[Where is Dassem Ultor?]

....I wonder if Tayschrenn would seize power were Laseen, Mallick, and Korbolo all to suffer sudden, painful, deaths. Servant to the Empire, yes. But suddenly able to take charge of that empire just when humanity's strength is needed?

[Sinisdar Toste]

i wouldn expect tay to seize power, if anything he's already got a replacement in mind just in case. seizing power would be to much of a overt move for him, its not his style.

and maybe this is just the history lover in me but i hope the supplement book that comes out goes over how the malazan state business is handled. senate and assembly and all that junk.

[Aptorian]

Also the siege at pale showed that Pale is completly unsuited to be in charge of anything.

He's just good at making illusion and playing peak a boo.

[Dancer+]

I would again like to further the point that Tay would not make a good Emperor.

He's content to shape events and sit in the shadows, its where he is by far the most comfortable. I love it how SE makes us think Tay is a mage who frequently goes into battles in GotM at Pale, but it was actually a convergence of powers he had to manage, and was against his usual tact.

[Mentalist]

no, he prolly wouldn't--just like what happened to Kellanved--he'd get preoccupied with ascendant stuff and ignore the workings of the Empire...

i fervently believe that it'll be Topper...
In fact, I shoul start a poll...

[cerveza_fiesta]

Dancer;229188 said:

I would again like to further the point that Tay would not make a good Emperor.

He's content to shape events and sit in the shadows, its where he is by far the most comfortable. I love it how SE makes us think Tay is a mage who frequently goes into battles in GotM at Pale, but it was actually a convergence of powers he had to manage, and was against his usual tact.

yeah, tay seems more the loyal-to-the-cause 2nd in command type. Kind of like Soundwave in Transformers. Always backing up whoever's in charge.

[ritchiediaz]

Quote

Tayschrenn's loyalties appear to lie with the Empire as an abstract concept, not with the Empress Laseen in particular.

I'm not sure of Tayschrenn's motivations PERIOD.

He, as stated in BH, takes the 'long-view on things', which coupled with his Shadowthrone conversation about D'rek leads me to believe that Tayschrenn's motivations are less worldly, and more about the big picture.

I would suggest that Tayschrenn saw the Malazan Empire as being a key player in the 'big picture' and got on board to help shape things as he sees fit.

So what logically is the 'long-view'? The CG Endgame? Possibly, but it's surely not the replacement Malazan Emperor...

[Lisheo]

I always thought Tayschrenn was just full of crap, to be honest. He's not a fantastic mage, from what weve seen, lets face it, ppl like Bottle, Sinn, QB and Beak seem much stronger, and really, Tayschrenn is just annoying. He couldnt manage to kill Kallor!

[Blend]

Lisheo;229265 said:

He's not a fantastic mage, from what weve seen, lets face it, ppl like Bottle, Sinn, QB and Beak seem much stronger, and really, Tayschrenn is just annoying. He couldnt manage to kill Kallor!

Uhm, let's remember that he destroyed enough of Moon's Spawn to make Anomander Rake leave Pale for fear of losing his people's home, while destroying an Elder Goddess masquerading as a mortal witch, and some 5-6 other mages, while warding off Anomander Rake's magic all at once...

Then we can take into account that during MOI he masquerades as Artanthos, the Standard Bearer, and creates the illusion so well that no one - not Rake, not Brood, not even Silverfox for most of the novel - pierces it.

And if you've read NoK, he performed no easy feat in there...

I'd say that Tayschrenn is mighty powerful, thank you very much.

[cerveza_fiesta]

@blend

ill second that. Tay is waaaaay powerful. The opening scene of GotM almost says it all.

[Dancer+]

Bottle and Sinn are but children.
QB is growing to a power to rival Tay.
And Beak just had no concept of survival. He exceeded his bodies capacity.

We haven't even seen Tay in trouble yet and he gave Tatterail a migrane in GotM from his raw power.

Tay is powerful...

[4092]

This is one of steven erikson's weaknesses in writing fantasy. Contrasts in magical power. Some squad mages seem more powerful than the malazan imperial mage :S.

But anyway, I'm sure if you matched them up tay would own them. Tay can talk down the goddess of decay, imagine what else he has up his sleaves.

On Tay vs QB, i'd say QB would stand more than a chance in terms of letting loose with powah.

[Dancer+]

4092;229301 said:

This is one of steven erikson's weaknesses in writing fantasy. Contrasts in magical power. Some squad mages seem more powerful than the malazan imperial mage :S.

I contest this, I feel that it's a misobservation. Think of the opposition to these people, Tay has shown his power against Rake, Nightchill etc. and has come out well. In MoI he was struck by Chaotic power, which is how I'd defend him on this charge.

I don't think anyone would make a suggestion that Bottle, Beak, Sinn etc. would be able to put up a fight against Rake and Nightchill...Why? Simply because they wouldn't stand a chance, Beak was driven by exceptional circumstance, I wouldn't want to think of Tay in an exceptional circumstances.

In my eyes there is a fair amount of consistency. Tay and QB are powerful High Mage material, Sinn is a potential high mage and Beak was raw, untamed force. I don't feel Beak could have exerted so much effort on an offensive shift of power anyhow.

[q21]

I believe that the Crimson Guard will arrive, kick everybodies' behinds and K'azz will become emperor.

[Coco with marshmallows]

Lisheo;229265 said:

Tayschrenn is just annoying. He couldnt manage to kill Kallor!

nor could three elder gods working together.....

[cerveza_fiesta]

ya, kallor's got something really nasty up his sleeve

[Dolorous Menhir]

Sinisdar Toste;229125 said:

and maybe this is just the history lover in me but i hope the supplement book that comes out goes over how the malazan state business is handled. senate and assembly and all that junk.

Uhh...the Empress is basically a dictator. What she says goes. A Senate and Assembly? Do you think the Malazan Empire is a democracy? There's no such thing in SE's world.

You have provided me with the image of Laseen being forced to go to an elected chamber and beg for the funding her military exploits require. That's mildly amusing.

Lisheo;229265 said:

I always thought Tayschrenn was just full of crap, to be honest. He's not a fantastic mage, from what weve seen, lets face it, ppl like Bottle, Sinn, QB and Beak seem much stronger, and really, Tayschrenn is just annoying. He couldnt manage to kill Kallor!

Neither could Whiskeyjack. Whiskeyjack sucks.

[Skywalker]

Laseen (speaking to the Senate): I did not overthrow my predecessor to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss the Korel wars in committee (mittee... mittee... mittee comes the echo).

I propose a vote of no confidence in Tayschrenn's magery.

(Sorry... couldn't help it... I loved The Phantom Menace in spite of all the faults)

[Sinisdar Toste]

[QUOTE=Dolorous Menhir;229453]Uhh...the Empress is basically a dictator. What she says goes. A Senate and Assembly? Do you think the Malazan Empire is a democracy? There's no such thing in SE's world.[QUOTE]

i was kind of thinking about the roman imperial period. even when the emperor ruled supreme there was a senate that functioned as a pseudo-legislative body. but the emperor could just veto anything he didnt like.

[Dolorous Menhir]

Do you think Kellanved would have set up a system like that? Or that Laseen would have let it continue?

My history may be entirely wrong, but I would assume the strong Roman Emperors had to deal with a Senate because it was an old institution that retained some power even after it lost sole political control of the Empire.

The Malazan Empire is a new entity. It has no such tradition, and Kellanved would have been insane to begin one. (Ok, Kellanved had a few screws loose. But not when it came to his grip on power, coup excepted.)