Dramatis Personae
The Caravanserai
Gruntle , a caravan guard
Stonny Menackis , a caravan guard
Harllo , a caravan guard
Buke , a caravan guard
Bauchelain , an explorer
Korbal Broach , his silent partner
Emancipor Reese , a manservant
Keruli , a trader
Marble , a sorceror
In Capustan
Brukhalian , Mortal Sword of Feners Reve (the Grey Swords)
Itkovian , Shield Anvil of Feners Reve (the Grey Swords)
Karnadas , Destriant of Feners Reve (the Grey Swords)
Recruit Velbara (the Grey Swords)
Master Sergeant Norul (the Grey Swords)
Farakalian (the Grey Swords)
Nakalian (the Grey Swords)
Torun (the Grey Swords)
Sidlis (the Grey Swords)
Nilbanas (the Grey Swords)
Jelarkan , prince and ruler of Capustan
Arard , prince and ruler in absentia of Coral
RathFener (Priest of the Mask Council)
RathShadowthrone (Priest of the Mask Council)
RathQueen of Dreams (Priestess of the Mask Council)
RathHood (Priest of the Mask Council)
RathDrek (Priest of the Mask Council)
RathTrake (Priest of the Mask Council)
RathBurn (Priestess of the Mask Council)
RathTogg (Priest of the Mask Council)
RathFanderay (Priestess of the Mask Council)
RathDessembrae (Priestess of the Mask Council)
RathOponn (Priest of the Mask Council)
RathBeru (Priest of the Mask Council)
Onearms Host
Dujek Onearm , commander of renegade Malazan army
Whiskeyjack , second-in-command of renegade Malazan army
Twist , commander of the Black Moranth
Artanthos , standard-bearer of renegade Malazan army
Barack , a liaison officer
Hareb , a noble-born captain
Ganoes Paran , Captain, Bridgeburners
Antsy , sergeant, 7th Squad, Bridgeburners
Picker , corporal, 7th Squad, Bridgeburners
Detoran , soldier, 7th Squad
Spindle , mage and sapper, 7th Squad
Blend , soldier, 7th Squad
Mallet , healer, 9th Squad
Hedge , sapper, 9th Squad
Trotts , soldier, 9th Squad
Quick Ben , mage, 9th Squad
Aimless (Bridgeburner corporal)
Bucklund (Bridgeburner sergeant)
Runter (Bridgeburner sapper)
Mulch (Bridgeburner healer)
Bluepearl (Bridgeburner mage)
Shank (Bridgeburner mage)
Toes (Bridgeburner mage)
Broods Host
Caladan Brood , warlord of liberation army on Genabackis
Anomander Rake , Lord of Moons Spawn
Kallor , the High King, Broods second-in-command
The Mhybe , matron of the Rhivi Tribes
Silverfox , the Rhivi Reborn
Korlat , a Tiste Andii Soletaken
Orfantal , Korlats brother
Hurlochel , an outrider in the liberation army
Crone , a Great Raven and companion to Anomander Rake
The Barghast
Humbrall Taur , warchief of the White Face Clan
Hetan , his daughter
Cafal , his first son
Netok , his second son
Darujhistan Envoys
Coll , an ambassador
Estraysian Darle , a councilman
Baruk , an alchemist
Kruppe , a citizen
Murillio , a citizen
The Tlan Imass
Kron , ruler of the Kron Tlan Imass
Cannig Tol , clan chief
Bek Okhan , a Bonecaster
Pran Chole , a Bonecaster
Okral Lom , a Bonecaster
Bendal Home , a Bonecaster
Ay Estos , a Bonecaster
Olar Ethil , the First Bonecaster and First Soletaken
Tool, the Shorn , once First Sword
Kilava , a renegade Bonecaster
Lanas Tog , a Kerluhm Tlan Imass
The Pannion Domin
The Seer , priest-king of the Domin
Ultentha , Septarch of Coral
Kulpath , Septarch of the besieging army
Inal , Septarch of Lest
Anaster , a Tenescowri Child of the Dead Seed
Seerdomin Kahlt
Others
Krul , an Elder God
Draconus , an Elder God
Sister of Cold Nights , an Elder Goddess
Lady Envy , a resident of Morn
Gethol , a Herald
Treach , a First Hero (the Tiger of Summer)
Toc the Younger , Aral Fayle, a Malazan scout
Garath , a large dog
Baaljagg , a larger wolf
Mok , a Seguleh
Thurule , a Seguleh
Senu , a Seguleh
The Chained One , an unknown ascendant (also known as the Crippled God)
The Witch of Tennes
Munug , a Daru artisan
Talamandas , a Barghast sticksnare
Ormulogun , artist in Onearms Host
Gumble , his critic
Haradas , a Trygalle Trade Guild caravan master
Azra Jael , a marine in Onearms Host
Straw , a Mott Irregular
Sty , a Mott Irregular
Stump , a Mott Irregular
Job Bole , a Mott Irregular
The ancient wars of the Tlan Imass and the Jaghut saw the world torn asunder. Vast armies contended on the ravaged lands, the dead piled high, their bone the bones of hills, their spilled blood the blood of seas. Sorceries raged until the sky itself was fire
A NCIENT H ISTORIES , V OL . I
K INICIK K ARBARN
Swallows darted through the clouds of midges dancing over the mudflats. The sky above the marsh remained grey, but it had lost its mercurial wintry gleam, and the warm wind sighing through the air above the ravaged land held the scent of healing.
What had once been the inland freshwater sea the Imass called Jaghra Tilborn from the shattering of the Jaghut ice-fieldswas now in its own death-throes. The pallid overcast was reflected in dwindling pools and stretches of knee-deep water for as far south as the eye could scan, but none the less, newly birthed land dominated the vista.
The breaking of the sorcery that had raised the glacial age returned to the region the old, natural seasons, but the memories of mountain-high ice lingered. The exposed bedrock to the north was gouged and scraped, its basins filled with boulders. The heavy silts that had been the floor of the inland sea still bubbled with escaping gases, as the land, freed of the enormous weight with the glaciers passing eight years past, continued its slow ascent.
Jaghra Tils life had been short, yet the silts that had settled on its bottom were thick. And treacherous.
Pran Chole, Bonecaster of Cannig Tols clan among the Kron Imass, sat motionless atop a mostly buried boulder along an ancient beach ridge. The descent before him was snarled in low, wiry grasses and withered driftwood. Twelve paces beyond, the land dropped slightly, then stretched out into a broad basin of mud.
Three ranag had become trapped in a boggy sinkhole twenty paces into the basin. A bull male, his mate and their calf, ranged in a pathetic defensive circle. Mired and vulnerable, they must have seemed easy kills for the pack of ay that found them.