Dust of Dreams
Chapters - Steven Erikson
Prologue
A snake of refugee children from the eastern continent of Lether makes its way across the Elan Plain, led by the boy Rutt and accompanied by the young poet Badalle. They are pursued by the Quitters and harassed by packs of wild dogs, losing children each day. Kalyth, an Elan survivor living in the K'Chain Che'Malle keep Ampelas Rooted, is declared Destriant by the insane Matron and sent to find a Mortal Sword and Shield Anvil, accompanied by K'ell Hunters and a Shi'Gal Assassin. A ghost follows seven bickering travellers across a wasteland, though from above only a single tusked figure is visible. Heboric Light Touch has visions of strange creatures and blazing jade suns, sensing that a final war has begun.
On page: Badalle, Kalyth, Taralack Veed, Rutt, Held, Saddic, Sag'Churok, Gunth Mach, Gunth'an Acyl
Book 1: The Sea Does Not Dream of You
Chapter 1
In Letheras, Tavore plans a Reading of the Deck of Dragons, commanding Fiddler to be the dealer. Tehol is informed by Bugg and sends Brys to warn the Adjunct of its danger, but she proceeds regardless. The Errant, Master of the Tiles, decides to gatecrash the reading. Sinn and Grub explore the Azath House and discover the skeleton of a Forkrul Assail. Bugg visits the pregnant Seren Pedac to warn her about Errastas's likely attack, promising to defend her unborn child and summoning two old gods to help.
On page: Tavore Paran, Fiddler, Tehol Beddict, Bugg, Brys Beddict, Sinn, Grub, Errastas, Janath Anar
Chapter 2
Silchas Ruin returns to the Refugium and proposes taking Rud Elalle away to teach him control over his Eleint nature, for the protection of all. The Perish Thrones of War sail along the coast to Bolkando, and the young Shield Anvil Tanakalian finds the dying Destriant Run'Thurvian, whose last words warn of betrayal. At Second Maiden Fort, the Watch Yedan Derryg secretly murders a coven of Shake witches who were conspiring against Queen Yan Tovis, forcing Twilight to banish him. The Perish negotiate passage through Bolkando while Twilight and the remaining witches plan evacuation due to rising sea levels. Silchas Ruin and Rud Elalle veer into dragon form and depart.
On page: Silchas Ruin, Yan Tovis, Yedan Derryg, Onrack, Ulshun Pral, Rud Elalle, Krughava, Tanakalian, Pully, Skwish
Chapter 3
The reading of the Deck of Dragons begins in Letheras, and the accumulated power overflows into the city, reanimating dead animals and releasing dragons. Fiddler deals each card directly at those attending, naming them: Sinn as Virgin of Death, Quick Ben as Magus of Dark, Brys as King of Life. For Tavore, there is nothing. The Errastas enters expecting to become Master of the Deck but is faced down by Brys and Fiddler. He retreats and ambushes Brys with sorcery, but is knocked unconscious by Ublala Pung. Fists Keneb and Blistig are holed up in a tavern, having fled the barracks along with most others in anticipation of the reading's fallout.
On page: Fiddler, Sinn, Quick Ben, Brys Beddict, Tavore Paran, Errastas, Keneb, Blistig, Tarr, Koryk, Smiles, Cuttle, Faradan Sort, Banaschar, Lostara Yil, Janath Anar, Ublala Pung, Kindly·Mentioned: Bugg
Chapter 4
Kalyth and the K'Chain Che'Malle set out on their quest, and Kalyth enters the Elan prophetic dream-world through drugs; while she is unconscious their camp is attacked by Barghast scouts whom the Shi'Gal Assassin kills easily. Onos T'oolan, Warchief of the Barghast, still grieves over Toc Anaster's death while the clans grow restless without an enemy. Torrent, last of the Awl, discovers the dead scouts; back at camp the Great Warlock Cafal investigates the girl Setoc, who was raised by wolves and may be a priestess of the Beast Throne. The Snake of child refugees continues its slow westward journey, losing more children each day.
On page: Kalyth, Onos T'oolan, Torrent, Cafal, Setoc, Badalle, Rutt, Held, Saddic, Visto, Stavi, Storii, Hessanrala, Maral Eb, Sag'Churok, Gunth Mach, Gu'Rull·Mentioned: Toc the Younger
Chapter 5
In Letheras, Tavore tells her officers and Quick Ben that the Bonehunters will travel east through the Wastelands to Kolanse. Quick Ben explains that the The Crippled God is there, and the other gods intend to chain him more thoroughly while the Forkrul Assail use the blood of massacred populations to create a gate. Brys decides to lead a Letherii escort through the Wastelands. Bottle discusses with his fellow squad mages how Icarium created new warrens that have disrupted the old ones, and how Fiddler's reading fed extra power into them. Sinn and Grub enter one of the new warrens through the Azath House.
On page: Tavore Paran, Quick Ben, Brys Beddict, Bottle, Sinn, Grub, Hedge, Tarr, Koryk, Smiles, Cuttle·Mentioned: The Crippled God, Icarium
Chapter 6
Bolkando raiders harass the Khundryl rearguard, prompting Warleader Gall to launch a pre-emptive strike that bloodies the enemy and forces the Bolkando crown to think again. Up in the mountain pass, the Perish Grey Helms hold steady ground and refuse to be drawn into needless slaughter. On the Shore, Twilight opens Gallan's Road for the Shake, committing Yan Tovis and her ragged people to a path none of them understand. Seven travellers cross into the dead dragon city of Kalse Rooted, where the air itself feels older than memory. Far away, Gunth Mach, Sag'Churok and their companions press on with the K'Chain Che'Malle quest to find a fitting Mortal Sword and Shield Anvil for their dying kind.
On page: Yan Tovis, Gall, Taralack Veed, Krughava, Jarabb, Tanakalian, Pully, Skwish
Book 2: Eaters of Diamonds and Gems
Chapter 7
The Errastas visits the Elder Gods Sechul Lath and Kilmandaros in the Azath Tower, trying to persuade them to challenge the new gods. The Bonehunters and Brys's Letherii troops hold war-games in preparation for their march. Sandalath Drukorlat tells Withal they must leave Letheras and visit the Shake to learn about their Tiste Andii ancestry; they depart with the three nachts following. Sinn and Grub explore the new warren, finding a desert landscape with long-destroyed buildings and wagons.
On page: Errastas, Brys Beddict, Sinn, Grub, Hedge, Sandalath Drukorlat, Withal, Sechul Lath, Kilmandaros
Chapter 8
The K'Chain Che'Malle and Kalyth travel faster through the Wastelands, sensing a powerful enemy following them. They pause at a dead dragon's skeleton and Kalyth deduces their religion involves dragon worship; the skull was pierced by an otataral tooth. The K'Chain share their belief that there must be at least two opposing gods, and show Kalyth a vision of the chained Otataral Dragon. The Gadra clan blame the Akrynnai for their scouts' deaths and prepare to attack. Cafal, Torrent, and Setoc try to leave by warren but end up in another world where Setoc summons vast numbers of extinct wolf spirits. Yan Tovis opens the Road of Gallan with her blood as the Shake prepare to flee rising waters. The ghost recalls the K'Chain Che'Malle city's name: Kalse Rooted. The Snake enters the Glass Desert.
On page: Kalyth, Cafal, Torrent, Setoc, Yan Tovis, Badalle, Taralack Veed, Rutt, Held, Saddic, Visto, Sag'Churok, Gunth Mach, Gu'Rull·Mentioned: Gunth'an Acyl
Chapter 9
In Letheras, Shurq Elalle hosts Felash and Janath to dinner in the Cedance, with Ublala Pung paraded as her possible new lover; the talk drifts from politics to Bolkando intrigue and the pirate queen's restless plans. At court, Tehol and Bugg juggle ministers, taxes and the small absurdities of empire while quietly bracing for what the Bonehunters will need. Atri-Ceda Aranict steps forward beside Commander Brys Beddict for the first time, nervous but sharp-eyed, and Brys notices more than he lets on. Out in the muster fields, the Bonehunters are forming up squad by squad, with marines like Hellian, Cuttle, Koryk and Smiles trading the usual complaints. Tavore's army is at last gathering itself for the long march east.
On page: Banaschar, Shurq Elalle, Janath Anar, Ublala Pung, Aranict, Felash
Chapter 10
Kalyth and the K'Chain Che'Malle see an immense storm in the distance, with thunder-like noises shaking the ground. Onos T'oolan senses the storm has destroyed hundreds of Barghast and leaves with a hundred warriors to investigate, refusing to tell Hetan his suspicions. Cafal, Torrent, Setoc, and the wolf spirits reach the Wastelands but are too far north; they separate, with Cafal and Setoc returning to Cafal's clan. On the Road of Gallan, Yan Tovis weakens from blood loss and the treachery of the two witches draining her. She collapses, stranding the Shake on the Road. Yedan Derryg sees they are in Tiste Liosan lands, rides ahead, and kills a Forkrul Assail and five Tiste Liosan to forestall an attack. Yan Tovis recovers enough to continue.
On page: Kalyth, Onos T'oolan, Hetan, Cafal, Torrent, Setoc, Yan Tovis, Yedan Derryg, Sandalath Drukorlat, Withal, Rutt, Stavi, Storii, Hessanrala, Maral Eb, Sekara, Stolmen, Sag'Churok, Gunth Mach, Pully, Skwish, Pithy, Brevity
Chapter 11
Inside the Azath Tower, Errastas and Sechul Lath speak as Elder Gods left out in the cold, sounding out who might be drawn back into play and who must be removed. Tehol gives Tavore a parting gift, a plain knife wrapped in words that mean more than the blade, and the Adjunct accepts both in silence. The Shake follow Twilight's road towards the First Shore, footsore and frightened, while on the cliffs above the sea the Bonehunters make their last preparations before marching. In the palace, Letherii court business grinds on under Tehol and Bugg, half farce and half quiet kindness. In the Refugium, Onrack, Ulshun Pral and their people sense a darkness gathering at the edges of their green world.
On page: Errastas, Tehol Beddict, Tavore Paran, Bugg, Lostara Yil, Ublala Pung, Sechul Lath·Mentioned: Olar Ethil
Chapter 12
The Barghast have been raiding Akrynnai caravans, triggering a retaliatory attack on the Barghast camp. Another battle between the two sides is devastated by an arcane storm that brings tidal waves of earth, overwhelming all combatants. Onos T'oolan, investigating a destroyed Barghast camp with only a hundred warriors, is discovered by a rival clan. Realising what will happen, Tool commits suicide to save his companions from being slaughtered. Torrent meets Olar Ethil in T'lan Imass form; she is annoyed that Tool has died and hints she will do something about it, saying Toc Anaster interceded on Torrent's behalf. Yan Tovis leads the Shake to the end of the Road, arriving at the deserted city of Kharkanas.
On page: Onos T'oolan, Torrent, Olar Ethil, Yan Tovis, Maral Eb, Bakal, Sekara, Strahl, Stolmen·Mentioned: Toc the Younger
Book 3: Only the Dust will Dance
Chapter 13
Silchas Ruin teaches Rud Elalle about his parentage and tells him his real name is Ryadd Eleis. Kalyth has a dream-vision of the Bridgeburners and is growing into her role as Destriant. The K'Chain Che'Malle are pursued by K'Chain Nah'ruk, their bitter enemy, and two K'ell Hunters are killed. Kalyth summons aid and receives undead Jaghut who destroy the pursuers. Sinn and Grub continue travelling through the warren, discussing their origins. In Kalse Rooted, the ghost's companions encounter the newly-woken drone Sulkit, who can sense the ghost. The ghost is recovering memories of cruelty and killing.
On page: Silchas Ruin, Kalyth, Sinn, Grub, Taralack Veed, Rud Elalle, Sag'Churok, Gunth Mach, Gu'Rull·Mentioned: Icarium
Chapter 14
Queen Abrastal joins the march herself, riding out to parley with Gall and the Khundryl after the recent skirmishes, and the Perish under Krughava and Tanakalian keep pace alongside. In the Khundryl camp, the heavily pregnant Hanavat holds the women together while the warriors brace for harder days. On the Barghast plains, the White Face camp reels from the death of Onos T'oolan, with Maral Eb manoeuvring for power and the first ugly hints of what will be done to Hetan settling over the clans. Tanakalian watches his Mortal Sword with growing private doubt, weighing his own ambitions against her certainty. Across each army the same question presses in: what is Tavore really marching them towards.
On page: Gall, Krughava, Hanavat, Jastara, Jarabb, Tanakalian, Abrastal, Rava
Chapter 15
Onos T'oolan is dead. He has a vision of an alternate past where the Ritual of Tellann never happened and the Imass dwindled and died out. He encounters the dead Toc Anaster, Herald of Death, who denies him entry through Hood's Gate at Olar Ethil's command. Torrent wakes from a dream and Olar Ethil tells him she is an Elder God known by many names. The Akrynnai have beaten most of the White Face Barghast clans. News of Tool's death triggers a night of madness among the Barghast: rivals kill each other, and Hetan is hobbled and raped. Toc Anaster intervenes to save Tool's children, taking them to Setoc for sanctuary. In the Wastelands, Onos T'oolan becomes a T'lan Imass once more.
On page: Onos T'oolan, Olar Ethil, Torrent, Hetan, Setoc, Toc the Younger, Stavi, Storii, Hessanrala, Maral Eb, Bakal, Sekara, Strahl, Stolmen
Chapter 16
On a dead, sun-bleached world, Errastas convenes Sechul Lath, Kilmandaros, Olar Ethil and Mael, and the Elder Gods argue over dragons, Forkrul Assail and the Crippled God with old grievances bared. The Bonehunters march on by river barge and dusty road, the marines grumbling their way east under Tavore's silence. In the glass desert, the Snake of children stumbles on under Rutt, who carries the infant Held, with Badalle's bleak rhymes and Saddic's quiet hoarding holding the column together. In Letheras and on the line of march, Brys and Aranict find a careful warmth growing between them. Behind the K'Chain Che'Malle quest, pursuit closes in and the cost of failure sharpens.
On page: Errastas, Olar Ethil, Sechul Lath, Kilmandaros, Mael, Aranict·Mentioned: Kilava