| 
  • If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

  • You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!

View
 

The Talon

Page history last edited by D Morin 15 years, 5 months ago

The Talon

 

The predecessor of The Claw in the Malazan Empire, used primarily for assassination and spy work. It was commanded by Dancer. Forced underground after Dancer's disappearance, its surviving members still exist, though secretly, so as not to attract the attention of the Claw.


 

The Talon: rumoured Imperial covert organization predating the Claw

NoK, UK mmpb, Glossary

 

Talon symbol 

 

A severed birds foot (tattoo)

NoK, p.70

 

Talon 

 

Baudin

"...the talon of some large cat, amber-coloured and smooth.

DG, UK mmpb, p.282

Hawl

"...a yellow stained talon strung on a thong"

HoC, p.660

 

 

Rivalry between the Claw and the Talon

 

'Heboric: An old rivalry...Dancer and Surly. In keeping with the Imperial symbol of the demon hand gripping a sphere, he called them his Talons. Surly used that model in creating the Claw. The Talons were external - outside the Empire - but the Claws were internal, a secret police, a network of spies and assassins.'

Kulp: 'But the Claw are used in covert military operations...'

'They are now. When Surly became Regent in the absence of Kellanved and Dancer, she sent her claws after the Talons. The betrayal started subtly - a string of disastrous botched missions - but someone got careless and gave the game away. The two locked daggers and fought it out to the bitter end.'

'And the Claw won.'

...'Surly becomes Laseen. Laseen becomes Empress. The Claws sit atop the pile of skulls like well-fed crows. The Talons went the way of Dancer. Dead and gone...or, as a few mused now and then, so far underground as to seem extinct...Like Dancer himself, maybe'

DG, UK MMPB, p.448-9

 

 
Heboric: So the Talons remain...Then who commands you?'

Baudin: 'No-one...I was born into it. There's a handful left, kicking around here and there, either old or drooling or both. A few first sons inherited...the secret. Dancer's not dead. He ascended, alongside Kellanved - my father was there to see it, in Malaz City, the Night of the Shadow Moon.'

DG, UK MMPB, p.449

 

See Baudin for an example of a Talon kit.

Kellanved's Malazan Empire

Comments (0)

You don't have permission to comment on this page.