High House Shadow was one of the Houses within the Deck of Dragons.[1]
It was associated with the Warrens of Meanas and Kurald Emurlahn. According to Silverfox, it had also once been a Hold. She remarked that it did not share the hierarchical structure of the other Houses; that it was bestial, a wilder place, and apart from the Hounds it had known no ruler for a long, long time prior to being usurped by Shadowthrone.[2]
In Tiste Andii legend the interplay of Light and Dark was said to have given birth to Shadow.[citation needed]
According to Quick Ben, the true Warren of Shadow had been inaccessible (likely meaning to humans) for millennia until after the assassination of Kellanved in 1154 BS. He also said that the earliest writings of High House Shadow indicated that its throne was occupied by a Tiste Edur.[3]
Oponn had no control in Shadow's Realm.[4]
For readers of the Deck, Shadow's Realm was a young one, only appearing in the Deck when it once more became accessible.[5] Its birth troubled Tayschrenn and he considered it to have too much power to fade like other new houses had done before.[6]
High House Shadow was ruled by Shadowthrone and The Rope and the Seven Hounds of Shadow were in their service.[7]
In Gardens of the Moon
Tattersail drew the card for Assassin, High House Shadow in a reading and interpreted this as meaning that the Rope, the Patron of Assassins was in this game. She thought she heard, momentarily, the howling of Hounds.[8]
In Deadhouse Gates
Iskaral Pust mentioned a number of positions within the Houses of the Deck without assigning names to them. Amongst those mentioned was that of the Rope Shadow Patron of Assassins.[9]
In Memories of Ice
Spindle performed a reading of the Deck during the Pannion War where the Assassin of High House Shadow had indeed acquired a new face. Spindle soon recognised it as Kalam Mekhar. He also drew the Magi of Shadow, suggesting a grand deception at work.[10]
In Toll the Hounds
Tiserra performed a Deck reading that centred on Darujhistan. One of the first cards drawn was The Rope of High House Shadow. She was not surprised to see the Patron of Assassins considering the recent spate of activity by the city's Assassins' Guild, but suspected that was only the most obvious of The Rope's games. Three cards (Obelisk, Soldier of Death, and Crown) quickly folled, drawn together as a tightly woven nest with the Knight of Darkness serving as their frame. Another nest followed with King of High House Death, King in Chains, and Dessembrae, Lord of Tragedy. The Knight of Darkness served as the second nest's inside frame. The Rope and Knight of Darkness were in opposition and the final card was The Tyrant.[11]
Known positions in High House Shadow and confirmed associated Ascendants
- King[1] - Shadowthrone/Ammanas[1]
- Queen[1]
- Assassin[1] the Rope/Cotillion[1]
- Magi[1]
- Knight - previously unknown card, revealed in a reading by Fiddler[12]
- Hound[1] - The Hounds (of High House Shadow)[13]
Likely candidates for positions in High House Shadow
- King - Shadowthrone/Ammanas[1]
- Queen - unknown
- Assassin - The Rope/Cotillion,[14][1] Apsalar,[15] Kalam Mekhar[10]
- Magi - Iskaral Pust
- Knight - currently Trull Sengar's unborn son, formerly Trull Sengar[12]
- Hound - The Hounds of Shadow[13]
Assassin
According to Tattersail, unlike for example, the face of the Virgin in High House Death, the face of the Rope's card never changed. The forte of the Assassin was deception.[16]
Fan art gallery
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 Gardens of the Moon, Glossary, UK MMPB p.709
- ↑ Memories of Ice, Chapter 4, UK Trade, p.119
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.132
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.110
- ↑ Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 5, US HC p.129
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.111
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.131
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.109
- ↑ Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.252
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.179
- ↑ Toll the Hounds, Chapter 15, US SFBC p.610-611
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 The Bonehunters, Chapter 22, UK MMPB p.1023-1027
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Gardens of the Moon, Glossary, UK MMPB p.706
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.109
- ↑ The Bonehunters, Chapter 22, UK MMPB p.1024
- ↑ Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.110
See also
| Deck of Dragons and Tiles of the Holds | |
|---|---|
| Cards | High House Chains • High House Dark • High House Death • High House Life • High House Light • High House Shadow • High House War • Unaligned |
| Tiles | Azath Hold • Beast Hold • Dragon Hold • Empty Hold • Ice Hold • Fulcra |