Kindly

Kindly
Kindly by Corporal Nobbs
Biographical information
Race	Human
Gender	Male
Social information
Affiliation	Malazan Empire Ashok Regiment Bonehunters
Occupation(s)	Soldier
Rank	Captain

"Old soldiers talk about him like grandmothers talk monsters to the brats, to keep them in line, sir."

―Hurlochel, on Kindly

Captain Kindly originally led the 2nd Company in the Ashok Regiment. He was renowned for his harsh manner with his troops and known as the "meanest officer in the entire Malazan military". He claimed to have killed more lazy soldiers than enemies of the empire.

Although known for being strict, events showed him on several occasions to be acting thus for the benefit of those in his care, for example ordering a kit inspection to take soldiers mind off horrors witnessed. His caution was legendary and deemed extreme even for a soldier.

He was described as a man with very little hair left, though he had a passion for his collection of combs.

Pores served as his Lieutenant. The two men were often at odds, with Kindly expressing his irritation at Pores with threats to promote him.

In House of Chains

Kindly was the commander of the garrison in Silver Lake when Karsa Orlong, Bairoth Gild, and Delum Thord attacked the town. After Karsa attempted to escape, Kindly was annoyed to discover the Teblor had been recaptured by Sergeant Cord and his men who had all been previously placed under house arrest by Kindly for drunkeness. Kindly decided to forgive their lack of discipline.

As a response to rumours of rebellion on Seven Cities, Kindly's regiment was recalled back from Genabackis. He and his men escorted prisoners Karsa and Torvald Nom as far as the port of Tanys where they took a different ship across the Malyn Sea.

He and his command were then presumably posted in Ehrlitan when the Whirlwind rebellion began. Several hundred Malazans, including the Ashok Regiment, fled from Ehrlitan, G'danisban, and Pan'potsun to hole up in the cliff-side fortress of B'ridys. There Kindly and Pores fell down a well and were presumed drowned. They actually managed to escape the creature at the bottom of the well only to later be captured and imprisoned in Raraku by Korbolo Dom's Dogslayers.

He and Pores were freed by ghosts of the Bridgeburners on the eve of the confrontation between Sha'ik and Adjunct Tavore. They were then found by Fist Tene Baralta and his men and brought to the Malazan camp.

In The Bonehunters

Captain Kindly by Dejan Delic

After the Battle of Raraku, Keneb was promoted to Fist and Kindly temporarily replaced him as captain of the 8th Legion's 9th Company in the Malaz 14th Army. Leoman led the Army of the Apocalypse westward to Y'Ghatan and the 14th Army followed. About the time the 14th Army arrived at Y'Ghatan, Kindly was replaced by Faradan Sort. Kindly attempted to take the measure of his replacement, but Captain Sort concluded he and Pores were "two idiots."

During the Last Siege of Y'Ghatan, he was trapped inside the city by Leoman's olive-oil firestorm along with Fists Keneb and Tene Baralta. Kindly escaped with no injury but tracked Pores to the hospital tent where he was recovering from burns to chastise him for loafing. The 14th Army then made haste for the Kokakal Sea to embark on Admiral Nok's ships and escape the Bluetongue Plague ravaging Seven Cities. Three days west of Y'Ghatan, Pores led a patrol that was ambushed by starving bandits and he took a crossbow quarrel clean through his upper left arm and sword-slash deep enough above the right knee to sever muscle down to the bone. Healers were able to roughly knit together his wounds, but the pain was excruciating. Kindly physically dragged him off a convalescent wagon to make room for soldiers with "real injuries" and placed him in charge of picket duty. Pores thought his captain was insane and reflected that there times when he wanted to kill him.

While the army embarked on Nok's ships, Kindly supervised Thikburd and another soldier as they packed the four trunks that comprised his camp kit. This included his prized collection of combs.

"[A]rranged on a camel-hair blanket, an assortment of combs – two dozen, maybe more, no two alike. Bone, shell, antler, tortoiseshell, ivory, wood, slate, silver, gold and blood-copper. Clearly, they had been collected over years of travel, the captain's sojourn as a soldier laid out, the succession of cultures, the tribes and peoples he had either befriended or annihilated."

―Kindly's combs

The captain complained bitterly over Keneb's seeming incompetence at organising the boarding. He claimed if he had been charge, the task would have been completed in two days, and anyone not on board by then would be stripped naked and left behind. He chose to spend the delay attempting to fix Captains Ruthan Gudd and Madan'Tul Rada, whom he considered "complete idiots."

In G'danisban, Ganoes Paran sought to take command of Dujek Onearm's plague stricken and moribund Host while keeping his own problematic identity a secret. Hurlochel suggested he portray himself as Captain Kindly, a name known and feared among the Malazan soldiery. His cover identity succeeded with everyone but Fist Rythe Bude, who had served with Kindly at Nathilog.

At Malaz City, Kindly's troops remained on their ships in the harbour while the Adjunct went ashore to meet Empress Laseen in Mock's Hold. Fighting broke out on the pier between the citizens of Malaz City and the 14th soldiers guarding the Adjunct's flagship. Kindly rejected Pores' request to send aid, saying he would be happy to promote Hanfeno in the Lieutenant's place while Senny took bets on whether Pores could survive swimming to shore across the shark-filled harbour.

In Reaper's Gale

(Information needed)

In Dust of Dreams

(Information needed)

In The Crippled God

Kindly vs Blistig by Shadaan

After the battle with the K'Chain Nah'ruk, he was promoted to Fist. As Fist, he refused Berrach's request to join the Bonehunters, trying to shame him back to the Khundryl Burned Tears instead.

History

Kindly had served with one of the Malazan armies during the campaigns in Nathilog. Rythe Bude, who later became a Fist under Dujek, served under him.

Trivia

Kindly had an unsavory reputation with rumors about his (in)famous temper rampant among the Malazans. It was said that he had once dangled a Malazan-allied Falah'd over the edge of the Falah'd's own palace's tower balcony because the colours of his attire were mismatched.

Notes and references

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