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Blend was a soldier in the 7th Squad of the Bridgeburners.[1] She was slim with soft brown (or dark) eyes, and her skin tone and the cast of her features was no different from local Daru or Genabarii in Darujhistan.[2][3] Picker was her lover.[4]

She was not very talkative by nature[5] and was a perceptive observer. She could see through illusory magic[6] and was a skilled interpreter of tracks.[7]

Blend wore a small stone around her neck which she had bought from an old desert merchant in Pan'potsun. She said it made it hard for people to focus on her. This ability to blend into her surroundings and go unnoticed had resulted in her name. She was unaware that it was a natural talent, not the stone that gave her those advantages.[8] Blend used her abilities to gather intelligence, and frequently kept her fellow squadmates informed of what their commanders were thinking and saying.[9] Like many Malazan soldiers, her name was bestowed by the legendary Master Sergeant, Braven Tooth.[10]

She wore a chain hauberk and carried a matched pair of Wickan longknives on a belt that rode low on her hips.[11]

In Memories of Ice[]

Day 26 - Hide by Shadaan

Picker and Blend by Shadaan

After the events of the Gedderone Fête at Darujhistan, the Bridgeburners rejoined High Fist Dujek Onearm's now "renegade" army at Pale. Blend served as part of a Malazan patrol with Picker watching hillside trails and awaiting the delivery of ten thousand councils from Darujhistan.[12]

Dujek allied with their former enemies Caladan Brood and Anomander Rake to fight the Pannion Domin. Cadre mage Spindle led Blend, Detoran, Hedge, Picker, and Trotts into Brood's command tent to steal Fiddler and Hedge's old card table. Rigged to win card games using the Deck of Dragons, it had been lost as a spoil of war when the Bridgeburner camp in Mott Wood was overrun. Spindle and the squad soon put the table back into action to swindle their fellow soldiers. But the presence of a new and heretofore unknown Master of the Deck card caused the plan to backfire, lightening their own purses.[13]

As the allied armies marched to lift the Pannion Siege of Capustan, the Bridgeburners were sent ahead to forge an alliance with Humbrall Taur's White Face Barghast. The Barghast and the Bridgeburners journeyed to Capustan where Blend and the Bridgeburners fought their way into the city past the Tenescowri using Moranth munitions.[14]

Blend by bluefire

Blend by bluefire

After the siege was lifted and the Pannions defeated, Blend accompanied the Bridgeburners to the Thrall. There she deftly explained to Picker the complicated motivations behind Itkovian's confrontation with Rath'Fener.[15] She later reported to Picker on the statuses of the various factions within Capustan.

Her report was interrupted when the necromancers Bauchelain and Korbal Broach approached Picker for directions to someone who could provide them supplies. Not knowing who he was and not caring for Bauchelain's haughty manner, she knocked him unconscious with a gauntleted fist to the face. Before Broach could come his partner's aid, Blend dropped him with a sword pommel to the skull.[16]

During the Siege of Coral, Dujek sent the Bridgeburners into the city by Quorl under the cover of darkness. Their mission was to attack the keep of the Pannion Seer while the High Fist led the rest of the army into the city itself.[17] Blend's squad fought K'ell Hunters with Moranth munitions in the streets surrounding the keep while Hedge and his sappers worked to gain entrance. Her squad was decimated by the undead K'Chain Che'Malle until the arrival of T'lan Imass First Sword Onos T'oolan gave them an opening to return to the keep.[18] Once inside, Picker was nearly killed by a Hunter's attack but for Blend pushing her out of the way and Hedge's sacrificial use of a cusser. Blend was knocked unconscious and seriously injured by the resulting explosion.[19]

Amidst the hard fighting with the Seer's Urdomen and Seerdomin, Picker made a temporary alliance with Lady Envy to rescue Toc the Younger in return for magically healing Blend and her other soldiers. After retrieving Toc's body, Picker led the few surviving Bridgeburners back outside just before Anomander Rake crushed the keep from above with Moon's Spawn.[20]

Dujek allowed Blend and the surviving Bridgeburners to secretly retire as had been Whiskeyjack's wish.[21] They went to Darujhistan where Antsy convinced her and Picker to use their accumulated back pay to establish K'rul's Bar in the Elder God's former temple.[22]

In The Bonehunters[]

Quick Ben told Fiddler and Kalam Mekhar that contrary to reports there had been some survivors in Coral and named Blend as one of those now living in Darujhistan.[23]

Ganoes Paran also mentioned Blend as one of the survivors when he came across Apsalar and told her that those survivors had bought K'rul's Bar in Darujhistan and that he had been treated well enough amongst them.[24]

In Toll the Hounds[]

Picker, Blend and Antsy by Shadaan V1

Picker, Blend and Antsy by Shadaan

Darujhistan's Assassins' Guild accepted a contract from Humble Measure to slay the Bridgeburners[25] During the Gedderone Fête, the Guild launched failed attacks on Picker, Antsy, and Bluepearl in the city streets. The remaining Bridgeburners gathered at K'rul's Bar to launch an investigation to learn who had purchased a Guild contract against them.[26]

Later, Antsy, Picker, and Blend spotted Barathol Mekhar, Scillara, and Chaur while enjoying a meal at another restaurant. Recognising Barathol's resemblance to Kalam Mekhar, they feared the Claw had sent someone to finish off the Bridgeburners once and for all. A drinking contest between the two groups alleviated the Bridgeburners' concerns and defused the situation.[27] The encounter ended back at K'rul's Bar where all but Chaur spent the evening sharing beds.[28] Scillara concluded that Blend had fallen in love with her.[29]

K'rul's Bar by Marc Simonetti

The attack on K'rul's Bar by Marc Simonetti (Official Image)

After failing to take individual Bridgeburners in the streets unaware, the Assassins' Guild launched a major attack on the bar itself. Five assassins entered the bar's front entrance disguised as customers, a dozen tried to enter the back kitchen, and eleven more infiltrated the bar's upper level through a window. Blend was at her usual seat disappearing into the background by the front door when she realised what was happening. Before she could intervene, another three assassins entered the front door and began firing their crossbows. She slipped among the newcomers like smoke, dispatching them with her knives before another new arrival shot her in the left shoulder. As the man lunged for her, Picker fired a quarrel into his forehead. Blend tried to pull the bolt free from her shoulder, but the pain caused her to pass out.[30]

When she awoke on the floor, another half-dozen newly arrived assassins entered the bar and charged her. She reached for a knife before the barreling form of Chaur interrupted the attack. Soon the young man was joined by Barathol and Antsy to kill the rest. When it was all over, Bluepearl and Mallet were dead. Blend kept repeating, "They caught us, Pick", and blamed the result on their own carelessness.[31]

Without Mallet, Blend recovered slowly in bed as close to death as she had ever been, tended to by a local cutter with passing skills sent by Coll. When Scillara told her Picker was too aggrieved by the near loss of the woman she loved to seek vengeance on their attackers, Blend sent for a High Denul healer no matter the cost. [32][33] But by the time Blend was back in fighting shape, Picker was left in a catatonic state by a disastrous effort to contact Ganoes Paran with the aid of Raest at the Finnest House. Following the only bit of advice received from Paran, Blend took Antsy to find the assassins' nest from the Eel.[34]

Blend took to sleeping by Picker's side, silently preparing herself to say goodbye.[35] After Barathol was imprisoned for operating an illegal smithy, Blend went to visit him at the gaol with Scillara and Ansty. She paid off Barathol's fines out of respect for Kalam Mekhar.[36]

On the last night of the Gedderone Fête, as powerful forces converged on Darujhistan, Blend confronted Seba Krafar, Master of the Assassins' Guild, in his underground office and demanded the name of the person who opened the contract on the Bridgeburners. Seba underestimated the Malazan, believing her death would earn some additional coin for Humble Measure's contract, and attacked. Blend handily bested him, breaking his nose and puncturing his liver with a crossbow bolt. The dying Seba gave up Humble Measure in return for a healing vial.[37]

Back at the bar, Blend was told by Duiker that Picker had suddenly awoken and walked out. Once Picker delivered Hood's message to Karsa Orlong she returned and was warmly reunited with a tearful Blend.[38]

In The Crippled God[]

(Information needed)

In Orb Sceptre Throne[]

(Information needed)

Fan art gallery[]

Notes and references[]

  1. Memories of Ice, Dramatis Personae
  2. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.177
  3. Memories of Ice, Chapter 11
  4. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 5, UK HB p.149
  5. Memories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.574
  6. Memories of Ice, Chapter 24, US SFBC p.868
  7. Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.926
  8. Memories of Ice, Chapter 24, UK MMPB p.1024
  9. Memories of Ice, Chapter 8, US SFBC p.315
  10. House of Chains, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.252
  11. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 15, US SFBC p.626
  12. Memories of Ice, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.85
  13. Memories of Ice, Chapter 4
  14. Memories of Ice, Chapter 17
  15. Memories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.602
  16. Memories of Ice, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.703-707
  17. Memories of Ice, Chapter 24, US SFBC p.877-878
  18. Memories of Ice, Chapter 24, US SFBC p.885-892
  19. Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.914-916
  20. Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.916-917/938/940
  21. Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.991-992
  22. Memories of Ice, Epilogue, US SFBC p.997-1000
  23. The Bonehunters, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.118
  24. The Bonehunters, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.308
  25. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.99
  26. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 1, US SFBC p.16-19/39-41/49-51
  27. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.175-182
  28. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.274-275
  29. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 9, US SFBC p.364
  30. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 11, US SFBC p.447-453
  31. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 11, US SFBC p.454-456
  32. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.544
  33. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 15, US SFBC p.586-588
  34. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 15, US SFBC p.626-627
  35. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 19, US SFBC p.777
  36. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 19, US SFBC p.780-782
  37. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 21, US TPB p.718-720
  38. Toll the Hounds, Chapter 24, US SFBC p.992-994/1000
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