Edgewalker

Key figures of the Warren of Shadow aka Rashan aka Meanas
Interpretation by Shadaan (clockwise from the left) Gear, Cotillion, Shadowthrone, Edgewalker, Shan and Apsalar

Edgewalker was an Elder God and an ancient inhabitant of the Shadow realm. He was often mistaken for a T'lan Imass as his appearance was essentially that of a desiccated corpse. His origins were unknown, however he had existed for a long time. Telorast and Curdle had mentioned that they were in his "employ".

He indicated that he was bound and imprisoned in service of Shadow just as tightly as Jhedel, and he had been so for a very long time. During his days, Malaz was not an Island, but attached to the mainland. He also seemed to hint that he had once ruled Shadow.

"Countless have tried. All have failed. Even those who succeeded for a time. Myself included, after a fashion. Now I walk its boundaries forever. And I fared better than most."

―Edgewalker, discussing the rulers of Shadow

His body was described as tatters of rotted sinew and strips of skin that were motionless upon the bones of temple, cheek and jaw. He spoke in a broken, rasping voice. Strands of hair dangled and drifted from his head, and he wore rotted moccasins. His eyes were withered dark.

His right leg was twisted and he wore tattered remains of what might have once been thick cloth over armour of leather and scale. His arms were naked, desiccated and cured to little more than leather-clad bones. He wore a bronze and verdigrised helm and the face disclosed only empty pits, nose a gaping cavern, lips dried and withdrawn from carried teeth. He carried a Rust-bitten sword by his side.

Jhenna called him 'Tracer of Edges'. He spoke archaic Talian.

In Night of Knives

He met Jhedel, a former ruler of Shadow who had been imprisoned by the House, and felt that someone might attempt to take the throne when the Shadow Moon occurred.

He spoke with Kiska, when she had been swept by a Shadow storm. He also identified himself as someone who was responsible for sending entities alien to Shadow, out of it, and that he was a slave to Shadow in his own way. He then sent Kiska back since she was imminent danger of attack by the Hounds of Shadow.

He then encountered Temper when he slew a creature who he described as ‘Disgusting parasites’ and 'trespassers' to Shadow.

He was present at the site of the Battle between Temper and Jhenna, when Jhenna bought Temper to the edges of Omtose Phellack whose boundaries, during the Night of Conjunction, came close to Shadow's own boundaries. When Jhenna tried to convince Temper to step aside with various promises and threats, he pointed out that he was there to oppose and make sure Jhenna would not enter Shadow, but should Jhenna choose, she could enter Temper's world. He warned Temper against the wiles of the Jaghut, and his warnings proved true, since all of this had been a ploy by the Jaghut to remove him from her way.

He was on hand to see Kellanved enter Shadow and start familiarizing himself with the realm. He refused to take orders from him, saying that he was a Slave to the House. On Kellanved's assertions that he was in control, he recalled so many others who had done the same, reflecting that no one ever learned.

In The Bonehunters

Edgewalker joined Cotillion in order to witness the impending conversation between Cotillion and three chained Eleint. Edgewalker gave their names, Kalse, Eloth and Ampelas to Cotillion, and Cotillion commenced negotiations with the chained Eleint.

Edgewalker had commented on the nature of Shadow and what it hid that the two new rulers of Shadow could not see. Discovering the motivations of the three Eleint, who had come to take the Throne of Shadow in order to heal Emurlahn, Cotillion surmised that they were not interested in just healing the realm, but also who was sitting on the Throne after that, which took Edgewalker slightly by surprise. All the conversation led to the question of whether the Crippled God was elemental or not, and whether he could be killed. Ampelas then revealed that a sundered realm was the weakest of all, which was why the Crippled God was working through it. This was the piece of information that Cotillion had needed. As they walked away, Edgewalker commented that he had underestimated Cotillion, and asked him why he needed the information. Being asked by Cotillion to give some information about himself in return, Edgewalker indicated that he himself could be considered an Elemental force and that he might be inclined to help the two of them, if the need should arise. When Cotillion explained that the Throne of Shadow and First Throne of the Imass were under assault, Edgewalker said he would give the matter some consideration.

In Return of the Crimson Guard

Edgewalker appeared before the Crimson Guard Shimmer as she lay dying on the field of battle. He complained that the Battle of the Plains was "spilling over into Shadow and that I cannot allow. I want all of you gone." He sent Shimmer back to the living world, but not before revealing to her that the Guard's missing leader K'azz D'Avore still lived and was in Shadow.

Later he agitatedly ejected the Clawmaster Possum as well as K'azz D'Avore, Kyle, and the Lost brothers for the same reason.

In Toll the Hounds

Edgewalker was called in by Hood to what Edgewalker described as mitigation. He was witness to a meeting between Shadowthrone and Hood. They were waiting, and were finally joined by someone who came in a carriage.

In Dust of Dreams

Telorast and Curdle revealed that the two Eleint sisters had sought the Throne of one of the fragments of Emurlahn. Edgewalker had confronted the two and had given them a choice: Kilmandaros and her chains or Anomander Rake and Dragnipur. The two had chosen the Chains.

In The Crippled God

Edgewalker and Cotillion discussed 'failure' early on. Cotillion thought of Edgewalker as 'the deathless guardian'. While Edgewalker thought Cotillion would fail in his upcoming endeavors even should he succeed in convincing the three Eleint to assist him, Cotillion countered saying he didn't have to lose either.

Quotes

Cotillion: "We need allies, Edgewalker, and we need them now."

Edgewalker: "You have just walked away from three such allies—"

Cotillion: "Allies who won’t rip our heads off once the threat’s been negated."

Edgewalker: "Ah, there is that..."

―Cotillion and Edgewalker, walking through the Shadow realm

Edgewalker: "My wisdom I limit to one last comment, mortal,"

Temper: "‘What?’"

Edgewalker: "‘’Ware the cold, human. ‘Ware the ice that grips. The frost that silences.’"

―Edgewalker warning Temper against the wiles of the Jaghut Jhenna

Cotillion: "How did you feel, Edgewalker, when everything you held fell to pieces in your hands? Did failure arrive like a wall of fire?Those tatters have the look of scorching, come to think of it. Do you remember that moment, when you lost everything? Did the world echo to your howl?"

Edgewalker: "If you seek to torment me, Cotillion—"

Cotillion: "No, I would not do that. Forgive me."

Edgewalker: "If these are your fears, however…"

Cotillion: "No, not my fears. Not at all. They are my weapons."

Edgewalker: "You, Lord of Assassins, are no healer."

Cotillion: "There is more than one path to salvation."

Edgewalker: "It is curious."

Cotillion: "What is?"

Edgewalker: "Your words…in another voice, coming from…someone else, would leave a listener calmed, reassured. From you, alas, they could chill a mortal soul to its very core."

Notes and references

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