Fortunately for us, our impressed bearers and
scouts, of the village we currently occupied, then
assured us that the neighbouring village, with
whom they had warred for years, were in fact
cannibals of the worst sort. Forewarned, we fell
upon the village with fire and sword and utterly
exterminated the nest of vile monsters.
Testimony to the Circle of Masters
The Adwami[]
Warleader and the Adwami tribes travel towards the Thaumaturg capital, Anditi Pura. One evening Prince Jatal decides to question Warleader. On his way to him, he notes that the Visitor seems to be shining more brightly than ever. He asks Warleader about the despised Shaduwam priests; Warleader confirms that he has made an alliance of convenience with them and they will attack the Anditi Pura mages.
Murk and Sour[]
Murk, Sour and the leaders of the Malazan mercenaries stay the night in the the jungle village. While they are there, the rest of the mercenaries are attacked by other locals, half-bird monsters. Later Murk goes to talk with one of these; they attacked because they consider them intruders and were defending their territory. Murk talks to Celeste about the attack, which she had not recognised as one. She has detected an entity far more complex than herself, and wishes to investigate it.
The mercenaries realise they won't be able to pass through the jungle and decide to retreat back to the coast.
Saeng[]
Saeng and Hanu meet an insane Thaumaturg adept, one of those cursed with madness as a punishment for straying from orthodoxy. He takes them to a native village. That night while they are eating, Saeng asks about the jade glow of the Visitor and is told it is the Judgement of the High King Kallor, which will fall that night devastating everything. The village and villagers disappear, and she realises they were all ghosts from the distant past. She then has a vision of the fall of the Visitor and the destruction it would cause.
Spite[]
Spite finally manages to free herself from the prison in the Dolmens of Tien.