High House Dark was one of the Houses within the Deck of Dragons.[1]
In Tiste Andii lore, Dark was said to be the first element created after Chaos.[citation needed] As a force for Order, it was locked in an eternal battle with Chaos.[2]
In Gardens of the Moon[]
Tattersail drew the Knight of High House Dark during two separate readings of the Deck of Dragons. See Knight of High House Dark for details.
In Deadhouse Gates[]
Iskaral Pust mentioned a number of positions within the Houses of the Deck without assigning names to them. Amongst those mentioned was Mason of Dark.[3]
In Memories of Ice[]
Ganoes Paran unexpectedly returned to the Warren within Dragnipur and sought out Draconus. The pair discussed the young captain's newly received role as Master of the Deck. The Elder God revealed that the prisoners pulling the Wagon containing the Gate of Darkness were pursued by a storm of Chaos. The rapacious presence was almost self-aware and radiated malice and desire. Draconus warned Paran that Rake was too merciful in his hesitance to use the sword. The souls pulling the wagon were becoming too weak and powerful new souls were needed if they were to continue outrunning the storm.[4]
Draconus also explained that Chaos had been forever at war with Darkness, with Darkness always in retreat. Mother Dark had further diminished her powers by relenting to the Coming of the Light and to the Birth of Shadow. The imbalance between the two forces grew in Chaos' favour until it approached the Gate to Kurald Galain itself and Mother Dark withdrew deep into her own realm. Thinking Mother Dark incapable of helping herself, he bound the Gate of Darkness to Dragnipur to protect it. He later learned he had misunderstood the nature of the Gate and now sought to destroy Dragnipur to release the Gate once more.[2]
Additionally, Darkness was not the only force for Order. The Houses of the Azath and the Deck of Dragons were also evidence that Order, like Chaos, could alter its own nature to its own advantage.[5]
In Toll the Hounds[]
Tiserra performed a Deck reading that centred on Darujhistan. One of the first cards drawn was The Rope of High House Shadow, followed by three cards (Obelisk, Soldier of Death, and Crown) drawn together as a tightly woven nest with the Knight of Darkness serving as their frame. Another nest followed with King of High House Death, King in Chains, and Dessembrae, Lord of Tragedy. The Knight of Darkness served as the second nest's inside frame. The Rope and Knight of Darkness were in opposition and the final card was The Tyrant.[6]
In Dust of Dreams[]
During a reading of the Deck in Letheras, Fiddler dealt the card for Queen of Dark to Sandalath Drukorlat and that of Magus of Dark to Quick Ben.[7]
Known positions in High House Dark and confirmed associated Ascendants[]
- King[1]
- Queen[1]
- Knight - Son of Darkness[1]
- Magi[1]
- Captain[1]
- Soldier[1]
- Weaver[1]
- Mason[1]
- Wife[1]
Likely candidates for positions in High House Dark[]
- King
- Queen - Sandalath Drukorlat,[7] formerly Mother Dark
- Knight - Son of Darkness[8]
- Magi - Quick Ben[7]
- Herald - the position was not listed in the glossary sections of the Malazan books. The only reference to it was made by Clip who claimed to have been Herald of Dark, a claim rejected by Kedeviss.[9]
- Captain
- Soldier
- Weaver
- Mason
- Wife
Queen of High House Dark[]
Mother Dark was the patron goddess of the Tiste Andii and first Queen of Dark.
The title of Queen was later taken by Sandalath Drukorlat when she returned to Kharkanas.[10]
Knight of High House Dark[]
Lord of Night[11] — considered to be Anomander Rake. In one of Tattersail's readings, the card was described as having a blurred face, the figure being human from hips upwards with naked jet black skin, heavily muscled, holding black two-handed sword trailing smoky chains aloft. Lower body draconian with black armoured scales paling to grey at the belly.[12] The card had felt ice-cold, loud, full of violence and power to her hands but there had also been a sense of salvation. Her interpretation was that, unpredictable and self-absorbed as he was, the Knight could be enemy or ally.[13]
In this and a subsequent reading something hovered in the inky sky behind the knight. In the second reading, the Knight's sword reached a black, smoky streak towards the Hounds, indicating a future clash between him and High House Shadow.[14]
Gallery[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Gardens of the Moon, Glossary, UK MMPB p.708
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.822-823
- ↑ Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.253
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.820-822
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.823
- ↑ Toll the Hounds, Chapter 15, US SFBC p.610-611
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Dust of Dreams, Chapter 3, UK HB p.102
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Glossary, UK MMPB p.706
- ↑ Toll the Hounds, Chapter 18, UK HB p.691
- ↑ The Crippled God, Chapter 12, UK HB p.348
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.89
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.90
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.91/92
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.145
| Deck of Dragons and Tiles of the Holds | |
|---|---|
| Cards | High House Chains • High House Dark • High House Death • High House Life • High House Light • High House Shadow • High House War • Unaligned |
| Tiles | Azath Hold • Beast Hold • Dragon Hold • Empty Hold • Ice Hold • Fulcra |