First Sword :  Imass, a title denoting a Champion 

"We are the Tlan, but soon the Gathering comes, and so shall be voiced the Rite of Imass and the Choosing of Bonecasters, and then shall come the sundering of flesh, of time itself. Wit the Gathering shall be born the T'lan Imass, and the First Empire." - GotM, US HC, p.253

 

'Logros – Guardians of the First Throne itself' (RG) 

‘Logros commanded that the First Throne be removed from this land (Seven Cities), because the Nameless Ones were drawing ever closer to discovering its location. They had come to realize that its power could be claimed, that the T’lan Imass could be made to bow in service to the first mortal to seat him or herself upon it.’ - Onrack (HoC)

 

‘To command the First Throne, one must be mortal. - Onrack (HoC)

 

‘Monok Ochem. The renegades (The Unbound) would lead their new master to the First Throne. They travel the paths of chaos. It is their intent, I believe, to place a mortal Tiste Edur upon that throne. Such a new ruler of the T’lan Imass would, in turn, command the new mortal bonecaster – the one who has voiced the summons.’ (HoC)

 

Current location of the First Throne

 

‘How many guardians protect the FirstThrone?’

‘None.’

Trull Sengar straightened. ‘None?’

‘Do any T’lan Imass remain on the continent of Quon Tali?’ Onrack asked.

‘No, Onrack the Broken,’ Monok Ochem replied. ‘This intention you describe was . . . unanticipated. Logros’s army is massed here in Seven Cities.’ (HoC)

 

The First Throne lies at the base of a crevasse, beneath a city—’ (HoC)

 

 

 

 

Kellanved and the First Throne

 

But Shadowthrone did just that, once before, as Emperor Kellanved.’

‘He did?’

‘He claimed the First Throne. The throne of the T’lan Imass.’ (HoC)

 

The Nameless Ones serve the Houses of the Azath. Logros believed that, had a priest of that cult taken the First Throne, the first and only command given to the T’lan Imass would be to voluntarily accept eternal imprisonment. We would have been removed from this world.’

‘So the throne was moved.’

‘Yes, to a continent south of Seven Cities. Where it was found by a mage – Kellanved, the Emperor of the Malazan Empire.’(HoC)

 

‘The Emperor’s exploitation of our abilities was . . . modest. Surprisingly constrained. He was then assassinated. The new Empress does not command us.’

‘Why didn’t she just sit on the First Throne herself?’

‘She would, could she find it.’

 

 

Defence of the First Throne

 

The Logros T'lan Imass had had failed to stop the seven (now six) Unbound from showing the Crippled God's mortal minions the location of the First Throne. Over the course of a year, Onrack, his companions and Minala's child army fought off several groups of Tiste Edur arriving by warren. While Trull Sengar struggled with the knowledge that the enemy seeing him would lure more Tiste Edur to the Throne, Onrack discovered in himelf the awakening of an emotion lost to the bound T'lan Imas: anger.

 

The final battle at the First Throne came as the Tiste Edur fleet under Tomad Sengar began its departure back to the Lether Empire. Tiste Edur warriors, a company of Letheri soldiers, the Edur warlock ________ and the champion Icarium had intended to assault the Throne of Shadow on Drift Avalii, but upon finding it destroyed they assaulted the First Throne instead. The warlock ____ was killed by Monok Ochem and then the Edur and Letheri soldiers made a frontal assault against the defenders. Trull was finally recognized by other Tiste Edur: ______ and _____ both immediately engaged him. ____ was struck down from behind by Trull's former subordinate, Ahlrada Ahn, who had elected to join Trull. Ahn was wounded by ____ who was then killed by Trull. While Trull pulled Ahlrada into the Throne-room, Onrack continued fighting.

 

Icarium, apalled at the notion of fighting children, became enraged and began slaughtering fighters from both sides of the battle. Onrack engaged him, but Icarium easily cut the T'lan Imass to pieces. This had the effect, however, of turning Icarium around and the Jhag next began slaughtering the Letheri and Edur forces remaining. After killing them all, Icarium proceeded towards the First Throne again. He was engaged by Ibra Gholan and Apt, but killed both. Next Trull fought with him and held off numerous blows but was in turn defeated and knocked back. Quick Ben, in Shadowthrone's debt, was transported in front of Icarium and quickly blew the Jhag into the distance with his magic. Icarium returned and Quick Ben blew him into the distance again. This sequence repeated itself numerous times, until Icarium broke through Quick Ben's assault and knocked the wizard unconscious. Icarium was about to proceed further when the Eres'al appeared and lightly touched him, rendering the Jhag unconscious.

 

In the aftermath of the battle, Shadowthrone and Cotillion arrived at the First Throne to heal the survivors. Onrack was repaired by the Eres'al, but Ahlrada Ahn, Apt, Ibra Gholan and many of the children were already dead. Monok Ochem, pushed into the throne-room by the force of Icarium had fused bodily to the First Throne itself. The unconscious Icarium was carried off by Taralack Veed and Varat Taun, the only other survivors from the assault force. Onrack, Trull and Quick Ben were taken by Shadowthrone into the Shadow realm, until Cotillion later called upon them with a new mission.