Seba Krafar

Seba Krafar was the assassin and mage who took over as Master of the Assassins' Guild in DarujhistanToll the Hounds, Dramatis Personae after Vorcan Radok disappeared during the Gedderone Fête.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 1, US TPB p.30 Seba was described as "a bull of a man, a brawler"Toll the Hounds, Chapter 21, US TPB p.719 and "a large, bearish man" with a natural air of brutality.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.669 Even those unfamiliar with his profession knew to stay out of his way. His derisive disregard for humanity led to a kind of arrogant carelessness.
He found it difficult to meet anyone's gaze for long. Fearing this made him seem weak or untrustworthy, he compensated by making a point of being bluntly honest and avoiding evasion.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.670 He preferred not to appear in public, especially during the light of day.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.669 
He was blood kin of Talo Krafar.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 21, US TPB p.719 He wore nondescript clothes and moccasins.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.669/675
==In Toll the Hounds==
After Vorcan Radok's disappearance, the Assassins' Guild broke down into infighting. The Guild was decimated and many of its best killers left the city in disgust. When it was over, Seba Krafar was the last rival for leadership left breathing. He immediately moved to squash the Cult of Rallick Nom that sought to return to simpler methods over the use of magic. Among those frozen out from the Guild for support of the cult was Krute of Talient.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.162-163
When Humble Measure offered him the biggest contract he had ever seen to eliminate the retired Bridgeburners running K'rul's Bar, he accepted despite feeling unease about the man. However, the contract proved to be a disaster, killing scores of assassins with minimal success against their targets--only Mallet and Bluepearl were killed.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 11 Fifteen of the dead assassins were his latest promotions, requiring him to raise up a dozen snipes months ahead of their time.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.669-671 
Humble Measure summoned him to a daytime meeting at his office at the Eldra Iron Mongers to pause the contract on the Bridgeburners and open a second contract on Lady Varada.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 21, US SFBC p.858 Kafar suggested a more subtle approach than assassination to achieve Measure's wish to join the Council, but Measure insisted. Returning to the tunnels beneath the city, he was surprised and overpowered by Fisher kel Tath, who paralysed him with a nerve pinch and held a knife to his eye. Fisher forced him to cancel the contract to kill the Bridgeburners in exchange for five Councils. Seba agreed, but warned his client would seek other means. The bard declined his offer to see Measure perish in an accident. When Fisher departed, Krafar realised he had soiled himself.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 17, US TPB p.552-554
Desperate to strengthen the Guild, Seba welcomed Krute of Talient back into the fold.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.702-704 Then, on the last night of the Gedderone Fête, he led an army of thirty-one assassins against Lady Varada's estate. He considered the number overkill but did not want to repeat the mistake of K'rul's Bar.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 21, US SFBC p.840 But Lady Varada, now revealed as Vorcan Radok, had anticipated the attack. In fact, she had baited the Guild to draw them out and eliminate them once and for all. Seba Krafar was likely the only survivor against a defence that included Rallick Nom, Torvald Nom, Scorch, Leff, Studlock, Lazan Door, Madrun, and Vorcan Radok herself. Although the Guild had effectively been destroyed at his hands, he was eager to start over from square one.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 21, US SFBC p.854-858/874 
Arriving at his underground office after the failed raid, he was confronted by Blend, who demanded the name of the person who opened the contract on the Bridgeburners. Seba underestimated the Malazan, believing her death would earn some coin from Humble Measure for the new Guild, and attacked. Blend handily bested him, breaking his nose and puncturing his liver with a Crossbow bolt. Then as Hood hovered over the dying man, she offered him a healing vial in return for the name. Seba gave up Humble Measure and Hood moved on.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 21, US TPB p.718-720
Even after the attack on Varada's estate, Rallick Nom still considered Seba a candidate for a reconstituted Assassins' Guild. He qualified his suggestion to Vorcan by recommending Seba be limited to control over a single cell.
==Trivia==
In a 2020 interview, author Steven Erikson confirmed that Talo and Seba Krafar were blood relatives, but admitted he never decided on the nature of the family relationship.Gardens of the Moon - Chatting with Steven Erikson, part 2 - See 1:11:10
==Notes and references==
Category:Assassins
Category:Assassins' Guild
Category:Daru
Category:Mages
Category:Males