Malazan Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Malazan Wiki

Locqui Wyval [LO-kee wih-VALL][1] were the spawn of Starvald Demelain.[2] They were said to be the Eleint's uncontrollable, feral, and squalid children whom none would claim as their own, spreading like flies across a rotting feast from realm to realm.[3][4]

They were described as having grey-scaled bodies the size of oxen, muscle-bunched necks, leathery wings, snaking red-purple tails, and taloned hands and feet. They had long, sloping heads, with jaws revealing rows of dagger-like teeth and pale gums. Their eyes were the colour of clay with vertically slitted.[3][5] Their blood was golden in colour.[6] When not aflight, they ran on all fours.[5] They exulted in savagery and communicated in bestial screams.[3]

The blood of a Wyval was said to be a poison or infection that attacked the brain causing madness and death.[7]

Other spawn included D'isthal Wyvalla, Enkar'al, and Trol.[8]

In Midnight Tides[]

The Locqui Wyval strikes by PLUGO

The Locqui Wyval strikes by PLUGO

Locqui Wyval accompanied Silchas Ruin and his Tiste Andii legions when they invaded the Malazan world alongside Scabandari and his Tiste Edur. They were witnesses to Scabandari's betrayal and Ruin's downfall. They searched for their master to no avail and eventually settled down to wait.[9][10] Many thousands of years later, one of these Wyval was summoned by Feather Witch during a casting of the Tiles. It attacked her invisibly with its talons until Udinaas intervened, stabbing it with his net-hook. The Wyval turned on Udinaas, deeply slashing him until Uruth Sengar drove it away with her Kurald Emurlahn magic. Both slaves were seriously injured and after being healed were monitored for signs of infection.[11]

Later, Udinaas made a bargain with Wither, a Shadow wraith, to mutually seek retribution against the Tiste Edur. Wither hid within the blood of the Wyval and the Wyval hid in the shadow of the wraith, effectively negating his Edur masters from detecting either.[12] This likely spared Udinaas from execution.[13] Through the Wyval's blood, Udinaas travelled in his dreams, sometimes observing past moments and other times interacting with those he saw. In one instance, he was captured by the goddess Menandore who demanded he decide whether he would ride his Wyval blood or his slave body. In the face of her taunts, he chose Wyval and she raped him.[14]

Day 24 - Wyval by Shadaan

The Wyval and Udinaas by Shadaan

It was later revealed that Feather Witch had purposely called down the Wyval seeking freedom in its poison.[15] Her accusations that Udinaas was infected were made known to Emperor Rhulad Sengar, and he ordered one of his wraith servants to inspect Udinaas' blood. Wither masqueraded as one of Emperor Rhulad's loyal wraiths to declare the slave free of the Wyval taint.[16]

Udinaas accompanied the conquering Edur armies to Letheras. Once the Edur had taken the city, the Wyval hijacked Udinaas' body in order to reach the Azath Tower where Silchas Ruin was entombed.[17] The Wyval's presence lent Udinaas great strength and he killed more than thirty Soletaken Jheck and six Edur during his dash across the city. But Udinaas was left severely injured and dying by the time the Wyval shed his body to claw its way into Ruin's barrow to free its master.[18] After Ruin was freed, Wither helped the Wyval stop Sheltatha Lore from emerging from the same barrow.[19]

The Wyval followed Ruin, Wither, the healed Udinaas, and Kettle to the home of Acquitor Seren Pedac so she could spirit them outside of the occupied city.[20]

In Reaper's Gale[]

After escaping Letheras, the Wyval travelled eastward with Silchas Ruin, Seren Pedac, Fear Sengar, Kettle, and Wither for months with Edur and Letherii hunters in pursuit. It eventually abandoned the party a month before they reached the Bluerose Mountains and Udinaas declared it would not return.[21]

Trivia[]

Wyval are a reference to wyverns in real-world mythology.[22]

Notes and references[]

Advertisement