Interpretation of Tavore by Corporal Nobbs
Tavore Paran was the second child of House Paran and sister to Ganoes and Felisin. She was a year younger than her brother[1], so most likely born in the 1143rd year of Burn's Sleep, presumably in Unta where the family was based.
In 1161BS, Tavore was described as being almost as tall as Ganoes, plain with pale eyes, a slash of bloodless lines comprising her features, with reddish hair trimmed shorter than was the style[1].
A later description has her as thin but with wide hips, breasts which were a bit large for her frame, plain facial features and reddish hair, streaked with grey which she wore cropped short.
Ganoes implied that Tavore had been in the habit of making up for him, assuming the burdens of his failures[1].
Tavore became Adjunct to Empress Laseen in the 1163rd year of Burn's Sleep [2] after the death of Adjunct Lorn.
Tavore was regarded as being 'cold iron'.[3]
In Deadhouse Gates
Tavore assisted Laseen in her cull of Unta's noble families, proving her loyalty to the Empress by sending her younger sister, Felisin, to the Otataral mines along with the other nobles.
Her personal aide T'amber was assumed to also be her lover.
In House of Chains
Tavore arrived in Aren to lead the Malazan 14th Army to Raraku to crush the Seven Cities rebellion.
Tavore personally killed Sha'ik Reborn in a duel, all the while unaware that "Sha'ik" was in fact her own sister, Felisin.
In The Bonehunters
Interpretation of Tavore by Yapattack
Tavore found herself at odds with the Empress, due to Laseen's betrayal of the Wickans and the 14th Army. She chose to leave the Empire and along with Kalam and T'amber, cut through the Claw ambushes set up for them throughout Malaz City, to reach the harbour where her now loyal army was waiting.
It was at this point that the first hints of her plans were revealed in a speech she gave to her troops. At the time she mentioned a long "unwitnessed" journey ahead.
In Reaper's Gale
Arriving on the continent of Lether, the 14th Army (by then established as the Bonehunters) under Tavore's command assisted in the 'liberation' of the Letherii from the Tiste Edur.
In Dust of Dreams
Leading the Bonehunters and accompanied by the Army of Lether, Tavore guided the troops to the Wastes which would ultimately lead them to Kolanse.
As they proceeded through the Wastes, Tavore's army inadvertently crossed the path of an army of the K'Chain Nah'ruk who attacked them. The ranks of the Bonehunters were decimated. Tavore eventually fell unconscious but survived the battle, due in part to the efforts of Lostara Yil, among others.
In The Crippled God
Tavore was healed of her battle wounds by Deadsmell[4].
Tavore finally revealed that her goal was to free the Crippled God. In this endeavour, her Bonehunters rendezvoused with the Khundryl Burned Tears, the Letherii, the Perish Grey Helms and the Bolkando, led by Queen Abrastal. While the Perish, Letherii and Bolkando marched south along the coast, Tavore ordered the Bonehunters to march through the Glass Desert — a reportedly uncrossable wasteland, according to Queen Abrastal.
The march was conducted mostly at night with rationed water, but even so, hundreds, perhaps thousands, died. Their pack animals dead, the Heavies were forced to pull the supply wagons while Tavore would not answer any question as to why they had to make such a crossing. After water ran out, the soldiers were forced to drink blood and urine, though their morale held up after uniting with the children of The Snake. Finally, when it was absolutely clear that the army would not make another march and Fist Blistig prepared to mutiny, Tavore used an enchanted dagger given to her by Mael to cut her hand open, raising a freshwater lake in the wasteland.
The army was then able to march into Kolanse and prepared a last stand against the northern Assail army while Tavore ordered the Heavies and Marines, barely a hundred strong, to defend against a legion of Kolansii where the Crippled God's body healed. Just before the battle, Tavore asked Lostara Yil to help her don her armor - after opening an ornate box with the Paran family seal on it Lostara removed a necklace with a lone ornament in the shape of an eagle's talon, hinting that the Paran family, if not Tavore herself, were deeply entrenched in the surviving members of the Talon. The Bonehunters were cut down in their thousands while the Khundryl Tears launched their final charge with Warleader Gall, until they were relieved by her brother Ganoes Paran from the east.
As she reunited with her brother Ganoes, Tavore blamed herself for the loss of Felisin, though she was still ignorant to the full extent of her role in the former's death.
She was present at the barrow raising outside the Spire for the fallen.
Notes and References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 1, UK MMPB p.49
- ↑ Deadhouse Gates, Prologue
- ↑ House of Chains, Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.512
- ↑ The Crippled God, Chapter 4, UK HB p. 111