Bairoth Gild [BAY-roth GILD][1] was a young warrior of the Uryd clan of the Teblor.[2] He was of an age with Karsa Orlong and Delum Thord. He was heavier and shorter than those two warriors and possessed a bear-like quality.[3] He had a broad, blunt face.[4]
Bairoth rivalled Karsa for the affections of Dayliss. Karsa thought Bairoth lacked cold ambition, choosing to follow rather than lead, and had little doubt whom Dayliss would ultimately choose.[5] Bairoth amused himself at his rival's expense by using words whose many-edged meanings were lost on Karsa.[6]
In House of Chains[]
Delum, along with Bairoth, was one of the members of Karsa Orlong's war party that sought to outdo the fabled raid of Karsa's grandfather Pahlk on Silver Lake. During their travels, Bairoth often questioned Karsa's strategy and decisions without directly challenging his Warleader.
When the trio discovered the Forkrul Assail, Calm, pinned under a stone slab, Bairoth successfully argued to release her despite Delum Thord's misgivings. As Calm attacked Karsa, Bairoth held back while Delum attempted to defend their Warleader. Delum took a terrible blow to the head that left him with a mental capacity no greater than animal. Bairoth's guilt, combined with Karsa's indifference, led him to angrily reveal that he and Dayliss had long been lovers who had laughed at Karsa's attempts to woo her. The two Teblor were only prevented from killing each other by the interruption of an armed party of lowlanders. Once their mutual enemies were dispatched, Bairoth and Karsa agreed to defer their argument until their return home.[7]
Upon arrival at Silver Lake, a guilt stricken and weeping Bairoth painted Delum's face with the blood-mask of a warrior on a suicide mission.[8] During the attack, Delum was killed and both Bairoth and Karsa were badly wounded and captured. Bairoth refused to reveal details about the Uryd settlements to the slaver, Master Silgar, and so was beheaded as a warning to Karsa. As the killing blade came down, Bairoth cursed at Karsa shouting, "Lead me, Warleader!".[9]
Later, Karsa found himself in Raraku on Seven Cities. In a glade of petrified trees he carved the images of The Seven Faces in the Rock as well as his companions, Bairoth and Delum. He soon realised the spirits of his friends remained tied to him.[10] Bairoth maintained his argumentative nature and offered his warleader advice as well as sarcastic commentary.[11][12] Ultimately, Karsa forged a sword of stone, offering it as a refuge for his friends' souls.[13] Karsa named the sword Bairoth Delum.[14]
Perhaps unknown to Bairoth, Dayliss was pregnant with his child when he departed on Karsa's raid.[15]
In The Bonehunters[]
The bound souls of Bairoth Gild and Delum Thord grew restive in Karsa's when danger neared. Karsa could feel tension building in the sword and supposed it was his old friends providing a warning.[16]
In Reaper's Gale[]
Karsa asked Samar Dev if she could sense the two Toblakai souls held within his weapon. The witch admitted she did, but said she dare not approach the trapped spirits as they were too strong for her. Karsa disputed that the souls of his former companions were trapped by his will, saying they chose to reside in the sword which honoured them.[17] Later, Bairoth appeared to chide Karsa over his romantic frustrations with Samar Dev, but Karsa concluded the voice in his head was merely his own conscience.[18]
In Toll the Hounds[]
Samar Dev noted the mass of souls who had once followed in Karsa's wake were gone since his clash with the Emperor. Only Bairoth Gild and Delum Thord remained at their place in his sword.[19] When Karsa stood up to Shadowthrone and Cotillion, wryly mocking their own arrogance, the two gods observed the souls in the Teblor's sword were proud of his words.[20]
Trivia[]
Author Steven Erikson found the dialogue between Bairoth and Karsa at the start of House of Chains to be "probably the most pleasurable" to write in the entire Malazan Book of the Fallen series.[1]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Read for Pixels 2016 Interview As pronounced by Steven Erikson at 1:47:45
- ↑ House of Chains, Dramatis Personae
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 1, US SFBC p.38-39
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.98
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 1, US SFBC p.32
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.175
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.78-91
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.98
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.112
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.383/396
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 14
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.578
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.524-525
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.577
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 1, US SFBC p.35
- ↑ The Bonehunters, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.126
- ↑ Reaper's Gale, Chapter 7, US HC p.166
- ↑ Reaper's Gale, Chapter 15, US HC p.422
- ↑ Toll the Hounds, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.564
- ↑ Toll the Hounds, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.576-579