Location from Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson
Fortress overlooking Malaz Harbor — where the pirate Mock ruled before Kellanved took it from him and began building an empire from a stolen tower.
Mock's Hold is where the Malazan Empire began — not with a grand vision but with a pirate's tower seized by a small man with large ambitions. Kellanved took the hold from Mock through a combination of cunning, Dancer's blades, and an understanding that power flows from position rather than size. The fortress has since served as military headquarters, administrative center, and — on the night of the Shadow Moon — the site of a convergence that saw multiple assassinations, a god's manifestation, and the kind of chaos that Malaz Island seems to attract like a wound attracts flies.
A stone fortress perched on the cliff above Malaz Harbor, commanding views of the entire bay. The architecture is functional — thick walls, narrow windows, a single approach road. The hold has been rebuilt and reinforced multiple times, each layer of construction reflecting a different owner's priorities. Kellanved's additions are subtle — hidden passages, rooms that connect to warrens.
Also known as: Mock's Hold, Mocks Hold, the Hold