Malaz 5th Army

The Malaz 5th Army was made up of soldiers primarily recruited from the Seven Cities region,^[1] along with many North Genabackan and Malazan mainlanders. They fought in the Genabackis Campaign under High Fist Dujek Onearm.

HistoryEdit

In the eighth year of the Genabackis Campaign, the Free Cities allied themselves with the Crimson Guard and others. According to the historian Imrygyn Tallobant, in that year the Malazan forces under the command of High Fist Dujek Onearm consisted of the 2nd, 5th and 6th Armies, as well as legions of Moranth.^[2]

The 5th Army had been pushing eastward towards Pale across the northern edge of the Rhivi Plain when a half-dozen legions of the Tiste Andii under Caladan Brood joined forces with the Crimson Guard and began driving them back. By 1163 BS, the 5th Army had been bogged down in Blackdog Forest for four years, forced to stand against Brood and the mercenaries.^[3]

In Gardens of the Moon Edit

At the time of the last day of the Siege of Pale in 1163 BS, the 5th Army was decimated and not expecting reinforcements until the next spring.^[4] The 5th was not mentioned as participating in the battle at Pale on the last day of the siege^[5] although remnants were seen moving into the city in the days immediately after.^[6]

The 2nd and 6th Armies took heavy losses in the final battle at Pale and were disbanded, and the remnants integrated into the 5th Army, bringing it to near full complement of about ten thousand soldiers.^[7][8] From this point onward, it was usually referred to as Onearm's Host, due to Dujek being in command.

In Memories of IceEdit

After Dujek was seemingly outlawed by Empress Laseen, he forged an alliance with the Tiste Andii under Anomander Rake, Caladan Brood's mercenaries, the Barghast and Darujhistan. The 5th marched with these forces in the Pannion War under the command of Dujek and Whiskeyjack.

They defeated Septarch Kulpath's forces on the outskirts of Capustan, and later fought in the Siege of Coral. Their numbers were decimated in the siege.

In House of Chains Edit

According to L'oric's spies, nearly seven thousand of the Host's original ten thousand perished in the Pannion War.^[9] Dujek led the demoralised army to Seven Cities to help Adjunct Tavore Paran's Malaz 14th Army crush the Whirlwind rebellion.

In The BonehuntersEdit

Onearm's Host had been reinforced by new Nathii and Genabarii recruits as well as half the Garrison of Pale.^[10] While Adjunct Tavore followed Leoman and the remnants of the Army of the Apocalypse to Y'Ghatan, Dujek and Admiral Nok's fleet concentrated on reinforcing garrisons and pacifying the cities of the north.^[11] Dujek's Host remained in Ehrlitan for nearly two months before moving out into the countryside.^[12]

Adjunct Tavore refused all but token assistance from Dujek in preparation for the Siege of Y'Ghatan, much to her own army's dismay. But as Tavore revealed to Fist Keneb, the core of the Host was gone after Coral and it was a spent force like its commander. Better that Tavore be disrespected for her seeming incompetence then for the 14th Army's hopes in Dujek be dashed, or their enemies across Seven Cities be emboldened. The Adjunct prayed that the Host was not required to prove its mettle under fire.^[10]

Onearm's Host reconquered city after city, but a virulent new plague soon swept the subcontinent killing tens of thousands. Dujek's mages tracked the plague's origin to the Temple of Poliel in G'danisban. The High Fist led a strike-force of veterans into the city against what he thought was a High Priestess of Poliel but instead found the Grey Goddess herself. The company was forced to retreat back to the Army's camp, and Dujek and the survivors were all wracked with plague. Only the feverish work of the Host's healers kept them alive.^[13]

Ganoes Paran discovered the Host sitting idle outside the city. With Dujek and many of his other veteran officers stricken by plague, he reluctantly took command. Not wanting to use his real name, he took Hurlochel's suggestion to pretend to be Captain Kindly.^[14] Then Paran entered G'danisban to confront and kill Poliel. He also summoned her sister, Soliel, forcing her to give a residue of her power to Noto Boil to heal the army's soldiers of plague. But it was too late for Dujek, who had already succumbed.^[15]

After Dujek's death, the other officers became aware of Paran's true identity and elected him High Fist based on the records concerning Paran in Dujek's logs. Now both of the Empire's two remaining armies in Seven Cities were commanded by brother and sister.^[16] Paran led the army east towards Hanar Ara to investigate the source of power he sensed forming there.^[17] Along the way, the last rebel warchief Mathok surrendered himself and his four thousand light cavalry then asked to join the Host. Paran agreed, naming Mathok a Fist and appointing Hurlochel as his liaison.^[18]

Mathok attempted to convince Paran to send his soldiers to slaughter Felisin Younger's followers at Hanar Ara as the new cult could prove as deadly as the plague in the future. But Paran could not bring himself to follow Mathok's advice. Instead he turned the Host around and marched to Aren.^[19]

In The Crippled GodEdit

The Host reached northern Kolanse via Warren and conquered North Citadel a stronghold of the Forkrul Assail. They were besieged inside the keep but repelled and destroyed the Assail forces once Quick Ben and Kalam joined them.

They marched south, destroying another force led by Serenity and forcing the Perish under Erekala to surrender. They arrived in time to save the Bonehunter regular infantry under Tavore Paran.

After the battle, they marched to Kolanse City where the Host attended the funerals of Gesler, Stormy and the other combatants in the Battle of the Spire.

Notable Members Edit

• Ganoes Paran, High Fist
• Dujek Onearm, former High Fist
• Fist Rythe Bude
• Outrider Hurlochel
• High Mage Noto Boil
• High Mage Quick Ben
• Commander Mathok
• Bodyguard T'morol
• Captain Sweetcreek
• Corporal Futhgar
• Corporal Kalam Mekhar
• Imperial Artist Ormulogun
• Gumble

Notes and referencesEdit