Limp

Limp was a Malazan soldier in the 5th squad, 2nd Company of the Ashok Regiment.

According to the armourer Tak, Limp gained his nickname from Master Sergeant Braven Tooth during training in Malaz City when a panicked horse had burst through the window of the recruiting kit store and was then killed by a single blow to the head from Braven Tooth. After which, the horse fell on Limp's leg breaking it. He injured his leg multiple times throughout the series.

In House of Chains

Limp was stationed with the Ashok Regiment under Captain Kindly in Silver Lake on Genabackis. He, Sergeant Cord, and others in their squad were under house arrest for drunkeness when Karsa Orlong attacked their garrison. The mage, Ebron, armed Limp and the other squad members and they were able to capture the rampaging Teblor. During the attack, Karsa managed to shatter the knee of Limp's bad leg with his bloodsword.

The Ashok Regiment returned to Seven Cities in time to be caught up in the Whirlwind rebellion. Fifty-one soldiers of the 2nd Company barricaded themselves inside the cliffside fortress B'ridys where they were besieged by the renegade Irriz and over 500 rebels. During the siege, Limp broke his leg in a rock-slide, but mended fast.

Kalam Mekhar broke the siege and suggested the regiment join Adjunct Tavore Paran's Malaz 14th Army, which was marching toward Raraku. In the aftermath of the Battle of Raraku, the regiment's 16 survivors ambushed and slew the sorceress, Fayelle, and a small band of Dogslayers. Limp hurt his knee in the engagement and had to be helped onto his horse by Bell as they fled the onrushing waters that flooded Raraku.

In The Bonehunters

After the Battle of Raraku, the Ashok Regiment was incorporated into the 9th Company of the 8th Legion within the 14th Army. Cord's 5th squad remained intact although it was redesignated as the 7th squad.

Leoman led the Army of the Apocalypse westward to Y'Ghatan and the 14th Army followed. Adjunct Tavore launched the Last Siege of Y'Ghatan by sending the army's sappers to breach the city's wall under the cover of night. First into the city were the Malazan marines, followed quickly by the Heavy infantry. Fist Keneb then ordered Cord to lead the 9th Company's seventh through twelfth medium infantry squads into Y'Ghatan. Once inside the city, the Malazans immediately came under heavy attack by hidden swordsmen and archers. Cord's squad linked up with Mosel's heavy infantry following Fiddler's marines.

When enough Malazans were engaged in street fighting inside the city, Leoman sprung his trap. The city's olive oil-soaked buildings were set alight and the streets quickly became an inferno. Cord's squad fled the flames along with a mixed group of survivors from Sobelone's, Balm's, Fiddler's, Hellian's, and Gesler's squads. True to his name, Limp broke his left leg during the fighting when it became trapped under a sliding piece of stonework. Cord, Corporal Shard, and other members of the Ashok Regiment had to pull him free.

Limp was among the small group of soldiers who survived Y'Ghatan by tunneling their way out from under the city. They spent three days crawling on their hands and knees through the dark led by Bottle and his rat. Limp found the experience so claustrophobic and frightening that he began to panic. Shard pounded his head against the ground until he lost consciousness to stop the screaming. When Koryk grew concerned over the unmoving Limp, Shard twisted the soldier's broken leg to immediately rouse him and show he still lived.

Unaware that any had survived, the 14th Army made haste for the Kokakal Sea to embark on Admiral Nok's ships and escape the Bluetongue Plague ravaging Seven Cities. Faradan Sort and Sinn remained behind and discovered the survivors as they crawled from the wreckage. Limp and the others made the long march west, finally catching up to the army on the coast. Nok's fleet returned to Malaz City where the Adjunct met with Empress Laseen.

In Reaper's Gale

Adjunct Tavore clashed with Empress Laseen at Malaz City and took the Bonehunters rogue, following the Tiste Edur fleet that had ravaged Sepik back to Lether to invade the Letherii Empire. Cord and Balm's squads took the Silanda to the island of Second Maiden Fort off the coast of Lether to establish a headquarters and resupply base for the Adjunct. They found the island on the verge of being destroyed under a mountain of ice released by the collapse of Gothos' ancient Omtose Phellack ritual, but Sinn was able to hold the ice back with her magic until its force was spent. The island's self-declared ruler, Brullyg, gratefully welcomed the Malazans as royal guests until they placed him under house arrest and secretly took control of the island.

While Balm's squad kept Brullyg under guard and monitored the island from its only town, Cord's squad patrolled the island's coast and interior while awaiting Tavore's arrival. Limp was so frightened of Sinn's powerful abilities that his bad knees knocked whenever she drew close. Shard's prediction that he was about due for one of his characteristic injuries was met with Limps' disgust--even more so when Shard revealed he had five imperials bet on Limp living up to his name within the month.

Meanwhile Tavore sent Fist Keneb's marines to the mainland, spreading them in isolated pairs of squads across thirty leagues of coast and burning their transport vessels behind them. The marines moved forward into the Letherii countryside towards Letheras, the capital, with orders to kill Edur by night and stir the occupied Letherii into rebellion. Each squad had a mage responsible for hiding their presence and confusing their enemies.

Shurq Elalle and her ship, Undying Gratitude, were caught up in the Malazan blockade of Second Maiden Fort's port. When Adjunct Tavore arrived with the rest of the Malazan fleet, she hired the pirate to guide them to the mouth of the Lether River leading to Letheras. Cord and Balm's squads made the journey on the Silanda.

The Adjunct's fleet made landfall near Letheras and defeated the city's Imperial Brigade. Meanwhile, Keneb's marines secretly entered the city to secure its western gate to allow the rest of the army entrance. Soon the City Garrison surrendered and the city fell.

In Dust of Dreams

(Information needed)

In The Crippled God

(Information needed)

Quotes

"Your name's now Limp. Aye, not very imaginative, but it's like this. If you can't hear Hood laughing, well, I can."

―Braven Tooth, naming Limp

Notes and references

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