[Dog Runners]

I'm sure some of these ideas and/or questions have been addressed here but I figured why not have a fresh shot at it!

Malazan Book of the Fallen series spoilers!

Just finished The Crippled God about a month ago for the first time and I finally got my series ending thoughts in order. ( I think lol) I also just finished Forge of Darkness! (and will soon be starting Fall of Light!) but this should only encompass Mbotf. okay here we go:

1. With the gates of death being safeguarded by the Bridgeburners, do you think Whiskeyjack will take on the role of Lord of Death or will it be a collaborative effort?
I personally feel it'll be collaborative, but these Bridgeburners worship WJ. So I can finally see them elevating him to be their emperor(king), finally lol

2. "The gate..how..oh, Anomander.."
Oh Anomander. That line killed me. Rake was an immediate favorite of mine and stole every scene he was in. It just crushed me at that point, in that book. (TtH)
What line in any of the books was most emotional or moving for you? I could list many but that one jumps out at me everytime.

3. Toblakai trilogy Maybe start the series with a huge battle with Karsa's armies being the invaders? I could see why he would want to have the first book introduce a lot of Karsas generals and advisors, laying the ground work for the rest of the books. But I'm hoping it's not a books worth set up. How would you like the trilogy to go?

4. What's going to happen with The Crippled God? Did he and his followers go back to their home realm/world and live happily ever after? Or did ST and Cotillion pawn them off to go crashing into another planet? I'd imagine we'll never know for sure but it's an interesting thought.

5. Hood. Badass. Do you think he sealed off OP once he became God of Death? Meaning he made it so no one else could ascend the Ice Throne? Hedge found it unoccupied, makes me wonder why? Did no Jaghut want it? Or was it blocked? Hmmm


6. Lords of Time and Space.
I'm guessing shadowthrone and Cotillion might take more of a backseat in the Toblakai series but it'd be sweet if this thread and idea was explored more. Maybe they get close and it pisses off the other gods, sparking another war, directed at them this time.

Although that might not be able to be fit into just one trilogy lol.

Thanks!

[Andorion]

Dog Runners, on 12 January 2017 - 04:17 AM, said:

I'm sure some of these ideas and/or questions have been addressed here but I figured why not have a fresh shot at it!

Malazan Book of the Fallen series spoilers!

Just finished The Crippled God about a month ago for the first time and I finally got my series ending thoughts in order. ( I think lol) I also just finished Forge of Darkness! (and will soon be starting Fall of Light!) but this should only encompass Mbotf. okay here we go:

1. With the gates of death being safeguarded by the Bridgeburners, do you think Whiskeyjack will take on the role of Lord of Death or will it be a collaborative effort?
I personally feel it'll be collaborative, but these Bridgeburners worship WJ. So I can finally see them elevating him to be their emperor(king), finally lol

2. "The gate..how..oh, Anomander.."
Oh Anomander. That line killed me. Rake was an immediate favorite of mine and stole every scene he was in. It just crushed me at that point, in that book. (TtH)
What line in any of the books was most emotional or moving for you? I could list many but that one jumps out at me everytime.

3. Toblakai trilogy Maybe start the series with a huge battle with Karsa's armies being the invaders? I could see why he would want to have the first book introduce a lot of Karsas generals and advisors, laying the ground work for the rest of the books. But I'm hoping it's not a books worth set up. How would you like the trilogy to go?

4. What's going to happen with The Crippled God? Did he and his followers go back to their home realm/world and live happily ever after? Or did ST and Cotillion pawn them off to go crashing into another planet? I'd imagine we'll never know for sure but it's an interesting thought.

5. Hood. Badass. Do you think he sealed off OP once he became God of Death? Meaning he made it so no one else could ascend the Ice Throne? Hedge found it unoccupied, makes me wonder why? Did no Jaghut want it? Or was it blocked? Hmmm


6. Lords of Time and Space.
I'm guessing shadowthrone and Cotillion might take more of a backseat in the Toblakai series but it'd be sweet if this thread and idea was explored more. Maybe they get close and it pisses off the other gods, sparking another war, directed at them this time.

Although that might not be able to be fit into just one trilogy lol.

Thanks!

1. Knowing Whiskeyjack, I think that he will try his best to keep the role of Lord of Death collaborative. In fact is there even a Lord of Death anymore? Whiskeyjack styles his crew as protectors and keepers of the Gate

2. "Oh Anomander" is one of the best lines.

Others that immediately come to mind:

Itkovian's musings on compassion in MoI
"HAIL THE MARINES!" in DoD
Turn it around! - Hood - TtH
I have had enough of your justice! - Hood, TCG
"Oh Ganoes, I could not save her" - Tavore, TCG
"Will I be beautiful?" - Tavore, TCG

Also Korabas' entire PoV in TCG. Heartbreaking

3. Knowing SE, I expect all ideas about the Toblakai trilogy to be subverted. Karsa's expectations and image of his people may differ drastically from reality, The campaign of conquest will probably look very different to what he has envisioned.

4. I think ST and Cots were happy enough to give the CG back to his followers. Since they could get to Wu, probably they can get back to their own world

5. Given the nature of the Jaghut, I doubt any of them want a throne. They seem to have moved past thrones and kingdoms entirely. A more interesting thought might be what is Hood going to do with the resurrected Jaghut followers and their sense of humour

6. I think both of them will be involved, but the extent of their involvement may not be as deep as in this series

[Abyss]

Dog Runners, on 12 January 2017 - 04:17 AM, said:

...

1. With the gates of death being safeguarded by the Bridgeburners, do you think Whiskeyjack will take on the role of Lord of Death or will it be a collaborative effort?
...

Nope. They're guardians, not 'rulers'. Pretty sure they see their job as making sure no one else (or at least no one 'bad') takes over.

Quote

2. ...
What line in any of the books was most emotional or moving for you? ....

"Fucking dragon!"

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3. Toblakai trilogy ...How would you like the trilogy to go?

I want Karsa punching large immortal things in the head until they die, and i want SE to aubvert what we expect from Karsa at least twice per book.
Other than that, i'm good with whatever we get. Trust in SE. SE is good. SE is great.

Quote

4. What's going to happen with The Crippled God? Did he and his followers go back to their home realm/world and live happily ever after? Or did ST and Cotillion pawn them off to go crashing into another planet? I'd imagine we'll never know for sure but it's an interesting thought.

Cots killed his reassembled body and his soul/power/essence/something was sent into the Jade Chunks where his followers souls seems to reside. Whether they end up home or elsewhere, the god is reunited with his people and saved from being drained by the Malazan world gods.

Quote

5. Hood. Badass. Do you think he sealed off OP once he became God of Death? Meaning he made it so no one else could ascend the Ice Throne? Hedge found it unoccupied, makes me wonder why? Did no Jaghut want it? Or was it blocked? Hmmm

Good question. It's not actually clear whether there even is a Throne for OP. The Throne Hedge found it back in RD could have been Ice or Death, but either way it was just sitting there, which suggests it has no particular power over any warren or Jaghut.

TCG clearly suggested that Death and OP are closer now than they were before.

Quote

6. Lords of Time and Space.
I'm guessing shadowthrone and Cotillion might take more of a backseat in the Toblakai series but it'd be sweet if this thread and idea was explored more. Maybe they get close and it pisses off the other gods, sparking another war, directed at them this time.

Yeah, having 'saved' the CG and thus the world, it is a curiosity what they will do next. Was this their endgame, or just part of a longer play...?
In theory, i suppose that if Karsa's crusade genuinely threatened the Malazan Empire., ST/Cots might feel obliged to act, directly or thru agents, to save it in some form.

[Puck]

Abyss, on 12 January 2017 - 03:45 PM, said:

Dog Runners, on 12 January 2017 - 04:17 AM, said:

...

1. With the gates of death being safeguarded by the Bridgeburners, do you think Whiskeyjack will take on the role of Lord of Death or will it be a collaborative effort?
...

Nope. They're guardians, not 'rulers'. Pretty sure they see their job as making sure no one else (or at least no one 'bad') takes over.

To add to that, WJ actually lays out their purpose when he talks to Kalyth in DoD:

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The grey eyes settled on her once more. 'Destriant, by that title alone you must now consort with the likes of us — in Hood's — your Reaper's — stead. You see us as Guardians of the Gate, but we are more than that. We are — or will become — the new arbiters, for as long as is necessary. Among us there are fists, mailed gauntlets of hard violence. And healers, and mages. Assassins and skulkers, sappers and horse-archers, lancers and trackers. Cowards and brave, stolid warriors.' He hitched a half-smile. 'And we've found all manner of unexpected... allies. In all our guises, Destriant, we shall be more than the Reaper ever was. We are not distant. Not indifferent. You see, unlike Hood, we remember what it was to be alive. We remember each and every moment of yearning, of desperate need, the anguish that comes when no amount of beseeching earns a single instant's reprieve, no pleading yields a moment's mercy. We are here, Destriant. When no other choice remains, call upon us.'
The ice of this realm seemed to shatter all around Kalyth and she staggered as warmth flooded through her. Blessed — no, the blessing of warmth. Gasping, she stared up at the unnamed soldier as tears filled her eyes. 'This... this is not the death I imagined.'

Basically, they aren't 'just' guardians but also don't actually rule the realm, they are just offering those who die whatever face fits best as there are so many different personalities within the Bridgeburners. As such, I also doubt that any of them would want WJ to sit on the Throne of Death, as it's the human and commoner aspects of his that make him suited to lead the Guardians.

[Kanese S's]

I wonder if Hood being god of death is why there was never a human-accessible warren of ice.

[Citravaghra]

Kanese S, on 09 March 2017 - 09:25 AM, said:

I wonder if Hood being god of death is why there was never a human-accessible warren of ice.

There was elder ice (Omtose Phelack), but access to elder warrens requires having the blood of a particular race. Nor do most human mages have anything like a patron for their warren. I'd be comfortable saying there just wasn't a human-available warren of ice.

[worry]

That just reiterates the fact that there wasn't one. KS is trying to imagine why.

[Gorefest]

Kanese S, on 09 March 2017 - 09:25 AM, said:

I wonder if Hood being god of death is why there was never a human-accessible warren of ice.

Not sure how that would add up, though. What power would Hood have over the Ice Hold / Omtose Phellack that would make him able to stop there being a Warren link? Hood presides over the hold of Death, he doesnt have specific powers over Omtose Phellack. if anyone were blocking human access to OP I'd sooner point to Gothos.

Alternatively, maybe there is no human warren which appears to be related to OP because K'rul couldnt get an Eleint aspected to it. But as we don't really know what this whole 'aspecting' business really means, it is difficult to speculate. Maybe we will learn more in the last Kharkanas installation.

[Citravaghra]

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What power would Hood have over the Ice Hold / Omtose Phellack that would make him able to stop there being a Warren link? Hood presides over the hold of Death, he doesnt have specific powers over Omtose Phellack. if anyone were blocking human access to OP I'd sooner point to Gothos.

Hood sits on the throne of the Ice Hold. For most of the history and duration of the series, he'd have been sitting frozen in a block of ice (making it a pretty absent ruling if the throne. That maybe answers the question of the lack of a human-accessible ice warren. He may not have been available as a patron. If we go by that theory, that means the post-tCG has potential for humans to access an ice warren because Hood is still kicking around.

On a tangent, realizing that Hood holds the throne of ice AND became the ruler of Death by conquest suggests he's a huge badass. I mean, we already know that because he gave himself up to save the gate of elder darkness from chaos, created a multitude of fatalities just by manifesting, froze a section of open sea water. (maybe a bay?), and bit the face off of a pure-blood, but this makes him better. He's also hinted as being one of the strongest mages by the other Jaghut. I like Hood.