Korlat [KOR-lat][3] was a Tiste Andii night-hunter and blood-kin to Serrat,[4] Anomander Rake's second-in-command. Orfantal was her brother.[5] She had been in Rake's service for over fourteen thousand years.[6]
Korlat was a tall woman with midnight skin and long black hair.[7] Her angled, almond-shaped eyes were often violet,[1] but sometimes the colour of sun-bleached grass,[8] white hot iron, or slate grey.[9] Whiskeyjack thought her extraordinarily beautiful.[10]
She was also a Soletaken and her form was that of an Eleint,[11] although she found the cold, inhuman power of her draconic form frightening.[12] She seemed capable of reading the thoughts of others, although it was unclear whether she used magic or was remarkably perceptive.[13]
Despite her calm and martial exterior, Itkovian was nearly staggered by the feelings of sadness, empty existence, and eternity of loss he sensed within Korlat. She bore hidden wounds of the spirit that did not heal and possessed buried memories that should never be reawakened.[14]
Korlat wore fine, scaled armour beneath a black-dyed, rawhide shirt.[15]
In Gardens of the Moon
Gardens of the Moon.
In Memories of Ice
Memories of Ice.
After Serrat's death, Korlat served as Anomander Rake's Second and representative among Caladan Brood's forces during the Pannion War. In Brood's camp, she became a friend and companion of the Mhybe, for whom she felt great sympathy, and of the woman's unnatural child Silverfox, of whom she was wary. Along with Crone, Korlat attempted to ease the suffering caused by the link between mother and child.[18]
At the first war council between Brood and Dujek Onearm's renegade Malazan army, Korlat first saw Whiskeyjack, who she said "cut quite the figure".[19] She signaled to Whiskeyjack and later spoke with him regarding Silverfox, saying that she trusted him already.[20] She convinced Brood that Silverfox was worth protecting, with Kallor adamant that the girl would destroy them all, and was even willing to stand against Rake himself for her when a confrontation occurred.[21]
Korlat was drawn to Whiskeyjack's unshakeable integrity and the two eventually became lovers.[22][23] To Korlat's disbelief, Whiskeyjack also forged a friendship with Rake, the Son of Darkness' only such friendship since he had bonded with Caladan Brood thousands of years before.[24] Whiskeyjack and Korlat's relationship was difficult at times as the Malazan's position meant he had to keep secrets from her, such as the truth of his renegade status. But Rake helped Korlat understand Whiskeyjack's motivations, allowing them to smooth over their differences. Rake was moved by the love Korlat had found with the Malazan, saying he had never thought to see her heart open and flower again.[25]
After lifting the Siege of Capustan, the alliance marched to Coral to take the war to the Pannion Seer. Whiskeyjack began talking of retirement and his future after the army. Korlat was ready to leave Rake's service for the entirety of Whiskeyjack's remaining life and settle in a "log cabin in some frontier kingdom, a long way away from the Empire" or a "remote, wind-battered keep in some mountain fastness."[26][27] But Rake's long disappearance with Moon's Spawn forced her to realise that her duty to her people trumped her personal happiness.[28]
Dujek devised a plan to secretly send the bulk of the Malazan army ahead to Coral without alerting their allies. Whiskeyjack was left behind to break the news at Maurik, earning Brood and Kallor's scorn. Korlat stood by Whiskeyjack and joined his small army in their attempt to force march to Coral where Dujek was already engaged in the Battle of Black Coral. But Brood and his soldiers lingered behind.[29]
They were followed to Coral by the traitorous Kallor who struck Korlat from behind and launched an attack on Silverfox. Whiskeyjack defended the Bonecaster, but his injured leg broke causing him to stumble, giving Kallor the opportunity to stab him through the chest. Whiskeyjack and Korlat's eyes met as the Malazan died. Tayschrenn's sorcerous attacks forced Kallor to flee by Warren.[30]
Korlat nearly died of her wounds, only surviving due to Brood's healing magic. Then she veered to her Eleint form to fight the Seer's demonic Condors alongside her brother. Eventually, Orfantal released her to grieve over the body of her lover. Korlat lied to a disbelieving Dujek, saying Whiskeyjack's leg had broken only after the fatal blow. She and Orfantal then vowed to pursue Kallor and bring him to Rake's justice.[31]In Toll the Hounds
Toll the Hounds.
Korlat and her brother Orfantal continued to pursue Kallor long after the siege of Coral had ended. Though he found his hunters clumsy, witless, and easily fooled, the High King grew frustrated by their relentlessness and was mystified over what he had done to earn their wrath or that of Anomander Rake. He could not believe they or Rake could be so angered by his failure to stand by them during their doomed battle at Coral.[32]
Korlat and Orfantal finally caught their prey just south of Darujhistan on the last night of the Gedderone Fête. While Anomander Rake faced his destiny in the city, Spinnock Durav fought Kallor defensively all night outside the city walls to keep him from interfering. Just after Kallor left Spinnock bleeding on the ground, Orfantal swooped down as a Soletaken Eleint and carried the High King away over the Gadrobi Hills. Korlat landed to save Spinnock's life, brushing Crone aside to administer a potion prepared by Endest Silann and then carried him away. Meanwhile, Kallor was able to draw his sword, sinking it deep into Orfantal's throat to kill him.[33]
When Rake's son, Nimander Golit, took his reluctant place on the throne of the Tiste Andii, Skintick noted he had made friends among his people right then and there and Korlat's eyes had shone.[34]In Dust of Dreams
Dust of Dreams.
In The Crippled God
The Crippled God.
Korlat arrived at the tail end of the battle at Lightfall. Along with Prazek and Dathenar, she fought the Liosan Soletaken dragons. The battle went badly for them, until Silanah arrived with Nimander and his kin. She slew Kadagar Fant in the end.
Korlat refused to see her mother, saying she had no place in her house. Instead she offered to resurrect the ancient tradition of a Sister of Night standing at the side of the Queen of the Shake. Yan Tovis told her that that was no place for one of the pure blood. Korlat revealed that she was in fact not of pure blood. Yan Tovis then welcomed her into the House of Shake. She and others subsequently referred to Korlat as 'Sister of Cold Nights'.[35]
Arriving after the Battle for the Spire along with her kin, Korlat encountered the remnants of Whiskeyjack's old squad. Fiddler played "My Lover Waits" to summon Whiskeyjack back so Korlat could see him one more time on this side of death.In Fall of Light
Fall of Light.
During the destruction of Dracons Hold, Draconus' Finnest was released. Twisted by Envy and Spite, it sorcerously assaulted Sandalath Drukorlat, producing a child. Sandalath named the girl Korlat.[36]
Korlat grew preternaturally quickly. On the same day she was born, she appeared "four, perhaps five weeks old".[37] She gained "twice her birth weight" a short time later.[38] Orfantal claimed that she had the "blood of an Azathanai in her".[39]
Sandalath was unable to love Korlat.[40] She instead rationalized Korlat's existence by insisting that she was born to be Orfantal's protector.[41] Sandalath rejected Orfantal's expression of intent to take care of his younger sister,[42] but Wreneck warned Orfantal of his mother's scars, and asked him to be a better older brother to Korlat than Wreneck was to Orfantal.[43]Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Memories of Ice, Chapter 8, UK MMPB p.352-353, 364-365
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 2 - mentions Korlat's eyes were now-violet, later they are the colour of sun-bleached grass
- ↑ Steven Erikson Conversation 3 - Memories of Ice - Ten Very Big Books podcast - As pronounced by Steven Erikson at 10:10
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Dramatis Personae, UK MMPB p.xv
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Dramatis Personae
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.840
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.89
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 20, UK MMPB p.857
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 15, US SFBC p.518-519
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.92
- ↑ Toll the Hounds, Chapter 23
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 24, US SFBC p.893
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 5
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.723-724
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 2
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 20
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 24
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.200
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.105-111
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.130/137-139
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.198-201/219-223
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.201
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 13, UK MMPB p.522-525
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 22, US SFBC p.790
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.617/625/630
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 21, US SFBC p.773
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.813-814
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.841
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.841-843
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 24, UK MMPB p.1058
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.905/924/946-949/975-977
- ↑ Toll the Hounds, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.224
- ↑ Toll the Hounds, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.946-949
- ↑ Toll the Hounds, Epilogue, US SFBC p.1004
- ↑ The Crippled God, Chapter 19, UK HB p.578/579
- ↑ Fall of Light, Chapter 16
- ↑ Fall of Light, Chapter 16
- ↑ Fall of Light, Chapter 20
- ↑ Fall of Light, Chapter 26
- ↑ Fall of Light, Chapter 16
- ↑ Fall of Light Chapter 20
- ↑ Fall of Light, Chapter 26
- ↑ Fall of Light, Chapter 25