Clip

Clip was a nineteen-year-old Bluerose Tiste Andii of the first generation born to the Exile. Like others of his peer group, he had rejected the traditions of the Onyx Order including casting away his clan name, naming himself Clip of the Exiled instead.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 6, UK BCA edition p.153 His people worshipped Anomander Rake as the Black-Winged Lord.
He was not a pure blood Tiste but also part Nerek, Letherii, D'rhasilhani, and possibly others. He was tall and thin with straight, midnight-black hair which he kept unbound. His skin tone was dusky, similar to that of the Tiste Edur. His face was unlined with somewhat hooded features and eyes like firerock.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 6, UK BCA edition p.152/153/154 He wore a faded black hide shirt and carried a horn and unstrung Bloodwood bow on his back. On his right hip was a quiver of arrows with bloodwood shafts and tear-dropped shaped iron arrowheads whose blades formed an X pattern. A plain rapier encased in a silver-banded turtleshell scabbard hung from his baldric. The scabbard and its fastening rings were bound in sheepskin and the quiver's base was packed with moss to deaden their noise as he moved.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 6, US HC p.152 
Clip was habitually spinning a thin chain in his hands. On either end of the chain was a plain finger-ring--one gold and one silver--which he kept constantly whirring and snapping. If not for the noise of the chain, his passage was virtually soundless. When not in use, he kept the chain in a pouch lining the inside of his shirt.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 6, UK BCA edition p.154
Despite the isolationist nature of most of the Tiste Andii in Bluerose, Clip, according to his own words, often visited the city, seeking earthly pleasure. He boasted that only the gods knew how many bastards he had sired.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 10, US HC p.265
==In Reaper's Gale==
Although rejecting the old traditions, Clip could not ignore a direct order from the Reve Master of the Rock of the Onyx Order. At Ordant Brid's behest, Clip sought out Silchas Ruin, Fear Sengar, Seren Pedac, Udinaas, Kettle, and Wither in their flight through the Bluerose Mountains. He was not impressed by Ruin, the brother of his god, and constantly taunted him with barely veiled insults. Seren Pedac thought him appallingly relaxed in Ruin's presence and the Soletaken have cut the youth's throat with his sword for one insult too many but for Clip's nonchalant dodge. Clip brought the group back to Andara through Kurald Galain excited at the disorder they were sure to bring to his home.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 6, US HC p.152-155
The gathered Onyx Wizards offered Ruin help in searching out the Finnest of Scabandari Bloodeye by offering Clip as his guide. Ruin was surprised to learn Clip was the Mortal Sword of the Black-Winged Lord, but after consideration doubted his brother would be displeased with the choice.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 8, US HC p.201-203 Seren Pedac felt out of place after Clip eclipsed her role and led them further north into the mountains.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 10, US HC p.262-265 When they were alone, Clip admitted to her that he had been chosen to be Mortal Sword because he was blessed by Mother Dark--the first Andii in tens of thousands of years able to walk the Darkness.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 12, US HC p.315
During their journey, Clip mostly kept close to Silchas, only interacting with other members of the group to mock them or laugh at them. He appeared careless and very self-confident. At one point, Clip stopped the spinning of his chain and looked to the south. When Fear asked what their guide was doing, Silchas Ruin said Clip was in mourning for all who dwelt in Andara. The Tiste Andii there had been slain by the soldiers of Factor Letur Anict and Orbyn Truthfinder, who were hunting for their group. Ruin expected Clip wondered if he had made the right choice to join them. If he had not left Andara then it would have been the Letherii intruders who had perished. Clip admitted only that such thoughts were fleeting. Then Ruin said it was time, and Clip spun his chain to open a portal into Kurald Galain.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 16, US HC p.460-463
Clip led them through a desolate Kurald Galain that was lit with an illusion of light for those in the party who could not see in the dark.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 19, US HC p.565-567 Eventually they passed through a massive gate into the lifeless world of Starvald Demelain where they passed the bodies of hundreds of dead dragons to reach another gate.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 21, US HC p.662Reaper's Gale, Chapter 23, US HC p.721-724 Both Clip and Ruin noted the corpse of a Bentract Bonecaster lying near the foot of the gate.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 23, US HC p.722/724
The group passed through the portal to the Refugium and found a room full of gates guarded by Trull Sengar and Onrack T'emlava. When Fear saw Ruin move to attack his brother, he attempted to stab the Andii in the back. But Clip drew his chain like a garrote around Fear's neck, cutting it to the spine. Then he moved on to Udinaas, who was guarding Kettle. Before Clip could pull Kettle from the slave's arms, Seren Pedac struck him with a punch of focused Mockra. Clip threw a dagger into her shoulder, then advanced on her grinning with a knife and rapier as her continued attacks made his eyes and mouth bleed. Trull knocked Ruin to the ground before intercepting Clip. The Mortal Sword underestimated the badly wounded Trull's abilities and was shocked when the Edur overpowered him with a flurry of blows that broke his right forearm, right shoulder, and left femur. A final blow to the temple knocked him senseless. When Udinaas later looked for his body, he found only a bloody trail leading to one of the gates.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.732-742
Clip later appeared before Nimander Golit on Second Maiden Fort claiming to be the Herald of High House Dark. He told Nimander he had come to bring all the refugees of Drift Avalii to Anomander Rake. When Nimander argued that Rake did not want them, Clip claimed it only mattered what Mother Dark wanted. After Nimander left to gather his kin, Clip's thoughts revealed most of what he told the young Andii was a lie. He thought Rake would soon learn that a god could not betray his followers and walk away without consequences. Soon they would find him and show him how it felt.Reaper's Gale, Epilogue, UK BCA edition p.902
==In Toll the Hounds==
Clip attempted to bring Nimander Golit's group of Tiste Andii to Rake at Black Coral via Kurald Galain, but "layers of resistance" forced them to emerge further south on Genabackis. The Mortal Sword thought little of his charges, finding them largely weak and soft. Only Nenanda's rage and Desra's ruthless ambition seemed useful for his own plans. He understood that the power given over to his chain of rings had left the people of Andara fatally weakened when the Letherii came to slay them.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.71-74 Nimander grew to doubt that Clip was the Mortal Sword of anything.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.207
Arriving in Morsko, Clip was intrigued by the town's flourishing cult of the Dying God. He sent Nimander and the others to safety while he witnessed the cult's rituals in the local tavern. Nimander and Skintick were nearly overcome by the ritual's call, but were saved by Aranatha's overpowering will. Hearing screams from the tavern, the group found Clip lying catatonic amidst a crowd of worshippers he had slain. Aranatha claimed Clip's insensate state was because the cult had taken something from him--perhaps his soul. Nimander had Clip's body placed in a wagon and organised the others to follow the fleeing priests to the presence of their god in Bastion.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.202-211 It soon became clear their presence at Bastion was welcomed and expected as the cult left supplies for them along the way.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.225-226 
Near Heath they encountered Kallor walking to Darujhistan. Nimander recognised the High King's menace and talked him out of killing them all. Happy for an easy ride to Bastion, Kallor joined Desra and Skintick in the wagon where he momentarily balked at seeing Clip's stricken body. Desra scolded him to mind his own business.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.226-229
They found Bastion seemingly abandoned, its streets empty and its walls and buildings marred by sigils and glyphs. Only the distant sound of singing and the feeling of watching eyes gave indication that anyone remained. Aranatha warned that the entire city was now sanctified as the Abject Temple of the Dying God and Clip's condition continued to worsen, so they found a closed up inn to rest. Nimander, Skintick, and Kallor left to search out the Dying God's temple while Desra, Kedeviss, and Nenanda remained behind to prepare their armour and weapons and guard Clip. Finding a mob of naked and armed worshippers surrounding the temple, Nimander and Skintick retreated as Kallor ventured through the crowd to the temple and did not return. Back at the inn, the Tiste Andii made plans to return to the temple with Clip once the element of darkness was in their favour.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.407-417 
At nightfall the group approached the temple with Clip's body and were soon hemmed in by more than a thousand armed fanatics. But the Andii were not hampered by the same darkness that nearly blinded their opponents. Nimander, Skintick, and Desra slew the score of priests in the temple's front chamber, while Kedeviss and Nenanda formed a rearguard against the mob. Aranatha calmly led the way to the altar as Nimander dragged Clip to the altar. Nimander confronted the Dying God and Aranatha startled them both by revealing the God was Bellurdan before seizing the puppet that served as the God's body. Once it was under her control, Clip awoke. Kedeviss reported their enemies outside had all been killed or fled.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 12, US SFBC p.479-484/490-496
The revived Clip led the group into the Godswalk Mountains bringing them ever closer to Black Coral. But not all the Tiste Andii believed the Dying God had been bested. Kedeviss brought her suspicions to Nimander that the Dying God remained inside their guide. She ignored Nimander's urge for caution and confronted Clip alone one night. After he revealed the Dying God resided within him, he killed her and made it appear she had fallen to her death. Aranatha was immediately aware of Kedeviss' death, waking Nimander to tell him they had to pretend to accept Clip's ruse or he would kill them all.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.758-759 The others did not fall for Clip's ruse, but Nimander warned them the god was too powerful and they would have to play the fools until they brought him to Rake to deal with.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.756-759Toll the Hounds, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.800-805
Just before reaching Black Coral, Clip opened a Gate into Kurald Galain that he said would take them the rest of the way. Nenanda pushed ahead of Nimander and was cut down by Clip's dagger in Nimander's stead, while the others were left trapped in darkness.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 22, US SFBC p.888-889 Clip and the Dying God reached the Temple of Shadow in Black Coral where Clip was disappointed to discover only Endest Silann standing in Rake's absence. Silann stood alone battling for control of Kurald Galain against the Dying God long enough for Mother Dark to rescue Nimander through Aranatha and bring him to the temple. When Nimander appeared, Clip's spinning chains severed his own finger. Then Nimander bested Clip, while the actions of Mother Dark and the Redeemer defeated the Dying God, and Rake's sacrifice in Dragnipur preserved Kurald Galain, placing the Gate of Darkness within Black Coral.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 24, US SFBC p.978/985-986 
Afterwards, Nimander took his father's place on the throne of the Tiste Andii with the support of Korlat, the High Priestess of Darkness, and the other Tiste Andii. Skintick told him Clip had fully recovered but was left feeling furious and cheated. He warned the new lord that Clip would likely be an eternal thorn in his side.Toll the Hounds, Epilogue, US SFBC p.1004
== In The Crippled God ==
Nimander mentioned that there was a single prisoner in his cells, who had willingly put himself there, with the door being locked from inside, refusing to leave his self-made exile.
==Author comments==
Steven Erikson says, "I never had a huge issue with Clip [in Toll the Hounds]. I know lots of people did. He was filling what he perceived was a vacuum or a void of leadership, and so he stepped in. It didn't mean he was capable of it, but self-belief is pretty crucial when it comes to these things."Spoiler Chat: Toll the Hounds - Part 3 with Dr. Philip Chase and Steven Erikson - A Critical Dragon - See 56:40
==Fan art gallery==
<tabber>Spoiler free =
File:Clip by Poi.png|Clip by Poi
File:Clip by Coalhands.jpg|Clip by Coalhands
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==Notes and references==
Category:Bluerose natives
Category:Males
Category:Mortal Sword
Category:Tiste Andii
de:Clip