Notes on: Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson
Caution: this is essentially a plot summary and thus filled with spoilers

story notes:
Beginning:
Felisin, Ganoe Paran's younger sister, is being sold into slavery. Her companions are Baudin and Heboric Light Touch (an erstwhile priest of Fener, blind and handless).

Coltaine, the leader of the Crow Clan, is the new Fist. He holds a council in Hissar which Duiker (Imperial Historian) attends. Duiker attaches himself to Coltaine's crew.

High Fist Pormqual held the fleet at Aren, and all the major cities on the Chain of Dogs route were held by the Whirlwind, which meant even if Coltaine took one back and held it, there would be no relief and the refugees would die all the same. Aren was the only city within (near suicidal) reach that was held by the Malazans and could be expected to remain held.

Middle:
Fiddler, Crokus & Apsalar eventually meet up with Iskaral Pust and his Servant (later revealed to be Rellock, Apsalar's father!).

Kalam heads off on his own, eventually reaching Aren via warren. Boards a ship heading out and meets fellow mysterious traveler Salk Elan.

Companion travelers Mappo and Icarium meet up with Fiddler, Crokus, Apsalar, Iskaral Pust, Rellock. Mappo is wary of his friend Icarium. Icarium in turn is not in full possession of his memories. He is half-Jaghut and we later learn he is thousands of years old. Mappo is also aware that Icarium's temper is not something you want to provoke to anger. They all head towards Tremolor, the Azath house in the midst of the Raraku desert.

Azath houses have gates linked to other similar houses, allowing instantaneous travel from one such house to another. In GotM the Azath house in Darujhistan arose to contain a Jaghut tyrant's finnest. Legend has it that Kellanved and Dancer once occupied the Azath house in the midst of Malaz City known as Deadhouse.

End:
The Empress Laseen's fleet is headed towards Aren and is being led by adjunct Tavore (Felisin's older sister). There is no love lost between Felisin and Tavore.

Felisin becomes Sha'ik Reborn. Her three high mages are: Bidithal (female); Febryl, who thrice tried to poison Sha'ik; and L'oric, the most mysterious of the three.

The Chain of Dogs ends in tragedy before the gates of Aren. Coltaine is killed (mercifully executed by Squint, an archer inside Aren). Sorno Enath and Bult are dead. The only survivors are the citizenry, warlock siblings Nil and Nether, and some horse warriors.

Duiker (The historian) is also killed. The High Fist Pormqual surrenders his troops before the Army of Apocalypse. They all get crucified, Duiker being the last one.

Laseen has sworn revenge against the whirlwind... and will perhaps send the new Adjunct, Tavore with an army to exact it. Fiddler intends to join it.

Felisin Paran is now Shai'k and has withdrawn her armies to Raraku. She has Leoman, L'oric, Bidithal, Kamist Reloe, Korbolo Dom and his Dogslayers, Heboric, and Toblakai with her.

The whirlwind (a column of wind and sand) is created by the goddess Dryjhna. It's a magical force that mainly serves as a barrier around Raraku, the base of operations of the Sha'ik and the rebellion. But it also gets used as a mode of super-fast travel to get across the continent. The Whirlwind is also a common name for the rebellion.

[p. 753] Salk Elan is revealed as another name for Pearl (a Claw assassin). Pearl stabs Kalam and pitches him over the side of a ship near the coast of Malaz Island. Soon after that, Pearl is set upon by Apt (the aptorian demon keeping protective watch on Kalam) but Pearl escapes via a warren.

Minala loves Kalam and saves his ass in Malaz city after he decimates the Claw assassins on his tail.

Gothos, a Jaghut (think tusks and fearsome strength) and father to Icarium, lives imprisoned within Deadhouse. He may be ageless within the Azath house.

Laseen claims that outlawing Dujek Onearm was a temporary measure and a ruse, the aim of which was to ally Dujek with Caladan Brood, Anomander Rake (and the Tiste Andii), the Rhivi and the Barghast in order to unite them in common cause against the Pannion Seer (in southern Genabackis).

Only Dujek, Tayschrenn and now Kalam are aware of this (and Topper).

Kalam knows Laseen is not there in the flesh and informs her his hunt for her is over. She says she cannot call off the Claw assasins who are after him. (Topper was listening in on their conversation with Laseen's knowledge).

Apsalar, Rellock (her father and erstwhile Servant to Iskaral Pust), and Crokus head to the Kanese coast, their former home (excepting Crokus).

Fiddler re-enlists and is deposited at Smiley's Tavern (on his way to Mock's Hold?).

Shadowthrone bequeaths 1300 orphans upon Kalam Mekhar and Minala Eltroeb.

Sha'ik/Felisin adopts a daughter and names her Felisin. She then retreats to the Raraku.

Conjecture:
Soletaken: a "sole" form that is "taken" by the person concerned.
D'ivers: (add an "e" and you have "diverse") a multitude of like forms is taken by the person concerned.