yes, I'm certain the undead dragon bonecaster is the same one as last book.

OMG I just read the prologue for the next chapter. Even more hypothesis begins to run around me head. But more on that later ;)

Interesting about all the dreams, and Burn also dreams.

Lee, that comment was too tempting so I jumped ahead of schedule, and now I'm almost done with the chapter.

'Tempers grow short,' Kruppe murmured as the commander rode away. 'But not as short as Kruppe, for whom all nasty words whiz impactless over his head, and are thus lost in the ether. And those darts aimed lower, ah, they but bounce from Kruppe's ample equanimity—'
'Fat, you mean,' Dujek said, wiping dust from his brow then leaning over to spit onto the ground.'

Aaa, i love Kruppe! And now that he's on the Bridgeburners side it's only getting better.


The blood of K'ruk is quite alarming indeed. Everything seems to go down quite fast. I had forgotten that they rely on the warrens for supplies as well. Thought it would just be sorcery and healing that was down.

Mhybe was interesting. Before reading the above comments i actually thought the Tiste Andii might have something to do with it - i associate dragons with them and right now invisibility too. Of course Silverfox doesn't command them so she can't send them off, but she might through Korlat somehow?
Aaargh, i guess this is another one of those moments i'm probably wrong - now hoping to learn more about the standard-bearer, see whether i'm closer to the truth on that one :)

The undead dragon is referred to as a Bonecaster(Imass shaman). And all Bonecasters are soletaken/shapeshifters

‘these are Bonecasters – shamans. The one to the far left, upon whose shoulders is the fur of a snow bear, is Bek Okhan. Next to him, in the white wolf fur, is Bendal Home. The Bonecaster at my side, in the skin of a plains bear, is Okral Lorn. I specify the nature of the furs as it relates directly to their ... Soletaken forms. Or so they have informed me.’

And the undead dragon last book was an Imass Bonecaster in it's soletaken form - so I'm inferring from that this is the same one the guys on the Silanda saw last book

ah ok, that makes sense.
still a bit confused with all these undead characters :))

I want to know more about that bonecaster dragon - intrigued since it's pass-through when we were on the Silanda.
Speaking of the Silanda, and a recent reference to animating headless bodies by the tiste edur - we've now seen another reference to the tiste edur recently, in a discussion related to their relationship with the moranth. I can't help but wonder now, if there is actually a head under Twist's insect helmet...
Not looking forward to meeting up with the tiste edur, although I guess that is inevitable at some point.

Also, the Trygalle - how cool are they? Hoping they stick around a little while before heading back to collect the next shipment.

Linette wrote: " I can't help but wonder now, if there is actually a head under Twist's insect helmet..."

Well, he does talk at least :). But that's a good pickup on the Moranth and Tiste Edur relationship. It's a sore point between the Moranth and their Barghast kin seeing that the Barghast hate the Tiste Edur while the Moranth were happy to learn a lot of alchemy from them. I'm assuming the development of the Moranth's Munitions are a product of that research.

Lee wrote: "Fascinating. The Malazan army is almost 50/50 male/female yet the list of know characters is more like 80/20 male/female. In my rough guess, with no actual research."

I also would have thought women were in the minority based on the characters we've met, though I would have put it at a larger minority than 20%. In the opening scene of GotM 1 with the army marching out of Sorry/Apsalar's village there was something about "the few women among them." But I have the sense that female soldiers have been more visible in MoI than the first two books.

Also interesting that a Malazan historian or their sources would be interested enough in statistics to count up the soldiers by sex and age. Scholars in this series sound a bit more modern than, say, medieval chroniclers.

Another nice, short chapter. The part with the Trygalle arriving was positively gross. This book is much more disgusting than the last one. I often find myself frowning at my book or making disgusted faces.

I think my favorite part was Korlat and Whiskeyjack. Way to get yours, Korlat! But really, it's nice to have these soft moments amid all the blood and cannibalism and Dead Seed Children. Good to know people in the Malazan world still seek love and comfort in each other instead of always warring and mutilating their enemies.

Yeah that's what it all comes down to, the humanity, the love and kindness. The Malazan army has those wonderful moments that remind us of the best we can be.

I'm finding out that you really need those soft moments in this series.

I really liked the bonding scene between Whiskeyjack and the two Silverfox guard women. So funny and poignant.