The Faceless Man, alternatively known as the Nameless, was one of the original Ten Who Were Taken, a group of powerful sorcerers who served the Dominator during the Domination and then, 370 years later, served the Lady in her own empire. As Croaker the Annalist did not encounter him personally, details specific to the Faceless Man are scarce in the Annals. Except for his capture of Barns and some details gleaned during the Battle at Charm, most of the available information about the Faceless Man is derived from the activities of the Ten as a group.
The Black Company[]
The Faceless Man led an army across the Plain of Fear to reconquer the formidable city of Barns for the Lady's Empire. Soon after, he played a major role in the defense of the Tower during the Battle at Charm against the Rebel armies commanded by the Circle of Eighteen. On the same night that Nightcrawler was reportedly killed by Rebel action, the Faceless Man and Moonbiter were said to have killed one another, "consumed by the feud among the Taken". He was never heard from again, and the report of his death is presumed to be accurate.
Bleak Seasons[]
Many years after the Battle at Charm, Murgen would begin having visions after the Siege of Dejagore, including seeing a 'faceless man'. Having already learned that four of the Taken who were thought killed at Charm actually survived, the Black Company speculated that their new adversary Longshadow may be the Faceless Man. Veterans Otto and Hagop would then take a fourteen-thousand-mile round trip to gather information in an attempt to learn the identity of Longshadow, and to return to the deep south with their findings. They reported that everyone in the north was certain that the Faceless Man, Moonbiter, and Nightcrawler were indeed killed at Charm, despite the fact that no bodies for any of the three could be found. It was later proved that Longshadow was not any of the Taken.
Miscellaneous[]
The Gender of the Taken[]
The gender of all of the Ten Who Were Taken is not explicitly specified. If the Faceless Man was indeed male, then by process of elimination Moonbiter must be the third female Taken. This perfectly fits the Lady's knowledge that the three women among the Ten were betraying her in support of the Dominator. The Faceless Man died defending the Lady against the traitor, just as Bonegnasher died fighting the female traitor Stormbringer days earlier.
Ten Who Were Taken |
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Soulcatcher • The Howler • The Limper • Shapeshifter • Stormbringer The Hanged Man • Bonegnasher • Nightcrawler • Moonbiter • The Faceless Man |