An elite military unit of the Malazan army, veterans of the Emperor's earliest campaigns and the most famous soldiers in the Empire. By the time of the series, the Bridgeburners have been deliberately decimated by Empress Laseen, who sees them as dangerously loyal to the old Emperor. The surviving members - including Whiskeyjack, Quick Ben, Kalam, Fiddler, and others - are central characters throughout the series.