[Salt-Man Z]

So I'm reading through MBotF for the second time, and I'm 120 pages through DG. I remember, the first time through, being confused with SE's usage of "Red Swords" versus "Red Blades", and now here it is again.

In the Prologue, during The Cull, the Untan nobility is marched through town, protected by "Red Swords". Okay, I'm thinking, I know Red Blades are the 7C soldiers, so the Swords must be some sort of Quon Tali regiment or something. Fair enough. But then a couple chapters later, Fiddler watches the "Red Swords" roughing up townsfolk in Ehrlitan. Huh? And then a short time later, Duiker observes the "Red Blades" in Hissar. Soooo...

Surely they're both just the same group, right? But then why don't I recall ever seeing "Red Swords" used again in the series?

(I tell you, these names can sure get confusing: Crimson Guard, Red Blades, Red Swords, Grey Swords, Grey Helms, etc...)

[Aptorian]

It could be a mistake. Something that got past Erikson and his proofreaders.

I doubt the editor cares to contact Erikson about the technicalities of a sword or a blade

[Salt-Man Z]

I guess the second (perhaps implied?) part of my question, then, is: why are their Red Blades in Unta? (Have I just been erroneously assuming they're strictly 7C-based?)

[Aptorian]

The roman army had a policy of moving soldiers recruited from the native population to different parts of the empire. It was a way of ensuring that the empires training and skill didn't bite them in the ass.

I think it was the same deal with 7C.

Honestly I can't remember details about the redblades from GotM or DG any longer.

[D'rek]

it is a bit odd because the Red Blades aren't supposed to be soldiers, more like a militaristic police force. That being said, their typical way of dealing with things would be well suited to the Cullings...

[Mentalist]

I believe in DG prologue there's a mentioning of them (Red ____s) being brought over just for the Cullings...

[Abyss]

I think this is ref'd in GotM - there were ample soldiers in Dujek's army on Genabackis who were from 7C. The Empire moves soldiers around all the time.

- Abyss, likes a job that requires travel...

[Imperial Historian]

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I guess the second (perhaps implied?) part of my question, then, is: why are their Red Blades in Unta? (Have I just been erroneously assuming they're strictly 7C-based?)

The Red Blades are generally strictly seven cities based, an army not in the in the direct malazan military structure, but instead a cult which helped enforce the malazan occupation.

'The Red Swords were born of Seven Cities, yet avowed absolute loyalty to the Empress. Rare - if at the moment unwelcome - pragmatists in a land of fanatical dreamers...' (DG, UK MMPB, p.85-6)

'The Red Blades were, at this time, pre-eminent among those pro-Malazan organizations that arose in occupied territories. Viewing themselves as progressive in their embrace of the values of imperial unification, this quasi-military cult became infamous with their brutal pragmatism when dealing with dissenting kin...
Lives of the Conquered
Ilem Trauth (DG, UK MMPB, p.115)

However for the culls throughout the malazan empire the red blades were brought in specifically to aid the cull on the instructions of tavore, using strictly loyal soldiers with no connection to the local nobility. Unfortunately I can't find the quote, it's in a conversation about the ruthless success of the cull, possibly in one of the later books.

The use of red swords instead of red blades is almost certainly an error, they are ref'd as red blades everywhere except early DhG.

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I think this is ref'd in GotM - there were ample soldiers in Dujek's army on Genabackis who were from 7C. The Empire moves soldiers around all the time.

There are many 7C soldiers in dujek's army, but these aren't red blades, the red blades seemed to have been one of the few 7C forces trusted to remain in 7C, for the most part 7C soldiers were shipped off to serve away from the rebellion.

[Mentalist]

To the last part: case in point--the Ashok regiment.... they were sent to Genabackis, got almost wiped out, then were brought back...

[Salt-Man Z]

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However for the culls throughout the malazan empire the red blades were brought in specifically to aid the cull on the instructions of tavore, using strictly loyal soldiers with no connection to the local nobility. Unfortunately I can't find the quote, it's in a conversation about the ruthless success of the cull, possibly in one of the later books.

It's in HoC; I just read it last night. I'd give a page number if I had remembered to bring my book in to work, but it's in the first chapter of Cold Iron (Book 2).

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

Aptorian;273844 said:

It could be a mistake. Something that got past Erikson and his proofreaders.

I doubt the editor cares to contact Erikson about the technicalities of a sword or a blade

Agreed. We talk a lot about GotMism, but this is what I feel is another example of a DGism, and all the books probably have their own isms. Strangely, doesn't bother me. History is inexact. So is this history of the Malazan Empire.