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Icarium

**Icarium** was a mixed-blood Jaghut — a Jhag — who suffered from a constant state of amnesia. His fractured mind sometimes recalled incomplete events from centuries ago while other times forgetting his actions of the past few days entirely.

He was known under many names: Lifestealer, the maker of machines, the chaser of time, lord of the sand grains, slayer of the ten thousand, and the maker of time. Fiddler recalled the legend of "a Jaghut-blood wanderer around whom swirled, like the blackest wake, rumours of devastation, appalling murders, genocide".

His constant companion was Mappo Runt the Trell.

He was the son of the Jaghut, Gothos. Little was known about his mother whom the Errant referred to as the 'overgrown hag', possibly implying that Icarium might have been the son of Kilmandaros. She was a member of the Thelomen Toblakai race. Raest was his half-brother.
Tayschrenn

**Tayschrenn** was the Imperial High Mage of the Malazan Empire and answered directly to Empress Laseen. Among the Malazan citizenry, he was seen as the Empress' left hand, and as someone who acted behind the scenes to assure the health of the empire.

He was described as having a long, drawn mahogany-tanned face that appeared oddly seamless, bland even, with ageless skin and a straight slash of mouth. His eyes were sunken, dark and black-ringed and the brown pate of his head was shaven but for a long braided queue at his shoulder. Tayschrenn's hands were long-fingered.
Pale

**Pale** was one of the Free Cities on the continent of Genabackis. According to Ganoes Paran, it was about a thousand leagues from Genabaris although this may have been a figure of speech. Tattersail estimated Pale to be about three thousand leagues from Unta.

Many of the roofs were tiled and the streets cobbled. In what was likely the Krael Quarter, a maze of shanties and lean-tos crouched against the city walls.

The city had massive ancient stone walls, the foundations of which were built on a huge glacial dump which covered the entire valley area. Below the city walls this rock pile filled a giant crevice reaching so far underground that even with magic it was hardly possible to find its bottom.

Captain Paran's impression of Pale was that of a dying city as he observed the 'faded canopies over sagging balconies' indicating the 'bleached tints of long-lost glory'.

After the Siege of Pale, the streets were ill-lit. Whether this had always been the case was not made clear.

The people of Pale traditionally wore leggings and tunics, the exact appearance of which was not described.
Arendia

**Arendia** is the country of the people of the god Chaldan in the David Eddings book series *The Belgariad* and *The Malloreon*. It consists of two duchies, Mimbre and Asturia, though there used to be two more as well: Wacune and Erat. The war of the three duchies is one of the darkest periods of Arendish history. The only thing that united the kingdom was the annihilation of Vo Wacune by the Asturians in 2943, and the later destruction of Vo Astur by the Mimbrates in 3793, resulting in the Mimbrate-dominated monarchy being sovereign over Arendia.

The nation is a kingdom with the throne jointly held by the king and queen, who are also the duke of Mimbre and the duchess of Asturia. Due to the delicate political balance, the king and queen give up their given names to rule as Korodullin and Mayaserana, the names of the first Arendish monarchs, in order to promote greater unity. There has also been an excessive degree of inbreeding to preserve the familial ties. Though technically these two duchies are equals, Mimbre treats Asturia as a vassal state until the end of *The Belgariad*.

The major reason behind the discontent between the supposedly equal Duchies was a refusal by the Mimbrates to recognize Asturian titles after the formal unification. The conflict arose over the requirement that the Asurians swear an oath to the new King and their previous oath to the original Duke of Asturia. As the Queens of Arendia - in the closely interbred Royal line - were direct decedents of the Duke, then the Asturians' oath was still very much in force. The current Queen of Arendia (in her capacity as the Duchess of Asturia) released all Asturians from the oath, at which point they swore their oath of allegiance to the King of Arendia (but not to the Duke of Mimbre though technically he is the same person as the King). With this issue solved, it is presumed that all Asturian titles were formally recognized. Indeed Asturians such as Lelldorin then freely started to throw themselves into formally 'Mimbrate only' internal conflicts and were welcomed 'to the party' just as quickly.

Arendish society is feudal, built on the institution of serfdom. Rival lords seem to be continually skirmishing, and when they are not, they are holding tournaments during which they hone the skills used for skirmishing. Arends are typically viewed as not too bright and sometimes overly proud, though they are universally hailed as being loyal and brave. Unlike the gods of some other peoples, Chaldan does not intervene much in human affairs.
Cyrinic Knight

**The Cyrinic Order** are protectors of the pious Kingdom of Arcium, and King Dregos. Cyrinics are renowned for their piety, and sometimes, tendency towards melodrama. The Preceptor of their Order is Lord Abriel, an aged but still steadfast Knight. The Champion of the Order is Sir Bevier. Cyrinic Knights are easily identified by their highly burnished armor, open-faced helmets with heavy noseguards, and pristine white surcoats. They are the world's acknowledged experts in sieges, as well as siege engine construction. Their Champion, Sir Bevier, eschews the standard sword in favor of a grim Lochaber axe. The Cyrinic Knights call upon the Styric god, Romalic for their spells.

The Cyrinics are the most likely to completely follow the letter of the law, though they, too, will do what they have to. Once a Cyrinic Knight is certain he's standing on firm theological ground, he can act with startling abruptness. Sir Bevier once commanded a pompous soldier to clear his troops from a city gate. After reminding the soldier of his ecclesiastical rank, and getting the soldier's steadfast refusal to follow orders from a ranking churchman, Bevier proceeded to lop off the offending soldier's head with a single swipe of his gruesome Lochaber axe and led the other soldiers in prayer for the dead man's soul.
Erat

Erat was a duchy given to Polgara because of her services to Arendia in creating peace for a time. Erat was the far north part of Arendia in Wacune before Polgara acted to create what would become Sendaria from it after the Asturians destroyed Vo Wacune; a creation was protested by the other dukes. These changes included abolishing serfdom, a rent system for property owning, creating schools and the establishment of the now-renowned Sendarian values (courtesy, common sense, sobriety, etc.). She later asked the Tolnedran Emperor, a Borune, to create Sendaria.

Erat had strong ties with Wacune, but could not aid it against the Asturians, though they did defend their own land, with Polgara controlling the battles and communicating with her generals with her mind.
Torak

Torak is the third of the seven Gods. His people are the Angaraks, and his is the only totem animal to be counted among the monstrous races (perhaps due to Torak's vain attempts to enhance the creature): the dragon. He wields the Sword of Shadows, the horrific Cthrek Goru.

Torak was at first very beautiful and haughty; he was apparently the most handsome of the Gods. Belgarath described that he was more beautiful than any being he had seen, and he walked as if his foot spurned the earth. He had black hair, very pale skin and greenish-colored eyes. Belgarath described that his face was beautiful to the point of being pretty and his hair looked as if he spent a lot of time combing it. Torak seemed to be telepathic or knew what Belgarath was thinking.

Alone among his brothers, Torak served the Dark in the War of Destinies. He fought them all in the War of the Gods, which he had brought about by stealing the Orb of Aldur; when almost defeated, he split the world using the power of the Orb, leaving the remaining Angaraks on one side of a new ocean, and their enemies on the other. However, this act offended the spirit of the Orb, and it struck him with its fire in retaliation.

The left side of his body, most notably his face and hand, are seriously maimed — burnt by the Orb of Aldur. His left eye, called The Eye That Was Not, continually burns with the fire of the Orb of Aldur. Beldin often referred to Torak as "Old burnt-face".

Establishing a theocratic, military culture, Torak drove the Angaraks to exploit and dominate the new continent of Mallorea, integrating the Dals, Karands and Melcenes, and also taking much of the western continent. Upon the theft of the Orb, he destroyed Cthol Mishrak and sent three castes of peoples to be guardians against the peoples of the West: Nadraks (townspeople, merchants), Thulls (serfs/servants/peasants), and Murgos (noblemen, warriors). He also changed a number of Grolims to be the Chandim.

Torak was overcome with the prophetic ecstasy at Ashaba where he resided for a time and produced the Ashabine Oracles. Coming out of Ashaba, he decided to dominate the world and called forth all able bodied male Angaraks and Malloreans to conquer the Western continent.

However, his imperial ambitions were stopped by Brand, as he was rendered comatose at the Battle of Vo Mimbre and his forces were noticeably diminished by the combined armies of the West. This was partially due to Poledra's resounding rejection of his advances toward Polgara, who he viewed as the only woman suitable to be his queen.

Eons later, Torak was slain by Belgarion in the ruins of Cthol Mishrak, at what was originally thought to be the ultimate meeting of the Child of Light and the Child of Dark.
Dal Hon

The people who inhabited the Dal Hon Plains were known as the **Dal Honese**. They were made up of various tribes and described as onyx-skinned. Those from the northern savannah tended to be taller and more willowy than those from the southern jungle.

The Dal Hon league of kingdoms had once been a separate entity from the Malazan Empire two generations before the events of *Gardens of the Moon*. But the Dal Hon reliance on individual talented warriors was no match for the coordinated, disciplined tactics of the Malazans. Before then, the only nation able to successfully war against them was Itko Kan. The Dal Hon attributed their failures against the Malazans to poor generalship.
Alorn

Alorns are the people of Belar, that occupy the north-western part of the western continent. Once the people were combined into the one country Aloria, but they were divided to better protect the Orb of Aldur, by which insurrectionists called the Bear-Cult wanted to reunite them. The nations maintain strong military and economic ties.
Silchas Ruin

**Silchas Ruin** was a Tiste Andii and Soletaken. He was the son of Mother Dark and the brother of Anomander Rake and Andarist. Among the Tiste Edur he was known as the **Betrayer**.

Silchas was albino, with characteristic red eyes. He was tall and terribly gaunt, with smooth, almost translucent skin through which could be seen networks of blue-green veins and arteries. He had a hairless chest, long fingers, and thick, long white hair. He was a head or more taller than Scabandari.

His Soletaken form was that of a giant bone-white dragon.

Silchas preferred to fight with two swords, one in each hand.
Belgarath

Cover page for the novel Belgarath the Sorcerer

### Relatives

Polgara (daughter), Beldaran (daughter), Daran (grandson), Riva (son in-law), Belgarion (descendant)

## Physical description

### Eye color

Blue

Belgarath the Sorcerer, was the first disciple of the god Aldur and husband of Poledra. He was the father and ultimate grandfather, respectively, of Polgara and Belgarion. He was called *the Ancient and Beloved* in the Mrin Codex and *The Eternal Man* by various storytellers, and was generally regarded as the most powerful sorcerer in the universe.

Belgarath began life as a young orphaned thief two thousand years before the cracking of the world, in a village named Gara. At the time he was called Garath, which meant "of the town of Gara" in the language spoken in that place and time. After visiting the cursed Godless Ones who did not follow Gorim to Prolgu, he found himself in the Vale of Aldur. Caught there in a snowstorm and dying, he was leaning back and feeling sorry for himself when a voice invited him inside a nearby tower. He went inside, planning to steal, and found himself given tasks to do for the owner. He eventually discovered the power of the "Will and the Word", also known as sorcery. At that point he became the first disciple of the tower's owner, Aldur, who was one of the seven Gods. He renamed him Belgarath, the "Bel-" meaning "Beloved".

He was sent on a number of missions throughout the world, dealing with issues that Aldur wished a human representative to see to. He came across a young she-wolf in his travels, while traveling in the form of a wolf himself, and she followed him to his errand and back to his tower. After hundreds of years, she saw him turn into some kind of animal, and changed her form to an owl. After some time of continually springing surprising new forms on him, she eventually told him she was leaving. She took the form of a human and built a farmhouse in the Vale and Belgarath stumbled upon it, finding out her name was Poledra. It didn't take him long to realize who she was, and understand that she took the form of a female human because he wasn't able to join in union with her as a wolf, and married her, and they had twin girls. One of these girls was names Polgara, and the other was Beldaran.

During his later travels, after the apparent death of his wife, he helped his sorceress daughter Polgara protect the last of the royal line of Riva, as well as opposing the evil, one-eyed god Torak. It was under the guise of a storyteller that he first met Garion, who was a descendant of Beldaran and the Rivan kings in Polgara's care. Also, his supposedly dead wife returned during *The Malloreon*.
Tiste Andii

The **Tiste Andii** were a non-human Elder Race. They were the Children of Darkness. The first of Mother Dark's children, they were her dearest, the dwellers of the land before light. They were sometimes referred to as the Souls of Starless Night. The Tiste Andii were immortal, and their actions could be difficult for mortals to comprehend. The leader and Archmage of the Tiste Andii was Anomander Rake, who ruled by strength of personality.

Before the coming of light, the Tiste Andii lived alone in Kurald Galain. The city of Kharkanas was their first city. The Tiste Andii worshipped Mother Dark. After Mother Dark turned away, the Tiste Andii fell into turmoil, leaving Kharkanas and wandering from place to place, following Anomander Rake as their Lord.

The Tiste Andii were described as being taller than humans, though of similar proportions. They were described as tall and ebony-skinned with almond-shaped eyes which could change colour. Their hair was generally kept long and tended to be either black or silver-white.

By the time of *Gardens of the Moon*, Rake claimed his people were "dying...No cause seems great enough to return to my people the zest for life. I try, but inspiration has never been a great talent of mine." Their point of view was one of "disinterest, stoicism, and quiet, empty despair." They did not seek out romantic companionship with their own kind, finding such unions pointless. Children were sometimes born, but likely as a result of boredom. Korlat knew in her soul that some of the Tiste Andii who died in battle did so as a choice made in despair, not because they could not defend themselves.

When a Tiste Andii fell in battle, their bodies were simply left on the ground where they fell. Attempts by non-Andii to mourn and ritualize the deaths of the fallen were met by bemusement. They did not seem to place great value on typical symbols of wealth. When Malazan soldiers looted their corpses in battle they found only plain weapons, and common items such as knotted strips of coloured cloth and stream-polished pebbles.

The Tiste Andii were a patient people and their long lives gave them a different perspective than short-lived mortals. For the Andii, the "true measure of power lies in the wisdom to wait for the propitious moment." A Tiste Andii could be content to stand still in quiet contemplation for weeks.

The Tiste Andii drew upon the Elder Magic of Kurald Galain, the Warren of Darkness.
Talen

**Talen** is a masterful thief and easily swipes money and possessions from commoners, nobles and knights on a regular basis. He is Kurik's illegitimate son, the result of his father's affair with a young Cimmuran girl, Elys. Talen works for the leader of Cimmura's criminal community, a fat man called Platime who had apparently been a skilled thief when he wasn't so heavy. Talen is a modest but skilled sketch artist, a talent he has used to help Sparhawk on more than one occasion. At the end of *The Sapphire Rose* Talen wounded Adus by stabbing him in the kidney from the back then from the front. Later, after Adus had fallen he and Sparhawk killed Adus by driving his own sword through his heart. Princess Danae has decided that Talen shall be her husband. At the end of *The Sapphire Rose* Kurik's wife, Aslade invited Talen and Elys to live on her farm stating it is what Kurik would have wanted.

Later in life Talen entered training to become a Pandion Knight. He received some harsh instruction from Sir Berit. He was eventually chosen as a potential husband by the young princess Danae of Elenia.
Caladan Brood

**Caladan Brood** was a warlord, often called simply **the Warlord**, who opposed the Malazan armies in the North Campaign on Genabackis. He was a giant man, all muscle and bone, and was said to be human with Barghast blood. Said to be an Ascendant, power rolled from him in musky waves. His eyebrows were hairless and his teeth were filed. He had a wide, flat face with strangely bestial eyes.

Brood was a longtime friend and companion to Anomander Rake. Over thousands of years the pair had clashed but always been drawn back together, an alliance never broken. Korlat suspected the friendship was strengthened by the long periods the two spent apart over the ages.

Many thousands of years ago, Brood, Rake, and the Queen of Dreams had walked the land together until Brood chose a more solitary path. When he returned about 1200 years before the *Malazan Book of the Fallen*, he carried Burn's Hammer, an enormous weapon of iron with a copper-wrapped handle. It was said to be capable of shattering mountains, with the Great Raven, Crone, presenting the broken peaks east of the Laederon Plateau as evidence of Brood's "younger, more precipitous days".

His primary Warren was Tennes, but he also had access to D'riss and High Denul.
Troll Gods

**The Troll Gods** are first encountered trapped within the Bhelliom. They are later released in *The Shining Ones*. The Troll Gods have such limited intellect and large amounts of suspicion towards each other that it requires the combined will of all of them to control the Bhelliom, whereas any other singular god can command it. The high priest of the Troll Gods was Bhlokw. The Troll Gods are:

* **Ghworg**, the God of Kill
* **Ghnomb**, the God of Eat
* **Schlee**, the God of Ice
* **Khwaj**, the God of Fire
* **Zoka**, the God of Mating
Myth Drannor

**Myth Drannor**, formerly known as the city of **Cormanthor**, the **City of Song**, or the **City of Love** among other names, was the former capital city Cormanthyr in the forest of Cormanthor. It was considered by many to be the pinnacle of shared knowledge, culture, and civilization in Faerûn, as well a beacon of serenity and solidarity in the chaotic Realms.

For hundreds of years after the Weeping War, Myth Drannor languished as fiend-infested ruins. After hundreds of years the city was reclaimed by the elves of Evermeet in the late 14th century DR. It enjoyed a century-long renaissance, before falling to ruin once more.
Demon Lord of Karanda

At the beginning of this book, Belgarion and his fellow travellers are brought to Mallorea. There Belgarion meets Kal Zakath, the Mallorean emperor bent on destroying the Murgos' royal family. Gradually, Zakath and Garion become friends. When a sudden plague spreads, necessitating quarantine, the questing party escape the city so as to continue their journey. In escape, they are joined by the jester Feldegast (actually Belgarath's brother Beldin in disguise), with whom they approach Ashaba. Problems arise when they confirm the report of demons under the Demon Lord Nahaz, who has turned the sorcerer Urvon insane.

Reaching Ashaba, Garion is tricked into believing that he sees Zandramas and his son meeting with Urvon and charges into the throne room. Beldin, on seeing Urvon and his man Harakan, assumes his true form; this starts a battle with Urvon's forces, which ultimately results in Harakan's death. Nahaz faces the group of sorcerers and the Orb, ready to fight; but when Eriond comes to stand with Garion, the Demon Lord flees, carrying Urvon with him. The group then continues east. Travelling through the demon-infested countryside, and seeing horrors such as women impregnated by demons (the births usually resulting in the mother's death), the group encounters Zandramas, who attempts to coerce Ce'Nedra within killing distance, until Poledra, Polgara's mother and Belgarath's wife, forces Zandramas to retreat.
Aphrael

**Aphrael** is one of the Younger Gods of Styricum, and is known as the **Child-Goddess**, as her preferred form is that of a six-year old girl with grass-stained feet, known to the knights as Flute. She has three known incarnations: **Danae**, the daughter of Sparhawk and Queen Ehlana; her true form, as an adult woman; and the form of **Flute**, hardly different in appearance from Danae (she takes the form of a child as people trust children more). Aphrael's High Priestess is Sephrenia.

Aphrael was instrumental in the recovery of the Bhelliom, a magical blue sapphire crafted in the shape of a rose, and its delivery to Sparhawk in *The Ruby Knight*. She was also involved in stopping Klæl in the *The Tamuli*.
Tiste Liosan

The **Tiste Liosan** were a non-human elder race also known as the **Children of Light**. They were the second of Mother Dark's children. They were not one of the four Founding Races and only had contact with the Malazan world due to a breach in the barriers surrounding their Warren of Kurald Thyrllan possibly through the human use of Telas and of Thyr, the Paths of Fire and of Light and the Imass use of the Tellann, the Hold of Fire.

The Tiste Liosan made the fewest appearances of the Tiste races in the Malazan series.

The Tiste Liosan were taller than humans, though of similar proportions. Their features were similar to a Tiste Edur's, apart from their white, almost luminous skin and the silver colour of their slanted, epicanthic, almond-shaped eyes. Their hair was silver or gold and generally kept long. The Tiste Liosan were close kin to the Tiste Edur and Tiste Andii, though they did not share genetic descent. Internal anatomy differed from the human norm; specifically, the heart was known to be buried deeper in the torso.
Mal Zeth

**Mal Zeth** is the capital city of the Mallorean Empire on the continent of Mallorea, and probably the largest city in the world.

It was originally founded as the seat of the Angarak military forces following Torak's self-imposed isolation at Cthol Mishrak after the War of the Gods. It expanded heavily, especially after Kallath was appointed OverGeneral of the armies of the Angarak and Emperor of the Melcene Empire in 3831.

The city occupies a large valley in the centre of the continent, and is incredibly large, stretching for leagues in all directions. It dwarfs the Imperial City of Tol Honeth in Tolnedra.

Mal Zeth is divided into sections for housing and business, and the sections and every citizen and resident are determined by military rank, from lowest private to highest Field Marshal. These are controlled by the Bureau of Promotions. The city is very uniform and regimented, densely packed and carefully laid out along long straight roads by army architects. All the structures have thick white mortar, so the entire city gleams in the sun.

At the centre of the city itself is the Imperial Complex containing the Palace and the various Bureaus that run the Mallorean Empire. The gates to this compound were bronze, overlaid with beaten gold. Within were various structures, such as the new complex of bureaucratic offices Zakath authorised before the Battle of Thull Mardu, the various ornate palaces of the Emperors, and the central palace of Kallath the Unifier, the greatest of all the palaces and the seat of power of Emperor Zakath, ruler of all Mallorea.
Soletaken

**Soletaken** were a lower order of shape-shifter than D'ivers. They sembled between a single humanoid form and a single other form. This was made possible by a ritual which involved the use of the blood of the creature into which the person veered into. All Imass Bonecasters were Soletaken, and there were Soletaken among most races. T'lan Imass, Soletaken, and D'ivers shared a mysterious bond of kinship.
Sea of the East

The **Sea of the East** was the large ocean separating the Angarak continent of Mallorea from the unnamed continent that contained the Alorn, Western Angarak and unaligned nations featured in the Belgariad and Malloreon.

It was formed at the climax of the War of the Gods, when Torak used the Orb of Aldur to prevent the forces of his brother deities from exterminating the primitive Angarak people. He split the proto-continent in half, creating a vast canyon behind his forces as they retreated, which was then flooded.

During Enchanters' Endgame, part of the strategy of the allied Western nations was to put a Cherek fleet into the Sea of the East. This would cut off Mallorean reinforcements to Emperor Zakath's invasion of Cthol Murgos, as part of a broader campaign to distract Angarak attention from Garion's infiltration of Cthol Mishrak.
Overgod

An **Overgod**, also called an **over-power**, was a type of deity that existed beyond the normal ranking of the gods and of concepts such as alignment. Such beings existed beyond the bounds of the normal cosmology.

Although only one Overgod was confirmed in Realmspace, Lord Ao, some sages speculated about other beings that could be considered over-powers as well: the Supreme Bureaucrat of the Celestial Bureaucracy; Fate, the guiding principle behind the Zakharan pantheon; and Maztica, the mother-deity of the Maztican pantheon.
Skinner

**Skinner** was an Avowed within the Crimson Guard. He had founded and once commanded the Ninth Blade of the Guard. A tall man, he wore a magical suit of long, black iron mail with articulated gauntlets given to him by Ardata, which he never removed. Over his armor he wore a surcoat of an almost black, shimmering cloth dusted by flower petals displaying Ardata's heraldry. He wielded a greatsword whose blade was "mottled black in corrosion". Skinner had reddish-blond hair and a face marked by scars.
Dassem Ultor

**Dassem Ultor** was once First Sword of the Malazan Empire and the Supreme Commander of the Malazan military forces. His retinue of bodyguards was known as Dassem's First Sword.

The First Sword developed the Malazan Military tactical doctrine which was used for decades. His style of command, which allowed soldiers to think and argue, was said to have made them the best army the world had ever seen. Dassem was loved and worshipped by his army. He led from the front of every battle and "soldiers shoved each other aside just for the chance to fight near him." This earned him rivals amongst the Empire's leadership.

Dassem was also a fierce and accomplished fighter. Temper mentioned that Skinner was the only Crimson Guardsman reported to have survived a clash with him. Even Whiskeyjack's superb swordsmanship was only able to delay Dassem's eventual victory when they practice sparred, according to Dujek Onearm.

He was dusky skinned with grey shot black curled hair cut short, with deep blue incongruous eyes. His features were even with crisscrossed scars. He sported the nut-brown features of his Dal Honese heritage and had the capacity for great gentleness and humanity while also being an efficient slayer.

During his time as the First Sword, he wore a helmet with black horsehair plume and a long surcoat of burgundy and grey with the Imperial sceptre at his chest

Dassem was reputed to have made a deal with Hood and to have been appointed Knight of Death by the King of High House Death.
Sorceress of Darshiva

The party enters the Melcene Empire, where they discover that the Sardion, the moral opposite of the Orb of Aldur, was once kept in an undersea cave where traces of its power still resonate. Upon reaching the University at Melcena, Belgarath finds an unmutilated copy of the Ashabine Oracles, which he has sought, and decides that the party must go to Kell to learn of the location of "The Place That Is No More". Garion, in the same book, sees that in his sole moment of sanity, Torak specifically addressed Belgarion, demanding that if need be he should destroy the world, even kill his own son, rather than let Zandramas complete her plans. This reflects a similar warning made by Cyradis in *Guardians of the West*. Having achieved this knowledge, the group return to Mallorea and travel overland. At some point thereafter, a suggestion is made that Torak's existence was an aberration and that another God shall appear to take his place.

The party is recaptured by Zakath, who threatens to take Garion back to Mal Zeth with his companions as collateral. At Beldin's request, Cyradis persuades him to release the party, offering herself as a hostage; Zakath does so and joins their quest. Shortly thereafter, Poledra joins them in the guise of a wolf, bringing an orphaned cub later domesticated by Ce'Nedra. Her identity is concealed from both characters and reader until the next book.

Urvon's Karand army under Nahaz and Zandramas' Darshivan army eventually engage each other in battle, as do Urvon's Demon Lord Nahaz and Zandramas' Demon Lord Mordja. The demons go after Garion's group, sensing the Orb's presence, but Aldur infuses Durnik with his own powers, and he defeats and banishes Nahaz. Aldur, before leaving, informs Belgarath, Beldin, and Polgara that Durnik is "also my beloved Disciple, as he was the best suited of ye". An amulet shaped in the likeness of a sledgehammer (the only one made by Aldur without the aid of Belgarath) is then bestowed upon the smith.
Tol Honeth

The capital of Tolnedra is the city of Tol Honeth, located on an island in the Nedrane River, almost directly in the centre of the vast empire. Tol Honeth is the abiding city of the Honeth family, the richest house of Tolnedra and whose ancestors (Ran Honeth I) founded the empire. However, regardless of whichever family holds the imperial throne at any given time, the capital of the empire always remains the city of the Honethites, and the Emperor's abode is traditionally in the imperial compound directly in the centre of the city.
High Fist

**High Fist** was the title of a commander of armies in a Malazan Campaign. The High Fist was the highest ranking officer in a theatre of operations. Its naval equivalent rank was an Admiral. A High Fist could only be overruled by the Emperor or Empress him/herself or, by extension, his or her Adjunct.
Ashaba

**Ashaba** was a location in in the Karand kingdom of Katakor. The castle there, also known as the house of Torak, was where Torak lived after stealing the Orb of Aldur from Aldur, and prior to having it stolen from him by Belgarath the sorcerer.

After the theft of the Orb, Torak was so furious that he destroyed Ashaba. Many years later it was destroyed even further by the demon lord Nahaz.

Torak's time at Ashaba is notable because it was then that he was overcome by prophetic madness and penned the Ashabine Oracles.
Otataral

**Otataral** was a rare, reddish ore which negated magic.

It also prevented mages from accessing or opening their Warrens and prolonged exposure to refined ore could drive them insane. It is not clear if this was due to the Otataral itself or to the lack of access to their Warren. Even after long exposure, mages might be able to regain their powers as long as they were removed from the Otataral source, especially if the Otataral was of low quality.

The attempt to access a Warren or use magic on an individual holding Otataral caused the magic to fail in a gust of chilly air.

The effects of Otataral could be circumscribed somewhat through encasing the metal in a dense material (such as a basalt box) or a weapon's sheath. Iron and bronze were favoured materials for the scabbards of otataral swords as they negated the ore's effect.

Elder racial Warrens such as Kurald Galain and Tellann were immune to the effects of Otataral.

Some non-mage individuals who were in the presence of the ore for a long enough period, such as by carrying an otataral weapon or inhaling or absorbing otataral dust through skin, might experience unpredictable side effects, one of which appeared to be a transfer of the magic-deadening properties.

Another side effect seemed to be an increased rate of healing. This was rather beneficial as it helped make up for the fact that a person thus affected by Otataral might be immune to the magic-based healing ministrations of a Denul healer.

Otataral ore was not forged directly into weapons. Instead, most weapons were forged as normal, then quenched in Otataral dust at a late stage after their iron had lost its glow. Blacksmiths had quickly learned not to expose otataral to direct heat. The effect of Moranth munitions, particularly burners and flamers, on otataral was a closely guarded secret among the Malazans who survived its use. Attempting to counter magic with hot Otataral could cause catastrophic explosions. If not for its magic-deadening properties, Otataral was also not an ideal metal for weapons. Otataral blades were slightly rough and made ragged cuts. They needed constant sharpening even when not in use, and grew brittle over time.

The Imperial Adjunct traditionally wielded an Otataral sword.

The characteristics of Otataral were well known in Seven Cities but less so elsewhere.
Deck of Dragons

The **Deck of Dragons**, sometimes referred to as the **Fatid**, was the dominant oracular system worldwide, with the exception of the Lether continent which used its predecessor, the Tiles. It is possible that the card deck could be succeeded by the Coins in the future.

The Deck consisted of a series of cards depicting the members of the pantheon. The Deck accurately portrayed the pantheon, with new cards added as necessary for new members. Most cards represented entities with specific roles in Houses, with a few non-aligned cards that were without a House. During a reading, these cards might be animated.

According to Quick Ben, "... the High Houses of the Deck relate to certain warrens and as such they present a kind of window looking in on those warrens—conversely, of course, things can in turn look out from the other side, which is what makes a reading so... risky. The Deck is indifferent to barriers—in the right hands it can reveal patterns and relationships hidden to mortal eyes."

During a reading, cards were shuffled then dealt one at a time, with the resulting divination dependent on which cards came out. According to Hairlock, the First House set the course. Different patterns could be used to lay down the Deck. For example, in a spiral pattern, working through the entire deck, the last card could signify either an apex or an epiphany depending on how it placed itself. Another pattern would be to lay in blocks (which way the local powers would oppose each other).

The appearance of a card could vary by responding to local conditions. A card could change slightly of its own accord depending on where the reading was performed to indicate how the world and pantheon were unfolding. For example, during the events of *Gardens of the Moon*, the card of Oponn would probably show the Twins no matter where the reading was performed; however, because of the specific situation on Genabackis at that particular time, the card also showed a spinning Coin next to the Twins.

Not only the attributes or background of a card could change, but also the focus point of a card. Most positions in the Deck of Dragons depicted one individual, usually an Ascendant. A card often did not refer specifically to this Ascendant but instead could refer to a person in the local area whose role corresponded to the position portrayed. During one reading on Seven Cities, for example, the card of the Assassin of High House Shadow showed up, referring to Kalam Mekhar as the local Assassin as opposed to Cotillion, the Ascendant Assassin on the card. On another continent, the card would probably have a different look to it.

The person performing the reading could hold on a card and it was always their call to continue or end a game.

One new addition to the Deck was the card/role of a Master of the Deck who could add cards and sanction new Houses. The position, unsought for, was occupied by Ganoes Paran.
Teblor

The **Teblor** were an isolated sub-group of the Thelomen Toblakai race who inhabited the Laederon Plateau on the continent of Genabackis.

The Teblor were a fallen race. At some point long before the rise of humanity, they built cities on Genabackis, but for unknown reasons their blood became "thin and clouded." Icarium, the half-Jaghut/Toblakai, felt pity for them and gave them Laws of Isolation to purify their blood. The Teblor tore down their cities, and fled the highlands and the threat of the T'lan Imass under the leadership of a Teblor elder. In their new home, he enacted Icarium's laws separating husbands, wives, and children into different tribes named after the sons of his father: Buryd, Gelad, Lathyd, Manyd, Phalyd, Rathyd, Sanyd, and Urad. He also gave them laws to revert to an older, more primitive society based on the raising of horses, hunting, raiding, and fishing. Thousands of years later, the Teblor still lived in their remaining separate tribes, some of which had vanished or became enslaved by nearby humans.

Their elders were known for revising history to glorify and/or legitimize any actions which were later deemed successful. One such event being the history of Pahlk Orlong. The Teblor's history was unknown to themselves, such that they no longer remembered the true name of their race.
Gar og Nadrak

**Gar og Nadrak** is an Angarak nation in the fictional world of *The Belgariad* and *The Malloreon* by *David Eddings*. The people are known as Nadraks. Its capital city is Yar Nadrak. It is on the eastern coast of the western continent, on the Sea of the East. It is bordered on the south by Mishrak ac Thull and on the west by Drasnia and Algaria. It extends north past the arctic circle.

Gar og Nadrak was largely unpopulated, save for roving Morindim in the far north, until Torak drove his Angaraks from Mallorea across the land bridge to the western continent. Mistaking the social classes of Cthol Mishrak for racial divisions, Torak settled them in separate nations. The Nadraks were the merchant class. Most Nadraks have a dislike for the arrogant Murgos who ostensibly rule Angarak society, and have sometimes formed wary friendships and alliances with those from western kingdoms, particularly Drasnia. Three Nadraks appear in the books to the degree that their characters are developed: the erratic and scheming King Drosta lek Thun, the often drunk Yarblek, Silk's business partner, and Vella, a sensuous Nadrak woman who is "owned" by Yarblek.

Nadrak women may be owned by Nadrak men, but they are not slaves. Rather, they have extensive rights and freedoms, more than women in most of the countries in this fictitious world. When a woman is sold, she receives half the profits of the transaction. In the years just prior to Garion's birth, Polgara spent time in Gar og Nadrak with the pseudonym Polanna, learning the country's culture and traditions and scouting out Yarblek and Drosta who appeared to have a role in the events yet to come.
Beltira

**Beltira** along with his brother Belkira, known together as "**The Twins**", were twin sorcerers. They began life as Alorn shepherds and became the third and fourth Disciples of Aldur. Their primary task was the study and interpretation of prophecy. However, they did have other interests, for example, they instructed Polgara in cooking and were the resident beer brewers in the Vale of Aldur. They furthermore had an "uncontrollable urge [as shepherds] to feed things". They were also extremely competent mathematicians. Their favorite color was white and their preferred animal forms were a pair of white doves.

They were exceptionally gentle and patient men. This was of a necessity when they tutored Belsambar and in their later task as decipherers of the Prophecies of Light. They were extremely close, and in fact their minds were so closely connected they finished each other's sentences. Beltira and Belkira's connection was put to good use as the two of them spent many centuries deciphering the Mrin and Darine Codices. Their bond allowed them to read the prophecies at the same time and hence know when they hit a correspondence between the two. As a result, the twins usually stayed in the Vale while the others went out to save the world. There were a few exceptions to this, such as the War of the Gods, the Battle of Vo Mimbre, and the Battle of Thull Mardu.
Malaz City

**Malaz City** was an island city and the home of Kellanved, the birthplace of his Malazan Empire. The city was located on the small Malaz Island which was found southeast of Quon Tali. It was split into northern and southern halves by the confluence of the North and South Malaz Rivers which flowed from the Firstsight Mountains into Malaz Bay.

Along the northern edge of the city ran the 500 foot tall Mock's Cliff, upon which sat Mock's Hold, former pirate stronghold and now Imperial Garrison. The fortress was reached by a switchback of wide stone steps known as Rampart Way leading from the city below. To the south the city was bounded by the Ridger Wall which ran in parallel to the Ridger hill.

Front Street in the harbour district was largely ancient warehouses interspersed with ramshackle taverns, inns, and tenement houses, all facing the piers. From there, a maze of dark and twisting narrow streets and alleys led further into the city. The city's larger estates butted up against the cliff wall below Mock's Hold. Also below the fortress was the Imperial Pier.

Ships docking in the harbour were subject to inspection by the city's Harbourmaster. The waters surrounding the piers were notorious for sharks and small leech-like eels.

According to Felisin Paran, the temple to Fener was located in (on the) Dockfront. There was also a temple to D'rek in the city.

Several blocks from the harbour was the Deadhouse, a seemingly abandoned stone structure amidst an overgrown yard, which was studiously avoided by the local residents.

Outside the city, the Jakata road was lined with slums.

As the Empire increased in size, Malaz City lost all tactical and strategic value and began a downward slide into irrelevance. Many of the city's influential residents relocated to the Imperial capital at Unta leaving many of the city's homes deserted. Trade declined, warehouses decayed, and piers eroded. Its primary value was as a military transit point.
Logros

**Logros T'lan Imass** was the name of the T'lan Imass clans under the command of Logros. At the First Gathering, Logros was chosen to lead the Imass clans native to the lands of the First Empire. As T'lan Imass, they served Emperor Kellanved of the Malazan Empire during his reign. Until the Pannion War, it was not generally known in the Empire that T'lan Imass clans other than Logros existed.

The Logros were tasked with guarding the First Throne from any usurpers looking to control the T'lan Imass. But the Throne found a "worthy occupant" in the form of Emperor Kellanved, who awakened the Logros and used their nineteen thousand strong army to help forge his empire and conquer Seven Cities.

In around 1152/1153 BS a revolt in Aren was put down by the Logros that led to a slaughter of its citizens. The attack appeared to have been instigated by Surly although no written orders were ever found. After the slaughter was over Dancer was sent to investigate resulting in an argument between the two.

After Kellanved's death, it was an uncertain time for the Logros. Their gathered minds created a binding to prevent themselves from revealing the location of the First Throne. It was rumoured that the Logros had refused to acknowledge the rule of new Empress Laseen. Then the discovery of surviving Jaghut in the Jhag Odhan proved a timely, if short lived, distraction. Only fourteen thousand Logros were left by the time the fighting concluded, and the new Empress had been left without their services during the first crucial years of her reign. Ultimately, the First Throne proved to not be as unoccupied as it had seemed.
2nd Army

The **2nd Army** formed part of what was known as Onearm's Host. This was the first Malazan Army introduced in the *Malazan Book of the Fallen*. Under the command of High Fist Dujek Onearm, they were the primary force at the Siege of Pale in the Genabackis Campaign. Tattersail commanded the mage cadre of the unit. Most of the members were recruited from the Seven Cities subcontinent.

Captain Paran thought that the old Seven Cities gesture of spitting had become the symbol of the Malaz 2nd Army.

The trading of favours was widespread in the 2nd and one of the reasons it had become a legion of legend. The phrase "always an even trade" was something of a slogan of the second and used by soldiers and officers alike.

At the time of the last battle of Pale, there were still some veterans in the 2nd who had fought with Dassem Ultor in Seven Cities and even as far back as Falar.
Kurik

Sparhawk's squire in *The Elenium*. Kurik has five sons: Khalad (the eldest) serves Sparhawk in a similar role to his father after his death; Talen is Khalad's half-brother, and is first encountered as a street-thief. He is killed by Adus at the climax of *The Sapphire Rose* and he is avenged by his son, Talen.

Kurik acts as Sparhawk's 'right-hand man,' and is much respected by all who know him (to the point that Martel, one of Sparhawk's greatest enemies, expresses deep regret to hear of his death). While many, especially Sparhawk himself, have expressed the opinion that Kurik would make an ideal Knight, the squire dismisses this out of hand due to his personal obligation to be Sparhawk's squire, a relationship that had begun many generations before between the families. Kurik is quite classist, not having a high opinion of the general intelligence of most nobles.
Sendaria

The **Kingdom of Sendaria** was a kingdom west of the Algarian plains, south of the Cherek peninsula, east of the Isle of the Winds, and north of the Duchy of Asturia in the Kingdom of Arendia. It was ruled by King Fulrach and Queen Layla during the time of Garion. The first King of Sendaria, King Fundor the Magnificent, was a turnip cultivator, who hated turnips and wanted to replace them with rutabagas, who was elected by his people after a seven year long election. According to Polgara, he was an intelligent man who managed to drive off the flattering men who came to him for noble titles by asking them to work and farm. This made "a class of noblemen with something irreplaceable: the sense of responsibilities." Sendaria was, before being an independent kingdom, part of Aloria, then of Arendia (as part of the independant Duchy of Wacune, then another independant duchy: the Duchy of Erat under Polgara), then a Tolnedran Province, before finally becoming a Kingdom.