Jungle of Himatan

The Jungle of Himatan [HIM-ah-tahn]Malazan Chat w/Author Ian C. Esslemont and Ten Very Big Books - Iskar Jarak - As pronounced by Ian C. Esslemont at 32:15 was a vast area covering eastern Jacuruku, beyond the Gangrek Range, neighbouring both the Kingdom of the Thaumaturgs and the Desert of the Adwami Tribes. The Himatan was ruled by Ardata, sometimes named the Demon- or Night-Queen,Blood and Bone, Chapter 1, UK MMPB p.70-71 while its populace was made up of her "children"Blood and Bone, Chapter 9, UK MMPB p.527-530 - a number of creatures no longer found in the rest of the world, although some humans also resided there.Blood and Bone, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.307 The Dolmens of Tien lay in the far north of the region, while the somewhat mythical Jakal Viharn was situated in the northern region also, deep within the jungle itself. The jungle also included coastal regions, comprising of parts along the Ocean of Storms and the White Spires Sea.
The Himatan was said to be half of the mortal realm and half of the spirit realm.Blood and Bone, Chapter 1, UK MMPB p.47 Rather than protecting herself, or attacking invaders, Ardata had the Himatan itself to protect her jungle's denizens.Blood and Bone, Chapter 12, UK MMPB p.663
== In Blood and Bone ==
A number of different storylines converged in the Himatan, with Golan Amaway's Army of Righteous Chastisement marching through as a distraction for the Thaumaturg Circle of Masters,Blood and Bone, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.320-321 who were travelling to an ancient Temple of Light. Also travelling there was Saeng, to take up her position as the new priestess of Light, and ultimately Pon-lor who initially was part of Golan's column but was sent to follow Saeng's trail through. Others within the Himatan were the Crimson Guard, whose presence was requested by Ardata herself; the Queen of Dreams, who was travelling to meet with Ardata; the Disavowed, who were returning to try to take control of the jungle; and a group of Malazan mercenaries, who were protecting a shard of the Crippled God they got while working for Sister Spite. 
At one point during Pon-lor's journey he was asked, "what is Himatan?"Blood and Bone, Chapter 12, UK MMPB p.643-645 This came with an increasing amount of speculation from Golan that the jungle itself was Ardata's defence mechanism,Blood and Bone, Chapter 10, UK MMPB p.573-584Blood and Bone, Chapter 12, UK MMPB p.668-673 something that the Queen of Dreams confirmed. It was finally revealed by Celeste, the aforementioned piece of the Crippled God, that Himatan itself was a sentient being.Blood and Bone, Chapter 15, UK MMPB p.822-823
==Trivia==
In depicting Himatan, Ian C. Esslemont was inspired by the culture of the Himalayas when travelling up to the high mountains on the approach to Nepal and Tibet. The "locals would have legends and stories...that you're leaving the physical realm and you're entering the spiritual realm at those heights. So those two worlds overlap and you have manifestations coming out of the spirit realm and appearing in the physical realm, and you can meet them and talk to them. I really wanted to try and evoke that sort of environment of mythology where you might be tramping through the woods or the jungle, or anywhere, it could be the desert, but you're also occupying a spiritual realm as well. And the spirits that are surrounding you, and they could talk to you if they want, or they could be friends or foes. It's another sort of older world view."A Sojourn at our Humble Tavern for a conversation on the Novels with Ian C. Esslemont! - Smiley's Podcast - See 1:08:45
==Notes and references==
Category:Locations
Category:Jacuruku
de:Dschungel von Himatan