Atha’an Shadar, we know almost nothing about it

[Caelan Arendor]

Atha’an Shadar is a region on the Seanchan continent. It lies in the northern part of Seanchan, near the icy wastes. 

 

I wonder whether this inhospitable region is meant to parallel the land north of the Borderlands—what people in Randland commonly call the Waste—where the influence of the Dark One grows steadily stronger the farther north one travels. Does anyone know more about it?

[Tovya]

It's known as the Blight, the Waste is where the Aiel live 🙂

 

From memory the Seanchan area is just a blighted land, but with no more shadowspawn, as they were killed many years ago. As this land is physically impossible to reach from the Blight where Shayol Ghul is located, there was no way to repopulate it.

[Sabio]

RJ never discussed the Seanchan continent much. Maybe had he finished the Outrigger series.   I think it's what the blight should be, but the DO presence is corrupting the area.  

[Andra]

In the Old Tongue, Atha'an Shadar translates as "People of the Shadow."

It is actually the Seanchan term for Darkfriends.

 

The Seanchan continent's region corresponding to the Great Blight is simply called the Lesser Blight.

I'm not aware of any reference in the books using "Atha'an" as a geographical term.  It is an ethnonym, used as part of the names for the Sea Folk (Atha'an Miere) or the Travelling Folk (Tuatha'an).