The Throne of Night was a Throne of power which was associated with the Tiste Andii Warren of Darkness, Kurald Galain - a Warren known variously as the "dream of night unending";[1] "Night Imperishable";[2] or simply as "Elder Dark" or "Elder Night".[3] Whether or not the Throne of Night had ever manifested as an actual throne or if it was even still in existence were matters of conjecture.[4]
In Orb Sceptre Throne[]
A couple of years after the damaged and abandoned Moon's Spawn had crashed into the Rivan Sea off of the southern coast of Genabackis - forming islets known as the "Spawns"[5] - a number of powerful mages had come to believe that the ex-Skykeep still contained the Throne of Night. As a result of this belief, these magic users travelled to the Spawns and searched the largest fragment until they found what they were convinced were the doors to the 'Throne Room' - which none of them were able to open. These particular mages were: Bauchelain; Hemper Grin; Hesta; Korbal Broach; Ogule; and Seris.[6]
After an unsuccessful - and disastrous - attempt by Antsy to blow open the Throne Room's doors with Moranth munitions,[7] a part-Tiste Andii young woman, Orchid, was able to open the doors to the Throne Room with just a push.[8] All of the mages previously mentioned then rushed inside but found no sign of anything in the shape of an actual throne.[9]
Instead of a throne, what was found was a "rectangle flush with the floor" in the middle of the room, whose surface appearance was as "utterly night black as a solid pool of pitch", and - although the floor, itself, was tilted at a sharp angle - the "surface of the darkness remained flush within" its rectangular borders. Although the other mages were puzzled by this, Bauchelain recognized this strange phenomenon as a Warren Gate or portal. Again, Orchid was the only one able to 'open' the portal[10] - which did, indeed, turn out to be a Gate leading into Kurald Galain. Everyone concerned assumed that this portal was either the Throne of Night, itself, or was - or had been - connected to it in some fashion.[11]
In Deadhouse Landing[]
While Kellanved and Dancer were on one of their exploratory visits of the Shadow Realm via the Azath House, the Deadhouse, in Malaz City - the mage told Dancer that they were looking for its "heart". When Dancer asked for an explanation of this, he was told by Kellanved to think about the various Thrones of power - for example, The Throne of Night, the Throne of Light and - therefore - the Throne of Shadow.[12]
Quotes[]
- Kellanved: "You have heard...of the Throne of Night?"
- Dancer: "Yes. In songs and legends."
- Kellanved: "Well, exactly..."
- Dancer: "Exactly what?"
- Kellanved: "Well - Light and Night had thrones, yes?"
- Dancer: "So they say."
- Kellanved: "Well...so too must Shadow, then!"
- Dancer: "I understand that's all more poetry than history."
- Kellanved: "Well...yes. However, each [Realm] must possess some centre of power. Some locus. Call it what you will. Control that, and one controls the entire Realm!"
- ―remarks exchanged between Kellanved and Dancer in regard to the 'heart' of the Shadow Realm[src]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Orb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 15, US TPB p.428
- ↑ Orb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 15, US TPB p.463
- ↑ Orb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 18, US TPB p.503
- ↑ Orb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 15, US TPB p.428
- ↑ Orb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 1, US TPB p.33
- ↑ Orb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 15, US TPB p.423-428
- ↑ Orb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 16, US TPB p.459-460
- ↑ Orb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 16, US TPB p.463-464
- ↑ Orb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 16, US TPB p.459-460
- ↑ Orb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 16, US TPB p.465
- ↑ Orb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 18, US TPB p.503-505
- ↑ Deadhouse Landing, Chapter 14, US TPB p.264-265