[fakeshemp]

About 2/3rd's of the way throught Midnight Tides. Enjoying the diversion somewhat at the moment, though knowing Erikson the events are of vital importance later. One thing that has me confused (well more than one, I felt at times like I was in GotM again trying to grasp everything anew), is the shennanigans with the Azath dying and the Hold of Death coming into being. I have had a brief search for this being answered elsewhere on the forum, but didn't want to delve too far into topics for fear of spoilers. Apologies if asked before/revealed later in the book.

Firstly this what I know, or I think I know, it might be flawed knowledge, but it might help explain my confusion: I am concluding that in the "present" as it is in MT, (The Chaining having happened is what I am using as a reference point), that Hood and some version of his realm exists. Indeed one of the Crimson Guard and possibly a few other characters, if I remember rightly, use Hood's name as a curse as is common to the first 4 books, so all that considered, it's fairly logical I think to assume Hood is - in the MT present - as we know him in the time of the Bridgeburners/Malazan Empire; the big chief of Death and it's realm. I also believe it mentioned by the Ceda that the throne is occupied in other places, so I am assuming that he means by "other places" the other continents (Geneabackis etc), which would mean more confirmation of the above.

Hence my question: I know from other mentions in the previous books that there is this idea that Gods who aren't worshipped/are forgotten, are lost and there is theory that the act of worship is what makes them gods. Is this the case here? Is it just that the knowledge of Hood and his realm isn't a part of the general scheme of things as nobody recognizes Death as a hold/having a god, in the Letherii religions (or perhaps it used to be but was lost after the time of the First Empire)?

or is it something I have missed? If so, then why is it only now that the Hold of Death (I'm assuming it will still be Hood occupying the throne), is coming into being here?

Hope I explained that clearly.

Thanks in advance for any replies, I'm sure as usual the good people here can help straighten my brain out.

[worry]

First off, the answer to your question is not a spoiler in the place you're at, so go ahead and read the rest of this post:

You are correct in your guess that Hood's Realm is absent from this continent, or at least a portion of it. The answer IS in Midnight Tides, during the prologue. Gothos's Ice ritual
was so powerful that it did more than freeze the land...in a way, it froze time itself. It's not exactly that straightforward, but it froze out a lot of the rest of the world, including supernatural influences. You will find, in general, that this particular region is prone to ghosts, and other kinds of undead (Shurq for example). It makes for some interesting developments, a pretty unusual Azath being only one of them.