# Reminders for Reaper's Gale
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## Characters

Reaper's Gale drops us back to familiar characters from Midnight Tides, both Letheri and Edur. It _also_ introduces a whole new slate of characters across multiple storylines. I won't try to tell you who Tehol and Rhulad are here, but this should act as a guide for minor or previously unintroduced characters.

### Gods and Ascendants

#### Elder

* **Errastas:** The Errant, Master of Holds. Formerly known as Turudal Brizad, the Queen's consort.
* **Kilmandaros:** Primarily known for pummeling her problems into dust. Mother of Sechul Lath.
* **Sechul Lath:** Knuckles, the Lord of Chance and Mischance. He, like his mother, seems to have extra joints and a horizontally hinged sternum.

#### Tiste Soletaken

* **Silchas Ruin:** Brother to Andarist and Anomander Rake. Late of the Azath tower in Letheras, now on the run. Known as the White Crow.
* **Scabandari Bloodeye:** Father Shadow, the god of the Tiste Edur. Quite dead. Kilmandaros isn't subtle; we saw his crushed draconic skull in Midnight Tides.
* **Sheltatha Lore:** Daughter Dusk, imprisoned with Silchas Ruin after Scabandari's betryal.
* **Menandore:** Sister Dawn. Tormentor/rapist of Udinaas and mother to Rud Elalle. Hated by the Edur.
* **Sukul Ankhadu:** Sister Dapple. Feared by the Edur. Sukul Ankhadu had some role in closing Starvald Demelain to the Letherii.

#### Other

* **Fener:** The erstwhile God of Summer, pulled inadvertently into the mortal realm by Heboric and Baudin in Deadhouse Gates.
* **Unnamed demon spirit:** The sea demon/creature that grew in power by all the blood sacrifices offered to it, trapped by Mael and the Jaghut Huntress under Settle Lake. Hannan Mosag's former toy.

### Letheras

#### The Liberty Consign

A collaborative guild of the extremely wealthy. The Liberty Consign seeks to keep the economic order of Letheras stable after the Edur conquest, which follows since they're the ones on top.

* **Rautos Hivanar:** Master of this guild. More concerned with archaeology than his formal role in the Liberty Consign.
* **Venitt Sathad:** Indentured to Hivanar, works as his field agent

#### The Patriotists

Letherii 'secret' police, similar to the Stasi. They enforce their set of rules through disappearances, informants, and public executions.

* **Karos Invictad:** The Invigilator, head of the Patriotists. Self-appointed smartest man in the world. Enjoys puzzles and crushing the will of his enemies.
* **Tanal Yathvanar:** Karos' apparent second-in-command and sadist.
* **Sirryn Kanar:** A lieutenant with little creativity but excessive loyalty.
* **Orbyn Truthfinder:** A section commander in Drene.
* **Bruthen Trana:** Tiste Edur liasion between the Patriotists and the Emperor Rhulad.

#### Imperial Court

* **Triban Gnol:** First Chancellor of the dead king, Diskanar.
* **Nisall:** First Consort of the dead king.
* **Hannan Mosag:** The Warlock ex-king of the Edur who unified the different factions of Edur. He was supposed to get the mottled sword for himself, but Rhulad took it.
* **Tomad and Uruth Sengar:** Parents of the Sengars, including the new Emperor, Rhulad. Uruth is a witch.
* **Kuru Qan:** The dead Ceda who trapped the demon god in the ice and died fighting off Hannan Mosag's K'risnan.

#### The Champions (and their associates)

* **Karsa Orlong:** Karsa Orlong.
* **Samar Dev:** A witch from Ugurat who ended up attached to Karsa. Inventor, cynic, and collector of souls.
* **Icarium:** A Jhag. Come on, we probably don't need to include Icarium at this point. You know this guy.
* **Taralack Veed:** A Gral warrior appointed by the Nameless Ones to act as Icarium's keeper, replacing Mappo. Has an unusual habit of using spit to style his hair.
* **Taxilian:** An architect who acts as an interpreter.
* **The Seguleh Twelfth:** It's all in the name, right? She's the 12th highest ranked Seguleh.
* **Gadalanak:** A Meckros warrior.
* **Puddy:** A gladiator of sorts.

#### Tehol's Gang

* **Shurq Elalle:** Undead thief-turned-pirate-captain with a fancy makeover including a jewel on her forehead and a parasitic growth.
* **Skorgen Kaban:** Also called Pretty. First mate on Shurq's ship, the *Undying Gratitude*.
* **Ormly:** Champion rat catcher and board member of the Rat Catcher's Guild.
* **Rucket:** Chief Investigator of the Rat Catcher's Guild. May have a thing for Tehol but then which Letherii woman doesnt.
* **Ublala Pung:** A Thelomen descendant, strong and simple minded, repeatedly abused by the women around him.

#### Others

* **Hanradi Khalag:** Chief of the Merude clan, conquered by Hannan, lost his son in the Battle of the High Fort. Last seen bringing back Karsa as a Champion.
* **Varat Taun:** Bluerose origin, part of the fleet who raided the guardians of the First Throne.
* **Feather Witch:** An intergenerational Letherii slave of the Sengar household, witch and powerful tile caster, last seen handing a suicide knife to Mayen and then taking for herself a severed finger from Brys Beddict.

### The Shake

* **Brullyg:** Ex-prisoner, successfully led a revolt and became ruler of Second Maiden Fort.
* **Yedan Derryg:** Half-brother to Yan Tovis. Known for a chiseled jaw.
* **Yan Tovis:** Preda at Shake Tower, also called Twilight.
* **Pully and Skwish:** Ancient Shake witches.

### Drene and the Awl'dan

#### Letherii and Edur

* **Letur Anict:** Factor at Drene. Connected to the Patriotists.
* **Bivatt:** Preda leading the Drene garrison against the Awl.
* **Brohl Handar:** Edur of the Arapay tribe (the one furthest north, seal hunters) who was assigned to Drene as Overseer, a sort of liason posting.

#### The Awl

* **Redmask:** A legendary Awl warrior with a sketchy history. And yes, he literally wears a red mask.
* **Masarch:** An Awl warleader of the Renfayar clan.
* **Hadralt:** A warleader of the Ganetok clan, the most powerful remaining clan of the Awl.
* **Torrent:** A young warrior of the Awl who thinks rather highly of himself.
* **Natarkas:** A powerful warrior of the Ganetok clan.
* **Sag'Churok and Gunth Mach:** Redmask's _unusual_ bodyguards. Oh, let's just come out and say it: they're K'Chain Che'malle. Sag'Churok is a K'ell Hunter (like the dead ones we saw in Memories of Ice). Gunth Mach is a female drone.

### Exiles

* **Seren Pedac:** Acquitor and budding mage of Mockra.
* **Fear Sengar:** Brother to Rhulad and Trull. On a mission to help restore his people from the corruption of the Crippled God.
* **Udinaas:** Slave to the Sengar household and former confidant of Rhulad. Dark, cynical, but _way_ too insightful.
* **Kettle:** A formerly undead girl who guarded the dying Azath tower in Letheras. Now restored to life.
* **Wither:** An Andii wraith who latched on to Udinaas and helped free Silchas Ruin.
* **Clip:** A Bluerose Tiste Andii (like Ahlrada Ahn) with a considerably high opinion of himself.

### The Refugium

* **Rud Elalle:** Son of Menandore and Udinaas, growing up very fast (think Silverfox).
* **Ulshun Pral:** A leader of the Bentract Imass of the Refugium.
* **Hostille Rator:** A clan chief of the Bentract T'lan Imass.
* **Til'aras Benok and Gr'istanas Ishilm:** Bonecasters of the Bentract Tlan Imass.

### Malazans of the 14th

#### Leadership

* **Lostara Yil:** Former Red Blade, former lover of the Claw Pearl, now Tavore's right hand in T'amber's place. Trained in the Shadowdance.
* **Blistig:** Former commander of the Aren Guard, now Fist under Tavore.
* **Kindly and Pores**: The notorious captain and his long-suffering lieutenant.

#### Detached Marines

* **Keneb:** Fist who led the defense of Froth Wolf and Silanda in Malaz City. Detached to the Marines.
* **Faradan Sort:** Keneb's second in command. May have stood the Stormwall in the past.
* **Madan'tul Rada:** Sort's assistant.
* **Beak:** A squad mage with a tragic backstory and surprising abilities.
* **Bottle, Cuttle, Smiles, Koryk, Tarr, and Corabb Bhilan Thenu'alas:** Fiddler's squad. Bottle is still a mage who can control animals and Corabb is still Oponn's favorite. 4th squad, 9th company.
* **Gesler, Stormy, Sands, Shortnose, Flashwit, Uru Hela, and Mayfly:** Gesler's squad, almost entirely composed of heavies. 5th squad, 9th company.
* **Hellian, Touchy, Brethless, Balgrid, Tavos Pond, Maybe, and Lutes:** Hellian's squad. Hellian is a drunk and has arachnophobia. Touchy and Brethless, her two corporals, have served under her since way back in Kartool. 8th squad, 9th company.
* **Thom Tissy, Tulip, Ramp, Jibb, Gullstream, Mudslinger, and Bellig Harn:** 12th squad, 9th company under Thom Tissy.
* **Urb, Reem, Bowl, Hanno, Saltlick, and Scant:** 13th squad, 9th company. Urb earned his own squad after dragging Hellian out of Y'ghatan, an event she still periodically wants to kill him over.
* **Pravalak Rim, Honey, Strap Mull, Shoaly, Sinter, Kisswhere, and Lookback:** 4th squad, 3rd company.
* **Badan Gruk, Ruffle, Skim, Nep Furrow, Reliko, and Vastly Blank:** The heavily Dal Honese 5th squad, 3rd company. Nep Furrow is a bush warlock, who talks in an incomprehensible accent.
* **Primly, Hunt, Mulvan Dreader, Neller, Skulldeath, and Drawfirst:** 10th squad, 3rd company.

#### Other Soldiers

* **Cord, Shard, Limp, Ebron, Crump, and Sinn:** 7th squad, 9th company, largely former Ashok Regiment. Sinn is a traumatized girl and high mage. Crump's actual name is Jamber Bole, High Marshal of the Mott Irregulars.
* **Balm, Deadsmell, Throatslitter, Galt, Lobe, and Widdershins:** This humble writer's favorite squad, the 9th, 9th company. Deadsmell is a mage of Hood. Throatslitter's laugh can nearly kill all on its own.
* **Masan Gilani:** Dal Honese heavy and excellent rider. She has... other charms. Technically in Urb's squad?

#### Civilians

* **Banaschar:** Former high priest of D'rek, the Worm of Autumn. Stole the entire temple coffers after D'rek killed her followers (except Tayschrenn and Banaschar himself). Last seen getting arrested by Sgt. Hellian and dragged aboard _Froth Wolf_, the Adjunct's flagship.
* **Withal:** "Foreigner" from The Bonehunters and the Meckros blacksmith who made Rhulad's sword for the Crippled God.
* **Sandalath Drukorlat:** Tiste Andii wife of Withal. First killed long ago, her soul was released by the Crimson Guards traveling with Seren Pedac in Midnight Tides. She was restored as a companion for Withal and it didn't go well at first. Now they're married, so something worked out?
* **Grub:** Keneb's adopted son. Walked the Chain of Dogs. Now the only friend of Sinn. Has a knack for saying prophetic things. Oh, and there's an epigraph in The Bonehunters that identifies him as a future First Sword of the Malazan Empire.

### Other

* **Janath Anar:** A Letheri scholar and former tutor to Tehol Beddict.
* **Nimander Golit:** First son of the First Son of Darkness, putative leader of the Drift Avalii Tiste Andii.
* **Phaed:** One of Nimander's band. A dark woman who barely restrains herself.
* **Curdle and Telorast:** Dragon spirits possessing a couple of reconstructed fossils who were formerly attached to Apsalar. They now seem to follow Banaschar.
* **Onrack:** The Broken. T'lan Imass who is breaking free from the Ritual, friend to Trull.
* **Emroth:** One of the Unbound freed (and once worshiped) by Karsa.
* **Old Hunch Arbat:** An ancient Tarthenol. You may remember him as the guy who gathered refuse as an offering to the Seregahl.
* **Pithy and Brevity:** Ex-cons at Second Maiden Fort. Now self-appointed members of the port authority.
* **Ursto Hoobutt and Pinosel:** Remember the two drunks by the lake at the end of Midnight Tides? It's these two. Yes, they're back, and they're worth mentioning.

## Wait, what's going on again? What you need to know to start reading.

### Geography

(Almost) all action takes place on the subcontinent Lether, an area off most Malazan maps. It’s northern reaches are icy despite being equatorial. Have a look at [this site](https://https://joshua-butler.com/malazan-lether-kolanse) which has great looking, fan made maps of the Malazan world.

There is a minor amount of world-skipping as well, but it shouldn't be too wild.

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### The story so far

The youngest Sengar brother, Rhulad has returned from the dead with a sword gifted to him by the Crippled God. He is now Emperor of Letheras. At the end of Midnight Tides, he commands his Edur armies to look for and bring back worthy opponents to duel with him. Remember that his skills and powers increase each time he dies and respawns.

Fear Sengar runs away from Rhulad and leaves the city with Seren Pedac. Joining him are:

* Udinaas, the Wyval-infected slave
* Silchas Ruin, the albino Tiste Andii
* Kettle, the undead guardian of the Azath who begins coming back to life
* Seren Pedac, Acquitor of the Letheri Empire

Trull Sengar, the shorn Edur, does not join them. He was last seen in The Bonehunters fighting Icarium. He also handed a sword to Seren Pedac at her threshold at the end of MT.

Tehol Beddict nearly died after being beaten up by Edur thugs, his manservant Bugg (who is the Elder god of seas, Mael) brings him back to life. He opted not to crash the Letheri economy ahead of the Edur invasion. Brys Beddict dies by poisoning but is taken by the Guardian of the Names.

The Malazan 14th army under Adjunct Tavore have sailed away from Malaz City at the end of Bonehunters. Admiral Nok does not accompany them, and neither do the Wickans who decide to head to their homeland, the Wickan plains in Northern Quon Tali. The 14th _is_ joined by the Perish Grey Helms, a religious mercenary company that worship the new wolf gods of war, Togg and Fanderey, the Wolves of Winter.

High Fist Ganoes Paran was last seen heading towards Aren with his Host and the last remaining army of the rebels led by Mathok.

Withal and Sandalath Drukorlat managed to escape the Crippled God's clutches and landed in Malaz City. He meets a small group of Tiste Andii who had left Drift Avalii and they too join Tavore.

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### Notes on reading

1. You may want to consider rereading the prologue to Midnight Tides. The Reaper's Gale prologue picks up shortly after the former leaves off, just after the defeat of the K'Chain Che'malle and betrayal of Silchas Ruin by Scabandari Bloodeye.
2. More generally, hang in there on this one. It throws _lots_ of new characters and politics in the first few chapters, to the point where you might feel like you're drowning with only small doses of Tehol and Bugg to latch onto as familiar territory.
3. The focus of the book also shifts somewhat around the halfway point. You'll know it when you get there. An awful lot of first time readers find it easier from there on.