Reaper's Gale

Steven Erikson

Reaper's Gale

(Malazan Book of the Fallen – 7)

Dramatis Personae

Tehol Beddict, a destitute resident

Bugg, Tehol’s manservant

Shurq Elalle, an itinerant pirate

Skorgen Kaban, Shurq’s First Mate

Ublala Pung, an unemployed Tarthenal half-blood

Ormly, a member of the Rat Catchers’ Guild

Rucket, Chief Investigator of the Rat Catchers’ Guild

Karos Invictad, Invigilator of the Patriotists

Tanal Yathvanar, Karos’s personal assistant

Rautos Hivanar, Master of the Liberty Consign of Merchants

Venitt Sathad, Rautos’s principal field agent

Triban Gnol, Chancellor of the New Empire

Nisall, First Concubine of the old emperor

Janall, deposed empress

Turudal Brizad, ex-cbnsort

Janath Anar, a political prisoner

Sirryn Kanar, a palace guard

Brullyg (Shake), nominal Ruler of Second Maiden Fort

Yedan Derryg (The Watch)

Orbyn ‘Truthfinder’, Section Commander of the Patriotists

Letur Anict, Factor in Drene

Bivattj Atri-Preda of the Eastern Army

Feather Witch, Letherii slave to Uruth

Rhulad, ruler of the New Empire

Ha

Uruth, Matriarch of the Emperor and wife to Tomad Sengar

K’risnan, warlocks of the Emperor

Bruthen Trana, Edur in palace

Brohl Handar, Overseer of the East in Drene

Yan Tovis (Twilight), Atri-Preda of the Letherii Army

Varat Taun, her lieutenant

Taralack Veed, a Gral agent of the Nameless Ones

Icarium, Taralack’s weapon

Hanradi Khalag, a warlock of the Tiste Edur

Tomad Sengar, Patriarch of the Emperor

Samar Dev, a scholar and witch from Seven Cities

Karsa Orlong, a Toblakai warrior

Taxilian, an interpreter

Redmask, an exile who returned

Masarch, a warrior of the Renfayar Clan

Hadralt, War Leader of Ganetok Clan

Sag’Churok, a bodyguard to Redmask

Gunth Mach, a bodyguard to Redmask

Torrent, a Copperface

Natarkas, a Copperface

Seren Pedac, a Letherii Acquitor

Fear Sengar, a Tiste Edur

Kettle, a Letherii orphan

Udinaas, a Letherii runaway slave

Wither, a shadow wraith

Silchas Ruin, a Tiste Andii Ascendant

Ulshun Pral, an Imass

Rud Elalle, an adopted foundling

Hostille Rator, a T’lan Imass

Til’aras Benok, a T’lan Imass

Gr’istanas Ish’ilm, a T’lan Imass

Tavore Paran, Commander of the Bonehunters

Lostara Yil, Second to Tavore

Keneb, Fist in the Bonehunters

Blistig, Fist in the Bonehunters

Faradan Sort, Captain

Madan’tul Rada, Faradan Sort’s lieutenant

Grub, adopted son of Keneb

Beak, mage seconded to Captain Faradan Sort

Fiddler, sergeant

Tarr, corporal

Koryk, half-blood Seti, marine

Smiles, Kanese, marine

Cuttle, sapper

Bottle, squad mage

Corabb Bhilan Thenu’alas, soldier

Gesler, sergeant

Stormy, corporal

Sands, marine

Shortnose, heavy infantry

Flashwit, heavy infantry

Uru Hela, heavy infantry

Mayfly, heavy infantry

Cord, sergeant

Shard, corporal

Limp, marine

Ebron, squad mage

Crump (Jamber Bole), sapper

Si

Hellian, sergeant

Touchy, corporal #1

Brethless, corporal #1

Balgrid, squad mage

Tavos Pond, marine

Maybe, sapper

Lutes, squad healer

Balm, sergeant

Deadsmell, corporal

Throatslitter, marine

Gait, marine

Lobe, marine

Widdershins, squad mage

Thom Tlssy, sergeant

Tulip, corporal

Ramp, heavy infantry

Jibb, medium infantry

Gullstream, medium infantry

Mudslinger, medium infantry

Bellig Harn, heavy infantry

Urb, sergeant

Reem, corporal

Masan Gilani, marine

Bowl, heavy infantry

Ha

Saltlick, heavy infantry

Scant, heavy infantry

Pravalak Rim, corporal

Honey, sapper

Strap Mull, sapper

Shoaly, heavy infantry

Lookback, heavy infantry

Badan Gruk, sergeant

Ruffle, marine

Skim, marine

Nep Furrow, mage

Reliko, heavy infantry

Vastly Blank, heavy infantry

Primly, sergeant

Hunt, corporal

Mulvan Dreader, mage

Neller, sapper

Skulldeath, marine

Drawfirst, heavy infantry

Banaschar, the Last Priest of D’rek

Withal, a Meckros Swordsmith

Sandalath Drukorlat, a Tiste Andii, Withal’s wife

Nimander Golit, a Tiste Andii, offspring of Anomander Rake

Phaed, a Tiste Andii, offspring of Anomander Rake

Curdle, a possessed skeletal reptile

Telorast, a possessed skeletal reptile

Onrack, a T’lan Imass, unbound

Trull Sengar, a Tiste Edur renegade

Ben Adaephon Delat, a wizard

Menandore, a Soletaken (Sister of Dawn)

Sheltatha Lore, a Soletaken (Sister of Dusk)

Sukul Ankhadu, a Soletaken (Sister Dapple)

Kilmandaros, an Elder Goddess

Clip, a Tiste Andii

Cotillion, The Rope, Patron God of Assassins

Emroth, a broken T’lan Imass

Hedge, a ghost

Old Hunch Arbat, Tarthenal

Pithy, an ex-con

Brevity, an ex-con

Pully, a Shake witch

Skwish, a Shake witch

Prologue

In a landscape torn with grief, the carcasses of six dragons lay strewn in a ragged row reaching a thousand or more paces across the plain, flesh split apart, broken bones jutting, jaws gaping and eyes brittle-dry. Where their blood had spilled out onto the ground wraiths had gathered like flies to sap and were now ensnared, the ghosts writhing and voicing hollow cries of despair, as the blood darkened, fusing with the lifeless soil; and, when at last the substance grew indurate, hardening into glassy stone, those ghosts were doomed to an eternity trapped within that murky prison.

The naked creature that traversed the rough path formed by the fallen dragons was a match to their mass, yet bound to the earth, and it walked on two bowed legs, the thighs thick as thousand-year-old trees. The width of its shoulders was equal to the length of a Tartheno Toblakai’s height; from a thick neck hidden beneath a mane of glossy black hair, the frontal portion of the head was thrust forward-brow, cheekbones and jaw, and its deep-set eyes revealing black pupils surrounded in opalescent white. The huge arms were disproportionately long, the enormous hands almost scraping the ground. Its breasts were large, pendulous and pale. As it strode past the battered, rotting carcasses, the motion of its gait was strangely fluid, not at all lumbering, and each limb was revealed to possess extra joints.