Shadar Logoth

In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's fantasy series "The Wheel of Time", Shadar Logoth, formerly known as Aridhol, was a city located in what is now Andor.

Abandoned for thousands of years, it had long been occupied by a living, mindless, consuming, evil, fog-like entity called Mashadar. The city has recently been destroyed.

Ancient history

Shadar Logoth means "The Place Where the Shadow Waits" or more simply put "The Shadow's Waiting".

During the time of the Trolloc Wars, Aridhol was one of the Ten Nations (the lands that made the Second Covenant) and an ally of Manetheren (later known as the Two Rivers region), ruled by King Balwen Mayel (Balwen Ironhand). A man called Mordeth, the king's advisor, corrupted the king and the city. The city adopted Mordeth's motto "The victory of the Light is all", became darker and harder, and gave birth to Mashadar, which consumed and corrupted it. Late in the Trolloc Wars, a large army of Trollocs, Myrddraal, Darkfriends and Dreadlords (an army that numbered in the thousands) camped there; not one Shadowspawn came out alive. When the army did not come out, scouts were sent in to look for them. All that was found was the remnants of armor and weapons, blood splatter and Trolloc scrawlings on the walls asking for the aid of the Dark One in their last hour. Since then, Shadowspawn have avoided the city.

Recent events

In "The Eye of the World", Moiraine Damodred led the group of people fleeing from the Two Rivers to camp there. While there, Rand al'Thor, Perrin Aybara, and Mat Cauthon met Mordeth, and Mat picked up a cursed ruby dagger. Ba'alzamon drove Shadowspawn into the city. Padan Fain went into the city and melded with Mordeth.

In "Lord of Chaos", Rand Traveled to Shadar Logoth accompanied by Aiel and Ogier to close the Waygate in the city. While there, one of the Maidens of the Spear, Liah, disappeared.

In "A Crown of Swords", Rand hunted down the Forsaken Sammael in Shadar Logoth. Sammael was killed by Mashadar. Rand also saw Liah again; when she was caught by Mashadar, Rand killed her with balefire so that she would not suffer.

In "Winter's Heart", Rand and Nynaeve al'Meara used the One Power to set the evil of Shadar Logoth against the evil of the Dark One's taint on "saidin". The two evils annihilated each other, cleansing the taint on "saidin" in the process, and Shadar Logoth was completely destroyed, leaving a massive hemispherical . This leaves Padan Fain, and his dagger, as the only remnant of the evil of Shadar Logoth.