Deck of Dragons
The Deck of Dragons is a part of the fantasy series Malazan Book of the Fallen. The Deck is made up of cards and acts not unlike a Tarot deck in that it is used to predict future events. In the Malazan world, it is used to give its readers a sense of the state of the pantheon. A card represents a specific role in one of the Houses (elements), although some are called Unaligned because they do not belong to any one House or element. As of Dust of Dreams, the ninth book in the series, the Deck of Dragons consisted of the following cards, although these will change in the future depending on the ascendancy of mortals or the fall of gods. It contains 7 'houses', or suits and 58 unaligned, for a total of approximately 120 cards. This page does not attempt to outline the Tiles of the Holds.[1]
High House Life
- King - Brys Beddict
- Queen - T'riss, the Queen of Dreams
- Champion - Lostara Yil
- Priest - Kruppe
- Herald - Ublala Pung
- Soldier
- Weaver - Agayla
- Builder
High House Death
- King/Guardians of the gate - Hood was King until his death, then Whiskyjack and the Bridgeburners became the Guardians
- Queen
- Knight - the Seguleh Second, formerly Baudin, formerly Dassem Ultor
- Magi - Talamandas
- Herald - formerly Gethol, now Toc Anaster/Toc the Younger
- Soldier - Baudin, formerly the Seguleh Second
- Spinner
- Mason - Hedge, formerly Whiskeyjack, briefly Thordy
- Virgin - formerly Sorry/Apsalar, later Grub (and possibly Sinn as well)
High House Light
- King
- Queen
- Champion - Osserc, later Krin Ne Fant
- Priest - losirc
- Captain
- Soldier - Kyle of the Crimson Guard
- Seamstress
- Builder - Hurl
- Maiden
High House Dark
- King -
- Queen - Sandalath Drukorlat
- Knight - Anomander Rake until his death, now Nimander Golit
- Magi - Quick Ben
- Herald - Clip claims the position; the veracity of this claim is unsubstantiated.
- Captain
- Soldier
- Weaver
- Mason
- Wife
High House Shadow
- King - Shadowthrone/Ammanas, formerly Tulas Shorn
- Queen
- Assassin - The Rope/Cotillion.
- Magi - Iskaral Pust
- Knight - Trull Sengar until his death. Trull Sengar's unborn son is currently fated to be Knight of Shadow.
- Hound - The Hounds of Shadow
- Apprentice
- Mistress- Vorcan Radok
High House Chains
- The King in Chains - Rhulad Sengar until his death; now Skinner, Avowed of the Crimson Guard
- The Consort - Poliel until her death; later Janall, former Empress of Lether; later Tavore Paran?
- Reaver - Kallor
- Knight - Karsa Orlong
- The Seven of the Dead Fires - The Unbound
- Herald - Gethol
- Magi - Bidithal, until his death
- Cripple - Banashar (formerly Munnug)
- Leper - Silgar, until his death
- Fool
High House War
- Lord of Wolves/Lords of War - Togg and Fanderay; formerly, Fener the Boar of Summer
- Hunter - Treach
- Guardians of the Dead - The Bridgeburners
- Mercenary - formally the Army Of the Grey Helms
- Army-Soldier - The Malazan 14th Army
- Herald - Toc the Younger/Toc Anaster
Unaligned Ascendants
- Oponn - The Lord and Lady of Chance
- Obelisk - Burn, although K'rul says he uses an obelisk as a sign
- Crown
- Sceptre - Grub
- Orb
- Throne
- Chain
- Master of the Deck - Ganoes Paran
- Lifeslayer - Icarium
- Deathslayer - The Crippled God -until his departure from Wu
- Salvation - Felisin the Younger's faction
- The Apocalyptic - Sha'ik and Felisin's army
- The Warlord Caladan Brood
- Silchas Ruin/The White Crow
- Rud Elalle
- The Errant, Master of the Tiles of the Holds
- K'rul
- Mael
- Kilimandaros (until her death in The Crippled God)
- Sechul Lath/Knuckles (until his death in The Crippled God)
- Draconus also known as Consort to Mother Dark
- Olar Ethil (until her death in The Crippled God)
- Edgewalker
- Fener the Bereft (until his death in The Crippled God)
- Apsalar, Lady of Thieves
- Beru
- Nerruse
- Dessembrae/Dassem Ultor, Lord of Tragedy
- Gedderone
- Jhess
- Mowri
- Soliel
- Scabandari Bloodeye/Father Shadow (until his spirit is used to create an Azath)
- Sheltatha Lore (until her death in Reaper's Gale)
- Sukul Ankhadu (until her death in Reaper's Gale)
- Menandore (until her death in Reaper's Gale)
- Lady Envy
- Sister Spite
- Tiam
- The Crimson Guard Avowed
- Ardata
- Gesler (until his death in The Crippled God)
- Itkovian The Redeemer
- Great Ravens
- Stormy (until his death in The Crippled God)
- Coltaine reborn
- Hounds of Darkness
- Hounds of Light
- Silverfox
- Kilava onass
- The Azath
- Mappo Runt (until his Death in The Crippled God)
- Kruppe
- D'rek, the Worm of Autumn
- Eres
- Grizzin Farl
- Gothos
- Tulas Shorn
- Greymane (until his Death in Stonewielder)
- Fisher
- Gruntle (until his death in The Crippled God)
See also
References
- ^ Erikson, Steven. Midnight Tides, Bantam Press, 2004. ISBN 0593046277