Widdershins

Widdershins was a squad mage in the 8th Legion of the Malaz 14th Army. He was with Sergeant Balm's 9th squad of medium infantry. 
He was described as "an odd little man".Reaper's Gale, Chapter 17
He used the Warren of Meanas.The Bonehunters, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.308
==In House of Chains==
Widdershins was part of Adjunct Tavore Paran's punitive expedition against the Army of the Apocalypse. On the road from Aren to Raraku, his squad had done their share of the fighting, and their names were well known amongst the other soldiers in the legion.House of Chains, Chapter 22, US SFBC p.711
==In The Bonehunters==
After the Battle of Raraku, Leoman led the Army of the Apocalypse westward to Y'Ghatan and the 14th Army followed. Upon reaching the outskirts of the city, Widdershins, Corporal Deadsmell, and Throatslitter settled in for a game of Troughs. Sergeant Balm, pessimistic of their chances, went off to create his death-mask.The Bonehunters, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.239 
Adjunct Tavore Paran launched the Last Siege of Y'Ghatan by sending the army's sappers to breach the city's wall under the cover of night. The sappers were organised into groups with each group protected by a mage. Widdershins took on the role of sapper possibly for the first time ever that night, and his group included Crump, Cuttle, Maybe, and Ramp with Bottle as their mage.The Bonehunters, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.283/298 Once the walls were breached Widdershins quickly returned to Balm's squad. 
First into the city were the Malazan marines, followed quickly by the heavy and medium infantry. Once inside the city, the Malazans immediately came under attack from swordsmen on the ground and archers in the buildings above them.The Bonehunters, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.287-295 Balm's squad pushed forward well beyond the other Malazan troops and took cover in a building filled with bolts of silk. Throatslitter led Widdershins and Deadsmell to investigate a noise he heard upstairs while Galt and Lobe watched the street from the windows. The three soldiers discovered the walls of the entire building had been filled with olive oil. Realising what Leoman meant to do, Balm's squad attempted to report their findings to Fist Keneb. But it was too late. When enough Malazans were engaged in street fighting inside the city, Leoman sprung his trap. The city's olive oil-soaked buildings were set alight and the streets quickly became an inferno.The Bonehunters, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.301-303 
Fleeing from the flames, they soon joined a mixed group of survivors from Hellian's, Fiddler's, Cord's, and Gesler's squads, who made their way to the Temple of the Queen of Dreams. Widdershins told Balm he sensed a fire elemental or godling being born amidst the firestorm.The Bonehunters, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.307-309/316/323 The mage was among the small group of soldiers who survived Y'Ghatan by tunneling their way out from under the city. They spent three days crawling on their hands and knees through the dark led by Bottle and his rat.The Bonehunters, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.368/370
After the survivors rejoined the 14th Army on the coast of the Kokakal Sea, Gesler and Stormy were given back command of the Silanda. They requested that Balm and Fiddler's squads serve as their crew for the return voyage to Quon Tali.The Bonehunters, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.716 Widdershins was later among the soldiers on the Silanda who taunted the passing Jakatakan Fleet by waving and holding up one of the ship's animated Tiste Andii heads.The Bonehunters, Chapter 22, US SFBC p.834
The Adunct's fleet travelled to Malaz City where Empress Laseen awaited Tavore in Mock's Hold. The Silanda joined Tavore's flagship, the Froth Wolf, to moor at the city pier while the rest of the fleet remained anchored in the harbour. The entire city seethed with magically induced anger against the 14th Army and the soldiers of the Silanda prepared to defend their ship from the mob after the Adjunct was escorted away. During the attack, Widdershins frantically deflected assaults of Mockra seeking to incite confusion and panic among the soldiers. Eventually, he was "all used up" and forced to withdraw to recover.The Bonehunters, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.889-890/910/940
==In Reaper's Gale==
Adjunct Tavore clashed with Empress Laseen at Malaz City and took the Bonehunters rogue, following the Tiste Edur fleet that had ravaged Sepik back to Lether to invade the Letherii Empire.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 13, US HC p.356 Balm and Cord's squads took the Silanda to the island of Second Maiden Fort off the coast of Lether to establish a headquarters and resupply base for the Adjunct.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 13, US HC p.353Reaper's Gale, Chapter 14, US HC p.409 They found the island on the verge of being destroyed under a mountain of ice released by the collapse of Gothos' ancient Omtose Phellack ritual, but Sinn was able to hold the ice back with her magic until its force was spent. The island's self-declared ruler, Brullyg, gratefully welcomed the Malazans as royal guests until they placed him under house arrest and secretly took control of the island.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 13, US HC p.348/369
While Balm's squad kept Brullyg under guard and monitored the island from its only town, Cord's squad patrolled the island's coast and interior while awaiting Tavore's arrival. Widdershins often accompanied Cord's squad on their patrols.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 13, US HC p.345-350/358/369Reaper's Gale, Chapter 16, US HC p.468 Masan Gilani, on loan from Urb's squad, spent most of her time in town, but sometimes accompanied Cord's squad as needed.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 20, US HC p.612 Sinn served as a go-between, able to transport herself instantly across the island with her magic.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 13, US HC p.349-350 Neither Widdershins nor Ebron had any idea how Sinn fended off the Jaghut ice.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 13, US HC p.369-370
Meanwhile Tavore sent Fist Keneb's marines to the mainland, spreading them in isolated pairs of squads across thirty leagues of coast and burning their transport vessels behind them. The marines moved forward into the Letherii countryside towards Letheras, the capital, with orders to kill Edur by night and stir the occupied Letherii into rebellion. Each squad had a mage responsible for hiding their presence and confusing their enemies.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 13, US HC p.361-365
Shortly after Adjunct Tavore arrived at the island with the rest of the Malazan fleet, Yan Tovis and the other Shake came to stake their claim to the island. Widdershins argued that it was in the Malazans' interest to negotiate with the Shake and leave the island as soon as possible because Yan Tovis' refugees were "one big squall of witches and warlocks" capable of troublesome curses and nastier rituals.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 17, US HC p.520-523 The Adjunct hired Shurq Elalle and her ship, Undying Gratitude, to guide the fleet to the mouth of the Lether River leading to Letheras.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 20, US HC p.613 Balm and Cord's squads made the journey on the Silanda.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 20, US HC p.612-613 
The Adjunct's fleet made landfall near Letheras in time to see a massive release of enemy sorcery near Fist Keneb's reported position. Believing the marines had been wiped out, Tavore's forces defeated the city's Imperial Brigade.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 22, US HC p.693-694Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.748-754Reaper's Gale, Chapter 17, US HC p.501 Balm's squad, along with Masan Gilani, secured horses to chase down fleeing Letherii soldiers before continuing further inland towards the city. When they arrived at the field where Beak had saved Keneb's marines, they were mystified to find no bodies.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.751-754 Approaching the city's western gate, they found it in control of Keneb's troops. By this time, "the Confusion" had come fully upon Balm and he was incapable of communicating with anyone. Deadsmell took command of the squad and Masan Gilani raced back to fetch reinforcements from Tavore.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.790-792 Soon the City Garrison surrendered and the city fell.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.812
==In Dust of Dreams==
(Information needed)
==In The Crippled God==
(Information needed)
==History==
As a boy Widdershins grew up in a ramshackle shack with his parents and older brother. He had outlier blood, his father was a woodcutter, while his mother Elade performed more feminine tasks.The Crippled God, Chapter 14, US TPB p.410-412
Widdershins' father was a brute who regularly beat the boys' mother, on one such occasion he threw her through one of the shacks flimsy walls. In response one of the neighbours beat him close to death. Soon after that event Widdershins older brother ran off.
When Widdershins was seven, an old Falar War veteran who sharpened his mothers knives, was murdered. Fingers of blame quickly pointed to the jealous husband of Elade, even though old Ginanse had done her no dishonour. Elade walked into the shack where her husband sat and took a knife to him, the knife Ginanse had always sharpened.
After this Widdershins worked with his aunt and uncle, raising animals until the point he joined up. Master Sergeant Braven Tooth gave him his name, on account of his scrawny frame and inability to stand still.The Crippled God, Chapter 14, US TPB p.412
==Notes and references==
Category:Bonehunters
Category:Mages
Category:Males
Category:Meanas mages
Category:Medium infantry
Category:Sappers
Category:Soldiers
Category:Y'Ghatan survivor (underground)