Yivratui, living Shadows
When the spirits sleep and the night chases away the light, beware of your own shadow, for it might move on it's own and becomes a hunter. Do not let it out of sight, stay in well lit places and make sure it cannot roam freely and merge with other, darker shadows.
For the Yivratui bring but dread.
How they grow and feed:
It is important to understand that the Yivratui is NOT a living being for it cannot consume mana nor possesses a soul. It is but a mere monster, born of natural phenomenon during the dark ages. The Yivratui do not feed, they only grow and fester.
Once a shadows starts to come alive it channels mana through the host, above the normal rate. In order to stay undetected it limits it's actions to the night, while the host is asleep unable to notice the monsters notion. In order to handle and break down the excess of energy, provided by the shadow, the hosts brain is forced to work overtime. Which cause severe nightmares in the later stages of the shadows ascension.
In it's final state the host won't awake from their nightmare ridden dreams, unable to eat, drink or move around it is kept alive by the shadow However there have been records of some hosts staying in this state for more than 70 years. Their death prolonged as much as possible by the Yivratui.
Eventually after the host died and the shadow is strong enough already to survive without any attachment, they take on a nomadic lifestyle in search for a new host, leeching onto large caravan shadows or other travellers. To stay concealed they might decide to disburse some of their gathered void energy, shrinking their body.
Life cycle:
The Yivratui come alive through excess void energy in the surrounding area as well as dim places. Usually attached to a living creature, due to their constant consumption of mana and thus production of void energy.
Throughout it's life it starts to gather the void energy in it's surrounding, forming it's incorporeal shadow form. If cut loose from it's host in time the shadow disburses into dust, not posing any further threat. Removing any natural shadows from the host.
Traditions:
The tales of the Yivratui, although nothing but myths, are told and kept alive mostly by merchants, travellers, immigrants and other roaming folks. They speak of it in hushed tones surrounded by light, their eyes doting to their shadows in dramatic fashion. Warning of potential unnatural movement.
Some tribes even going as far as cutting lose your own shadow, despite them being extinct, giving them an almost ghostly appearance.
They speak of corpses dead but alive enough to dream of nightmares, crying in their sleep too weak to open their eyes.
Till this day it is custom in rural areas to inspect the casted silhouette of a traveller before letting them inside your home, as well as leaving specially made lanterns in front of their door, to prevent any darkness from escaping. Be welcoming but don't let them stay for too long.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The Yivratui only roam the land and pose a threat during the Dream Era, for this is the time when the veil is at it's weakest and the laws of nature are bend in various ways. These monsters of the past went extinct with the reawakening of the great spirits. Rumours has it however that some particularly powerful Yivratui remain alive till this day, roaming admits dark tunnels, where light never travels.
Varies, depending on their hosts species
incorporeal
a dark dusty cloud, condensed into ever changing forms loosely assembling a person
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