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Map Letheras

Central Letheras

Map Empire of Lether

Empire of Lether and its neighbours

Letheras [leh-THAIR-as][1] was the capital city of the Kingdom of Lether, the largest and richest city on the Lether continent,[2] and the site of the Imperial Palace. It was the most populous city in the Letherii Empire with over a hundred thousand residents.[3]

It was a walled city of domes, terraces, garishly painted buildings, towers, and platforms--many obscured by a haze of smoke.[4][2] The Lether River passed through the city's centre and the city was crisscrossed by canals, magnificent bridges, and multi-leveled tiers.[2][5] The city was a crowded, sordid maze.[5] Many of its narrow, twisted, garbage strewn alleys never knew the light of day as they were crowded overhead with balconies, ledges, and projections that served as makeshift roofs.[6] The city's wealthy kept their fortunes hidden within walled estates while the streets swelled with lost and indigent Indebted and tribal refugees.[7]

The huge, double main gate in the city's white walls led to a cobblestoned imperial road wide enough to fit ten columns of soldiers.[8] Along the wall were sunken posterns, whose tunnels invited breaching, but which could be flooded at the pull of a lever. Each ended in a thick wooden door.[9] Two thousand paces beyond the city's western wall was Kravos Hill.[10] There were also several shanty-towns outside the city wall.[11]

During the heat of the summer months, shops stayed open late into the night and the streets were crowded with shoppers.[12]

Economy[]

The Merchant Tolls, a kind of stock market, listed Letheras' gross value at between twelve and fifteen Peaks with possibly another five buried.[13] In recent years, the eccentric Tehol Beddict had nearly caused the economy to crash through an unprecedented series of canny investments. In the end, Tehol's fortune crashed bringing down the fortunes of countless investors and causing the Tolls to write off an entire Peak as a loss. Ten thousand coins cursed against Tehol's name lay at the bottom of the city's canals.[14][15]

Powerful guilds controlled the various industries within the city. They designated which companies could accept certain contracts, what wages and benefits could be paid, and kept blacklists of employees not eligible for guild jobs. Workers known as the Unwelcomes were often de-certified and removed from the guilds' working rolls for political reasons. The guilds were powerless to stop the Unwelcoms from being hired for jobs paying below the guilds' rates.[16][17] Some employers, such as the Royal Engineers, were required to hire only guild members.[18] The Chamber of Contracts and Royal Charters was responsible for assigning government work to the various guilds and assessing their progress.[19]

Crime and Punishment[]

Order was maintained by the city garrison which had stations throughout the city. In case of emergency, the stations used bells to summon other city guard units to their aid.[20] Squads of armed guards patrolled the city at night by lantern light. Near the Eternal Domicile, soldiers stood watch from corner blockhouses or at postern gates. Street intersections were lit by lantern poles.[21]

See also: The Drownings

Criminals who could not pay the fines to expunge their records were sentenced to swim the Quillas Canal while weighted down with coin. Few survived, and large crowds observed and placed wagers on the outcome.[22]

Festivals[]

One of the holiday festivals celebrated by the people of Letheras was dedicated to the Errant. The festival was accompanied by frenzied wagering at the Special Drownings, which were reserved for the most notorious criminals. According to Tehol Beddict, the city's wealthy class used the festival to make public displays of their indolence.[23]

Districts[]

  • Counters' Quarter[24]
  • Creeper District
  • Down Markets
  • Drownings District
  • Far Reaches District
  • Low Markets[25] (possibly an alternate name for the Down Markets)
  • North Tiers District
  • Peaks District
  • Prostitutes' District[26]
  • Pursers' District[27] (or Purser's District)[28]
  • South Tiers District
  • Up Markets[29]

Roads, Squares etc.[]

Places of interest[]

Organisations[]

Known Canals[]

History[]

The land where Letheras was founded was once a marshland basin fed by eleven rivers. Beneath the basin's brittle and porous crust was a vast underground chasm. Erosion eventually caused the basin to collapse resulting in a catastrophic draining of the area's rivers and swamps. All that remained of this cataclysm was Settle Lake, which despite its modest size was deceptively deep.[59]

The city was settled by colonists of the First Empire many thousands of years before the current day and before that empire's downfall.[60][59] Most Letherii inaccurately believed the city was the site of the colonists' First Landing.[61] Letheras' first Royal Engineer, Keden Qan, conducted a thorough survey of the area at the time of its planning.[62] The Old Palace was built around a complex of three Jaghut towers and an Azath Tower so old as to predate the founding of the First Empire.[63][62] Qan's study showed that the Jaghut towers were part of a single and far larger complex, suggesting they were constructed prior to that race's dispersion.[62] A six-hundred-year-old proclamation forbid any attempt to demolish or resettle the area.[63]

The Jaghut ruins and Azath Tower themselves appeared to be constructed on the ruins of a far older non-human settlement. Within most of the area covered by the modern city were ancient foundation walls, plazas and concourses, shaped wells, drainage ditches, and cemeteries. These formed a self-contained complex of intricately paved floors and streets entirely contained within multi-level roofing, with a second more defensible city below it. The underground corridors and tunnels were reused for the modern city's sewer system.[62] Virtually no artifacts were left behind by this mystery civilisation, but there remained evidence that the residents made frantic attempts to insulate their dwellings. Qan theorised this was in response to catastrophic climate change.[62]

Ancient tombs of origin unknown to the Letherii could still be found beneath the city, though most had collapsed or sunk into the mud. Their doors were covered with hieroglyphics which scholars had only partially deciphered to reveal as curse-laden and aspected to the Errant in some mysterious way. Few Letherii ever broke into the tombs as they were always empty and trespassers were reputed to die in horrific ways. Bugg claimed the tombs had been built and warded by the Forkrul Assail for the Jaghut in an attempt to provide haven from their enemies, the T'lan Imass.[64]

Icarium visited the city in ancient times and constructed a mysterious device beneath it.

In Midnight Tides[]

The kingdom was at the height of its power and preparing for the Seventh Closure, the prophesied renaissance when the First Empire would be reborn and King Ezgara would Ascend and assume the title of First Emperor.[65][66] After seventeen years,[67] the Eternal Domicile was nearing completion to serve as the site of Ezgara's coronation.

It was revealed that Tehol Beddict's spectacular failure in the Tolls was in fact an ingenious ruse. With no one in the city the wiser, he had accumulated and disappeared a fortune from notice which he used to resettle the city's tribal refugees on newly purchased islands. The tribal mixed-bloods, Shand, Rissarh, and Hejun were the only ones to unravel his con. They convinced him to secretly repeat his plan but at a much higher level with the goal of crashing the Letherii economy to trigger a cultural reformation.[68][69]

A disastrous war provoked by Queen Janall Diskanar, Prince Quillas Diskanar, and Chancellor Triban Gnol brought the Tiste Edur army of Emperor Rhulad Sengar to the city's doorstep. On the day of the Seventh Closure, Emperor Rhulad seized the city from the king and named himself emperor of the new Letherii Empire on the day of the Seventh Closure.[70]

By the time it became clear that the Edur might win the war, Tehol had called a halt to his scheme. Although he was able to evacuate the city's refugee population before the city's occupation, he was not ready to trade the Letherii's corrupt civilisation for the Edur's stagnant one.[71][72]

In Reaper's Gale[]

As the capital settled in under the rule of their Tiste Edur conquerors, two new organisations appeared in the city. The Patriotists under Invigilator Karos Invictad were officially chartered as the empire's secret police, launching a brutal reign of terror to root out traitors both real and imagined. Hundreds of citizens were arrested every week and many found their way to the Drownings, which were taken over by the Patriotists as a means of execution. At the same time, the capital's wealthiest families formed a loose consortium of businesses known as the Liberty Consign of Merchants and led by Rautos Hivanar.[73]

Tehol Beddict and Bugg developed a new scheme to bring down the empire by acquiring and removing large quantities of imperial coin from circulation.[74] At the same time, Karos Invictad was conducting a similar scheme to strip the coffers of the Liberty Consign bare.[75] When the economy reached a crisis, angry mobs rioted in the city and the poorer districts in the north burned.[76] A mob lay siege to the compound of the Patriotists, setting it on fire, calling for the imprisoned Tehol's death, and killing a dozen agents.[77]

Icarium activated a millennia-old machine he had constructed on the site of the Rat Catchers' Guild. When he entered the device, it caused buildings all over the city to collapse and annihilated the entire neighbourhood around the Guild in white fire.[78]

Adjunct Tavore Paran's Bonehunters invaded Lether in response to the Tiste Edur fleet's attack on Sepik.[79] The Imperial Brigade faced Fist Keneb's Marines without conclusive result on Kravos Hill outside the city before being defeated by the Adjunct's main force near the Lether River. The Malazan marines found a hidden entrance beneath the city walls and seized the city's western gate to allow the rest of the army entrance. Four squads of marines simultaneously conducted guerrilla warfare within the city to keep the City Garrison busy. Fiddler, Quick Ben, and Hedge delivered Silchas Ruin a decisive rebuke as the Soletaken Eleint attempted to take vengeance on the city and its patron, the Crippled God. Then Fiddler's squad assaulted the Eternal Domicile where they slew Chancellor Triban Gnol. Once the main force of Malazans entered the city, the City Garrison surrendered and the city fell.[80]

The Tiste Edur abandoned the city, returning to their homeland in the north. Some had departed at Hannan Mosag's behest, while the others left with Hanradi Khalag after their betrayal by the Letherii at Kravos Hill.[81][82] Rhulad Sengar was slain in his arena by Karsa Orlong ending the immortal Edur emperor's reign.[83]

Rucket and Ormly spent a fortune hiring criers to proclaim Tehol a hero of the people who eliminated everyone's debt to successfully turn public sentiment back in his favour. When Adjunct Tavore and the marines reached the Eternal Domicile, Rucket introduced Brys Beddict as Lether's saviour and Tehol as Lether's new emperor.[84] Janath Anar married Tehol becoming both his empress and the empire's new chancellor.[85]

In Fall of Light[]

Letheras may have been built on the site of the ancient Jaghut capital of Omtose Phellack. The Seregahl who were released from the dying Azath Tower in Letheras in Midnight Tides, were imprisoned there when Hood challenged them to prove their worth as the vanguard of the army which was assembling to march on Death itself. In exchange, the Azath House released Gethol, brother of Gothos.[86]

Trivia[]

  • According to author Steven Erikson, some of the inspiration for Letheras came from the city of Venice, which is famous for its canals and its steady subsidence into the lagoon it is built upon. And "at the height of their power, they were all about wealth, and...looting everything they could in the Mediterranean and beyond." Erikson thought it was "a great metaphor for capitalism itself...you have to keep building on top of it because the foundations keep sinking into the mud."[87]

Notes and references[]

  1. Steven Erikson Interview - Midnight Tides - Ten Very Big Books podcast - As pronounced by Steven Erikson at 15:06
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Reaper's Gale, Chapter 7, US HC p.160-161
  3. Midnight Tides, Chapter 4, US SFBC p.124
  4. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 20, US HC p.615
  5. 5.0 5.1 Midnight Tides, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.321
  6. Midnight Tides, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.598
  7. Midnight Tides, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.321/326
  8. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.744-745/748
  9. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.749
  10. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 20, US HC p.615
  11. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.749
  12. Midnight Tides Chapter 4, US SFBC p.144
  13. Midnight Tides, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.89
  14. Midnight Tides, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.89-90
  15. Midnight Tides, Chapter 12, US SFBC p.387
  16. Midnight Tides, Chapter 4, US SFBC p.133-134
  17. Midnight Tides, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.187
  18. Midnight Tides, Chapter 12, US SFBC p.366
  19. Midnight Tides, Chapter 12, US SFBC p.368
  20. Midnight Tides, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.604
  21. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 11, US HC p.296-297
  22. Midnight Tides, Chapter 4, US SFBC p.125-126
  23. Midnight Tides, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.197
  24. Midnight Tides, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.604
  25. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 11, US HC p.281
  26. 26.0 26.1 Midnight Tides, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.299
  27. Midnight Tides, Chapter 4, US SFBC p.130
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 28.5 Midnight Tides, Glossary
  29. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 5, US HC p.118
  30. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 3, US TPB p.84-87
  31. Midnight Tides, Chapter 22
  32. 32.0 32.1 32.2 Midnight Tides, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.208
  33. Midnight Tides, Chapter 22, US SFBC p.654
  34. Midnight Tides, Chapter 24
  35. Midnight Tides Chapter 2, US SFBC p.75
  36. Midnight Tides, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.597
  37. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.789
  38. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 2
  39. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 3, US TPB p.85-87
  40. Midnight Tides Chapter 4, US SFBC p.127/136
  41. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 3, US TPB p.84-86
  42. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 3, US TPB p.84-85
  43. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.772
  44. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 7, US HC p.172
  45. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 1, US HC p.34
  46. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 1, US HC p.33
  47. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 1, US HC p.50
  48. Midnight Tides Chapter 4, US SFBC p.126
  49. Midnight Tides Chapter 2, US SFBC p.68
  50. Midnight Tides Chapter 14, US SFBC p.425
  51. Midnight Tides Chapter 2, US SFBC p.69
  52. Midnight Tides Chapter 4, US SFBC p.128
  53. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 5, Epigraph
  54. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 18
  55. Midnight Tides, Chapter 12, US SFBC p.374
  56. Midnight Tides, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.226
  57. Midnight Tides, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.162
  58. Midnight Tides, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.200
  59. 59.0 59.1 Midnight Tides, Chapter 23, Epigraph
  60. Midnight Tides, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.86
  61. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 13, US HC p.350
  62. 62.0 62.1 62.2 62.3 62.4 Reaper's Gale, Chapter 5, US HC p.122-123
  63. 63.0 63.1 Midnight Tides, Chapter 4, US SFBC p.152
  64. Midnight Tides, Chapter 12, US SFBC p.370-372
  65. Midnight Tides, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.86
  66. Midnight Tides, Glossary
  67. Midnight Tides, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.69
  68. Midnight Tides, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.89-92
  69. Midnight Tides, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.438
  70. Midnight Tides, Chapter 25
  71. Midnight Tides, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.440
  72. Midnight Tides, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.599
  73. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 1
  74. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 1, US HC p.47-51
  75. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 18, US HC p.532-535
  76. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.759
  77. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.763
  78. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.771-772/795-799
  79. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 13, US HC p.356
  80. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24
  81. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.786
  82. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 22, US HC p.694-695
  83. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.801-802/805-808
  84. Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US HC p.811-813
  85. Reaper's Gale, Epilogue, US HC p.827-828
  86. Fall of Light, Chapter 13, UK HB p.391-393, 398/399
  87. Ten Very Big Books podcast - Midnight Tides - See 19:00
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