Mott Irregulars

The Mott Irregulars were "something vaguely resembling a mercenary company" comprised largely of woodcutters and farmers hailing from Mott Wood just outlying the city of Mott. They specialized in fighting in wooded areas using guerrilla warfare; they were also particularly adept in fighting magic. And they liked wood. A lot.

Quick Ben called them:

"the scariest mages we've ever faced. […] maybe that's the wrong name for them. Warlocks might be better. Swamp-snuffling warlocks. With bits of bark in their hair. Get them into a forest and you won't find them unless they want you to. Those Bole brothers, they're the worst of the lot, though I've heard that there's a lone sister among them who you wouldn't want to meet, ever."

Many Mott Irregulars claimed the title High Marshal.

The Irregulars despised necromancers.

Horses

The Irregulars claimed a unique breed of horse whose bloodline was a mix of Nathii destrier, Mott cart-horse, and Genabarii dray. The result was "a large, sturdy, ill-tempered animal with a surprisingly wide back that made riding them a luxury." They were tall, barely broken, and thick-limbed, with uncut manes, and long, thick tails.

History

The Irregulars were originally the people living in Mott Wood at the time of the Malazan invasion. During the Genabackis Campaign, High Fist Dujek Onearm had conquered Oraz before moving on Mott. Mott promptly surrendered, and Dujek, fearing a renegade force launching hit and run attacks against their ever expanding supply lines, sent the Bridgeburners into the wood with the intent of dislodging them. The Bridgeburners failed to do this, unable to pin down the slippery Irregulars who where able to run circles around them as well as the Gold Moranth. Ultimately after more than a year and a half the Malazan forces withdrew and the Irregulars allied themselves with the Warlord Caladan Brood.

Whiskeyjack called them "a handful", saying that the Irregulars spent most of their time stealing Malazan supplies and running away. During the conflict in Mott Wood, the Irregulars where known to hurl Nathii black-cakes (a type of sticky syrup cake) when they ran out of arrows.

Known Mott Irregulars

• Amby Bole
• Jamber Bole (outcast)
• Jib Bole
• Jula Bole
• Precious Thimble
• Straw
• Stump
• Sty

In Memories of Ice

Despite orders to stay behind at Blackdog Forest, the Mott Irregulars accompanied Brood's army when he allied with renegade Malazan High Fist Dujek Onearm to fight the Pannion War. After liberating Capustan from the Pannion Domin, the allied armies split to separately liberate Lest and Setta. The Irregulars traveled with Brood's Host but followed longstanding practise by sending spies among the Malazans to work as stablers and handlers.

Before the two armies converged at Maurik to march together on Coral, the Irregulars possessed vital information about the secret disposition of the Malazan Forces. But they were prevented from passing on the information to Brood by Kallor, his second in command. The Malazans in turn, knowing about the presence of the Irregulars, were acting in the belief that that information would be passed on.

The Irregulars often lagged behind Brood's main force and engaged in regular fistfights with their Rhivi allies over possession of the dung left behind by the army's Bhederin herds. The long time spent marching on the plains away from their native forest was difficult for the Irregulars. The lack of trees led to a violent discontent that not even the recovery of Fiddler and Hedge's gambling table could soothe. High Marshal Straw said the carriage of the necromancers Bauchelain and Korbal Broach that followed Brood's army was becoming a tantalising target for their energies.

The Irregulars were instrumental in the Siege of Coral by taking down the Pannion Domin sorcerers fighting from the city walls. They somehow made their way inside the city past an army of K'ell Hunters even before the Grey Swords fought their way through the gates.

After the battle, seven hundred and twenty-two Mott Irregulars remained. High Marshal Stump approached Brood for further orders, but the warlord, thinking them left behind from the start, was bewildered by their presence on the battlefield. Stump offered the service of the Irregulars to put out the city's fires which they seemed to have used as an excuse to gather loot.

In The Bonehunters

Crump, a sapper in the 7th squad of one of the companies of the Malaz 14th Army, turned out to have been Jamber Bole of the Mott Iregulars.

In Reaper's Gale

Ebron and several others of Cord's squad tried to cheat Crump in a game of bones by using magic. But Ebron found his magic went awry around the former Mott Irregular. when Cord asked if Crump was some sort of mage, Ebron declared that the Irregulars were the very opposite--mage-hunters.

Notes and references

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