High House Chains

The High House Chains is a House of the Deck of Dragons in Steven Erikson's fantasy series Malazan Book of the Fallen. Membership and alliance with High House Chains is marked through the inclusion of a massive flaw in the individual, and the celebration of imperfection.

Structure

The Crippled God

Ruler of High House Chains is The Crippled God. He recruits, promotes and abandons members of his House based on their usefulness to him.

The King In Chains

Until his death in Reaper's Gale, the King of High House Chains was the Tiste Edur Emperor of Lether, Rhulad Sengar. As of Ian Cameron Esslemont's Return of The Crimson Guard, the position is occupied by Skinner, Avowed of the Crimson Guard

Consort

Until her death in The Bonehunters, the Consort in Chains was Poliel, goddess of pestilence and disease. In Reaper's Gale, Janall, the former Empress of Lether, has the position. In "The Crippled God", the role is taken by Adjunct Tavore Paran.

Reaver

In the glossary of the novel The Bonehunters, Kallor is identified as the Reaver of High House Chains.

Knight

The unwilling Knight of Chains is the Thelomen Toblakai giant, Karsa Orlong. Karsa fulfills his duties with the utmost reluctance, and has defied the wishes of the Crippled God many times, through decimating his supporters in Raraku at the end of House of Chains and in Reaper's Gale by slaying the King of High House Chains.

Seven of the Dead Fires

Analogous to the Magi, Captain or Hounds in other decks, the position of Seven of the Dead Fires is held by seven renegade T'lan Imass. Their number was reduced by Karsa Orlong in House of Chains to six. Additionally, Imroth was killed in Reaper's Gale, after she was blown up by Hedge's cusser.

• Urugal the Woven, aka. Urual "Mossy Bone"
• Beroke Soft Voice, aka. Ber'ok "Dead Ash Tree"
• Kahlb the Silent Hunter
• Thenik the Shattered
• Halad Rack Bearer
• Imroth the Cruel
• 'Siballe the Unfound, aka. 'Sin'b'alle "Lichen For Moss"

Herald

The Jaghut Gethol, Gothos' brother, once Herald of High House Death, is now Herald to the House of Chains.

Magi

The position of Magi in High House Chains was held by Bidithal, formerly a priest of Rashan, the Warren of Shadow, and High Mage of Sha'ik. Bidithal was killed by Karsa Orlong in House of Chains. As of Reaper's Gale, the position of Magi is unoccupied.

Cripple

The position of Cripple of High House Chains is held by Munug, the painter of the cards for the House of Chains.

Leper

The position of Leper of High House Chains was held by Silgar, Karsa Orlong's former slavemaster. Silgar was slain in House of Chains, and In "The Crippled God", the position is occupied by Fiddler.

Fool

As of Dust of Dreams, the Fool of High House Chains is Banaschar, a former priest of D'rek. The position may have been occupied by Tene Baralta before his death in The Bonehunters .

Possible Patron

It is mentioned in Memories of Ice that the goddess Mowri, Lady of the Poor, has embraced the positions of Cripple, Leper, and Fool. Whether that means she now occupies a place in the House of Chains is unclear.