Shade

Creature Description

Physical Description

There is only the vague, dark gray form of a humanoid with a shade. These spirits resemble the physical form of their former selves. Oftentimes they are seen as ghostly figures in thick black cloaks that billow as they move. Under that hood is nothing but a black, blank space.

Mental Traits

Shades are obsessed with their past. It's all they can think about. Many hauntings that take place with this spirit type revolve around symbolism or lurking around sights that were impactful to them. For younger or weaker shades, they are mindless and hyper fixate the most. Powerful shades either inflict their suffering or seek to provide what little comfort they can to those who have shared the same fate.

Creature Lore

Origins

Born from the Fell

Every realm has their own form of spirit that embodies that world. For the Fell, it’s the shade. A creature that will never know satisfaction or peace. It will be cursed with burdens of ache or bitterness. Full of contempt or sorrow, they spread their suffering to the living. At least by preying, or even sapping away the emotions of mortals, a shade can get just a sliver of relief from their torment. That small taste is enough to keep them motivated.

Born from Restlessness

The greatest grief is for a person to pass away unfulfilled. That sense of needing to return to the living is a painful existence for any spirit. Should they let such feelings fester as they wander lost in Etherius, it could very well turn them into a shade.

Factors of the Shade

Traits

Elusive Manipulators. Being direct should not be expected with those they haunt. Shades are either calculating when they sow woe into their hauntings or are too distracted by their anguish to be coherent. Only if you agitate them about their suffering will they quickly seek to be more kinetic with their actions.

Ethereal Beings. As spirits, shades can weave in and out of Etherius as they see fit. This allows them to avoid being irritated by sunlight during the day when on the material world.

Sunlight Discomfort. Shades are drawn to darkness. To be out in sunlight would cause their actions to be impeded by the brightness of the sun. Though, on a cloudy day, they can traverse the material world just fine.

Silver Deterrence. Because of silver being a favorite among divine and holy creatures, shades are made uncomfortable when around it. Their actions are hindered should a room be lined with it especially.

Servants of Superiors

Misery loves company. That is why shades can often be used as spies, manipulators, messengers, or as simple spooks. To enlist a shade’s aid can be as simple as dominating it into submission or striking an arrangement. Some even utilize shades in tricky ways as masters of Fell magic swap places with them when they are close by or even using them as the origin of a spell.