[Dancer+]

Obdi

It also says that Fiddler had an 'ease of long familiarity' with Whiskeyjack. Part of this can suggest that Fiddler had been in the army since an incredibly young age, maybe 5-6, in similar terms to Grub. You can never guess, or easily justify otherwise unless there is a hard quote against it.

A few years older than someone is a bit of a subjective term. A few, I have been told can mean anything from 3-8. When I was twelve, I thought anyone under twenty to be of a similar age to me. Fiddler could be twenty or so at this time, or just look incredibly young because of some time preservation device like the Azath house. Always an option...maybe raraku has some aging effects too.

I agree that these timeline issues we can almost pin down as wrong but I hold to my point that some of these can be resolved. Ever thought what 10-15 years of dealing with cussers could do to your mentality and looks, not to mention your stress levels...

[Gem Windcaster]

That Fiddler was a recruit in Raraku doesn't mean he was very young. There's older recruits aswell. And maybe Fiddler tried to 'start over' back then, as when he pretended to be Strings? We just don't know enough about Fiddler to say anything final, but yes, he does refer to himself as an 'old soldier', so I guess that's what he is. That said, there was some sort of activity in an Azath house, that revitalized him, wasn't there?

[Mentalist]

Umm.. one small flaw in that idea... If Fiddler joined the army when he was six, did he become a Mason's apprentice at four years of age?

[Dolorous Menhir]

There was a well that contained powerful healing water, but I can't remember if Fiddler drank from it. I think he did, because his leg was injured from earlier in the book. I don't think it is relevant to this discussion of his age though.

[ShadowOwl]

I forget exactly where, but Quick Ben made a comment to Fiddler something like, 'I keep forgetting how young you really are', so I think Fid joined young and would have gained or at least not lost years from being in the deadhouse too.

[Hume]

Fiddler is old people. In his his 50's at least. It was mentioned that the raraku journey to catch Quick was somewhat of mortality change for those particular soldiers. Fid describes this in DG. Something like how Raraku changed us the reference strongly points towards a mortality thing.
It can also stand to reason that the same thing happened to Whiskeyjack as well in that he could easilly have been older than he looked.

The first thing in Gotm was a Gotism.
Im pretty sure I also remember Fid saying how sorry could have been his daughter even at one point.

As to the lack of reference to Fid being close to Whiskey in the Raraku story. It's a fair chance Fid wasn't much of a commander type and liked being at the bottom. Why would it be necessary to specially mention fid more in that Story?

As to Gesler (His previous rank was Captain). He sortta explains it himself when talks about his previous commanders being Korbolo and such. Where as Fid has whiskey and Dujek. Gesler I think was holed up in 7 cities for most of his career. Fid's was a part of the more illustrious 2nd army for his career as well.

[Fiddler]

One explanation for WJ naming Sir Fiddler might be the that WJ didn't want to use Fid's old name to Rake. One quick thing about grey hair, after two tours through Iraq I have over 50% grey and the rest is going quick. Also, to reconcile Fid's age, closeness to WJ and all that, well, Fid is Dassem Ultor...no not really, just wanted to say that. But he might be as many as five years younger then WJ, who was at least a few decades younger than Dujek. And I don't think there was ever any reference to Wj being in the deadhouse. So that makes Fiddler around his mid 30's at the end of DG and WJ around his early forties, and both men were used to hard living. anyhoo.

[Mentalist]

Hmm.. so can someone clear up where WJ was originally from?

[Hops]

My first post ever so yeah....
Fiddler appears through experience to be in his forties, but as with all those who marched Raraku he was changed, made again, broken down and resurrected so to speak, appearances suggest this changed him and the bridgeburners as a whole..... Ascendents maybe...
Fiddler is likely as much an ascendent as Gesler, I guess we shall wait and see.
As for the original question, who wouldnt follow fid, the guy just doesnt die.

[Aptorian]

Hops;223680 said:

Fiddler is likely as much an ascendent as Gesler, I guess we shall wait and see.

If Fidler was a ascendant we'd picked up on it now. Bottle would have seen it or there would have been some kind of scene when Fids blood was spilled in Y'ghatan.

But actually it was strange that Beak in his catscan of all the marines didn't pick up any trace of rarakus change on him or even the tano song waiting for fid.

[Hume]

Aptorian;223690 said:

If Fidler was a ascendant we'd picked up on it now. Bottle would have seen it or there would have been some kind of scene when Fids blood was spilled in Y'ghatan..

Not that Im saying Fid is an ascendant but if he was it dosen't mean we would haveto pick up on it.

Aptorian;223690 said:

But actually it was strange that Beak in his catscan of all the marines didn't pick up any trace of rarakus change on him or even the tano song waiting for fid.

Once again I dont think that beak is all an all knowing person, so I wouldn't see reason for it.

[Aptorian]

Hume;223694 said:

Not that Im saying Fid is an ascendant but if he was it dosen't mean we would haveto pick up on it.


Once again I dont think that beak is all an all knowing person, so I wouldn't see reason for it.

Ascendant blood spilled always draws attention. Its one of those ascendant laws... or something.

Reread Beaks summary of the bonehunters. There was preminition in that "scan", he saw things about Bottle and corab, saw the deck inside fids head, etc.

Beak sort of connected with everything in that final moment.

[Gem Windcaster]

I am pretty sure Fiddler is someone special - there must be a reason for SE never mentioning his real name. The only one Fiddler has talked about his name to was the guy in DG - what's his name again? But I agree that WJ didn't want to mention Fiddler's real name to Rake - or anyone else...it's possible only WJ knew who he is.

[Mentalist]

umm there was an idea once that Fiddler migth be Falari royalty...
yeah, I know, it's cliche, very un-Erikson-esque and all, and I personally don't believe it. But I figured migth as well throw it out there...

[Elan Morin Tedronai]

Gem Windcaster;223727 said:

I am pretty sure Fiddler is someone special - there must be a reason for SE never mentioning his real name. The only one Fiddler has talked about his name to was the guy in DG - what's his name again? But I agree that WJ didn't want to mention Fiddler's real name to Rake - or anyone else...it's possible only WJ knew who he is.

Kimloc, that Tanno Spiritwalker

[Aptorian]

Fidler is special because his name isn't revealed? Then Hedge, Trotts, Mallet, Antsy, Picker and Blend are probably also special. Maybe they all come from the same royal family

You could put it like this, a reader once asked SE why ben Adephon Delat was called Quick Ben. SE answered that he could reveal the nick names meaning but it would probably disappoint you because it was something stupid. Same goes for the rest of the gang, the anonymity of their past is a part of their persona. They are the bridgeburners or the bonehunters, the past doesn't matter.

Crazy theory, most of the bridgeburners are actually reincarnated edur royalty that Scabby killed

[Mentalist]

looool, well, Trotts WAS the last of his clan, or something like that..
And Blend is gifted in Meanas? i think...

[Skywalker]

Aptorian;223837 said:

Same goes for the rest of the gang, the anonymity of their past is a part of their persona. They are the bridgeburners or the bonehunters, the past doesn't matter.

Didn't we learn in the Bonehunters (or somewhere) that Braven Tooth started the whole naming thing? So its not even unique to the BBs or the BHs... it happens throughout the Malazan Army

[Aptorian]

True allthough some names are picked up along the way, like Fiddlers name or Trotts.

[Gem Windcaster]

@ Apt: No, I am just assuming Fiddler is special because SE makes a point out of not mentioning his name.

- Gem, that kind of thing makes for a good dose of suspiciousness.