Ostler

Ostler was a soldier who was a member of a troop of some fifty Malazan mercenaries under the leadership of "Cap'n" Yusen. This band of mercenaries gave every sign of being composed of experienced veterans of one of the various Imperial Malazan Armies. Ostler, like most of the mercs, was "accoutred as heavy infantry", with a large shield, crossbow, and "short thrusting weapons". Ostler was described as being one of the three "big swordsmen" - along with his fellow mercs, Dee and Tanner.Blood and Bone, Chapter 1, US HC p.41-43Blood and Bone, Chapter 2, US HC p.93-94/97Blood and Bone, Chapter 3, US HC p.112
==In Blood and Bone==
The most recent employer of Ostler and the rest of the mercenaries was the sorceress, Spite, who had transported the troop by ship to the Isle of Jacuruku - specifically, to Jacuruku's most northern coast where the Dolmens of Tien, Spite's goal, were located.Blood and Bone, Chapter 1, US HC p.41-42/44 Spite had also brought along two mages, Murk and Sour, to help her retrieve a fragment of the Crippled God which in the past had undergone a Chaining which had placed it in the exact center of the Dolmens. Ostler, Dee and Tanner were three of the mercenaries assigned by Yusen to guard the two mages as they assisted Spite.Blood and Bone, Chapter 2, US HC p.94-97Blood and Bone, Chapter 3, US HC p.112-113
Subsequent events - involving a great deal of magical activity which had freed a small black stone box containing the dangerously powerful fragment - but which had also inadvertently led to the imprisonment of Spite in its place - found Ostler and the mercenary troop left marooned by the stealthy departure of the ship that had brought them all to the island. This forced them to enter, and then to travel, through the extremely hostile environment of the Jungle of Himatan in search of a way home. As coming into any direct physical contact with the stone casket containing the fragment of the Crippled God was instantly fatal, the mercenaries devised a stretcher fashioned of two spears and a blanket so as to be able to safely carry the boxed shard with them. Ostler and Dee became the stretcher's primary bearers and the main guardians of the shard - backed by Murk and Sour - as the mercenary troop made its extended, disastrously adventure-filled way through the Himatan jungle.Blood and Bone, Chapter 3, US HC p.113-117Blood and Bone, Chapter 4, US HC p.154-156Blood and Bone, Chapter 7, US HC p.255/261-265Blood and Bone, Chapter 8, US HC p.305-306Blood and Bone, Chapter 10, US HC p.385-389Blood and Bone, Chapter 13, US HC p.488-489Blood and Bone, Chapter 14, US HC p.533/535Blood and Bone, Chapter 15, US HC p.553-555
==Notes and references==
Category:Males
Category:Malazans
Category:Soldiers
Category:Heavies