Apsalar

Summary

Apsalar is a fisher girl from the village of Itko Kan who was possessed by the god Cotillion (The Rope, Patron of Assassins) and used as his mortal weapon under the name "Sorry." After being freed from possession, she adopts the name Apsalar — after the legendary Lady of Thieves — and must grapple with the assassin skills and memories left behind by a god who inhabited her body for years.

Her story is one of the most poignant in the series. She was an innocent girl whose life was stolen by a god's need for a mortal tool, and when that possession ends, she is left with abilities and knowledge that set her apart from all normal human experience. The assassin skills Cotillion left behind make her one of the deadliest individuals alive, but they come at the cost of a normal life. Her relationship with Crokus Younghand offers a glimpse of the normalcy she can never fully reclaim.

Apsalar ultimately embraces her nature and becomes an instrument of Shadow by choice rather than compulsion, working alongside Cotillion as an equal rather than a puppet. Her journey from victim to willing agent represents one of the series' most compelling explorations of agency and identity.

Arc by Book

Book 1: Gardens of the Moon

As "Sorry," Apsalar is a terrifying presence in the Bridgeburner squad — a young woman possessed by the god Cotillion, murdering Malazan soldiers and manipulating events. She kills Ganoes Paran (who is later resurrected) and sows fear and suspicion. Quick Ben and Kalam work to identify and neutralize the threat she poses. Eventually, the possession is broken during the events in Darujhistan, and the real person beneath — a confused, frightened girl — is revealed.

Book 2: Deadhouse Gates

Now free from possession and calling herself Apsalar, she travels with Fiddler and Crokus back toward her homeland. The journey takes them through the Path of Hands and into deadly encounters across Seven Cities. She struggles with the residual assassin skills and knowledge left by Cotillion, finding herself more capable of violence than any normal person should be. Her relationship with Crokus deepens, though the shadow of what was done to her hangs over them.

Book 4: House of Chains

Apsalar begins operating as a willing agent of Cotillion and Shadowthrone, undertaking assassination missions in Seven Cities. Her lethal skills are now fully under her own control, and she proves to be one of the most effective operatives in the Shadow pantheon. Her relationship with Crokus (now calling himself Cutter) becomes strained as their paths and purposes diverge.

Book 6: The Bonehunters

Apsalar continues her work for Shadow, executing missions that tie into the broader conflict with the Crippled God. She operates largely alone, a solitary figure of immense lethality moving through the shadows of the world. Her encounters reveal the depth of her abilities and the loneliness of her chosen path. She and Cutter drift further apart.

Book 8: Toll the Hounds

Apsalar operates in the vicinity of Darujhistan during the convergence orchestrated by Anomander Rake. She carries out Shadow's interests during the complex events of the book and her skills prove decisive at key moments.

Key Relationships

• Cotillion — the god who possessed her; later becomes her patron by choice; complex dynamic of guilt and purpose
• Crokus Younghand / Cutter — her love interest; their relationship is beautiful but ultimately cannot endure
• Fiddler — protective companion during her journey in DG
• Shadowthrone — her other patron in the Shadow realm
• Kalam Mekhar — fellow assassin; mutual respect
• Quick Ben — helped free her from possession; wary respect

Notable Quotes

"A god used me. Now I use what he left behind." — HoC

"I was Sorry once. I am Apsalar now. The two are not the same." — DG

"I did not ask for these skills. But I will not pretend I do not have them." — BH

Appearances

See Also

• Shadow Realm
• Bridgeburners
• Itko Kan
• Darujhistan