Aranatha

Aranatha
Fan art by Puck
Biographical information
Race	Tiste Andii
Gender	Female
Family	Anomander Rake Andarist Desra Kedeviss Nenanda Nimander Golit Phaed Skintick

Aranatha [AIR-ah-nath-ah] was a Tiste Andii, who formerly lived on the moving island of Drift Avalii before the Tiste Edur invaded in an attempt to claim the Throne of Shadow. She was the daughter or grand-daughter of Anomander Rake. She and her relations (Nimander, Phaed, Skintick, Kedeviss, Nenanda, and Desra) were kept safe on the island by their uncle Andarist until the events in House of Chains.

She had long black hair, black skin, and silver startled eyes hinting of iron that never appeared. She was tremulous, diffident, and child-like. Nimander characterised her as holding foolish hopes, like some Goddess of Hope "whose only strength lay in an optimism immune to defeat" and "immune to reality." Desra considered her vapid and prone to a kind of pervasive disengagement, but conceded she was as coldly competent with a sword as the rest of them.

Aranatha loved Kedeviss dearly, admiring her cleverness and percipience.

In Reaper's Gale

After joining Adjunct Tavore Paran and the Bonehunters at Malaz City, Aranatha and the other Tiste Andii remained aboard the Adjunct's flagship, the Froth Wolf, for over a year as it crossed the oceans to Lether. At the start of the Malazan invasion of the Letherii Empire, the Andii were at the Adjunct's headquarters at Second Maiden Fort. The older Sandalath Drukorlat became a surrogate mother to the group, something which the mentally unstable Phaed deeply resented.

Phaed attempted to murder Sandalath in her sleep, but was stopped in the act by Nimander. Sandalath sought mercy for Phaed's act, but when she went to summon help, Withal threw Phaed out a window to her death. He refused to believe his wife would ever be safe while Phaed lived. When Sandalath returned with Lostara Yil and Banaschar, she was followed close behind by an upset Aranatha and the other Andii. Withal claimed Phaed had committed suicide and Nimander agreed.

The Bonehunters left the island to support the invasion, leaving the Andii behind to build Phaed's tomb. Clip, the Mortal Sword of the Black-Winged Lord and chosen of Mother Dark, later came to the island to bring Aranatha and the others to Rake. When Nimander said Rake did not want them, Clip claimed it only mattered what Mother Dark wanted. Nimander wondered whether their exile was finally over.

Spoiler warning: The following section contains significant plot details about Aranatha.

In Toll the Hounds

Clip attempted to bring Aranatha's group of Tiste Andii to Rake at Black Coral via Kurald Galain, but "layers of resistance" forced them to emerge further south on Genabackis. The Mortal Sword thought little of his charges, finding them largely weak and soft. He saw Aranatha as still a child behind her startled eyes.

Aranatha saving Nimander and Skintick by Marc Simonetti (official image)

Arriving in Morsko, Clip was intrigued by the town's flourishing cult of the Dying God. He sent Aranatha and the others to safety while he witnessed the cult's rituals in the local tavern. Nimander and Skintick attempted to investigate on their own and were nearly overcome by the ritual's call, but Aranatha pulled them free. Nimander marveled at the strength of will she normally kept hidden until it was needed. Its physical manifestation protected them until the ritual was over and sent the priests to flight. Hearing screams from the tavern, the group found Clip lying catatonic amidst a crowd of worshippers he had slain. Aranatha claimed Clip's insensate state was because the cult had taken something from him--perhaps his soul. Nimander had Clip's body placed in a wagon and organised the others to follow the fleeing priests to the presence of their god in Bastion. Aranatha claimed one of the town's three horses for the journey. It soon became clear their presence at Bastion was welcomed and expected as the cult left supplies for them along the way.

Near Heath they encountered Kallor walking to Darujhistan. Nimander recognised the High King's menace and talked him out of killing them all. Happy for an easy ride to Bastion, Kallor joined Desra in the wagon where he rebuffed her attempt to poison him with kelyk. Kallor later assaulted Aranatha by "help[ing] himself to a handful", but the Andii tossed the stunned man from the wagon. Kallor attempted to laugh the incident off, but Nimander could see he was shaken.

When Kallor, Nimander, and Skintick entered a ruined tower they discovered near the side of the road, Aranatha remained outside with the others. The High King returned alone in an agitated state and Desra demanded to know what happened to her kin. Kallor revealed that the Jaghut inhabiting the tower had decided to use them to their misfortune. Desra raced into the tower, rescuing Nimander and Skintick from Gothos. Then Aranatha announced she had to speak to Gothos. As she made for the tower, Kallor labeled her "uncanny". Later, Aranatha healed the bones in Nimander's hands that had been crushed in his ordeal.

They found Bastion seemingly abandoned, its streets empty and its walls and buildings marred by sigils and glyphs. Only the distant sound of singing and the feeling of watching eyes gave indication that anyone remained. Aranatha warned that the entire city was now sanctified as the Abject Temple of the Dying God, so they found a closed up inn to rest. Nimander, Skintick, and Kallor left to search out the Dying God's temple while Kedeviss remained behind with the others to prepare their armour and weapons and guard Clip. Desra felt there was something wrong with Aranatha--she seemed too calm and empty. Finding a mob of naked and armed worshippers surrounding the temple, Nimander and Skintick retreated as Kallor ventured through the crowd to the temple and did not return. Back at the inn, the Tiste Andii made plans to return to the temple with Clip once the element of darkness was in their favour.

At nightfall the group approached the temple and Aranatha's features blurred as she concentrated on protecting them with her quiet power. They were soon hemmed in by more than a thousand armed fanatics, but the Andii were not hampered by the same darkness that nearly blinded their opponents. Nimander, Skintick, and Desra slew the score of priests in the temple's front chamber, while Kedeviss and Nenanda formed a rearguard against the mob. Aranatha calmly led the way to the altar as Nimander dragged Clip. When Nimander confronted the Dying God, Aranatha startled them both by revealing the God was Bellurdan before seizing the puppet that served as the God's body. The God realised her true identity as she took the puppet under her control and Clip awoke. Kedeviss reported their enemies outside had all been killed or fled.

The revived Clip led the group into the Godswalk Mountains bringing them ever closer to Black Coral. But not all the Tiste Andii believed the Dying God had been bested. Kedeviss brought her suspicions to Nimander that the Dying God remained inside their guide. She ignored Nimander's urge for caution and confronted Clip alone one night. After he revealed the Dying God resided within him, he killed her and made it appear she had fallen to her death. Aranatha was immediately aware of Kedeviss' death, waking Nimander to tell him they had to pretend to accept Clip's ruse or he would kill them all. The others did not fall for Clip's ruse, but Nimander warned them the god was too powerful and they would have to play the fools until they brought him to Rake to deal with.

Just before reaching Black Coral, Clip opened a Gate into Kurald Galain that he said would take them the rest of the way. Nenanda pushed ahead of Nimander and was cut down by Clip's dagger in Nimander's stead, while the others were left trapped in darkness. Aranatha, now revealed to be a conduit for Mother Dark, rescued Nimander and brought them both to the Temple of Shadow in Black Coral. In Rake's absence they found Endest Silann in battle for control of Kurald Galain with Clip and the Dying God. Nimander bested Clip, while the actions of Mother Dark and the Redeemer defeated the Dying God, and Rake's sacrifice in Dragnipur preserved Kurald Galain, placing the Gate of Darkness within Black Coral.

Afterwards, Nimander took his father's place on the throne of the Tiste Andii with the support of Korlat, the High Priestess of Darkness, and the other Tiste Andii. Nimander was uncertain he deserved the position, but Skintick assured the new lord, that unlike his father, he was not alone, and Mother Dark was with them once more. Nimander also mourned the loss of Aranatha as Skintick noted their Aranatha had not been Aranatha for some time.

Significant plot details end here.

In The Crippled God

(Information needed)

History

Aranatha and scores of other progeny of Anomander Rake spent their childhoods in a snowswept keep in a remote mountain range. Rake lived among them in godlike indifference, but their daily needs were tended to by Endest Silann, a priest and ancient companion of Rake. The priest looked upon the children with dismay, knowing what kind of future awaited them. Consequently, he withheld his warmth and treated them like an ogre, although he never did them harm. The children endlessly tormented the old man, mocking and tripping him.

Eventually, Rake's brother Andarist arrived and the two argued bitterly for days. When it was over, Rake told the children Andarist was taking them away to an island. Freed from his duty, Endest wept as the children passed through a warren to Drift Avalii. Andarist proved a stern teacher, ending any insolence with a cuff to the head. The children eagerly took up arms and Andarist made them soldiers.

Although each of the children bore the blood of the Eleint, a bitter Andarist commanded they suppress it, trying to make them more his own children than Rake's.

Notes and references

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