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The Throne of Shadow was a Throne of power which allowed any who sat upon it to control the power of elemental Shadow. Once held by the Tiste Edur, it was usurped by Shadowthrone. The Throne was fashioned of Blackwood with blood-red heartwood.[1]

At the time of the Malazan Empire, it was located on the moving island Drift Avalii.[2] The Throne was bound to the island by Anomander Rake's sorcery,[3] and the island was guarded by the Tiste Andii under Andarist.[4]

In Memories of Ice[]

Using his powers as Master of the Deck, Ganoes Paran found himself before the Throne of Shadow on Drift Avalii. The Throne spoke in his mind calling out for the protection of Anomander Rake. It warned that the now corrupted Tiste Edur sought the Throne and that its Tiste Andii guardians had departed the island to lead the Edur away. It also stated that the Edur were now led by a new Emperor of the Edur, the Tyrant of Pain and the Deliverer of Midnight Tides, who had been slain a hundred times.[5]

In House of Chains[]

The Tiste Edur, indirectly commanded by the Crippled God, attacked Drift Avalii so they might take the Throne of Shadow for their master. Their attacks were held back by a group of stranded Malazans with Hawl amongst them as well as Andarist, Cutter, Apsalar, Cotillion, Phaed, and Traveller.[6][7] Andarist was killed in the final attack. Traveller took up his role as guardian for a short time until Cotillion populated the island with Demons of Shadow.[3]

In The Bonehunters[]

After Andarist's death, Nimander Golit, Phaed, and the other Tiste Andii guardians left the island under Traveller's protection.[8] The Tiste Edur continued to seek control of the Throne. The Seat of Shadow was the soul of Kurald Emurlahn and would need to be reclaimed by the Edur before the sundered realm could be made whole again and become a seething source of power.[1]

The Edur warlock, Sathbaro Rangar, opened a gate through the warren of Chaos to Drift Avalii for a raiding party of two hundred Edur warriors and sixty Letherii archers led by Saur Bathrada and Kholb Harat. Also included were Ahlrada Ahn and the Jhag champion, Icarium, and his companion Taralack Veed. But when they arrived at the Throne's location, they were surprised to find that the demons guarding the island were dead. Inside the throne room they were horrified to discover the Throne had been shattered and destroyed. Sathbaro dropped to his knees shrieking in outrage. Ahlrada Ahn encouraged the warlock to take the enraged Edur to instead capture the T'lan Imass First Throne, none but Icarium realising the Throne of Shadow's destruction was only Shadowthrone's trick. When anyone but Shadowthrone entered the throne room, an illusion of Meanas bound with Mockra made the Throne appear broken.[9]

In Reaper's Gale[]

When Edur warlocks attempted to open a new path back to the Throne through the warrens, they found the way sealed.[10]

In Deadhouse Landing[]

While Kellanved and Dancer were on one of their exploratory visits of the Shadow Realm via 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'.[11]

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[]

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