The Realm of Shadow - also known as Meanas - is one of the magical warrens, a dimension of power claimed as a domain by Shadowthrone and Cotillion. It is a place of ambiguity and misdirection, its nature reflecting the qualities of its rulers - nothing in Shadow is entirely what it appears to be. The two gods who rule it came to their positions through means the sequence discloses gradually, and their management of the realm reflects both their individual temperaments and their partnership. Shadow's agents in the mortal world operate with a freedom and unpredictability that distinguishes them from the servants of more conventionally organised divine powers.

The Malazan Empire is the dominant military and political power of the known world, built across generations of conquest beginning with the Emperor Kellanved and continued under Empress Laseen. It spans multiple continents and commands the largest standing army in existence, organised into numbered Armies and commanded by High Fists whose authority in the field is considerable and whose relationship with the imperial centre is frequently complicated. The Empire's expansion has been driven by a combination of military superiority, administrative efficiency, and a willingness to incorporate conquered peoples rather than simply subjugate them - a policy whose implementation varies considerably depending on who is doing the incorporating.