[muco]

Just wondering how old is Dassem ultor?

He is not of elder race definitly. And in TTH his opinion of Karsa is of some one young and Karsa is like 100 years old!

Did his ascendency grant him long life or am I missing something?

[Aptorian]

Dassem, like the rest of the Old Guard, had encreased longevity from staying in the Deadhouse. Perhaps his service as Knight of Death also gave him some benefits.

As it stands, Dassem is about 150 years... give or take a couple of decades.

[blackzoid]

Aptorian, on Oct 30 2008, 03:53 PM, said:

Dassem, like the rest of the Old Guard, had encreased longevity from staying in the Deadhouse. Perhaps his service as Knight of Death also gave him some benefits.

As it stands, Dassem is about 150 years... give or take a couple of decades.

When did Dassem swear service to Hood? Just wondering cos, he was in the DEADhouse with the Old Guard and that was the Azath aspected to death. Would have been interesting if he swore service then.

[Lisheo]

We don't know when he swore service, but it could well have been during his stay in the Deadhouse. Nice catch, black.

[Aptorian]

There really is no indication that the Azath are connected to the warrens in any way as direct as what you're implying. In fact we don't understand the reason for the names some of the Azath have had. Deadhouse, Tremolor (life), Finnest, etc.

[Lisheo]

Actually, I do believe there were hints of it in the series, Apt. Someone(QB or Kalam) once asked why, when Kellanved entered the Deadhouse, he didn't become a member of HHD. The reason was that it was already occupied, and also I'm assuiming the night of the Shadow Moon had something to do with it. Also, wasn't it suggested that T'riss, the QoD, was wandering 7C before she ascended to HHLife? Coincidentally where Tremorlor, House of Life, is.

[blackzoid]

Aptorian, on Oct 30 2008, 05:16 PM, said:

There really is no indication that the Azath are connected to the warrens in any way as direct as what you're implying. In fact we don't understand the reason for the names some of the Azath have had. Deadhouse, Tremolor (life), Finnest, etc.

I seem to remember a quote by Paran or said to Paran, that Dancer and the Emperor had the opportunity to choose which House to rule once in the Deadhouse after the assassination attempt by Lassen. It was stated that they could not choose Death cos it was already occupied, but that that was the aspect of the Deadhouse. However, I could be wrong as it has not come up in conjunction with the other warrens/holds.

[foolio]

I thought Daseem Ultor and Desembelakis the emperor of the first empire were one and the same. Evidentally I was wrong becasue if that were true Daseem would be thousands of years old..

[Onos]

foolio, on Dec 9 2008, 03:18 PM, said:

I thought Daseem Ultor and Desembelakis the emperor of the first empire were one and the same. Evidentally I was wrong becasue if that were true Daseem would be thousands of years old..

Well, if you go by his first confirmed sighting then 150 years is a good guess. BUT that doesnt mean he hasnt been doing his own thing for a long time. For all we know he could be Kruls son and almost as old as the universe. (not saying that is in anyway true but we dont know) My impression of his character was that fell into the First Sword role because it alligned with his purposes. Sort of like Tayschrenn is the High Mage. I dont think Tayschrenn really cares about the Malazan empire, only so much as it furthers his agenda. My thoughts are he was around before the deadhouse eposide, though i cant think of any facts which would confirm that.

[D'rek]

I don't think we have any known evidence that would lead us to believe that Dassem is Dessimbelackis, other than the similarity of name. However, it's certainly not unheard of for folk to live very long. There's the obvious example of Kallor, and then there are mages that can live at least 100s of years, like Tattersail, and even likely thousands of years, like the T'orrud Cabal. Additionally, Caladan Brood is half human and half barghast, neither of which race is long-lived. So the obvious link to long life is either magic or ascendancy. Dassem is not a mage so that leaves ascendancy, like Brood. Sure he is Dessembrae now, and was the Knight of Death before, but who's to say that he wasn't ascended before he even got involved with Kel&Dan's stuff?

Remember Apsalar's little blurb in HoC about how it had "never been just [Kel and Dancer]" - that 'Traveller' was with them in some way from the very beginning? Well Nok's story about Kel's family says Dassem was nowhere near being the 3rd on to join up with them, but it could be that Apsalar in her demented state is trying to say that Dassem was already old, powerful and significant before he hooked up with the family...

[Excellence]

House of Chains -- Nok's conversation with Tavore early on. The bloke's Dal Honese like Kellanved.

[D'rek]

Excellence, on Dec 10 2008, 02:49 AM, said:

House of Chains -- Nok's conversation with Tavore early on. The bloke's Dal Honese like Kellanved.

Doesn't mean he couldn't be old. I'm sure Dal Honese looked about the same centuries ago. Or else it's a mortal guise, like Keruli, Turudal Brizad or Bugg.

[The Dark Wanderer]

Just to add general confusion to the mix! When do we reckon Dassem's daughter was born, given that she's sacrificed at the last chaining when it seems (someone help as to if he was ascended or not) Cotillion/Dancer was present? I do like the idea that Dassem has been around for a while and was just using the Malazan empire only problem is NoK.

Returning to the brief mention of Tay, we know why he joined the Empire. It was after he was passed up for High Priest in the cult of D'rek and the empire helped with some revenge.

[Jude]

The Dark Wanderer, on Dec 10 2008, 05:49 PM, said:

Just to add general confusion to the mix! When do we reckon Dassem's daughter was born, given that she's sacrificed at the last chaining when it seems (someone help as to if he was ascended or not) Cotillion/Dancer was present? I do like the idea that Dassem has been around for a while and was just using the Malazan empire only problem is NoK.

Returning to the brief mention of Tay, we know why he joined the Empire. It was after he was passed up for High Priest in the cult of D'rek and the empire helped with some revenge.

Interesting. do we know who ended UP as high priest? or does it never say?

[Aptorian]

Banaschar from BH and RG.

[The Dark Wanderer]

Although only after much bloodshed and one very pissed off goddess.

[Jude]

I knew Banaschar was high priest in BH, but HE was the guy that got it instead of Tays? How did that happen? I just assumed he had ended up as the high priest somewhere down the road.

This would mean that the two were in competition wouldn't it? Or am I missing something else?

[D'rek]

It's unlikely it was Banaschar. The highest rank attainable in the priesthood of D'rek is the Demidrek. Banaschar did indeed obtain that position at some point, and Tayschrenn did indeed lose a power struggle for that position. However, Banaschar was a priest of D'rek from the Jakatakan temple on Malaz Island, whereas Tayschrenn lost his power struggle for the position in Kartool. Additionally, Tayschrenn joining up with Kel&co. shortly after his failure means his power struggle was probably around 1050 or so, whereas Banaschar's abandoning the cult, which deprived him of most of his magical imbuities, probably occured much more recently (BH spans parts of 1164 and 1165). While it is possible that Banaschar ousted Tays in Kartool, eventually moved to the Jakatakan temple, and then after around 8-10 decades gave up his priestlyhood... it's not very likely without further information.

(I would know, right?)

[Jude]

D'rek you know eeeeeverything. no seriously, that makes alot more sense. I didn't think that Ban would have been the guy that Tays lost to. Ban seemingly worshipped Tays, and Tays was the guy he needed to get to for help on Malaz Isle in TbH. He's on a way lower level of badassery IMO

That said, it would be interesting to know who ACTUALLY ended up as high priest instead of Tays. This guy must have had a load of hardcore up his ass.

[Sinisdar Toste]

well either way he's dead meat now, hahaha