Mad-Blood Malan

Here is some background on Mad-Blood Malan from Fall of the House of Malan. It doesn't answer all the questions that have been raised about him, but it does give a feel for this (in)famous king and warleader:

The Isolting clan are an ancient Heortlending folk who inhabited the Lower Marzeel river valley since the terrible years following the Dragonkill. The proud Isoltings never paid tribute to the kings of the Kitori or the Hendriki but served as mercenaries for the many petty kings of Heortland. Unlike the Hill Heortlendings of the Storm Mountains, the Isolting have always held Humakt to be their patron god of war.

You were born when the Only Old One was still worshipped as the King of the Shadowlands and before Colymar first crossed the Death Line. Your father was a respected weapons-thane of the Isolting. You were a war-companion of Chief Kengall in your youth.

Then came the Stranger from the Seas and the world changed. The Only Old One called upon ancient pacts with the Isolting and your clan fought against the Usurper. The Isolting fought like Rastagar's Immortal Guardians of legend, but to no avail. When the Hendriki betrayed the Only Old One, Belintar defeated the Darkness King and cut him into pieces. You earned a hard-fought reputation as a fearsome and skilled warriors. Even Einar the Hendriki bard spoke silver verse praising your talents as:

Young Malan, Feeder-of-Blades
Whose generous gift is entry to Orlanth's Hall

Chief Kengall died fighting for the Only Old One against the Hendriki, as did most of the clan's elders. When the clan gathered to elect a new chief, you were the choice of the weapons-thanes. As chief of the Isoltings, you realized that the Hendriki kings would receive tribute from all of Heortland as their reward from Belintar for betraying the Only Old One. The Hendriki had made the right choice by betraying the Only Old One, while Kengall's decision had put the Isolting in an untenable position. You had learned many painful lessons during the Stranger's War - foremost among them that men are led by two reins - fear and greed.

Following the defeat of the Only Old One, several of the local clan chiefs gathered in a council. There was dissension in the council about whether the Marzeel clans should pay tribute to the Hendriki or continue to fight. Those advocating continued war, like the famous warrior Endanorl Gray Dog, agreed to support you if you took control of the council. The chiefs gathered in a hall claimed by no chief, and you plied them with drink. When their huscarls were so drunk that they could hardly stand, your household killed them and their chiefs. After this, no chief of the Marzeel Valley dared challenge your leadership. The local storm voices pronounced you Warlord and King.

The Hendriki, however, did challenge your rule over the Vale. You fought for many years against them and against the Heortlending kinglets. You attracted warriors like the Treebrothers, Orlev the Tall and their followers. Still the Hendriki and their bondsmen outnumbered your warband.

When you learned of the Quivini Wilds, you decided that the time had come to leave. Your lawspeaker Alvar the Humorless negotiated a peaceful movement through the lands of the Balmyr tribe, but the Torkani king would not allow passage through "his" pass. When your host tried to go through his lands anyway, his warriors ambushed the wagons of your followers and forced you back. Although you led reprisal raids against the Torkani, it was to no avail - your passage to the east was blocked.

You sent Alvar the Humorless to Clearwine Fort, home of Chief Colymar, to ask permission to pass through his lands. Colymar agreed, but gave three conditions: that your passage be peaceful, that you settle beyond the lands between the Creek and the Stream, and that you pay the Orkarl tribute (named after Colymar's silvertongued  negotiator) before you cross the Stream.

You paid the tribute, but once across the Thunder Hills, you let your warriors sack local steads and take much needed cattle. Upon seeing the ancient Two-Ridge Fort, you chased away the spirits that haunted the fortress walls and broke Colymar's second condition. The Isolting settled below the fort and your allies settled in the nearby valleys with their followers. You had burnt your name forever in the Resettlement of Dragon Pass and had forged a new tribe - the Malani.