Ganoes Paran
A Malazan officer who serves Adjunct Lorn before taking over Whiskeyjack's squad, where Sorry murders him and the twin gods of chance bring him back as their instrument. He frees himself by giving up his sword Chance, keeps hold of Raest's Finnest until the young Azath House can claim it, and finishes the book as the Bridgeburners' commander.
Whiskeyjack
Sergeant of the Bridgeburners, who accepts the Darujhistan mission despite believing the Empire designed it to finish off his squad. He runs the infiltration his own way, mining the city's intersections, and ends up second-in-command to Dujek when the newly outlawed army turns to fight the Pannion Domin.
Crokus Younghand
A young Darujhistan thief who becomes Oponn's unwitting Coin Bearer when the gods' coin saves him from an assassin's bolt. He rescues Baruk and Derudan from Vorcan with two well-thrown bricks and, at the end, drops the coin into Lake Azur and leaves with Apsalar.
Sorry
A fishergirl possessed by the god Cotillion, who joins the Malazan army and kills Paran before he has properly met his new squad. When Cotillion releases her she remembers nothing of it, and Crokus renames her Apsalar after the patron of thieves; Kalam, Fiddler and Crokus set out to escort her home.
Lorn
The Empire's Adjunct, ostensibly investigating Sorry while secretly working to free the Jaghut Tyrant Raest so that he and Rake will destroy each other. She buries the Finnest in the garden of Lady Simtal's estate and turns her hunt on Crokus, but Blues of the Crimson Guard wounds her, Meese and Irilta finish her off, and she dies with Paran beside her.
Anomander Rake
Leader of the Tiste Andii, who meets the Malazan assault at Pale with devastating magic from Moon's Spawn and then offers Darujhistan his protection. Wielding the sword Dragnipur, he takes dragon form to destroy the Galayn Demon Lord that Lorn looses on him, sealing it inside the blade.
Quick Ben
The Bridgeburners' mage, once a servant of Shadow under the name Ben Adaephon Delat. He preserves Hairlock's soul in a wooden puppet, trades the increasingly insane puppet to Shadowthrone to buy his own freedom from Shadow's revenge, and opens seven Warrens against the possessed Mammot.
Kruppe
A Phoenix Inn regular who converses with the Elder God K'rul in his dreams and there witnesses Silverfox's birth. Charged by Baruk with guarding the Coin Bearer, he is eventually presented to Rake as the figure known as the Eel.
Tattersail
A Malazan sorceress at Pale whose Deck of Dragons reading reveals Oponn's hand in events, and who becomes Paran's lover. She sets out to warn the Bridgeburners of Lorn's plan but apparently dies in a magical clash with Bellurdan; her soul survives inside the child Silverfox.
Rallick Nom
A Darujhistan assassin devoted to avenging his ruined friend Coll against Lady Simtal. He kills Councilman Lim, the assassin Ocelot and finally Turban Orr in a duel, then carries the injured Vorcan into the Azath House as its doors close behind them.
Baruk
An alchemist of Darujhistan's secret T'orrud Cabal, who accepts Rake's alliance to keep the city out of Malazan hands. When Vorcan begins murdering the Cabal's mages, he survives her attack only because Crokus intervenes.
Raest
An ancient Jaghut Tyrant buried in the Gadrobi Hills, released by Lorn and Tool in the hope that he and Rake will cripple each other. After surviving an attack by dragons he possesses the scholar Mammot, but the Bridgeburners destroy the borrowed body and the newborn Azath captures what remains of him.
Vorcan
Master of Darujhistan's Assassins' Guild, who takes an imperial contract to murder the city's secret mages. She overwhelms Baruk and Derudan before Crokus brings her down, and she ends the book carried into the Azath House by Rallick.
Tool
An undead T'lan Imass, properly named Onos T'oolan, who rescues Lorn from Barghast warriors and helps her open Raest's barrow. Freeing the Tyrant leads him to question his ancient vows, and he walks away to seek his own answers.