Dassem Ultor

Dassem Ultor

First Sword of Empire, Traveller,

Dal Honese

Dusky skinned, grey-shot black curled hair cut short, though his eyes were a a deep blue. His features were even, though crisscrossed with scars.

The man’s skin was dark, for he had been born on a savanna. His was a warrior’s build, the muscles lean and sharply defined on his frame. His height was average, though something in his posture made him seem taller.

Dessembrae, Lord of Tears, once Knight of Hood.

The Mystery of Dassem's Daughter

Tremorlor : Upon opening the door, they entered the tower’s ground floor. A stone staircase spiralled up from its centre. At the foot of the saddlebacked steps lay another body, a young, dark-skinned woman who looked as if she had been placed there but an hour before. She was dressed in what were clearly underclothes, though the armour that had once covered them was nowhere to be seen. Vicious wounds crisscrossed her slight form.

Apsalar : ‘This is Dassem Ultor’s daughter. The First Sword recovered her after Hood was done using her, and brought her here, it seems.’

‘Before breaking his vow to Hood—’

‘Aye, before Dassem cursed the god he once served.’)DG)

K'rul to Lady Envy :As petulant as ever, I see. Very well. You chose to turn your back on 

the need, when last it arose. Disappointing, that, yet enough did indeed attend to manage the Chaining – although at a cost that your presence would have diminished. .... 

Perhaps, perhaps not. Time will tell, as the mortals say. In any case, 

you defied the summons at the Chaining, Lady Envy. I will not brook your indifference a second time...

K’rul continued after a moment. We have lost allies in our foolishness.

Dassem Ultor, who was broken by Hood’s taking of his daughter at the Time of the Chaining – this was a devastating blow. Dassem Ultor, the First Sword reborn—

1‘Do you think,’ she asked slowly, ‘that Hood would have taken her for the Chaining, had I answered the summons?’ Am I, she wondered, to blame for Dassem Ultor’s loss?

Hood alone could answer that question, Lady Envy. And he’d likely lie, in any case. Dassem, his Champion – Dessembrae – had grown to rival his power. There is little value in worrying such questions, beyond the obvious lesson that inaction is a deadly choice. Consider: from Dassem’s fall, a mortal empire now totters on the edge of chaos. From Dassem’s fall, the Shadow Throne found a new occupant. From

Dassem’s fall . . . ah, well, the tumbling dominoes are almost countless.

It is done.

First Sword of the Empire

Ganoes Paran and Whiskeyjack: "'The First Sword of Empire. We heard it in the capital before we left. He's dead. Is it true? Is Dassem dead?' [...] 'I thought the Third was with him, in Seven Cities. At Y'Ghatan --'

'Hood's breath, they're still looking for his body in the still-hot rubble of that damned city [...]'

'It's said he betrayed a god.'" (GotM, p4f MMPB)

Tattersail to Whiskeyjack : ‘Back in Seven Cities,’ she said quietly, ‘the story goes that the Emperor’s First Sword – his commander of his armies – Dassem Ultor, had accepted a god’s offer. Hood made Dassem his Knight of Death. Then something happened, something went . . . wrong. And Dassem renounced the title, swore a vow of vengeance against Hood – against the Lord of Death himself. All at once other Ascendants started meddling, manipulating events. It all culminated with Dassem’s murder, then the Emperor’s assassination, and blood in the streets, temples at war, sorceries unleashed.’ (GotM, Tpb. p. 98)

K'rul: We have lost allies in our foolishness. Dassem Ultor, who was broken by Hood’s taking of his daughter at the Time of the Chaining – this was a devastating blow. Dassem Ultor, the First Sword reborn—...Dassem, his (Hood's)Champion – Dessembrae – had grown to rival his power... Consider: from Dassem’s fall, a mortal empire now totters on the edge of chaos. From Dassem’s fall, the Shadow Throne found a new occupant.(MoI, UK Trade, p.236-7) 

"[...] like Dujek (Hairlock) had been there with the Emperor's Old Guard, when the first vipers of ursupation had stirred, the day the Empire's First Sword was betrayed and brutally murdered." (GotM, p69 MMPB)

'Early in Kellanved's reign, cults proliferated among the Imperial armies, particularly among the Marines. It should be remembered that this was also the time of Dassem Ultor, First Sword and Supreme Commander of the Malazan forces...a man sworn to Hood...

Malazan Campaigns, vol.II

Duiker' (DG, UK MMPB, p.211)

''Dessembrae. The Cult of Dassem'' (DG Tpb, p.321)

Apsalar to Fiddler : ‘Dancer trusted but two men. One was Kellanved. The other was

Dassem Ultor, the First Sword. Dassem is dead.' (DG Tpb, p130)

Nok to Tavore :'Dassem Ultor – who was, like Kellanved, of Dal Honese blood' (HoC Tpb, p.208)