City Temple

Li Heng

Li Heng's City Temple and Palace complex was located in the city's Inner Focus, the central most of the city's concentric divisions known as Rounds.

The Cynosure of Heng was a circular, domed room that was very clean and brightly lit by no obvious source. It once served as the throne room of the Protectress Shalmanat, and its only furnishing was her simple folding camp stool with wooden armrests at the centre of the room.

Once sanctified to the Protectress, the temple had been re-sanctified to the "full pantheon of Quon Talian Gods, Heroes and Guardian Spirits" by its Malazan conquerors. Beneath the floor lay an escape tunnel to the city sewers that Shalmanat had refused to use even when the city's fall had been certain.

The temple was impervious to attempts to enter or exit by Warren.

The temple's only exit was a set of double doors leading to a long hallway lined with small arched portals. At the hallway's end was another set of much larger double doors leading into the larger City Temple complex.

A stout pair of oak outer doors led down white marble stairs from the City Temple's outer wall to a broad flagstoned marshalling grounds and barracks for the Li Heng garrison.

In Reaper's Gale

Throatslitter's father told stories of the city's fall to the Malazans. On a spring morning after Kellanved had usurped the pirate Mock and taken control of Malaz Island, strange figures wearing furs and bone helmets and wielding misshapen swords and axes appeared suddenly on the battlements of the Palace of the Protectress. The palaces' vaunted Guard were not seen to challenge Kellanved's T'lan Imass even as tendrils of smoke rose from their barracks. Rumours held that the Protectress was seen falling from the High Tower by the City Temple. Thousands of T'lan Imass then emerged from the Inner Focus Gate to occupy the city. After a half-dozen suicidal skirmishes, the city's army surrendered and by day's end officers and nobles of the high court knelt in fealty before the future emperor.

In Return of the Crimson Guard

During the Malazan civil war, Orlat Kepten of the Talian League attempted to seize the City Temple and lay claim to the city. Although the coup succeeded in murdering Fist Rheena, the city's military governor, the quick actions of Storo Matash and his saboteur squad kept the temple from falling into the League's hands. The city mage Silk appeared to use the sanctity of the temple to unleash a powerful offensive burst of Kurald Liosan magic against the attackers.

Notes and references

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