Ahira's Hangar

Ok, time for another clarification question!

The Deck seems to be some sort of super tarot cards that gives a gifted in-tune reader some sort of a guess/insight as to what the gods/dieties/ascendants, etc. are up to - or so I have thought from my reading through The Bonehunters.

But it also seems to be more than that, somehow, or else why would dieties actually want to be added to the Deck? If it was just people reading the Deck to get glimpses into the minds or intentions or actions of the ascendants, why would any of the ascendants even care whether or not they are in the Deck? In fact, wouldn't it be an advantage not to be the Deck?

So I guess my first question is - what are the powers of the Deck beyond the obvious tarot thing?


Also - doesn't that annoying little twit Feather Witch (perhaps my least favorite character in the sereis) have an alternate form of looking the Houses/ascendants herself? How does the Lethari system and houses tie into the Malazan methods & Deck if at all?

And from what I remember, the Bridgeburners were doing some sort of unspecified thing to make Tattersail the Mistress of the Deck. This made sense, as she was a powerful mage (not up to the godlike levels of Quick Ben, but still pretty strong) and was familiar with the Deck, and often made use of it. But Paran became Deck Master instead, primarily due to his relationship with and proximity to Tattersail when she was unable to take up the duties. But he is not a mage, and had no familiarity with the Deck at all. So how can he really be Master? And without being a mage of any sort, how can he have the powers of being the Master?

Let's see... Heh.

Holds came before Houses. Sort of like evolution. Paran learned that in MoI, and it's also discussed in RG. Feather Witch uses Tiles to read the Holds, the way others use the Deck's cards to read the Houses.

I don't remember what you're saying about them trying to make Tattersail the Master of the Deck.

I assume Paran became MotD because the Deck chose him. Sort of the way a shaman (of our world, not a Bonecaster) becomes a shaman - you don't choose the power; the power chooses you. That's how I took it with Paran, anyway.

I'm not at all sure why an Ascendant or god would want to be in the Deck. Not sure what the Crippled God's motivation was. "Becoming legitimate" doesn't explain it well enough to me. But it seems that various powers are added to the Deck whether they want it or not. People will make cards themselves, and put it into their personal Deck. And sometimes they catch on, and others add it to their own Deck.

perhaps I misremember - quite likely - but I thought that there was a conversation somewhere - possibly in MOI? - about how they had planned for Tattersail to be Mistress of the Deck?

The Bridgeburners? No, I don't think so. Nobody in the Bridgeburners has the sort of power necessary to add someone to the deck. Except Quick Ben, I suppose, if he had the inclination. Fiddler has quite a bit of sensitivity that allows him to read and interpret the cards pretty accurately. Kalam does too, I think; doesn't he use the Deck at some godsforsaken outpost on his way to -- was it Malazan City? -- to assassinate Laseen?

No, the only name I remember associated with speculation over a Master of the Deck was Paran's.

There's definitely a magical link between the physical Deck and stuff going on with the gods. Which is pretty cool, when you think about it -- it's like a free software update for your Deck, instead of having to go out and buy a whole new Deck when a card is added.

Now, when and if I ever get a chance for a reread, I will keep an eye out for the scene (if it actually even exists.).

I was just going to say that early on in Return of the Crimson Guard we get our best description of the deck and its use thus far in the series.

So when cards are added to the deck, the people who sue the deck somehow sense this and hand make their new additions? Wild stuff, if I read that right...

And only one use per day?