TtH - Chapter Five - No Spoliers

[Lee, High Priest of Shadow]

Chapter Five Discussion thread

[Lori]

This is the 2nd time Kruppe has cried out Witness! Huh

[David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow]

Torvald Nom raids the home of the moneylender he owes – Taking his jewels and having his way with his woman – before return home to his wife who hasn’t seen him in a number of years. It appears she has a talent for removing tracking spells/wards from stolen goods.
“Honey I’m home!”

We meet Harllo who is the son by rape to Stonny who we last saw in MOI. Gruntle and Stonny and Harllo have holed up with some other caravan guards.

We meet Gaz – a serial killer with no fingers. He likes beating his hapless victims to death with his stumps – He has attracted the attention of Hood (I think) who blesses his reaping.

‘Open yourself, Gaz. Your soul. Welcome your god.’
Gaz could feel the air on his teeth, could feel his lips stretching until cracks split to ooze blood. His heart hammered at his chest. ‘I ain’t got no god...
... You mortals consecrate any ground you choose, even this alley. You drain a life on to it. Nothing more is required. Not intent, not prayer, nor invocation. I am summoned, without end.’

Rallick Nom makes contact with his old friends in the Assassins Guild – warning them that Vorcan is back – Rallick then meets up with Cutter who nearly kills him, before both stumble into the Phoenix Inn to be reunited with old friends

Pust and his hoard of worshippers go to stake out his claim on the Darujistan Temple of Shadow

Mappo visits the Temple of Burn, looking to travel Burns warren on his quest to find Icarium. But to travel paths of molten fires he needs a bath in blood

‘You must be armoured against such forces. This is the ritual I mentioned earlier. Are you ready, Mappo Runt?’
‘You wish to cast some sort of protective spell on me?’
‘No,’ he replied, with an expression near to weeping, ‘we wish to bathe you in blood.’

The Bridgeburners meet up with Barathol and co. They immediately recognise him as related to Kalam and drinking games ensue with the Malazans coming out worse for wear.

Baruk has summoned a demon from the crippled god’s realm

‘Yes. The demon is from the realm of the Fallen One. His birthplace.’
‘Meditating, you say. Seeking its god?’
‘That seems likely,’ Baruk murmured. ‘Reaching, touching . . . recoiling.’

This seems to fit with the idewa that the souls in the jade statues were looking for their lost god.

It also looks like Shadowthrone has been busy – talking with Rake and Baruk. About what I don’t know – but I suspect it is to do with the crippled god

‘The gods and goddesses. The ones cringing every time the Crippled God clears his throat. So eager for this war, as long as someone else does the fighting. None of this should be set at your Lord’s feet. I don’t know what Shadowthrone has offered Anomander Rake, but you would do well to warn your master, Crone.

And Baruk awaits Vorcan. Her and Baruk along with one other are all that remain of the Cabal – Vorcan having killed the rest

You killed the others, woman. All but myself and Derudan. Yes, only the three of us left. Only three.
To stop, if we can, the return of the Tyrant.
Oh, Vorcan, you toppled far too many stones that night.

What is this tyrant? Why did Vorcan kill the others? Perhaps it was to prevent any who might be corrupted by the tyrant

Which means one of us will choose to betray the others. Currying favour for when He returns. Favour, well. Bargaining to stay alive would be more accurate.
One of us will betray the others.
Maybe Derudan. Maybe this one here.
Gods, maybe me.

[Lori]

Have no idea who the tyrant is.

[Silvio]

I'm not sure what that bit about Baruk's cross-universe prisoner having severed tendons meant.

Glimpses of Barathols's distant past, long before the madness of the T'lan Imass in Aren but not enough to make sense of.

[David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow]

Silvio wrote: "Glimpses of Barathols's distant past, long before the madness of the T'lan Imass in Aren but not enough to make sense of. "

We get this in HoC

Barathol was in charge (unofficially) of Aren when the T'lan Imass came and slaughtered the town. Barathol opened the gates of the city to let people escape. He was accused as a traitor for letting the Imass in - except he knew that gates can't stop creatures that could just travel through the dust under the walls and gates..

[David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow]

Silvio wrote: "I'm not sure what that bit about Baruk's cross-universe prisoner having severed tendons meant."

I took this as the severed tendons of body from soul as a consequence of the process by which Baruk entrapped it.

[Lori]

I was curious they called it a demon

[Sumant]

Why did Vorcan kill the others

I think the guild was given contract by one of the council members i think it was turban orr to clean out the cabal who had real power in darujistan.And it was crokus who threw bricks at vorcan due to which she went into stasis.

Also what is up with crows showing up near duiker does it has do something with the wickans.

(view spoiler)[In book ROCG we have met coltaine reborn who is in the company of Nil and Nether.Has coltaine contacted him through crows. (hide spoiler)]

[David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow]

Sumant wrote: "Also what is up with crows showing up near duiker does it has do something with the wickans"

I read that as a flashback. The ashes rising in the fireplace remind him of the crows

[Rob, Quick Ben]

I was thinking it was the CG who approached Gaz because of his fingers. I guess a case could be made for Hood too.

I really enjoyed this chapter. The reunion between Cutter and Rallick was a little rough.

[David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow]

Rob wrote: "I was thinking it was the CG who approached Gaz because of his fingers. I guess a case could be made for Hood too."

The CG doesn't get out much for personal visits. He general tends top summon people to where he's chained.

[Rob, Quick Ben]

Sorry, I didn't mean him specifically. Doesn't he have a herald?

[David Sven, Mortal Sword..Meow]

Rob wrote: "Sorry, I didn't mean him specifically. Doesn't he have a herald?"

Yeah he does too.