"Seven Cities was an ancient civilization, steeped in the power of antiquity, where Ascendants once walked on every trader track, every lost road between forgotten places. It was said the sands hoarded power within their susurrating currents, that every stone had soaked up sorcery like blood, and that beneath every city lay the ruins of countless other cities, older cities, cities that went back to the First Empire itself. It was said each city rose on the backs of ghosts, the substance of spirits thick like layers of crushed bone; that each city forever wept beneath the streets, forever laughed, shouted, hawked wares and bartered and prayed and drew first breaths and the last breaths that announced death. Beneath the streets there were dreams, wisdom, foolishness, fears, rage, grief, lust and love and bitter hatred." - DG, UK MMPB, p.70-1

 

Heboric snorted. ‘Cults feed upon one another, lass. Whole myths are co-opted to fuel the faith. Seven Cities was born of nomadic tribes, yet the legacy preceding them was that of an ancient civilization, which in turn rested uneasy on the foundations of a still older empire – the First Empire of the T’lan Imass.' - (HoC UK Mmpb, p.242)

---

 

Seven Cities at the time of the First Empire

 

 “Knowledge is returning,”  Icarium said, eyes still on the sea.  “Raraku’s gift.  We were witness to the rise of the waters, here on this west shore.  Further west, then, there will be a river, and many cities --”

Mappo’s gaze narrowed.  “Only one, now, to speak of,”  he said.

 “Only one?”

 “The others died thousands of years ago, Icarium.”

 “N’karaphal?  Trebur?  Inath’an Merusin?  Gone?”

 “Inath’an Merusin is now called Mersin.  It is the last of the great cities lining the river.”

 “But there were so many, Mappo.  I recall all their names.  Vinith, Hedori Kwil, Tramara….”

 “All practicing intensive irrigation, drawing the river’s waters out onto the plains.  All clearing forests to build their ships.  Those cities are dead now, my friend.  And the river, its waters once so clear and sweet, is now heavy with silts and much diminished.  The plains have lost their topsoil, becoming the Lato Odhan to the east of the Mersin River, and Ugarat Odhan to the west.”

Icarium slowly raised his hands, set them against his temples, and closed his eyes.  “That long, Mappo?”  he asked in a frail whisper.

 “Perhaps the sea has triggered such memories.  For it was indeed a sea back then, freshwater for the most part, although there was seepage through the limestone escarpment from Longshan Bay -- that vast barrier was rotting through, as will it do again, I imagine, assuming this sea reaches as far north as it once did.”

 “The First Empire?”

 “It was falling even then.  There was no recovery.”  Mappo hesitated, seeing how his words had wounded his friend.  “But the people returned to this land, Icarium.  Seven Cities -- yes, the name derives from old remembrances.  New cities have grown from the ancient rubble.  We are only forty leagues from one right now.  Lato Revae.  It is on the coast --” (BH)

 

Icraium - “I have memories of Trebur.  I spent time there, in the City of Domes.  I did something.  An important thing.”  He frowned.  “I did … something.”

 “It is an arduous journey ahead of us, then,”  Mappo said.  “Three, maybe four days to the edge of Thalas Mountains.  Ten more at the least to reach the Mersin River’s Wend.  The channel has moved from the site of ancient Trebur.  A day’s travel west of the river, then, and we will find those ruins.”

 “Will there be villages and such on our route?”

Mappo shook his head.  “These Odhans are virtually lifeless now, Icarium.  Occasionally, Vedanik tribes venture down from the Thalas Mountains, but not at this time of year. (BH) 

"The many cultures of Seven Cities seethed with symbols, a secret pictographic language of oblique references that carried portentous weight among the natives. Such symbols formed a complex dialogue that no Malazan could understand.' - DG, UK MMPB, p.65

"A single long-knife, the weapon of choice among Seven Cities warriors, was slung through a thin belt." - GotM, US HC, p.47

"Paran went to the other horse and tied his bag to the saddle, which was of the Seven Cities style, high-backed and with a hinged horn that folded forward - " - GotM, US HC, p.95

"He (Duiker) fished out two local crescents - the equivalent of a base 'clipping' of the Imperial silver jakata" - DG, UK MMPB, p.68

"I hear Seven Cities natives grow fruit just so they can eat the larvae in them. Gobble the worm and toss the apple, hey? If you want to know how you folk see the world, it's all there in that one custom."

-Cartheron Crust - DG, UK MMPB, p.708