Assail

The continent of Assail was situated between Genabackis and the Letherii continent. It was held to be the most dangerous and hostile part of the Malazan world. The Crimson Guard mercenaries and some T'lan Imass were known to have engagements there. The Malazans knew of the existence of Assail and the Wreckers' Coast along its shores,Assail (novel), Chapter 1 but the Empire had chosen to make no incursions there due to the extreme danger of the land. It was known that the continent was dominated by a human leader (or possibly several human leaders)Memories of Ice, Chapter 20, US HC p.573 whose armies were powerful enough to destroy T'lan Imass forces, the Ifayle and the Kerluhm. Little else was known of it.
Assail's southernmost region (or subcontinent) was called Bael often referred to as 'Bael lands'.Return of the Crimson Guard, Chapter 1, UK PB p.7/14Assail, Chapter 1, UK HB p.28
==Geography==
===Notable features===
*Bay of Timber
*Black Fingers Forest
*Black Stone Mountains
*Blood Range
*Bone Peninsula
*Bone Range
*Dread Sea
*Dreaming Range
*Fear Narrows
*Grey Stone
*Lake Blessing
*Plain of Chance
*Plain of Ghosts
*Plain of Longing
*Plain of Sighs
*Plain of Visions
*Range of the Saints
*Salt Mountains
*Sea of Gold
*Sea of Hate
*Shifting Wastes
*Talon Forest
*Vanishing Wastes
*Wreckers' Coast
===Notable settlements===
*Curl
*Exile Keep
*Holly
*Mantle
*Mist
*Old Ruse
==In Memories of Ice==
Lanas Tog travelled to the Second Gathering on Genabackis bringing news of the fates of the Ifayle and Kerluhm clans of the T'lan Imass. Both clans were caught in an intractable battle on Assail with a human enemy. After eight months, the T'lan Imass had lost 29,814 Kerluhm and 22,200 Ifayle.Memories of Ice, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.741 She told Silverfox there were still kin on Assail who needed their help. And until they were rescued, the T'lan Imass would need the power granted by the Vow and the Vow would have to remain in effect. Silverfox announced she would travel to Assail with the gathered T'lan Imass clans and join their embattled kin.Memories of Ice‎, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.971-973
==In The Bonehunters==
Cotillion argued with Monok Ochem over why the T'lan Imass could not send reinforcements to protect the First Throne. The Bonecaster claimed their warriors could not be spared as they journeyed to a war for their self-preservation. Cotillion angrily rebuked him declaring there was nothing worth fighting for on Assail, which he labelled "a miserable nightmare of a continent." The god said the T'lan Imass pridefully sent clan after clan into the same destructive maw against the Tyrants there who saw it only as a game. Onrack T'emlava conceded that it was the nature of his people to believe in their own supreme efficiency. They would win the game or greet oblivion. It was not pride, but their reason for existing.The Bonehunters, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.695-696
== In Toll the Hounds ==
Anomander Rake sent Spinnock Durav to Assail to learn the truth of what occurred there. It took Spinnock a fair amount of wandering the continent to gather the necessary information and on the last day he lost count of the number he had to kill to even reach the shore and extricate himself from there. Rake asked a single question, "Must I journey there?". Durav answered in the negative, explaining that "the madness there seems quite .. self-contained."Toll the Hounds, Chapter 2, US MMPB p.96-97
==In Return of the Crimson Guard ==
There were hints which indicated that the inhabitants, or at least some of them, might be at least part Jaghut. Whilst the Guardsmen were escaping from Assail it was mentioned that the only word the guardsmen used that the native defenders recognized was Jaghut, and that the Primogenetrix's royal line made her very resiliant, including protecting her from the guards sorceorous attacks and giving her fast healing. She stated that that word (Jaghut) was forbidden in her land and that "Ancient truths remain alive somewhere. One place too many for her and her kind". This seemed to indicate that at least one faction on Assail was led by a family of Jhag, if not full Jaghut. Later in the novel, Kyle mentioned that the Jhag were feared in his people's legends. His people also stayed away from "Assail lands" and even Kyle said that he could sense the alien strangeness of those lands from a great distance.
==In Assail==
The discovery of gold in Assail lands brought a rush of explorers, pirates, and merchants to the continent. These included Cartharon Crust, the Overland Raiders, the Blue Shields, Jute Hernan, Tulan Orbed, and Burl Tardin, among others. It was confirmed that many of the native inhabitants of the region were of Jaghut descent, although some only very distant.
Three of the four Founding Races (Jaghut, Imass, and Forkrul Assail) met once again to reaffirm the ancient agreement of peace between them. The Forkrul Assail arbitrator acknowledged that the K'Chain Che'Malle were no longer major players in the land and accepted Jethiss as speaker for the Tiste Andii in their place.Assail, Chapter 15, UK HB p.519/520
== Notable Assail natives ==
* Badlands
* Coots
* Fisher kel Tath
* Kyle
* Stalker
==Notes and references==
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Category:Continents