[Sav]

Near the start of the fourth/last book of tBH when Cotillion is visiting the Last Throne, a conversation between Panek and Cotillion goes like this:

Quote

(Cotillion) 'Why do you miss Edgewalker, then?'
(Panek) 'For his stories.'
'Oh, those.'
'The dragons, The foolish ones, the wise ones, the living ones and the dead ones. If every world were but a place on the board, they would be the game pieces. Yet no single hand directs them. Each is wild, a will unto itself. And then there are the shadows - Edgewalker explained about those - the ones you can't see.'
'He explained, did he? Well, clearly the hoary bastard likes you more than he does me.'
'They all cast shadows, Uncle,' Panek said. 'Into your realm. Every one of them. That's why there's so many... prisoners.'
Cotillion frowned, then, slowly, inexorably as comprehension dawned, the god's eyes widened.

So what is the great epiphany at the end here?

This is my re-read of tBH before I tackle the last few books, and I've managed to deduce every oblique comment that puzzled me the first time round, but Cotillion's reaction here has me stumped.

So is Panek is saying that all dragons in the world exist simultaneously in the Shadow warren (or Kurald Emurlahn?), and that this is a weakness that can be exploited? So the three chained dragons at the start of tBH can also be found in the real world? Why is Cotillion shitting himself over this?

[worry]

The three chained dragons as far as I know are real flesh and blood, not shadows, but as a general concept it does kinda mean that the Shadow Realm could potentially have connection to all dragons who aren't there. It's both a frightening and thrilling thought for Cotillion.

As far as the "prisoners" go, that doesn't simply refer to the three chained dragons but all the prisoners stuck in Shadow, and there are plenty. The relationship to the dragons (everywhere) and their shadows in this realm might have to do with the properties of dragon's blood, which if you recall from at least Midnight Tides (and the soul that awakens as Sandalath Drukorlat I think?), it hardens into a basically black stone-like substance that traps (for lack of a better term) souls. So maybe that's related? Just one of many possible theories I'm sure.

Anyway, as far as where you are in the series, this exchange is meant to raise more questions (and speculation) than answers.

[Sav]

Thanks worry. So, RAFO?

As long as I haven't missed something blatantly obvious from earlier in tBH or previous books.

[worry]

I highly recommend the R part and neither confirm nor deny the AFO part.

[Hood's Cheese]

^ Best recommendation to a reader ever.