Bole brothers

The Bole brothers [BŌL]Steven Erikson Conversation 3 - Memories of Ice - Ten Very Big Books podcast - As pronounced by Steven Erikson at 18:45 were rather famous members of the Mott Irregulars. They apparently numbered twenty-three and were all tall and considered "smart" by their compatriots, at least some of them.Memories of Ice Chapter 23, UK MMPB p.987 Though they could not read, they could count past ten and displayed an abiding hatred of necromancers. They had once made a messy example of one necromancer squatting on their land and strung up what was left of him at the Low Crossroads as a warning to others. 
They were considered to have an unusually good 'survival rate' (despite their seeming lack of common sense) in risky situations because they were thought to have been born with the "gift of survival" - given to them by the Salamander God, Stump Flit, (a patron deity, of sorts, of the Boles).Toll the Hounds, Chapter 13, US TPB p.423 
There was also reportedly one Bole sister, who was said to be the worst of the lot.Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.980
== Notable Boles ==
* Amby Bole
* Buna Bole
* Jamber Bole 
* Jib Bole 
* Jula Bole
==In Memories of Ice==
Despite orders to stay behind at Blackdog Forest, the Mott Irregulars, including the Bole brothers, accompanied Brood's army when he allied with renegade Malazan High Fist Dujek Onearm to fight the Pannion War. Brood had intentionally left the Irregulars in northern Genabackis, but High Marshal Straw and the brothers followed behind hoping he forgot they were not meant to be there.Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.834 
The Mott Irregulars made their presence known at the Siege of Coral when the Bole brothers killed a group of Pannion Domin mages attacking from the city's walls. Brood was bewildered by their appearance when High Marshal Stump announced their success and requested further orders.Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.947
After the battle, High Marshal Jib Bole sent a poorly written note written on bark to the necromancers Bauchelain and Korbal Broach requesting a visit. Given the Bole brothers' known hatred of necromancers, this could hardly have been expected to lead to a happy outcome.Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.989
==In Toll the Hounds==
Bole brothers, Amby Bole and Jula Bole, retired from the Mott Irregulars and followed their love, Precious Thimble, into service with Master Quell and the Trygalle Trade Guild.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.277-278 Precious Thimble had joined the Guild on a whim and came to regret it.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 13, US SFBC p.515 Quell and the other shareholders were amazed when Amby and Jula took the full force of a Jaghut's magic in the Reach of Woe without ill-effect.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.754-755
==In Dust of Dreams==
The Boles also seemed to possess amazing strength as seen when a Trygalle Trade Guild carriage was attacked by a Shi'Gal Assassin. Amby and Jula Bole were able to beat back a K'Chain Che'Malle easily four times their size.Dust of Dreams, Chapter 20
==In The Crippled God==
Amby Bole was identified by Olar Ethil as Jhag Bolead,The Crippled God, Chapter 2, US HC p.46 implying that the Bole "Brothers" were of half-blood Jaghut lineage. Their strength and sensitivity to certain types of magic would then derive from their Jaghut blood.
Given that Hood was a Jaghut, the Jhag-descended Jhag Bolead's loathing of necromancers aligned with certain tendencies of their predecessors.
==In Forge of Darkness==
The decidedly singular Jaghut Varandas was found to be, among other things, a maker of dolls: 'My art, mahybe, is one of soul-shifting. My latest dolls will seek out a rare, winged rock ape native to the old crags of a desert far to the south. I name this series Nacht.' - 'And what did you name the series you gave to me?' - 'Bolead. But I fear I made too many of them, especially given their flaws.'Forge of Darkness, Chapter 16, UK MMPB p.708
==Notes and references==
Category:Males
Category:Mott Irregulars