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House of Chains (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #4)
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Group Read - House of Chains > HoC - Chapter Twelve - NO SPOILERS

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message 1: by Lee, High Priest of Shadow (new) - rated it 5 stars

Lee (kiwifirst) | 1511 comments Mod
Chapter Twelve discussion Thread


message 2: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (last edited May 22, 2013 11:24PM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Big Chapter - I'll have to split this up I think


Firstly

Andarist suits up, and he and Cutter face off against the Tiste Edur who have come hunting the Throne of Shadow. It turns out that Andarist is Anomander Rake’s brother. Wielding a sword with two names, Vengeance or Grief, made by Rake until he found Dragnipur. The story behind the making of Vengeance/Grief is told in “Forge of Darkness,” the start of Erikson’s new trilogy.

Two ships of Edur have landed, each capable of holding 200 soldiers each. There were originally 5 ships but 3 were sunk by a Malazan contingent of 3 ships, all of which sunk. The survivors are drawn into the battle with the Edur, along with a stranger known only as Traveler

Apsalar also shows up with the grand children of Anomander Rake – She found them hiding, which is probably where they should have stayed.

Cotillion also shows up to defend the Throne of Shadow – Now we know why he’s called “The Rope.”

Lots of awesomeness and general badassery ensues in the fight. The Edur are slaughtered but not without cost. Andarist dies, a lot of the other Tiste die. All the Malazans die. Traveler survives and a lot of the victory can be attributed to him and Cotillion. Traveler takes up the sword “Vengeance” as a gift from the patron of Assassins and takes over Andarist’s role temporarily.

Interestingly, Traveler appears to have preternatural senses - He is aware, without leaving the scene of the battle, that Cotillion has secured a boat and supplies from the abandoned Tiste Edur ships. The only thing we know about him at this stage is that he is described as a Dal Honese (Iskarel Pust and Magora insult each other for being Dal Honese in book 2)

And how hopeless was Blind. Cutter pulls out his ace, and the Hound of Shadow chokes. Of course the Tiste Edur are native to Kurald Emurlahn – They are the Hounds’ original masters in a manner of speaking – were probably originally responsible for separating the Shadows from the Hounds of Dark in the first place– maybe. Somebody built those huge statues in the Nascent Shadow realm after all.

Interesting how Andarist views Rake and the Tiste Andii with him

Their parents had one and all succumbed to their sire’s flaw, the hunger for wandering, for vanishing into the mists, for shaping private worlds in forgotten, isolated places. ‘The search for loyalty and honour’, Darist had said, with a sneer

Andarist himself seems to resent this search for purpose, and he resents I think, Rake imposing purpose on himself in defending the Throne of Shadow.
Darist bared red-stained teeth, his eyes glittering in the half-shadows. ‘If he truly wants it protected, then he can come here and do it himself.’

Darist’s lack of focus or passion means his sword is less effectual than it would otherwise be

‘The power of Grief lies in the focused intent in its creation. The sword demands a singular will in its wielder. With such a will, it cannot be defeated.’
‘And have you that singular will?’
Darist slowly lowered the tip to the ground. ‘Had I, human, this would not be your last day this side of Hood’s gate.


He is still pretty badass before he finally goes down.


More tomorrow


message 3: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Meanwhile, Kalam goes into the well to check out a glowing figure at the bottom of the underground stream.

It turns out to be a giant pureblooded Toblakai, possessed by a demon and chained. Ebron claims that it was probably the Nameless ones who did the chaining. These are the guys that appointed Mappo to be Icarium’s guardian.

Kalam escapes it by stabbing it, releasing it’s tainted blood. A bull enkar’al drinks from the tainted stream and the demon and enkar’al soul shift and swap bodies. Kalam escapes by killing the enkar’al’s body and demon with Bellurdans’ sorcery and otataral invested knife – The enkar’al, now in the body of the giant Toblakai is called by the beast gods Togg and Fanderay to be a Champion of the beast hold.

Rage and terror. Unanswered, except by the promise of eternity.
Or so it would have remained.
Had the Beast Thrones stayed unoccupied.
Had not the reawakened wolf gods known an urgent need ... for a champion.
Their presence reached into the creature’s soul...


Kalam is badly wounded, but he’s working for Shadowthrone now, and our favourite High Priest of Shadow turns up to the rescue

‘Me? You do not know? You do not recognize the very famosity exuding from me? Famosity? There must be such a word. I used it! The act of being famous. Of course. Most devoted servant of Shadow! Highest Archpriest Iskaral Pust! God to the bhok’arala, bane of spiders, Master Deceiver of all the world’s Soletaken and D’ivers! And now, your saviour!


message 4: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
As the T'lan Imass and Liosan prepare for the ritual to open a portal Onrack has an epiphany regarding his loyalties. He considers that duty and loyalty are meaningless unless one chooses freely to give those - unlike the Tellan ritual that left no one with choice. And if one is immortal, what has one left to sacrifice that has any meaning.

Duty and courage had been made animate, and this was all the T’lan Imass were, and had been for hundreds of thousands of years. Yet, without choice, such virtues as duty and courage were transformed into empty, worthless words. Without mortality, hovering like an unseen sword overhead, meaning was without relevance, no matter the nature – or even the motivation behind – an act. Any act.

Onrack, having fresh eyes now he's been sundered from the ritual considers his options.

If I was in your place, I’d be running for the horizon right now.’
‘Flee?’ Onrack considered the notion, then nodded. ‘Yes, this is what the renegades – those we hunt – did. And yes, now I understand them.’


Trull points out that you need an alternate reason for being to abandon all that you were.

‘They did more than simply flee,’ Trull said. ‘They found someone or something else to serve, to avow allegiance to . . . while at the moment, at least, that option is not available to you. Unless, of course, you choose those Liosan.’
‘Or you.’


Ans so while everyone is distracted Onrach chooses. He makes a new vow of his own free will. And so he is not only sundered from the magic of his previous Tellan vow by virtue of having not enough body parts to hold the magic - but he willfuly turns his back on the vow and swears a new vow - bound in blood and sorcery to Trull Sengar. In doing so he becomes renegade for the sake of finding the meaning of real duty and real honour - loyalty freely given - to Trull Sengar. I can't help but be reminded of Anomander Rake at this stage and his quest - "the search for loyalty and honour"

‘Listen! I, Onrack, once of the Logros but now stranger to the Ritual, avow service to Trull Sengar of the Tiste Edur. I pledge to defend your life. This vow cannot be sundered. Now, lead us from here!’

The vow is more than a promise - it involves blood magic -

The T’lan Imass relinquished his one-armed hug and snapped out his hand – to close on Trull’s. The blood bit like acid into flesh that had forgotten pain. Onrack almost tore his grip free in the sudden, overwhelming agony, but then he tightened his hold and leaned close to the Tiste Edur.

And the T'lan bonecaster is NOT HAPPY. Onrack and Trull exit the ritual through one of the multiple pathways in the portal and

Then Monok Ochem veered into his Soletaken form. A blur, then a massive, hulking beast was thundering in pursuit.


Anyway - while all this is going on the T'lan Imass have sprung a double cross on the Liosan. They are not merely seeking a gateway out of the Nascent realm - rather, they open a gateway back into the Liosan warren Kurald Thyrllan. The T'lan perceive that the Liosan are not under the influence of Osserc - father light

‘Monok Ochem considers this, now. He cannot help but consider this. Where are these Liosan from? How distant – how remote – their home? Why are they now awakened to resentment? What does the one hidden behind the guise of Osseric now seek? Where—’

The T'lan had been using the Liosan warren, a warren aspected to fire, to fight the Jaghut's Ice sorcery

Fire is life and life is fire. Fire is the war against the cold, the slayer of ice. It is our salvation. Bonecasters have made use of Kurald Thyrllan. Probably, others have as well. That such incursions should prove cause for enmity among the Liosan was never considered. For it seemed there were no Tiste Liosan.

So the bonecaster wonders why now? Why are these Liosan being awakened now to take offence at "trespassers."

Osseric is ... lost. Osric, as humans know him. No, I do not know the source of Monok Ochem’s knowledge in this matter. Thus, the hand behind the seneschal’s power is probably not Osseric, but some other entity, hidden behind the guise and the name of Osseric. Yet these Tiste Liosan proceed unawares.’

So there is another spirit(not Osseric) that has usurped the Liosan religion - just as the Imass' religion was usurped by a Jaghut Tyrant. The T'lan being what they are can't stand for this and they head in to hunt and kill the "false god."

‘The Liosan were too late to realize. The turning of Tellann succeeded in driving all awareness from the seneschal. They were entirely unprepared. Ibra Gholan, Olar Shayn and Haran Epal walked into the warren of Kurald Thyrllan.’
‘Walked into? Why?’
Onrack managed a one-sided shrug. ‘They went, Trull Sengar, to kill the Liosan god.’



As it turns out, the Imass succeed at mortally wounding the god, as one reports to Pearl when the Claw inadvertently finds himself in the warren later on

‘We did not try; we succeeded. The wounds delivered were mortal. It will die, and my kin pursue to witness.’
‘It? What, precisely?’
‘A false god.



message 5: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Pearl and Lostara are on mission, travelling the Imperial warren on the hunt for Felisin. The only problem is to be able to exit the warren you kinda have to be sure of where you want to go - as we learned in DG. But all they know is that Felisin was last at the Otataral mines. Perhaps this is why the gate they find is resting pretty close to an Otataral Dragon. WHOA HOSS! Otataral Dragon!!!

‘Otataral. Her aspect is otataral, woman! This is an otataral dragon.’

Luckily for them, the dragon has been staked to an x-frame and trapped inside a pocket warren - effectively isolating and quarantining it's magic deadening effects.

And we get some dragon lore


‘Who could have done this?’
‘Whoever it was, we have a lot for which to thank him, her ... or them. This thing devours magic. Consumes warrens.’
‘All the old legends of dragons begin with the statement that they are the essence of sorcery. How, then, could this thing even exist?’
‘Nature always seeks a balance. Forces strive for symmetry. This dragon answers every other dragon that ever existed, or ever will.’



So dragons, most dragons are the essence of magic - or icons of magic (eg The Deck of Dragons) - Dragons are magic - and Otataral dragons are anti-magic. And they kill warrens. Not a good idea to let one run loose.

This one it seems was bound by other dragons going by the tracks they find at the edge of the gate


Well, that answers the question of who, or what, was capable of subduing the Otataral Dragon. Other dragons, of course. Even so, it could not have been easy.’


And so they exit into the Thyr warren - which is kind of like out of the pan and into the fire - literally.
They meet Olar Shayn who is suffering headlessness from the battle with the Liosan false god.

And Pearl doesn't seem to be such a bastard after all - offering a view for the T'lan's head so he has something interesting to look at for eternity

The Claw swung the severed head so that it faced the basin and the vista beyond. ‘Is this pleasing enough, Olar Shayn?’
‘It is. Tell me your name, and you shall know my eternal gratitude.’
‘Eternal? I suppose that’s not an exaggeration either, is it? Well, I am Pearl, and my redoubtable companion is Lostara Yil. Now, let’s find a secure place for you, shall we?’
‘Your kindness is unexpected, Pearl.’
‘Always is and always will be,’ he replied, scanning the ledge.


Pearl and Lostara exit the Thyr warren but

‘You don’t know where we are, do you?’
He smiled. ‘Is this a time, do you think, for some creative conjecture?’
Thoughts of murder flashed through her, not for the first time.


I'm starting to like Pearl


message 6: by Lee, High Priest of Shadow (new) - rated it 5 stars

Lee (kiwifirst) | 1511 comments Mod
Well that was a HUGE chapter. Rake's Bro, Andarist, being killed by the Edur would have had a huge impact on the defence of the throne if Traveller hadn't shown up. I wonder if Rake is aware of his brothers death yet? Interesting that Cotilion showed up to defend the throne biut not Ammanas. What the hell happend with Blind? A shadow hound whimpering in the corner because a Edur mage turned and muttered a few words?! Wow, I am looking forward to hearing about the magic the Edur use, because those hounds haven't backed away from much since we have known them.

I wonder what name Traveller will use for the sword? Vengeance or Grief? (view spoiler)

There was an interesting part when Cutter noticed the trees:

An oppressive gloom suffused all that lay beneath the forest canopy. A number of living trees showed torn bark, and while the bark was black, the smooth, wet wood underneath was blood red.

Is this the same type of tree that the Toblakai used for making their swords? If so and if it is rare, perhaps this might be a clue where Drift has broken away from?

Now....an Otataral Dragon no less! Feners impotent hoofs! That defies logic, or seems to. We (maybe I should say I) always assume the dragons to be magical in some aspect, yet here is an anathema to all other dragons. A dragon chained (bloody chains again, chain makers in this world must have been doing a roaring trade) to a wall in a pit, within a warren, in a alien? place. Nailed to a cross by other dragons. That can't have been an easy task, to make that happen they would have had to fought the dragon without any of their powers as the otataral would have blunted them.
We certainly are given more of this whole balance concept.

I like Pearl, his chat with Lostara is a nice light distraction with all that is going on. But she seems to be tying him in knots.


message 7: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Lee wrote: "Is this the same type of tree that the Toblakai used for making their swords? If so and if it is rare, perhaps this might be a clue where Drift has broken away from?"

That's an interesting thought. I had assumed that the term bloodwood was related to the blood oil they rubbed on their swords. But doing a quick search back, there is mention of bloodwood groves

The secret groves of bloodwood were burned down, our horses slain. To be betrayed by our own children, Uryd, this is what broke the Sunyd.

and Karsa is now using an "ironwood" sword - which he compares to his original bloodwood sword.

So I'm inclined to agree that this is bloodwood we are seeing. Drift Avali though is a fragmented piece of Kurald Emurlahn - so I'm not sure on the idea that this is a piece of the Toblakai homeland - especially since the Teblor are inland. Hmmmm - its still an interesting speculation.

Lee wrote: "What the hell happend with Blind? A shadow hound whimpering in the corner because a Edur mage turned and muttered a few words?"

Well the Edur being native of Kurald Emurlahn(Shadow) are the original masters of the Hounds of Shadow - I'm guessing

Lee wrote: I wonder what name Traveller will use for the sword? Vengeance or Grief? [ (hide spoiler)]"

Did you mean (view spoiler)


Silvio Curtis | 403 comments So now Kalam does decide to pull rank as a Claw and a Bridgeburner both at once, just in case one of them gets him somewhere. But without the demon, he doesn't think either one will. But he doesn't stick with the company long enough to find out.


message 9: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Silvio wrote: "So now Kalam does decide to pull rank as a Claw and a Bridgeburner both at once, just in case one of them gets him somewhere. But without the demon, he doesn't think either one will. But he doesn't..."

Ha ha! Yeah. It also highlights the fact that the Claw aren't generally liked by the regular soldiers. Toc was an exception because he actually fought alongside the regulars in the Genabackis campaign.


message 10: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Another thing that catches my attention this chapter is Traveller's reasons for fighting to defend the Throne of Shadow

‘The Throne must not be claimed by the Edur,’ the man named Traveller said. ‘I have no desire to challenge your command, Captain, but the lad speaks without exaggeration when he describes the risks ... to the empire and to all of humanity. Like it or not, the Warren of Shadow is now human-aspected ...’ he smiled crookedly, ‘and it well suits our natures.’ The smile vanished. ‘This battle is ours – we face it now or we face it later.’


Traveller's argument is that Kurald Emurlahn - is now human aspected - ie it is no longer the sole racial warren of the Tiste Edur. It has been usurped - not just the child warrens Rashan and Meanas - but the original warren.

The question then is - how does the Tiste Edur reclaiming the warren then threaten humanity?

Well, if we think on what the Tiste Edur's goals are - to reclaim their racial warren - to do that what have we learned so far needs to happen?

1. They need to reclaim the true throne of Shadow

and 2. They need to knit back together all the shattered pieces of the warren.

and 3 - I think - to make the warren truly theirs again, they need to cleanse it of any opposing races who have access to the warren - ie humans. And all humans everywhere.


This I think sheds light on the Edur motives for flooding the Nascent. The largest piece of the shattered warren of Kurald Emurlahn was populated by a human civilisation. And the Edur flooded it to flush them all down the proverbial gurgler - a racial cleansing - and one that probably isn't going to stop here or just with any other human inhabitants of Kurald Emurlahn - but will probably see the Edur pursue humanity in their own world - Just as the Tiste Andii weren't content to merely eject the Edur from Kurald Galain, but pursued them beyond as well.


So I think this is Traveller's reasoning. Easier to fight them here and now before they get a foot hold than if they have all the power of Kurald Emurlahn behind them.


message 11: by Lee, High Priest of Shadow (new) - rated it 5 stars

Lee (kiwifirst) | 1511 comments Mod
Drift Avali though is a fragmented piece of Kurald Emurlahn - so I'm not sure on the idea that this is a piece of the Toblakai homeland - especially since the Teblor are inland.

Are you sure Drift Avalii is a fragment of Kurald Emurlahn. I can't remember that being stated as fact. I has assumed that it was a drifting island that had a lot of magic around it and a gateway but not an actual fragment. If it was a fragment, why dont the Edur just use warrens to get to it and not bother with sailing ships. Assuming that Edur mages use warrens that is.

Re- my spoiler. Yes that is exactly what I meant. Which is ironic, since someone asked me today how do I manage not to get confused reading so many books at once.


message 12: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (last edited May 23, 2013 07:09PM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
In MOI CH23 Paran's mind is transported to Drift Avali where he see the true Throne

The Throne of Shadow. Not in some hidden, long-forgotten realm. It’s here, on – or rather in – my world ... A small, tattered fragment of Kurald Galain.

Part of the reason the Edur are having trouble finding it is because the Throne of Shadow is actively working to evade the Edur

The wandering isle! Wanders not! Flees! Yes! The Children are corrupted, the souls of the Edur are poisoned! Storm of madness – we elude! Protect us, Hound not Hound! Save us – they come!


And reading that passage again I stumbled on another goal of the Edur as revealed by the Throne of Shadow

Anomander Rake, Son of Darkness! The Edur have sworn to destroy Mother Dark. You must warn him! Poisoned souls, led by the one who has been slain a hundred times, oh, ‘ware this new Emperor of the Edur, this Tyrant of Pain, this Deliverer of Midnight Tides!


message 13: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (last edited May 23, 2013 07:14PM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Ohhh!!! Major face palm and epiphany!!! It's not a fragment of Kurald Emurlahn. Its a fragment of Kurald Galain! And there's a Gateway - possibly going into Kurald Galain proper - Maybe the border between Shadow and Dark. Now that makes even more sense why the Tiste Andii are defending it. The Edur could use it as a staging ground to attack Mother Dark.


message 14: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Ok - here's a theory. All this somehow completely eluded me the first read so I could be off base here and maybe more light will be shed as we go. For the moment things are a little...Shadowy

But if we go by what we learned so far - that the tiste Andii were the first Tiste, and then the other two Tiste people were created by Mother Dark as well - and with them Mother Dark also created the associated warrens - or at least the Shadow Warren Kurald Emurlahn.
So if mother Dark was to create the Shadow Warren, how would she do it? Maybe she used a fragment of Kurald Galain as a seed warren - a source of the "Dark" in Shadow - she includes a control box - ie The Throne of Shadow - and this new seed warren is the source of the whole of the Kurald Emurlahn warren and anyone sitting on that throne at the source controls Kurald Emurlahn.

The Tiste Andii however drove the Edur from the Throne. Later, when the First Empire inadvertently shattered Kurald Emurlahn with their out of control sorceries, the source, the Throne was cast adrift (Drift Avali) and separated from the rest of the Warren. Perhaps the key to mending the warren is for someone to assume the "source" the Throne to pull the whole thing back together.

I hope I didn't just plunge everyone into the Dark...shadows.


message 15: by Lee, High Priest of Shadow (new) - rated it 5 stars

Lee (kiwifirst) | 1511 comments Mod
That is..........actually believable. But if true, raises another question? What the hell is Rake thinking?

Maybe the border between Shadow and Dark. Now that makes even more sense why the Tiste Andii are defending it. The Edur could use it as a staging ground to attack Mother Dark.

Right, so I need to protect my realm against my foe, so...... Oh I know, I'll send my brother and my grandkids, that ought to do it. Admittedly, Andarist is pretty kick ass, but sheesh, you'd think Rake would want to stay up to date with what is going on. The feeling I got was that Andarist and Rake hadn't been chatting much lately. Surely if the throne is the key, then he'd want to defend it with a bit more resources.

Of course, this could be something new, perhaps the Edur have never made a play for the throne before. This new Tyrant of pain could be making it all happen. But even still, Andarist knew they were coming in large numbers, yes seemingly did nothing to alert his brother of the threat. If that is a gate to Galain, maybe tell one of the grandkids to go get help??

All very confusing.....

oh and why isn't Ammanas trying to sit on it? Rather than just name himself after it? Did he choose that because he knew it was empty but protected? Pseudo claim.


message 16: by Lee, High Priest of Shadow (new) - rated it 5 stars

Lee (kiwifirst) | 1511 comments Mod
Nice one David, instead of answering my question you make me end up having 10 more.


message 17: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (last edited May 23, 2013 08:27PM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Lee wrote: "That is..........actually believable. But if true, raises another question? What the hell is Rake thinking?"

That IS the question isn't it?


Lee wrote: "oh and why isn't Ammanas trying to sit on it? Rather than just name himself after it? Did he choose that because he knew it was empty but protected? Pseudo claim. "

Well I'm sure Shadowthrone would sit on it...if he could. There is a reference to a very short conversation he and Rake have

‘Tiste Andii,’ Apsalar said. ‘Anomander Rake’s own. He settled them there, to guard the Throne.’
‘Do you recall Dancer – or Cotillion – speaking with them?’
Her dark eyes flicked to his for a moment, then she looked away. ‘It was a short conversation.


It probably ended with Rake saying - "No! We do not need you to keep the Throne warm with your hairy balls."

But he had to ask, right?


Also, The Tiste and Mother Dark are out of sorts with each other - the Tiste don't seem highly motivated with these sorts of things.


Duffy Pratt | 354 comments Yes, when Lostara and Pearly where on the trail of Kalam, they were detestable. But now that they are on their own, and now that Pearl may be out of favor with Laseen and Topper, they all of a sudden become likable. Erikson has a knack for flipping the way we feel about a character, without actually distorting the character itself.


message 19: by Lee, High Priest of Shadow (last edited May 24, 2013 12:01AM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

Lee (kiwifirst) | 1511 comments Mod
Been looking back at this Avalli floating rock to see what we do know and that bloody ship turns up again
'Silanda,' Baudin said.

'Don't need one to know this ship,' Baudin said. 'That cargo lying about down there, that's from Drift Avalü. Silanda was the only craft sanctioned to trade with the Tiste Andü. She was on her way to the island when the Emperor's forces overran Quon. She never returned.'

So much revolves around the Silanda. But interestingly, if it was caught in that flooded realm, then it was flooded around the same time that Kellenved was invading Quon, which isn't that recent, but probably within the last 10 years.


message 20: by Lee, High Priest of Shadow (new) - rated it 5 stars

Lee (kiwifirst) | 1511 comments Mod
I am still not convinced that Drift Avalii is a fragment. I'll concede that there is a fragment of Galain on Drift, where the throne and a possible gateway is. But the rest of the island i believe is a chunk of land mass.


message 21: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Lee wrote: "I am still not convinced that Drift Avalii is a fragment. I'll concede that there is a fragment of Galain on Drift, where the throne and a possible gateway is. But the rest of the island i believe ..."

That could be right too. Actually it is probably a better reading as he says

I’m not in another realm. This is mine.

and then

It’s here, on – or rather in(The Throne is in a chamber) – my world ... A small, tattered fragment of Kurald Galain.


message 22: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Lee wrote: "But interestingly, if it was caught in that flooded realm, then it was flooded around the same time that Kellenved was invading Quon,"

That wouldn't explain why there are Tiste Edur(who appeared to be lost when Karsa caught up with them) on the ship instead of Malazans. I would be more inclined to think it disappeared because it was captured by the Edur and then at some later stage they wandered unintentionally into the flooded realm. Maybe


Silvio Curtis | 403 comments David Sven wrote: "Ok - here's a theory. All this somehow completely eluded me the first read so I could be off base here and maybe more light will be shed as we go. For the moment things are a little...Shadowy

But ..."


That sounds plausible. But if shadow is a mixture of light and dark, I'd expect Kurald Galain and Kurald Thyrllan both to be involved in creating Kurald Emurlahn. So I'd think that either the Throne would have to have a double nature, part dark and part light, or it would be only one of a pair. Maybe there's another throne out there, one that belongs to Thyr just like this one belongs to Rashan.

Lee wrote: "Is this the same type of tree that the Toblakai used for making their swords? If so and if it is rare, perhaps this might be a clue where Drift has broken away from?"

I thought it was more likely the wood that the Tiste Andii make their ships out of. They had been fashioned from a wood that was true black - not stained (ch. 4) and the part you quoted continues Fallen companions revealed that the fierce crimson turned black with death.


message 24: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Silvio wrote: "I thought it was more likely the wood that the Tiste Andii make their ships out of. They had been fashioned from a wood that was true black - not stained (ch. 4) and the part you quoted continues Fallen companions revealed that the fierce crimson turned black with death. "

That's a good pick up. I missed that.


Silvio wrote: "But if shadow is a mixture of light and dark, I'd expect Kurald Galain and Kurald Thyrllan both to be involved in creating Kurald Emurlahn."

Yes, this is a theme - Dark Light and Shadow exist as a Triumvirate. And Shadow is a combination of both

The associated human warrens are Rashan - Dark, Meanas - Shadow, Thyr - Light. But the interesting thing is that Rashan is still considered a Shadow Warren because it is not total darkness and so is sometimes seen as a twin to Meanas.

I like this little tidbit in Ch8

Rashan is this realm’s manifestation of Shadow, the drawing of darkness to light.

So it DRAWS from DARK to create shadow and though Rashan is often called "the path of dark" -

...in this case the dark is not absolute, such as is the aspect of the ancient warren, Kurald Galain. No, this dark is particular, for it exists, not through an absence of light, but by virtue of being seen.


So applying this to my theory - The fragment of Dark found on Drift Avali is a good picture of drawing from Dark into light to create a Shadow Warren. Perhaps. So though Dark and Light are both involved you only need one seed warren of Dark - I think.

Interestingly, the Gate to Kurald Thyrllan is found in the faragment of Kurald Emurlahn that Onrack and Trull find themselves. So both Gates exist in Kurald Emurlahn linking the three warrens - or at least both did I think until Draconus trapped the Gate of Darkness in Dragnipur. I wonder if the Edur are aware of this.


message 25: by Lee, High Priest of Shadow (new) - rated it 5 stars

Lee (kiwifirst) | 1511 comments Mod
So is this related to what Hebroic shocked L'oric with?

The warrens of Kurald Galain and Kurald Emurlahn are no longer pure, unsullied by human presence. Meanas and Rashan? Perhaps they are proving the doors into both Darkness and Shadow.

Has it been that the Kuralds have been secure from each other, but now with human warrens acting as paths it is opening up ways into all three realms?

'Here I sought to raise the warning of Tiste meddling in human affairs – to have you then voice a warning in the opposite direction. As if it is not us who must worry, but the Tiste themselves.'
Heboric said nothing. A strange, whispering suspicion flitted through him for a moment, as if tickled into being by something in L'oric's voice. After a moment, he dismissed it. Too outrageous, too absurd to entertain.


This now makes more sense, hindsight is playing a major factor in my understanding. It isn't what he said, but how he said it.

Fascinating. I continue to be amazed at the depth of this story.

Great pick up on the trees Silvio :)


message 26: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Lee wrote: "Has it been that the Kuralds have been secure from each other, but now with human warrens acting as paths it is opening up ways into all three realms? "

Yes. And humans, being what they are, impatient and fearless, are likely as not to test(prove) those ways.


message 27: by Rob, Quick Ben (new) - rated it 4 stars

Rob (robzak) | 1057 comments Mod
So much has happened in this chapter, and with my sister in town, I've been slowly reading it over several days.

I'm intrigued by traveler the most, but there were several other interesting developments. I'm also starting to like Pearl.

And I'm looking forward to more with Kalam and Pust.


Silvio Curtis | 403 comments David Sven wrote: "So applying this to my theory - The fragment of Dark found on Drift Avali is a good picture of drawing from Dark into light to create a Shadow Warren. Perhaps."

So dark and light would both be involved in generating shadow, but with asymmetrical roles. I can believe that.


message 29: by Lee, High Priest of Shadow (new) - rated it 5 stars

Lee (kiwifirst) | 1511 comments Mod
Oh yes, forgot about that, Kalam, Pust and Mogora.


message 30: by Silvio (last edited May 26, 2013 01:42PM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

Silvio Curtis | 403 comments Yeah, the first time we met Mogora in DG I either didn't get that she was the spiders or forgot afterwards, so it was a doubly funny surprise here.

'Quiet! My wife!'
'Is she sleeping?'
'She
never sleeps! No, you fool, she hunts!'
'Not what. Who. She hunts for me, of course. But has she found me? No! We've not seen each other for months! Hee hee! It's a perfect marriage. I've never been happier. You should try it.'


message 31: by Lee, High Priest of Shadow (new) - rated it 5 stars

Lee (kiwifirst) | 1511 comments Mod
....and then if she verges into spiders, she becomes the hunted.


message 32: by Sumant (last edited Sep 02, 2013 09:14PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Sumant Onrack, having fresh eyes now he's been sundered from the ritual considers his options.

So from what i understood onrack was too broken bodily to communicate with the remaining imass from his mind so they decided to dispose him by freeing him from the ritual.When you are freed from the ritual then you again gain your normal body ? Was that the case with tool too ?.

Ohhh!!! Major face palm and epiphany!!! It's not a fragment of Kurald Emurlahn. Its a fragment of Kurald Galain!

But no where it has been mentioned to us that kurald galain was a shattered warren.

Regarding the warren theory it has been mentioned to us from the start that following are the elder warrens :

1.Starvald Demelain - Elder Warren of Tiam
The Dragon Hold
2.Ahkrast Korvalain - Elder Warren
3.Kurald Galain - Elder Warren of Darkness
4.Kurald Emurlahn - Elder Warren of Shadow
5.Kurald Thyrllan - Elder Warren of Light


So how can kurald galain & kurald thyrllan be used to create a warren of shadow because these were the warrens from the start, and few chapters back we had a theory going that the source of power for all these warrens is chaos warren which has uncontrollable power, and chaos warren is much closer to kurald galain that is why the gates of chaos were shifting near gates of kurald galain.


message 33: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Sumant wrote: "When you are freed from the ritual then you again gain your normal body ? Was that the case with tool too ?."

If you are "sundered" from the ritual due to not having enough of your body then it means you cease to be one with the rest of the T'lan Imass and you are no longer able to use your Tellan powers - like falling to dust.
For an Imass to get a normal body back however he must be released from the ritual by a flesh and blood bonecaster ie Silverfox. Tool was released from the Vow by Silverfox so that's why he now has a flesh and blood body again.


Sumant wrote: "But no where it has been mentioned to us that kurald galain was a shattered warren."

No, Kurald Galain is not a shattered Warren - but the idea expressed here I think is that a little fragment of Dark was necessary as a seed in the creation of Shadow.
Shadow ie Kurald Emurlahn is not therefore created from Chaos directly (as Galain was) because it is derived from both Kurald Galain and Kurald Thyrllan.


Sumant For an Imass to get a normal body back however he must be released from the ritual by a flesh and blood bonecaster ie Silverfox. Tool was released from the Vow by Silverfox so that's why he now has a flesh and blood body again.

But it is mentioned that onrack experiences pain when he does the blood magic ritual with trull senegar, i thought from that he may have got his flesh and blood back.Also i am surprised as to that kilava escaped the ritual and still managed to survive for thousands of years.Also are all bonecasters of imass soletaken ?.


message 35: by David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow (new) - rated it 5 stars

David Sven (gorro) | 2042 comments Mod
Yes, Onrack does experience pain from the blood magic ritual - but no he doesn't become flesh and blood.

Flesh and Blood Imass are long lived - like the Tiste Andii I'm guessing

And yes, all bonecasters are soletaken and wear the skin of their soletaken forms as clothing. Olar Ethil, the undead dragon from DG for example, wears clothes made from a dragons hide in MOI.


DangerBin | 64 comments Lots of good talk for what was an overly long and somewhat boring chapter (beginning was good). I am just not interested in the Trull/Onrack plotline. It falls flat... though I know where it is going.


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