Assail
About the Book
Tens of thousands of years of ice is melting, and the land of Assail, long a byword for menace and inaccessibility, is at last yielding its secrets. Tales of gold discovered in the region's north circulate in every waterfront dive and sailor's tavern and now adventurers and fortune-seekers have set sail in search of riches. And all they have to guide them are legends and garbled tales of the dangers that lie in wait - hostile coasts, fields of ice, impassable barriers and strange, terrifying creatures. But all accounts concur that the people of the north meet all trespassers with the sword - and should you make it, beyond are rumoured to lurk Elder monsters out of history's very beginnings.
Into this turmoil ventures the mercenary company, the Crimson Guard. Not drawn by contract, but by the promise of answers: answers that Shimmer, second in command, feels should not be sought. Also heading north, as part of an uneasy alliance of Malazan fortune-hunters and Letherii soldiery, comes the bard Fisher kel Tath. With him is a Tiste Andii who was found washed ashore and cannot remember his past and yet commands far more power than he really should.
It is also rumoured that a warrior, bearer of a sword that slays gods and who once fought for the Malazans, is also journeying that way. But far to the south, a woman patiently guards the shore. She awaits both allies and enemies. She is Silverfox, newly incarnate Summoner of the undying army of the T'lan Imass, and she will do anything to stop the renewal of an ages-old crusade that could lay waste to the entire continent and beyond.
Casting light on mysteries spanning the Malazan empire, and offering a glimpse of the storied and epic history that shaped it,
Assail
brings the epic story of the Empire of Malaz to a thrilling close.
Contents
This one is for the old gaming gang at the University of Manitoba: Doug and Doug, Jeff, Oliver, Grant, Ron, Martin, Henry, Craig, Laurence, Neil, Shurjeel and Arne.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to offer my gratitude to my advance readers for their observations and comments, Sharon Sasaki and A. P. Canavan. You helped more than you think.
I give my love to my wife, Gerri Brightwell, without whose support and understanding this novel, and those preceding it, would never have been possible.
And to you Malaz readers. It has been a privilege to unveil these stories. I hope you have enjoyed them as much as I.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Lady’s Luck
Kyle | Given name, Kylarral-ten, of Bael lands, south of Assail |
Tulan Orbed | Master of the |
Reuth | Ship’s navigator, and Tulan’s nephew |
Storval | First Mate |
Gren | Steersman |
In the North
Orman | Son of Orman Bregin |
Old Bear | A legendary man of the mountains |
Keth and Kasson | The Reddin brothers |
Gerrun | Also known as Shortshanks |
King Ronal | Also known as ‘King Ronal the Bastard’ |
Lotji Bain | Nephew of Jorgan Bain |
Of the Iceblood Holdings
The Sayers
Buri | Legendary elder of the clan |
Jaochim | Master of the clan |
Yrain | Mistress of the clan |
Vala | Sister to Yrain |
Jass | Son of Vala |
Bernal Heavyhand | A clan retainer, or hearthguard |
The Heels
Cull Heel | Also known as Cull the Kind |
Yullveig | Wife of Cull, also known as Yullveig the Fierce |
Erta | Daughter of Cull and Yullveig |
Baran | Son of Cull and Yullveig |
The Overland Raiders
Marshal Teal | A Letherii aristocrat |
Enguf the Broad | A Genabackan pirate |
Malle of Gris | A Malazan aristocrat |
Holden of Cawn | A mage of Serc |
Alca of Cat | A mage of Telas |
The Sea Raiders
The
Sea Strike
Burl Tardin | Captain |
Whellen | First Mate |
Gaff | Second Mate |
The
Silver Dawn
Jute Hernan | Captain |
Ieleen | Navigator, wife of Jute |
Lurjen | Steersman |
Buen | First Mate |
Letita | Master of weapons |
Dulat | A sailor |
The
Resolute
Tyvar Gendarian | Commander of the Blue Shields and Mortal Sword of Togg |
Haagen Vantall | Steward of the Blue Shields |
The
Ragstopper
Cartheron Crust | Captain |
Orothos | First Mate |
The
Supplicant
Timmel Orosenn | Also known as the Primogenitrix, ruler of the island of Umryg |
Velmar | Priest and servant to Lady Orosenn |
The T’lan Imass
The Kerluhm
| Ut’el Anag Lanas Tog | Bonecaster |
The Ifayle
Tolb Bell’al | Bonecaster |
The Kron
Pran Chole | Bonecaster |
The Crimson Guard
K’azz D’Avore | Commander |
Shimmer | Second-in-command |
Blues | New captain of the Second Company |
Bars | Also known as ‘Iron Bars’, formerly of the Fourth Company |
Cowl | High Mage and Master Assassin |
Gwynn | A mage |
Petal | A mage |
Black the Elder | |
Black the Lesser | |
Sept | |
Cole | |
Amatt | |
Lean | |
Keel | |
Turgal | |
The Crimson Guard Fourth Company
Cal-Brinn | Captain and mage |
Jup Alat | Lieutenant |
| Laurel Leena |
Of
Mael’s Greetings
Ghelath Keer | Master |
Havvin | Ship’s pilot |
Levin | Apprentice pilot |
Others
Silverfox | The ‘Summoner’ created to end the T’lan Imass war |
Luthal Canar | Representative of the Canar trading house, of Lether |
Lyan | A female warrior from north Genabackis, a shieldmaiden |
Dorrin | King in exile of Anklos, Lyan’s ward |
Fisher kel Tath | A well-travelled bard |
Jethiss | A Tiste Andii castaway |
Kilava | Ancient living Bonecaster of the Imass |
Mist | A sorceress |
Anger and Wrath | Mist’s sons |
The Sharrs | A mage family |
The Sheers | A mage family |
Giana Jalaz | A former lieutenant in the Malazan army |
PROLOGUE
North territory of a new land
Of the Jaghut wars:
Seventh century of the 12th Lamatath campaign