Cotillion, also known as the Rope and Dancer, Assassin of High House Shadow, is a fictional character in Steven Erikson

Steven Erikson

Steven Erikson is the pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin, a Canadian novelist, who was educated and trained as both an archaeologist and anthropologist....

's fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 series Malazan Book of the Fallen

Malazan Book of the Fallen

The Malazan Book of the Fallen is an epic fantasy series written by Canadian author Steven Erikson, published in ten volumes beginning with the novel Gardens of the Moon, published in 1999. The series was completed with the publication of The Crippled God in February 2011...

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Cotillion is the Patron of Assassins in the pantheon of the world in which Malazan Book of the Fallen takes place. He is the Assassin of High House Shadow

High House Shadow

The High House Shadow is a Realm and House of the Deck of Dragons in Steven Erikson's fantasy series Malazan Book of the Fallen.-King:Shadowthrone/Ammanas is the ruler of the Shadow Realm. He appears like translucent shadows, vaguely human in form, perching on a silver-tipped cane, hooded,...

, and was once a mortal named Dancer, who was the lead assassin of the Malazan Empire

Malazan Empire

The Malazan Empire is a fictional state in the epic fantasy series Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. It is one of only two human empires in the series - the other being Lether. It is likely the largest group of humans under one name...

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Dancer

In his mortal life, Dancer and Kellanved, the first Emperor of the Malazan Empire

Malazan Empire

The Malazan Empire is a fictional state in the epic fantasy series Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. It is one of only two human empires in the series - the other being Lether. It is likely the largest group of humans under one name...

, overthrew the ruling criminal element on Malaz Island and forged what would come to be the Malazan Empire. During this time, the pair (and later the group) operated out of an Azath House in Malaz City known as the Deadhouse. Dancer founded the Talon, which was a form of secret service that policed the Empire and was later succeeded by the Claw. Years after the Empire was founded, an act of betrayal killed both Dancer and Kellanved, though the pair Ascended to become the gods known as Ammanas Shadowthrone and Cotillion, the Rope.

Cotillion

Many years later, as part of a plot to take revenge upon the now-Empress Laseen, Cotillion possessed a small girl from a village on the coast of Itko Kan. Masquerading as the girl, now called Sorry, Cotillion joined the Malazan army, and ended up in the Bridgeburners, a highly-feared elite unit. He eventually left her body, though she retained his skills and memories. Since this, Cotillion has learned that gods should not stand removed from the affairs of mortals and bully them into doing their bidding, and has played a much more active role in events.

Appearance

Cotillion appears human, tallish, with dark hair and even features. He is usually garbed in gray, tightly wrapped around his limbs, with a hood loosely covering his head. When in battle Cotillion is armed with a dagger and an animated rope, both of which have a capacity to wound far beyond their initial appearance.

A quote in Night of Knives

Night of Knives

Night of Knives is the first novel by Canadian author Ian Cameron Esslemont. It is set in the world of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, a ten-volume epic fantasy series by Esslemont's friend and colleague Steven Erikson...

(ICE's first published work) adds further light unto his appearance.
'The face and head were unremarkable; bristly short black hair, narrow fine features. No scars. The eyes, though, shone like jewels of jet' - NoK p.199