A History of Aridhol
The Cairhien University, in an attempt to consolidate knowledge, is pleased to release this brief history of Aridhol (sometimes called Shadar Logoth). Recent reports from the region indicate that the ancient City has disappeared or has been destroyed. While the University is saddened by the loss of a piece of Our history, we are nonetheless grateful. Shadar Logoth has claimed nearly two hundred of our colleagues who have gone to study its mysteries.
History
Origins
In the years after the Breaking, nations rose and fell at a rate faster than historians could keep track. Due to this, there are no definitive dates for the founding of any of the Ten Nations. However, we do know that in the year 209 AB, the first mention of Aridhol can be found. Queen Doreille Torghin joined her fledgling nation to the Compact due to the increasing political stability the Compact offered. Aridhol already had a reputation for cruelty. Any man found guilty of channeling was put to death as quickly as possible, and his children forbidden to marry. No attempt was made to Still the men. However, at the time it was viewed as a sensible precaution.
The Trolloc Wars
For the next thousand years or so, Aridhol remained a strong kingdom, one known for its quick action and powerful rulers. Aridhol had entered a Golden Age in the year 998 AB. Unfortunately for them, the Trolloc Wars were on the horizon. When the legions of Fades and Trollocs rushed south of the Blight, Aridhol quickly reverted to a police state.
The armies of Aridhol faired poorly early on. Used to the now almost ceremonial combats based on honor, warriors took a long time to adapt to enemies who would rip flesh from you and eat it while still fighting. Aridhol soon began to feel the weight of the War, with some Trolloc columns actually coming within sight of the gates to the City itself.
King Balwen "Ironhand" Mayel
The Trolloc Wars were not going well by the 1100s AB. Aridhol had recently lost it's latest Queen, torn to pieces when a Trolloc raiding party stumbled across her hawking expedition. When the people of Aridhol discovered why she had died, they began to clamor for a real ruler, someone who would face the Shadow and turn the tide. Holding a revolt, they put a young firebrand upon the Throne. Balwen Mayel was an accomplished swordsman, as well as a philosopher. He immediately turned Aridhol into a fortress, vowing that the Shadow would never enter the walls without paying in blood. Seizing control of all industry, Mayel had no need to tax. He took what was needed for the army, and let the people have the rest. His nickname, "Ironhand", came from a combination of two events. Five years into his reign, a Gray Man slipped past his guards and attempted to assassinate him. Mayel managed to survive by blocking the knife with his right wrist. Strangling the Gray Man, Mayel bought himself the utter devotion of the people by holding audience again within the hour, his bound stump still dripping red. He later commissioned a hand of wrought iron, shaped to hold a dagger in. The other event was his using the hand to kill an upstart merchant who wished to keep his trade goods.
Jeraal Mordeth
After Mayel seized power, Aridhol quickly regained much of the land it had lost. Unfortunately, the most it could do was to hold the former borders against the Trolloc Hordes. Aridhol once again began to stir with talk of rebellion. In the midst of the debates, one figure stood and proclaimed total faith in the King. His speeches won over crowds, impressed merchants and worried foreign rulers. Hearing of this man, Mayel decided to bring him into his council. Once there, Mordeth quickly rose in prominence, soon being seated at the King's right hand. He found a willing ear for his twisted philosophies. Mayel, recalling his thoughts in his youth, soon began to implement Jeraal's plan.
The Plan
The Shadow is a force of evil so powerful that men cannot stand against it. Looking at history, nations have never been able to hold against the full might of the Shadow, only delay its advance. Mordeth had a simple counter. Rather than remaining noble, Aridhol would need to change to become as hard as the King's hand. Only by being as heartless as the Shadow could Aridhol win. Laws were passed regulating every moment of the day. Ritual killings and rapes fashioned the traditions of the army. Citizens were encouraged to test each other. Those found wanting were put to the torch. It was during this time that Aridhol changed its battle cry. "The Victory of the Light is all!"
Prince Caar
Aridhol's allies soon began to worry. On the field, Aridhol soldiers would cut the throats of the wounded, both their own and any other men that they could find. Stripping peasants of food and forcing all to take oaths to obey Aridhol or die, the soldiers soon became as feared as the Hordes themselves. The King of Manetheren, Thorin al Toren al Ban, decided that an emissary must be sent. One powerful enough to be heard. He decided to send his son, Prince Caar.
When Caar arrived at Aridhol, he was stunned. People would challenge each other to duels and fight on the spot. Witches were burned daily. Beheaded Fades crowned the Palace Gates. His party was spat upon and had to rely on the Aridhol Guardsmen to protect them. When they entered the gates of the Palace, a shadow fell over their spirits, sapping away their speech and speed.
In the Throne Room, only guards, the King and Mordeth awaited. The King sat upon his throne, spittle drooling out as he argued with phantoms. Mordeth controlled Aridhol now. And with a gesture, he doomed Caar and his companions to death. Caar escaped, but only after loosing his right hand at the order of Mayel.
The Fall
Aridhol was doomed from that moment on. Manetheren, upon hearing of the atrocity committed, sent a legion to deal with the city. Had nothing changed, the City may have fallen within a few years before the might of Manetheren. When the legion arrived, however, they found a burned and broken city, one that no one entered by free will. The people of the city, overcome by the darkness of Aridhol, had slaughtered each other. Rotting corpses lined some streets. Others were disturbingly clean. A small party entered, to verify total decimation. They reached the palace, but could not enter due to the gates having been locked…from the outside. The gate had bars across it, too many to remove in one day. Mad laughter could be heard faintly inside.
Mashadar
Despite the challenge, the force vowed to unbar the gate and kill Mayel. Working through dusk, the party stopped when they saw a faint glow curling down the street. Born of the suffering people, Mashadar cleared the ground of corpses as it came. The party fled, enclosed within Mashadar's net. Of the hundred that went in, only eleven made it out. Their tale ensured that the forces of the Light never entered the city again.
1325
In the year 1325 AB, a large Trolloc army entered Aridhol. One of the largest since the start of the Wars, the army had plans to seize much of the land around Aridhol and use the ruined city as a base-camp to raid surrounding kingdoms. Overnight, the entire army died. Scouts of the Shadow who had been sent out returned in the morning to find blood and armor scattered throughout the city. Knots indicated where Trollocs had cowered as Mashadar surrounded them, streams indicated where they had attempted to run, only to be plucked up and consumed. Frantic messages, written in the language of the Trollocs, cried out for intervention of the dark one. Crude attempts at sorcery were also seen, as well as evidence of mass suicide. Even Myrddraal were not immune to the overpowering fear. The remainder of the army fled north to the Blight, and never returned. Scouts for the Light recorded the messages, and watched in awe as they wre consumed night after night.
Since that day, no army has ever entered Aridhol. It was renamed Shadar Logoth. Small groups can go about in safety during the day, but only an Aes Sedai can keep men alive once the sun sets.
The Cairhien University, in an attempt to consolidate knowledge, is pleased to release this brief history of Aridhol (sometimes called Shadar Logoth). Recent reports from the region indicate that the ancient City has disappeared or has been destroyed. While the University is saddened by the loss of a piece of Our history, we are nonetheless grateful. Shadar Logoth has claimed nearly two hundred of our colleagues who have gone to study its mysteries.
History
Origins
In the years after the Breaking, nations rose and fell at a rate faster than historians could keep track. Due to this, there are no definitive dates for the founding of any of the Ten Nations. However, we do know that in the year 209 AB, the first mention of Aridhol can be found. Queen Doreille Torghin joined her fledgling nation to the Compact due to the increasing political stability the Compact offered. Aridhol already had a reputation for cruelty. Any man found guilty of channeling was put to death as quickly as possible, and his children forbidden to marry. No attempt was made to Still the men. However, at the time it was viewed as a sensible precaution.
The Trolloc Wars
For the next thousand years or so, Aridhol remained a strong kingdom, one known for its quick action and powerful rulers. Aridhol had entered a Golden Age in the year 998 AB. Unfortunately for them, the Trolloc Wars were on the horizon. When the legions of Fades and Trollocs rushed south of the Blight, Aridhol quickly reverted to a police state.
The armies of Aridhol faired poorly early on. Used to the now almost ceremonial combats based on honor, warriors took a long time to adapt to enemies who would rip flesh from you and eat it while still fighting. Aridhol soon began to feel the weight of the War, with some Trolloc columns actually coming within sight of the gates to the City itself.
King Balwen "Ironhand" Mayel
The Trolloc Wars were not going well by the 1100s AB. Aridhol had recently lost it's latest Queen, torn to pieces when a Trolloc raiding party stumbled across her hawking expedition. When the people of Aridhol discovered why she had died, they began to clamor for a real ruler, someone who would face the Shadow and turn the tide. Holding a revolt, they put a young firebrand upon the Throne. Balwen Mayel was an accomplished swordsman, as well as a philosopher. He immediately turned Aridhol into a fortress, vowing that the Shadow would never enter the walls without paying in blood. Seizing control of all industry, Mayel had no need to tax. He took what was needed for the army, and let the people have the rest. His nickname, "Ironhand", came from a combination of two events. Five years into his reign, a Gray Man slipped past his guards and attempted to assassinate him. Mayel managed to survive by blocking the knife with his right wrist. Strangling the Gray Man, Mayel bought himself the utter devotion of the people by holding audience again within the hour, his bound stump still dripping red. He later commissioned a hand of wrought iron, shaped to hold a dagger in. The other event was his using the hand to kill an upstart merchant who wished to keep his trade goods.
Jeraal Mordeth
After Mayel seized power, Aridhol quickly regained much of the land it had lost. Unfortunately, the most it could do was to hold the former borders against the Trolloc Hordes. Aridhol once again began to stir with talk of rebellion. In the midst of the debates, one figure stood and proclaimed total faith in the King. His speeches won over crowds, impressed merchants and worried foreign rulers. Hearing of this man, Mayel decided to bring him into his council. Once there, Mordeth quickly rose in prominence, soon being seated at the King's right hand. He found a willing ear for his twisted philosophies. Mayel, recalling his thoughts in his youth, soon began to implement Jeraal's plan.
The Plan
The Shadow is a force of evil so powerful that men cannot stand against it. Looking at history, nations have never been able to hold against the full might of the Shadow, only delay its advance. Mordeth had a simple counter. Rather than remaining noble, Aridhol would need to change to become as hard as the King's hand. Only by being as heartless as the Shadow could Aridhol win. Laws were passed regulating every moment of the day. Ritual killings and rapes fashioned the traditions of the army. Citizens were encouraged to test each other. Those found wanting were put to the torch. It was during this time that Aridhol changed its battle cry. "The Victory of the Light is all!"
Prince Caar
Aridhol's allies soon began to worry. On the field, Aridhol soldiers would cut the throats of the wounded, both their own and any other men that they could find. Stripping peasants of food and forcing all to take oaths to obey Aridhol or die, the soldiers soon became as feared as the Hordes themselves. The King of Manetheren, Thorin al Toren al Ban, decided that an emissary must be sent. One powerful enough to be heard. He decided to send his son, Prince Caar.
When Caar arrived at Aridhol, he was stunned. People would challenge each other to duels and fight on the spot. Witches were burned daily. Beheaded Fades crowned the Palace Gates. His party was spat upon and had to rely on the Aridhol Guardsmen to protect them. When they entered the gates of the Palace, a shadow fell over their spirits, sapping away their speech and speed.
In the Throne Room, only guards, the King and Mordeth awaited. The King sat upon his throne, spittle drooling out as he argued with phantoms. Mordeth controlled Aridhol now. And with a gesture, he doomed Caar and his companions to death. Caar escaped, but only after loosing his right hand at the order of Mayel.
The Fall
Aridhol was doomed from that moment on. Manetheren, upon hearing of the atrocity committed, sent a legion to deal with the city. Had nothing changed, the City may have fallen within a few years before the might of Manetheren. When the legion arrived, however, they found a burned and broken city, one that no one entered by free will. The people of the city, overcome by the darkness of Aridhol, had slaughtered each other. Rotting corpses lined some streets. Others were disturbingly clean. A small party entered, to verify total decimation. They reached the palace, but could not enter due to the gates having been locked…from the outside. The gate had bars across it, too many to remove in one day. Mad laughter could be heard faintly inside.
Mashadar
Despite the challenge, the force vowed to unbar the gate and kill Mayel. Working through dusk, the party stopped when they saw a faint glow curling down the street. Born of the suffering people, Mashadar cleared the ground of corpses as it came. The party fled, enclosed within Mashadar's net. Of the hundred that went in, only eleven made it out. Their tale ensured that the forces of the Light never entered the city again.
1325
In the year 1325 AB, a large Trolloc army entered Aridhol. One of the largest since the start of the Wars, the army had plans to seize much of the land around Aridhol and use the ruined city as a base-camp to raid surrounding kingdoms. Overnight, the entire army died. Scouts of the Shadow who had been sent out returned in the morning to find blood and armor scattered throughout the city. Knots indicated where Trollocs had cowered as Mashadar surrounded them, streams indicated where they had attempted to run, only to be plucked up and consumed. Frantic messages, written in the language of the Trollocs, cried out for intervention of the dark one. Crude attempts at sorcery were also seen, as well as evidence of mass suicide. Even Myrddraal were not immune to the overpowering fear. The remainder of the army fled north to the Blight, and never returned. Scouts for the Light recorded the messages, and watched in awe as they wre consumed night after night.
Since that day, no army has ever entered Aridhol. It was renamed Shadar Logoth. Small groups can go about in safety during the day, but only an Aes Sedai can keep men alive once the sun sets.