Thel Akai

Thel Akai were "The People" or the "First People", first-born of the Malazan world. They were described as "giants" standing even taller than Tarthenal Theloman Toblakai, who were their descendants. When they died, they turned to earth and soil, "returning to the Earth", their mother.

Culture

According to Ereko, the last of his race, the Thel Akai were not a war-like people, and often encouraged humans in their development. They fell foul of the High King Kallor when they helped his opponents on Jacuruku, and he vowed to destroy every one of them. Jacuruku was the Thel Akai homeland, and upon its soil, Ereko refused to draw a weapon. The Thel Akai's goddess was the Queen of Dreams, T'riss.

Notable Thel Akai

• Bellurdan
• Ereko
• Erelan Kreed
• Hanako
• Kanyn Thrall
• Lasa Rook

Descendant Races

• Thelomen Toblakai
  • Teblor
• Tarthenal
• Fenn

Language

• Gal-Eresh, meant "The Ice Dancer", the Thel Akai name for the Explorer's Sea

In Return of the Crimson Guard

After he had been imprisoned and forced to fight for a long while at the Stormwall, Ereko had been informed by his patron Goddess, the Queen of Dreams, that the man Traveller was going to be his deliverance. They met on the Stormwall as prisoners who defended a portion of the wall. After numerous Stormriders met their death at the hands of Ereko, they no longer attacked him. Ereko then escaped with Traveller, and journeyed with him for a time.

Kallor eventually found and killed Ereko at the Dolmens of Tien in Jacuruku, fulfilling the vow he made ages past to destroy the Thel Akai.

Trivia

In a Q&A on the TOR website Steven Erikson has stated that Bellurdan was also Thel Akai.

Author comments

Author Ian C. Esslemont implies that the rock-like entity Denuth is a progenitor of the the Thelomen and Thel Akai races.

Notes and references

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