[Kithar]

After reading HoC I was curious as to who this guy was. He almost had to be an ascendant of sort, what with all the butchering he did and the fact Cotillion knew who he was. Checking the FAQ says that he is almost certainly Dassem Ultor, but they give no quotes or even an explanation. Did I miss all the clues in HoC, or is there maybe info in one of the side books that supports this? I haven't read any of the side books as yet, and with only one read of HoC so far I could have missed something obvious. If anyone has book quotes that would support the Traveller=Dassem thing, or even a general explaination it would be most appriciated.

[Dolorous Menhir]

Sorry, I haven't updated the FAQ's for ages.

As far as I can remember, there is no clear proof that Traveller is Dassem Ultor. But there are two lines of reasoning to support it.

a) There is a fair bit of circumstantial evidence backing the link.

It would make a lot of sense, as far as story-line was concerned.

Evidence includes:

- Ultor and Traveller of same ethnicity (Dal Honese).
- Both are extremely powerful swordsmen.
- The conversations of Whiskeyjack and Dujek in MoI revealed that Ultor never died at Y'Ghatan.
- Traveller was in the company of Hawl, a member of Kellanved's Family who was supposed to have been dead for years and was actually up to something unknown. Just like Dassem Ultor.
- Shadowthrone & Cotillion seemed to know Traveller, and were not eager to meet him on Drift Avalii.

[Zanth13]

this thread is funny... but if you havent been here awhile you wouldnt get it

What DM said was good and also if you do a search on traveller you will find a plethora of threads discussing the how's, why's and what's of

Dassem = traveller

I think Caladan brood started the latest and most up to date thread so you could check that out

http://malazanworld....read.php?t=8573

here is the thread, i am not as lazy as I thought

EDIT: The above link is to a thread that is in the Reapers gale forum... so be aware that thier is a possibility of spoilers

but the first post or so shouldnt be to bad

[Kithar]

Thank you for directing me to that thread Zanth, I did look for a traveller thread but not in the RG section as I'm still waiting for my copy to ship to the US.

The Dal Honese fact is pretty good physical evidence, I didn't know Dassem was Dal Honese. The only stuff I could think of was all circumstantial: How many awsome swordsman does Cotillion know from his past as Dancer that travel around under assumed names?

[pastures]

Welcome Kithar! It's a good qn, but you have to ask yourself, do you really want to know the answer? Do you like jumping ahead of yourself? Reading the FAQ is not good the the spoiler squeamish.

[Aptorian]

Currently some questions as to whether Dassem really is Traveller have resurfaced. Seeing as traveller is going to appear in Esslemont next book, expect all answers to be delt with in RotCG.

[Battalion]

I'm sure there is something said by Shadowthrone to the Rope, when talking about Traveller, that "it always used to be the three of us" or something like that. That would hint at him being Dassem.

[Aptorian]

Or, as Brood theorized, it could be that there is a so far unknown third party we've not yet met, that person being the mysterious traveller.

I'm still 75% sure it's Dassem though.

[Battalion]

As I read HoC, knowing the theory behind Traveller, it seemed 100% to be him. Just things that were said and hinted at left me in no doubt.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Having read and re-read all the books and NoK, Im 99% sure Dassem = Traveller. There just seems to be so much circumstancial evidence, and no other real likely contenders. I also think that we're getting too far on in the series IMHO to introduce another character with sufficient depth to be Traveller, as well as explaining Dassem and tying up loose ends.

[Dancer+]

Aptorian;259963 said:

Currently some questions as to whether Dassem really is Traveller have resurfaced. Seeing as traveller is going to appear in Esslemont next book, expect all answers to be delt with in RotCG.

Yes, I think the appearance of Traveller in RotCG is an even stronger indication that Traveller=Dassem. why? Dassem Ultor is ICE's character/creation. ICE has written about him before, and will almost certainly do so again.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

I see him almost as ICE's Paran- the main hero, in a sense, and we see their journey from the beginning (Ganoes in Unta, Dassem at Y'Ghatan), which provides impetus to the rest of the series.

[Wampyry]

Didn't HOC put an end to the speculation as to who is Traveller?

At a SE interview the author was asked about Dessembrae, the Lord of Tears
"is Dessembrae male or female" SE answer, Male, his GRIEF is female.

Dassem Ultor refused to join a chaining, his daughter was taken instead,
she goes into a coma. He wants REVENGE

HOC Cotillion tells Cutter, "when he's done out there guide him to the sword.
Tell him its name" Cutter allows Traveller to keep Diarist's sword, aptly named
Grief (Dassem daughter. Dessambrae Grief is female) /Vengeance (Dassem
wants revenge)

So, everthing seems to come together. Dassem, Dessembrae, Traveller.
Grief, Vengeance. Wish I thought of the connection, but at SE Interview
with Wotmania, someone with User Name Anomandarist mentions it.

[Aptorian]

... but HIS EYES ARE BLUE!!!

EDIT: 3333th post

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Must be a GotMism, so to speak. Just like WJ being dead. He's not he's not dammit!

*runs off to cry*

[Holsety]

Thelomen Toblerone;267569 said:

Must be a GotMism, so to speak. Just like WJ being dead. He's not he's not dammit!

*runs off to cry*

Wouldn't that be an MoIism?

[Cougar]

Eye colour is conclusive proof that they are 2 different people, we know this because there are no oversights in any of SE's books...at all...ever.

Seriously though most logical conclusion is that Traveller is DU. Moreover I'm sure he's Dessembare etc.

[caladanbrood]

Well, Dassem is definitely Dessembrae, that's been stated as fact.

If Traveller is Dassem, which seems likely but has never actually been confimed, then I owe mandy a pint, so I stand by my conviction that they are different people

[Mentalist]

I take the eye colour to be NoKism... just because I feel that it's inevitable with a first book in a series (the so called GotM syndrome)

[Bauchelain the Evil]

I doubt he is Dassem Ultor. I think he is a very powerfoul High Mage or an unknown ascendent.

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