Kruppe

Kruppe [KRUHP]An Evening With Steven Erikson - Nerdaí Irish Nerds - As pronounced by Steven Erikson at 18:13Toll the Hounds Q&A (See answer to question 8) was a regular at the Phoenix Inn in Darujhistan.Gardens of the Moon, Dramatis Personae Kruppe was described as a man of false modesty and he often called himself foolish. However, those who knew him were aware that Kruppe was many things but not foolish.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.250
He was described as a small, round (obese, according to Rallick Nom)Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.218 man with short, oily, curly hair. He had pencil-thin eyebrowsGardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.171-176 and a round, shiny face.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.239 Kruppe was also described as being squat, rotund and so short he could barely see over Baruk's high table and his eyes were depicted as watery, bulging and frog-like, blinking innocently.Orb Sceptre Throne, Prologue, US TPB p.22 Kruppe himself thought that a description of 'fat with sloth and neglect, inclined to excess, somewhat clumsy' did apply to him.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.173 
Kruppe habitually indulged in long, often rambling, monologues where he would refer to himself in the third person. On one occasion Kruppe told a refugee from Pale how he stole a crown and a sceptre from a king's sarcophagus.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.239 Kruppe refused to ride a horse, preferring his mule. He had an abiding love for pastries.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 21, UK MMPB p.612
Crokus Younghand, who was Kruppe's former apprentice in the art of thievery, described him as always wearing a mask of idiocy which never dropped.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.218 Kruppe served as his fence for stolen goods.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 7, US HC p.177-178
He wore a faded red waistcoat with tattered tails, which his girth prevented him from entirely clasping all of its buttons. His wide, flopping, stained sleeves were gathered at the cuffs and lined inside with pockets of all sizes. His baggy shimmering pantaloons were dyed pink and his small feet were shod in black leather boots.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 22, US HC p.442 Kruppe always carried a silk handkerchief, normally in his sleeve, which he often used to wipe the sweat off his brow.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, US HC p.134-135 When he visited Baruk, he was described as being gaudily dressed.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.248
==Magic==
Kruppe was described as a mage and, although he boasted of using magic, he was rarely seen using it overtly. He did brag about saving Rallick Nom's life by burning six attackers to ash.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.215-219 He alluded to being an Adept in a conversation with Baruk.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.249 The assassin Sorry once observed Kruppe pass through a crowded market place using his magic to surreptitiously snatch edible delicacies of all kinds from the vendors' stalls. It was her opinion that he was an Adept.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 11, US HC p.265
Unlike most talents who used knucklebones, read heat fractures in scapulae or used the Fatid of the Deck of Dragons, Kruppe did not need any such props: he had the power of divination in his head. Prophecy came to him unbidden and he could not deny it.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.172 Kruppe was able to steer his dreams and use them to influence events in his 'real' world.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.352-359
== In Gardens of the Moon==
Kruppe played the part of a simpleton, but was actually a master manipulator and strategist tuned into all of the events occurring in Darujhistan. In one of his dreams, Kruppe met several aspects of himself with whom he discussed the sound of a spinning coin singing in his head. He prophesied its fall that very night and spoke of challenging the arrogant gods with his skilled sleights of hand and mind.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.175/176 
Kruppe was supposed to sell the goods which Crokus had stolen from Challice D'Arle. However, Crokus changed his mind and asked for their return. He showed Kruppe the odd coin which he had picked up and Kruppe took the opportunity to divert the young thieve's attention and take a wax print of the coin.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.240/241 
Kruppe served as an agent of Baruk the alchemist, feeding information to him and the T'orrud Cabal for his own purposes. He informed Baruk of the war against the city's Assassins' Guild and alerted him to Oponn's presence in city affairs, even giving Baruk the wax impression of the God's coin.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.248-252 But he was not completely forthcoming, keeping Crokus Younghand's identity as the coinbearer secret, and failing to notify Baruk of the Bridgeburners masquerading as street repairers. Kruppe also sensed the involvement of High House Shadow and The Rope.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 7, US HC p.183-184Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 11, US HC p.257 He was well aware of Rallick Nom and Murillio's plans for their friend Coll and provided assistance from behind the scenes.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 11, US HC p.255
In another dream, Kruppe met the Elder God K'rul, who told him to seek a T'lan Imass and a woman, those two being "the Awakeners".Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.220 In return Kruppe would receive "an ancient fire" that would give him "warmth in times of need". Later, K'rul brought Pran Chole, Tattersail, Nightchill, and the pregnant Mhybe into one of Kruppe's dreams. Kruppe assisted in the process that led to the birth of the Rhivi child Silverfox. As recompense for the use of his dream, K'rul gave Kruppe more insight into the events occurring in Darujhistan.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.352-359
Kruppe led Crokus, Murillio, and Coll on an expedition into the Gadrobi Hills to gather information for Baruk and to protect Crokus from Oponn's schemes. There they encountered Malazan Adjunct Lorn, clarifying K'rul's information regarding the Empire's plans to release the Jaghut Tyrant Raest.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 14, US HC p.316-318Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 14, US HC p.347-348
Kruppe attended Lady Simtal's Gedderone Fête, where much of the climax of the book took place. He dressed as a cherub and, hands stuffed with pastries, brazenly introduced himself to the disguised Anomander Rake.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 21, US HC p.427-428 Later in the night, he fell asleep on a chair and confronted the Jaghut Tyrant Raest within an Elder vision along with Tool and K'rul. Kruppe toyed with Raest, refusing to bow before him, and the Tyrant's sorcery was powerless to destroy him.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 22, US HC p.442-443 
Kruppe's alter ego was "The Eel", a mysterious person with several agents in his employment such as Circle Breaker, but this was only known or even suspected by very few, if any. Kruppe carefully guarded his alter ego. However, some of those close to him eventually guessed the truthGardens of the Moon, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.246. Murillio confronted him with his suspicions, but Kruppe played with the man's memory, temporarily wiping them out.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 20, UK MMPB p.574/575Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 21, UK MMPB p.602
== In Memories of Ice==
thumb|140px|Kruppe and Hetan by [https://www.instagram.com/shadaan_studios/?hl=de Shadaan]
Kruppe manipulated his way into accompanying the renegade Onearm's Host and the allied force of Caladan Brood and Anomander Rake on the way to wage war on the Pannion Domin.Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, US TPB p.133-134 Kruppe also arranged for the army to hire the Trygalle Trade Guild, a company in which he had invested, to deliver supplies.Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, US TPB p.138-139
Along the way, he met Hetan who began a vigorous affair with Kruppe, stealing his voice for two days. But eventually the besotted Kruppe turned the tables, outpacing even Hetan's appetite. By the time they arrived at Maurik by raft, Hetan's father, Humbrall Taur, suspected Hetan's seasickness was actually a sign of pregnancy.Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.810/825-826/836-837
Kruppe also showed some of his true power. He angered the Ascendant, Caladan Brood, to the point that Brood tried to strike him down with his powerful hammer. Kruppe was left unscathed, though the land surrounding the event was altered by the damage unleashed by Brood and all other witnesses were thrown to the ground.Memories of Ice, Chapter 15, US TPB p.390-392
==In The Bonehunters==
Ganoes Paran, travelling on horseback in Seven Cities, had a vivid recollection of an encounter he had had with Kruppe some seven months before inside the Finnest House of Darujhistan. The little round man had knocked on the door of the Azath House early one morning, pushed past Raest (its undead Jaghut guardian), and invited himself to breakfast with the newly made Master of the Deck. Kruppe's subsequent rambling remarks about a war between the gods with Hood at its centre, as well pointed suggestions to Paran's responsibilities, resulted in Paran now riding across a plague-ridden sub-continent.The Bonehunters, Chapter 8, US HC p.302-304The Bonehunters, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.213
His message delivered, Kruppe thanked Paran for the meal and left.The Bonehunters, Chapter 8, US SFBC 0.376
==In Toll the Hounds==
Kruppe and K'rul met once again as friends before a fire where the Elder God proclaimed he was not part of the ongoing war involving the rest of the world's powers. Kruppe correctly deduced that K'rul was the war's prize. They were soon joined at the fire by a grey-haired stranger and Kruppe proceeded to narrate the story of Toll the Hounds.Toll the Hounds, Prologue, US SFBC p.27-28 
In Darujhistan, Kruppe and Iskaral Pust participated in a mounted mule charge in a fight against one another. Kruppe inadvertently punched Pust in the nose and the masses of Kruppe, Pust, Mogora (as spiders) and the bhokarala ended up in a writhing mess on the street, a mess from which Kruppe somehow disappeared.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 23, UK HB p.860-862Toll the Hounds, Chapter 24, UK HB p.888
At the close of Kruppe's tale at the end of the book, Kruppe danced — he danced by limb and he danced by word — with K'rul and the grey-haired stranger (revealed to be Fisher Kel Tath) as witnesses. The two elders were humbled by Kruppe, with Fisher bowing his head in respect and the Elder God in tears.Toll the Hounds, Epilogue, US TPB p.828-829
== In Dust of Dreams==
Kruppe's romantic encounters with Hetan eventually led to the birth of twins, Stavi and Storii. The White Face Barghast having travelled to the central plains of the continent of Lether, Stavi and Storii were born there. The twins, as they grew older and more like Kruppe, became real handfuls to their mother and to their step-father, Onos Toolan.Dust of Dreams, Chapter 4, US HC p.140-141/144
== In The Crippled God ==
Kruppe made a brief appearance as Torrent traveled through a Warren with Olar Ethil and Hetan's children. While asleep, the Awl warrior found Kruppe sitting at his characteristic campsite within his dreams, gorging on sweets and wine. In order for Torrent to protect his children - Stavi and Storii - Kruppe gave the Awl a Rhivi bow and arrows,The Crippled God, Chapter 16, US HC p.452-453 which the warrior ultimately used to slay Olar Ethil.The Crippled God, Chapter 23, US HC p.769-770
== In Orb Sceptre Throne ==
thumb|185x185px|Kruppe by [https://mdav.artstation.com/projects/48gG48 Max Davenport]
Kruppe engaged in his usual clandestine maneuvers throughout the events of the return of the Tyrant to Darujhistan. He manipulated Scorch and Leff into getting their position guarding the LegateOrb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 8, US TPB p.240-241 and also helped Barathol Mekhar, even rewarding him for his assistance with a villa.Orb Sceptre Throne, Epilogue, US TPB p.600
== In The God is Not Willing ==
See: Speculations
==Quotes==
==Trivia==
*An image of Kruppe painted by author Steven Erikson can be found here. A larger version of this painting hangs on a wall of Erikson's home and can be seen in the background of many of his video interviews. See here as an example.
*Erikson says Kruppe in some ways represents himself as the author of the Malazan books, especially in Toll the Hounds, which he narrates. Kruppe "has always had this multiple purpose throughout the books as my stand-in, but as the storyteller's stand-in, as the narrator's stand-in, and the inventor's stand-in. That's all implicit in storytelling, in creating a narrative out of a chaotic history...he has to be omnipotent and omnipresent because the story is. The narration itself structurally is delivered in tones of certitude. That certitude is not only illusional, it's potentially delusional. It's where the author has to live. And so I always want to be self-conscious of that and remind myself of that. And Kruppe was my means by which I could do so."Gardens of the Moon - Chatting with Steven Erikson, part 2 - As pronounced by Steven Erikson at 52:15
*Erikson calls Kruppe "probably the most humanist character in the entire Malazan setting", citing his "ability to find goodness and delight and forgiveness and his integrity towards these things".Ten Very Big Books podcast - Toll the Hounds - Conversation with Steven Erikson - See 31:45 He says, "Of all the characters in the Malazan world there is nobody who loves that world more than Kruppe. And so his whole personality is a kind of exuberant expression of that love."Spoiler Chat: Toll the Hounds - Part 3 with Dr. Philip Chase and Steven Erikson - A Critical Dragon - See 1:00
*When Ian C. Esslemont included Kruppe as one of the characters in Orb Sceptre Throne he admitted to some difficulty. "I took a shot at him and that's a very tough character. I was very trepidatious about tackling Kruppe and I spoke to Steve quite a bit about it and he said, 'You know, just whatever. He's yours now, do what you will.'...While I knew he wasn't going to be Steve's Kruppe, I wanted him to be true to the character as revealed to that point."Spoiler Chat: Orb Sceptre Throne with Ian C. Esslemont - A Critical Dragon - See 1:06:00 Esslemont says he struggled because Kruppe "had a very distinctive voice, and his diction in the way he talked...I tried and I tried and tried to duplicate it, but I couldn't. It always descended into Yoda talk and...it was just terrible. I couldn't do it. And so I just avoided that and used his mannerisms a lot because I could replicate his mannerisms."ITV Pop in Books - Steven Erikson & Ian C. Esslemont - Blue Neko TV - See 5:40
*At the time Erikson and Esslemont were writing the film script that became the basis for Gardens of the Moon in the early 1990s, Erikson thought Danny Devito "would have made a great Kruppe. I don't know if he still would, but he certainly would at that time."Steven Erikson Live Q&A - Fantasy/SciFi Focus - See 53:45
== Speculations ==
In The God is Not Willing, one of the new cards in the Deck of Dragons is "Church of the Eel."The God is Not Willing, Chapter 2 Some readers have speculated that this implies The Eel has become a god, Kruppe ascended.
==Notes and references==
Category:Males
Category:Mages
Category:Daru
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