Ditch

Ditch, formerly a wizard of Pale, was imprisoned in Dragnipur for his betrayal of Anomander Rake. He was a big, rough-looking man with angular, brutish features whose appearance suggested he was a career thug or alley-pouncer rather than a wizard.Toll the Hounds, Prologue, US TPB p.20
==In Toll the Hounds==
Ditch was among the crowd of Dragnipur's prisoners eternally pulling The wagon ahead of a pursuing storm of Chaos. But he realised they were losing the race and the storm was catching up.Toll the Hounds, Prologue, US SFBC p.22-24 The toil proved too much and Ditch fell under the wagon's wheel, crushing his right arm and shoulder and leaving him to drag along by the chain imprisoning him. He blamed Rake for adding to their burden by no longer claiming new victims with his sword. Eventually, Draconus brought Ditch's prostrate form to the top of the heap of bodies that filled the wagon. There, he became the nexus of a ritual design tattooed onto the wagon's occupants by the blind artist, Kadaspala.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 13, US SFBC p.520-526 By arrangement with Draconus, the pattern was meant to defy the pursuing storm.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.818 When Ditch tried to crawl away from the madman, Draconus broke his neck so he could no longer move.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.638-641 
But Kadaspala had no intention of following Draconus' plan and thought it a doomed effort. Instead, he created a Child god in search of justiceToll the Hounds, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.818Toll the Hounds, Chapter 22, US SFBC p.909Toll the Hounds, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.733-734 under the suspicion it would soon be needed against Anomander Rake.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 24, US SFBC p.972 Unable to stop the god's creation, Draconus told Ditch it was up to him to stop it as the nexus made him the god's eyes and brain.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.819-820 When Rake appeared atop the wagon after Dragnipur took his life, Kadaspala saw his chance for revenge and directed the burgeoning child god to slay the Lord of Darkness. As the god formed of the pattern drew its knife, Ditch used Rake's example to convince it of the value of self-sacrifice. The child god plunged its knife into Kadaspala's chest to kill its creator and the pattern drank his blood. Apsal'ara appeared at Ditch's side with a flint knife, using it to cut out his eye which served as the child god's nexus. When she did, the god died.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 24, US SFBC p.972-973/981-983
==History==
Ditch was among the wizards of Pale who fled during the Malazan Siege of Pale when the city was infiltrated by Claw assassins. Rake quickly dispatched the Claw, but was forced to expend vital power defeating Tayschrenn's demons on his own. Moon's Spawn had been mere minutes away from destruction causing Rake to send it away and allow the city to fall. He believed that if the mages had not fled, then the Malazan attack would have been repelled, so he found and killed all but two with Dragnipur. Rake later learned from Baruk that the two survivors were hiding in Darujhistan, claiming Rake was the one who set aside their alliance to better protect his skykeep. Rake demanded the two wizards be turned over to him to face his sword.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 6
==Notes and references==
Category:Genabackans
Category:Mages
Category:Males