Shade

Please note: The following information is scarcely known. As such, you cannot assume to be aware of this information unless taught about it in-character.

One of the oldest magics to grace the land, Shade is ultimately the manipulation of an internal darkness known as Amber, which is a corrupted version of Mana, for the creation of free-form extensions and the casting of powerful spells. The origin of Shade lies with Iblees, as many of the Dark magic origins do, though the power that fuels the Parasites of Rancour is no longer the Archdaemon himself, but rather is the Mother, Arun'Asna. She is a powerful and sentient being who exists beyond the confines of the Shade Gems, but too is bound to them in the sense that they are a means of connection with her, a way to bring a Shade's development to fruition.

Artwork by Chriscold The Mother; Arun'Asna

Background

Birthed from darkness in the realm of Aegis, Aknu’gul, the chained mother, was birthed of the churning chaotic energies of the first gem, gifted to the realm by Iblees, the Archdaemon. The first Shade, Rilath Ilwindor, served faithfully as one of Iblees’ lieutenants throughout yore, falling from his post after the destruction of Aegis and the fall of the Archdaemon’s forces. However, prior to his fall, and in the time thereafter, Rilath formed the first coven, a cabal of Shades who followed in the steady march of evil, plaguing the land with strange manipulation and mentally crippling dread.

Though it did not last eternally, the Shades adherence to the orders of the Archdaemon, for his fall separated them from their master, leaving the Shades to their own devices. It was there that the chained mother, Aknu’gul, seized an opportunity, and grew vastly in her power with the greedy meddling of two eldritch elves. It was one damp day, deep within a hidden cave, that Aknu’gul achieved her first ascendance, and moved beyond the original confines of the gem, and spread her influence across the coven.

Over the course of the proceeding centuries, the covens thereafter received some semblance of guidance, and were given a broad direction, a chaotic mission with no discernable detail, to perpetuate across the ages. It wasn’t until the realm of Atlas that the Shades saw another significant shift in their constitution, with a great theft of power from the Foretakers. The Daeva were stolen, those who occupied such an exalted echelon were shunted down, and stripped of their power in the name of transcendence, a further rising of Aknu’gul, who was finally able to free herself from the confines to the gem, to become one with the freedom of the world. Aknu’gul was no more, shifting into an incorporeal entity known as Arun’Asna, Mother of Shade.

Power Source and Tenets

Arun'Asna, Mother of Shades

The deific entity who breathes life into Shade, the source of the sentience of the parasites, of their corruptive abilities, and of the manipulations learnable by the practitioners of Shade, the Shades themselves. Arun’asna is an incorporeal being whose power is equivalent to that of an aenguldaemon without being an aenguldaemon herself. It is by her will alone that Shade persists. Her exact nature, desires, and further abilities are elaborated on under the Deity Class Lore forum post.

Mechanics
*Any formed Shade Gem acts as a conduit through which Shades ascend to the post of Shade Father, requiring a Shade to be connected to the Gem and through the Gem to Arun’Asna to ascend beyond tier three at which they are locked if they are not connected.

Redlines

*Arun’Asna is a sentient entity who communicates through her gems to all connected on extraordinarily rare cases. Her existence is something that must be explained ICly to new Shades as it does not come innately. While Shades may feel her presence they do not immediately understand it. Even Shade Fathers do not completely know who she is. If a player is removed or temporarily stripped of Shade magic OOCly, such as due to a blacklist, ban, or inactivity, Arun’Asna acts as the lore reason for their temporary or permanent disconnection or Amber connection removal. Arun’Asna is not housed within the current, nor within any Shade Gem that exists. Instead they are like air. You can’t see it, but it’s there.

The Shade Gems

The lifeblood of a functioning coven, a shard of Arun’Asna’s very essence created by only the most learned of the fathers. A Shade Gem itself appears as a large, fist-sized jagged chunk of black stone with a soft red illumination. While it is not ultimately damning to be left without a gem, the lack thereof will stunt the growth of a coven, and may prove fatal should the membership of that particular cabal take a significant hit, respective to the size of the gathering. A Shade Gem possesses numerous functions, while itself only having a few subtle effects on the world around it, otherwise sitting idly and in peace. Foremost, the Shade Gem is the source of a Shade’s power, the place from which all new parasites are birthed by the hand of a father. Secondly, the Shade Gem is a point of connection, the place all Shades must be present about for a furtherance of their linking to Arun’Asna. The parasite itself is only capable of growing so much of its own accord, reaching its maximum at Tier 3. Without an established link to Arun’Asna, a Shade will never be able to ascend beyond this point, thus the Shade Gem serving as the place at which to establish such a furtherance. Thirdly, the Shade Gem is itself a lexicon, a means by which to transmit information to a Shade, with the helping hand of a Shade Father, to teach Parasite Creation and Disconnection, the means by which new Shades are created, and destroyed.

Mechanics
*A Shade Gem is a funnel through which to connect a parasite that has grown to its potential (Tier 3) alone, to Arun’Asna. The exact use of the Shade Gem in this process is elaborated on under ‘Parasite Connection’.
*A Shade Gem is, in a very limited way, a sort of lexicon, a source of specific information that can be transmitted upon a Shade with the aid of a Shade Father. The exact use of the Shade Gem in this process is elaborated on under ‘Parasite Creation’ and ‘Disconnection’.
*A Shade Gem, as a shard of Arun’Asna’s own power, can be utilized as a limited, one way messaging system to contact other Shades. Any Shade Father can approach the Shade Gem and plant their hands upon its surface. Once having done so, the Shade Father must seal their eyes and focus their attention inward, on the churching deific power within the shard, and must seek out the identity of the Shade with whom they desire to speak. Once having done so, the Shade Father can dispatch a message to that Shade, which will be spoken into the Shade’s head by an ethereal, feminine voice.
*A Shade Gem can’t be transported by just anyone, and cannot be transported inside of combat. Any Shade Father can move a Shade gem outside of combat, however they will be unable to transport the object for longer than one IRl hour due to unexplainable physical strains experienced while moving the object. If a Shade attempts to move the Shade Gem, they will find themselves physically blighted upon touching the shard, a shockwave of debilitating pain erupting through their form the moment they lay a hand on the object, as if smited by Arun’Asna themselves.
*A Shade Gem’s passive effects are both positive, and negative, respective to the circumstances. The aura of the Shade Gem’s effect is eight blocks from its origin. Any Shade who enters this radius will find themselves lifted from the intense mental plight of shadedom, the harassing voices and mental strains relieved for the duration of their stay. Any non-Shade who enters this radius will find themselves bombarded with harassing voices and mental strains, as a parasite-like effect dawns on them. As well, the Shade Gem will begin to leech off of their mana pool, increasing the difficulty in casting all spells that draw from a user’s mana pool, requiring one additional emote for all abilities.
*A Shade Gem is created through the use of a special ritual with Amber Imbuement. See ‘Amber Imbuement’ for an elaboration on this process. Once someone has hold of the Shade Gem and are a Shade Father, they are given knowledge such as Arun’asna’ name and nothing further, only that she is the Mother of Shades.

Redlines
*A Shade Gem is only a “lexicon” insofar as that it retains information that can be shared. This is not to be confused with Lexicons in Dragonkin lore, which are very different. A Shade Gem cannot possess any new information beyond that which it contains (how to create new parasites, and how to disconnect).
*A Shade Father must emote at least three times prior to sending a message. Messages may only be sent to Shades that the Shade Father is aware of, knowing both who they are and that they’re a Shade. This cannot be used like a raid bell, meaning that it cannot be used to call Shades for combat, or defensive purposes.
*Only a Shade Father is capable of moving a Shade Gem, however any Shade Father can do it so long as they are doing so outside of combat. A Shade cannot move a Shade Gem, as Arun’Asna does not permit them to do so. The moment a Shade lays their hand upon a Shade Gem, they will experience a great debilitating pain, a shockwave of agony erupting through their body from the point of origin that touched the shard. This pain is only experienced if the Shade is attempting to move a Shade Gem. This smitting will not occur if a Shade is attempting to destroy a Shade Gem.
*A Shade Gem’s effects begin immediately upon breaching the threshold of the aura, and cease immediately upon leaving it. Mental damage accrued across time from possessing Shade is not undone by the tranquil aura, but merely is paused for the duration of a Shade’s stay. Non-Shades under the effects of the aura will experience intense dread (impending doom, paranoia, nihilism) in addition to experiencing a series of harassing voices similar to the effects of schizophrenia. This is not debilitating, and can be fought through with effort and strain. All magical abilities that draw from the caster’s own mana pool require one additional emote to function properly while under the effects of this aura. A Shade Gem must be stationary, not being transported, for the aura to function.
*The Gem is not indestructible, and is as hard as diamond. It is approximately the size of a regular adult Human’s hand, and emits a faint red glow. It appears as a jagged black rock of a vaguely diamond shape with a flat base.
*The Gem cannot be kept in an Enderchest, nor can it be stored in an unreachable location (such as within a room with no means of entry), nor can it be stored underwater. However, the Shade Gem can be kept in a locked chest, behind a locked door, or behind a hidden door with mechanical (redstone) activation.
*Only three (3) total Shade Gems are capable of existing at one time. Others can be created, but will lie dormant, and therefore useless, until one of the existing three are destroyed. If there are multiple dormant Shade Gems, the oldest one will be activated first.
*All Gems are required to be signed by a member of the LT. As they are an aspect of this lore piece, they do not need an MArt. The LT tracks magic items already, and therefore that serves as adequate notation of which Gems exist.

The Parasite of Rancour

The Parasite of Rancour is a being of raw Amber essence which comes to life within the soul and body of one afflicted with the Shade curse when one is bound to Arun’asna. In almost all respects the same as the affliction upon the soul, the key difference lies in an innate physical presence within the host, not one that can be quantified, but one that can be qualified. Blood courses through a man’s veins, yet the drops cannot be counted; such is the existence of the Parasite of Rancour. Comparing where this existence of Amber within a host begins and ends is akin to marking where the oceans meet the shores. It has end, yet to determine such is foolishness. Rather it is understood and agreed upon that while marking this spot is nigh impossible, it exists all the same. Such is the Parasite of Rancour, the physical embodiment of a Shade within the form of its host. It is this being that allows for Amber to be materialized from a mere concept of mana into a physical tenebrific substance, and it is this substance that gives birth to almost all of the abilities that one afflicted with a Shade may come to bear, but all things have its beginnings, and all things must first be raised…

Due to the parasite being attached to the host, the creature was able to feast upon the man or woman’s mana pool, letting its Amber convert the natural substance into more of the black potent ichor-like material. This allowed the host to use the Amber to their benefit and for the Shade to remain healthy. Yet, at the same time the Parasite latches its being to the soul of the host, corrupting the inherent nature of the man or woman and uses the host’s soul to influence the being in different ways.

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Hatchling
Throughout a Shade’s life, it grows through multiple stages of power. In the beginning of its life, the Shade is referred to as a hatchling. The hatchling is but a small parasite which has begun to grow on the soul itself of the Host, and the body begins to physically manifest small quantities of mana into Amber latent within the body, but none of this can be manipulated or used yet. The hatchling stage is considered the most painful stage of the process of shadedom. Due to the discomfort and pain the hatchling causes to the host, the person affected by the hatchling could experience multiple different issues with their body. Seizures, vomiting, mood swings, fainting, and minor hallucinations are not uncommon when a hatchling begins its growth process within a user. The hatchling has begun to grow and harness the users mana to create more amber, yet this amber is unuseable, only able to be drawn forth but not shaped into objects or used for the abilities of a common Shade.

Shade Child
The Shade has begun to vastly expand and grow within the host, yet it’s still a novice at learning how to cooperate with the body it resides within. The host will become more tolerant of the parasite within, yet every so often the side effects of a growing parasite will occur. However, the continual growth will expand until the child has reached its full growth. The user is able to manipulate Amber with the proper training and practice until they’ve mastered the usage of Amber and all of its uses. It is also at this stage that the host becomes mentally unstable and all the negative effects come into full force once the Shade has grown to its maximum size upon the soul.

Shade Father
The Shade Fathers are the ones whom have studied and learned about their parasite to the fullest extent. They’re able to instruct and transfuse new, growing Hosts and Shades. Their influence over those Shades beneath them holds great power. While the presence upon the soul is no stronger than a fully grown Shade, the ability for the host to utilize the parasite itself is greatly improved for those that have achieved this stage. As a result, this is not a stage naturally achieved over time, but also one achieved with great practice. Finally, one that has reached this stage can make a bastardized version of a Shade parasite on another’s soul.

Arun'Asna's Will

1. There are days in which even those basking in stygian masses born of the darkest depths of the abyss find themselves with the desire to betray their own chthonic brethren. These are days in which we atrocious beings realize the hell we have come to call home has its own dreary days. Selfishness and personal desires are emotions commonplace of chaotic evil, a brand of evil making a home in those of rancour. And yet with the interest of survival in mind we shirk their innately chaotic desires for a sense of order amongst ourselves and our goals. When those few of this great clique turn their backs to such agreed upon doctrines they must repent, or face a just end to their destructive ways. Revealing the secrets of their flesh and blood is a kind of betrayal that brings the heart to bleed black, to share to the uninitiated the nuances of one's makeup is a crime far darker for it betrays not only one's kin but one's self in a significant instance of pure ignorance. These are malfeasances unforgivable, demanding but the utter casting out of the transgressor.
   • Do not expose or talk about any Shades, revealing any secret Coven business applies too.
2. To murder one who afforded you trust and to whom you once trusted is a kinslayer regardless of blood relation. The finely tuned laws binding together what was once roaming goalless chaos has its supports shattered with such actions. Murder, enraged violence, the kind of actions demanding direction for alone they threaten to bring into the light the truth of the great secrets kept hidden within our majestic estate. These are malfeasances unforgivable, demanding but the utter casting out of the transgressor.
   • Do not needlessly harm other Shades, killing is also forbidden unless both agreed to some sort of duel, therefore exempt from this tenet.
3. Our symbols of literal power, the items with which the old, grey and knowledgeable grow our knowing order are symbols most holy in the general sense of the word. While not truly holy, such items are best regarded with the zealous protection the ignorant afford their gilded crosses and gemstones, for such items are in reality the domiciles of power beyond your comprehension. They leak an ichor incorporeal, used to guide the sheep ever nearer the path of enlightenment by those who manage cast off their wool to metamorphose into learned wolves. Revealing where such relics are kept, or seeking to destroy such precious items are crimes most abominable. These are malfeasances unforgivable, demanding but the utter casting out of the transgressor.
   • Do not break the Shade Gems or disclose the locations of them to any non-shade.
4. It is not the intention of the lawful collection of chaos to but keep their chaos beaten back and neglected. The learned guide the unknowing on the means by which one pampers their chaos so that it does not take to overwhelming, acting of its own accord to seek out its own form of pampering. To allow one's chaos such an opportunity is to violate the safety of one's flesh and blood. It is to risk the revealing of all that has been built, to risk the destruction of our echelon that resides above the masses. Go out with secrecy in mind, to commit an act of chaos, to sow discord among the sheep of the world, to steal, lie, cheat and murder where it is justifiable in the eyes of your kin, in the eyes of the watching mother who knows but keeping secrecy. To fail in this act is to fail all. It is a malfeasance unforgivable, demanding but the utter casting out of the transgressor.
   • Some sort of chaotic act must be done every one OOC month, some things that can be done include but are not limited to: raiding, sacrificing, stealing, lying, and even attacking someone.
5. Considering all that has been said, all that you have learned and all that you will learn, it must go without saying that cohesion is the ultimate resource. Like masterfully-crafted clockwork, it is infallible. Without such a mindset success is a distant city unreachable through the winding jungle paths, and to keep such a mindset knowing this is to risk everything. It is a malfeasance unforgivable, demanding but the utter casting out of the transgressor.
   • Act in the best interest of the Coven at all times.

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Spells, Powers, and Abilities

Mana Corruption

Mana Corruption is the dually passive, and active, process of turning Mana into Amber to utilize as a fuel source for the spells and abilities of Shade. Internally, Mana Corruption is an ever ongoing process perpetuated by The Parasite attached to the Shade’s soul. This process is corrupting the Shade’s own Mana into Amber, which allows the Shade to, by default, utilize this pool of fuel for their castings.

Externally, Mana can be corrupted by the will of the Shade, extending their own Amber onto Mana, causing it to, by extension of The Parasite’s power, turn into Amber. This can be used in a number of ways, whether to bring about the creation of a foreign pool of Amber for the Shade’s use, or to corrupt, or destroy, a Mana Gem or Obelisk. Foreign entities who have part, or all, of their Mana pools corrupted will suffer a strange physical aesthetical change, appearing like a large webbed scarr of black across their body. Despite its sickly appearance, this scar is temporary, and yields no negative effects itself.

When a foreign creature has its Mana pool corrupted, it will experience some of the negative mental downsides of shadedom, despite not possessing a Shade themselves. This is due to the presence of the corrupted subsistence, Amber, within their system, which brings about such oddities. Where there is more Mana corrupted, there will be more pains experienced by the affected individual. However, given that there is a lack of a Parasite attached to the soul of such an individual, their body will begin to naturally expel the Amber, replacing it with pure Mana over time, thus lowering the intensity of the mental pains until they are all but snuffed out.

Mechanics
*Passively, The Parasite will corrupt the Shade’s Mana into Amber, allowing the Shade to pull from their own corrupted pool for spellcasting. Outside of combat, a Shade will regain 1 Point of Amber per 5 IRL minutes until they can produce no more (as limited by their tier).
*Actively, a Shade can corrupt the pool of a willing victim, turning their Mana into Amber at a steady rate. This requires the Shade to be touching the victim for the duration of the process. By spending 1 Point of Amber, a Shade can begin the process of corrupting the willing victim’s Mana, turning it into a utilizable battery of Amber at a rate of 2 Points of Amber per emote, for a maximum of three emotes (6 total Points of Amber created). Throughout this process the Shade is not actually using up any great portion of their own Amber, rather they are channeling The Parasite’s corruptive powers into the pool of the willing victim. The Amber within the willing victim will slowly tick away over time at a rate of 1 Point of Amber per 1 IRL day. For the duration of time as that there is Amber within the willing victim’s system, they will suffer under dread (impending doom, paranoia, nihilism) effects from the presence of the foreign substance. These effects cease the moment that the last bit of Amber is used up, or naturally expelled. Organic creatures who have their mana pools corrupted will experience large black blemishes that appear in a similar fashion to lightning scars. These blemishes are temporary, and will disappear once all of the Amber is used, or expelled from, their system.
*Actively, a Shade can corrupt the pool of a Mana Gem or Mana Obelisk. This requires the Shade to be touching the item for the duration of the process. By spending 1 Point of Amber, a Shade can begin the process of corrupting the item’s Mana, turning it into a utilizable battery of Amber at a rate of 2 Points of Amber per emote. For Mana Gems, the Shade can emote at max three times (6 total Points of Amber created). For Mana Obelisks, the Shade can emote at max nine times (18 total Points of Amber created). This Amber does not flake away over time, and will remain until used or expelled by destroying the object in which it is contained.
*Passively, The Parasite will corrupt the Shade’s Mana into Amber, allowing the Shade to pull from their own corrupted pool for spellcasting. Inside of combat, a Shade will regain 1 Point of Amber per 5 emotes until they can produce no more (as limited by their tier).
*Actively, a Shade can corrupt the pool of an unwilling victim, turning their Mana into Amber at a steady rate. This requires the Shade to be touching the victim for the duration of the process. By spending 1 Point of Amber, a Shade can begin the process of corrupting the unwilling victim’s Mana, turning it into a utilizable battery of Amber at a rate of 2 Points of Amber per emote, for a maximum of three emotes (6 total Points of Amber created). Throughout this process the Shade is not actually using up any great portion of their own Amber, rather they are channeling The Parasite’s corruptive powers into the pool of the unwilling victim. The Amber within the unwilling victim will slowly tick away over time at a rate of 1 Point of Amber per 1 IRL day. For the duration of time as that there is Amber within the unwilling victim’s system, they will suffer under dread (impending doom, paranoia, nihilism) effects from the presence of the foreign substance. These effects cease the moment that the last bit of Amber is used up, or naturally expelled. Organic creatures who have their mana pools corrupted will experience large black blemishes that appear in a similar fashion to lightning scars. These blemishes are temporary, and will disappear once all of the Amber is used, or expelled from, their system.
*Actively, a Shade can corrupt the pool of a Mana Gem or Mana Obelisk. This requires the Shade to be touching the item for the duration of the process. By spending 1 Point of Amber, a Shade can begin the process of corrupting the item’s Mana, turning it into a utilizable battery of Amber at a rate of 2 Points of Amber per emote. For Mana Gems, the Shade can emote at max three times (6 total Points of Amber created). For Mana Obelisks, the Shade can emote at max nine times (18 total Points of Amber created). This Amber does not flake away over time, and will remain until used or expelled by destroying the object in which it is contained.

Redlines
* The passive corruption of Mana within the Shade’s own pool cannot be sped up, slowed down, or stopped by any means. The process will halt itself once The Parasite can corrupt no more Mana, as determined by the Shade’s tier.
*The moment touch (the placing of one hand on the victim) is broken, Mana Corruption will cease immediately.
*The Amber within the victim’s system cannot be purged by any magic or other alchemical means. It will flake away over time, or can be used up by any Shade utilizing it as a battery.
*The dread (impending doom, paranoia, nihilism) induced by the presence of the Amber is not debilitating, but does have noticeable impacts on the mood, behaviour, and overall personality of the person affected by it.
*The Amber contained within a Mana Gem or Mana Obelisk cannot be purged by any magic or other alchemical means. It will not flake away over time, and therefore will only disappear as it is used up, or if the object is destroyed.
*The visual blemishes are only aesthetic, and will cause the victim no further harm.

Amber Manipulation

In order to aptly control the converted Amber within their pools, the Shades possess the ability to manipulate the corrupted mana within them. Manipulation of Amber may come in many forms, though in it’s more rudimentary and basic form allows the Host to create shapes, objects, and limb-like extensions which serve as a tool, or a weapon for the malignant creature. Through practice, the nature of Amber Manipulation can become almost like second nature, as though the corrupted Mana is part of their very body and are simply controlling it through muscle memory. Akin to the Voidal Art of Arcane Evocation, the Manipulation of Amber can very much be maintained in much the same way, albeit it holds a specific caveat; The controlled Amber must be connected to the Host in some physical fashion. Manipulated Amber can take on three physical states: Solid, Liquid, and Gas, and can be controlled in many imaginative ways. Left freeform to the user, the blackened substance’s density and temperature may also be manipulated.

While the Amber may be manipulated with second nature, this does not inherently make it easy or quick to do so. Manipulating corrupted Mana takes time and focus. Controlling Amber from a distance will prove physically strenuous to the Host, and should their focus be lost or physical connection to the Amber be severed, the corrupted essence will simply flake away into black flakes unless it is quickly reclaimed through physical contact. - While its density may be altered, manifestations of Amber are not indestructible and are weak and susceptible to any material which affects spectral beings and normal tools.

Mechanics
*Manipulation of Amber from a corrupted Mana Gem or Mana Obelisk requires that the Shade be no further than 5 blocks from the corrupted Mana Gem or Mana Obelisk.
*Outside of combat a Shade’s ability to manipulate Amber is far more freeform than while in combat. By spending 1 Point of Amber per limb of Amber created, to a maximum of four limbs at one time, the Shade can draw out Amber from themselves (connected to their body) or from a battery (connected to the body of the victim, to the surface of the Mana Gem, or to the surface of the Mana Obelisk). Limbs of Amber can move, at a maximum, 2 blocks per emote.
*Manipulation of the Amber itself is relatively open outside of combat, as the Shade is free from the added, stressful distractions of being in a life or death situation. As such, they may fiddle around with the appearance of the Amber they are manipulating, creating unique shapes, designs, and other creations to their liking. However, the extent of these abilities are still limited by size, and tier.
*At Tier 1, the Shade can summon no more than 1 limb of Amber for manipulation. This limb can extend no further than 2 blocks, and cannot be formed into anything but simplistic shapes (spheres, blocks, triangles, et cetera). A Shade at this tier cannot change the density, temperature, or state of matter of the Amber.
*At Tier 2, the Shade can summon no more than 1 limb of Amber for manipulation. This limb can extend no further than 4 blocks, and can be formed into slightly more complicated shapes (dodecagons, icosahedrons, et cetera). A Shade at this tier can start to manipulate the density of the Amber. By spending 1 additional Point of Amber, the Shade can change the density from its soft, standard form, to something as hard as wood. Temperature and state of matter cannot be changed at this stage.
*At Tier 3, the Shade can summon no more than 2 limbs of Amber for manipulation. These limbs can extend no further than 6 blocks each, and can be formed into far more complicated shapes, those involving separated, interwoven parts, including a greater level of acute detailing. It is worthwhile noting that, at this stage, the creation of furniture with Amber becomes viable, so long as a connection to the body, or battery, is maintained. By spending 1 additional Point of Amber, the Shade can up the density of the Amber from wood to iron (assuming the Shade has already first spent 1 Point of Amber to go from its soft, standard state, to wood). By spending 1 Point of Amber the Shade can raise the temperature of Amber to a maximum of 80 degrees fahrenheit, or lower the temperature to a maximum of 40 degrees fahrenheit. By spending 4 Points of Amber, the Shade can change the state of matter of the Amber. Amber changed into a gaseous form will still be visible as a faint, grey-black substance. The Amber must still maintain a constant connection to the Shade, or battery, it is being manipulated from. Gaseous amber can extend no further than, and can fill a space no larger than, 1 block. At this stage the gaseous Amber cannot be used to suffocate someone, as the skill required to do so is too great. Density cannot be manipulated while Amber is in this form, however at the same above listed cost, temperature can. Amber changed into a liquid form will retain a strange sense of malleability, making it more comparable to gum than any normal liquid. The Amber must still maintain a constant connection to the Shade, or battery, it is being manipulated from. Liquid amber can extend no further than, and can fill a space no larger than, 1 block. At this stage the liquid Amber cannot be used to drown someone (via insertion into the mouth/down the throat), as the skill required to do so is too great. Density cannot be manipulated while Amber is in this form, however at the same above listed cost, temperature can.
*At Tier 4, the Shade can summon no more than 3 limbs of Amber for manipulation. These limbs can extend no further than 8 blocks each, and can be formed into far more complicated shapes, merely taking the extent up a notch, opening the level of creativity in emotes far more than previously described (more complicated designs, far more acute detail than previously achievable). By spending 1 additional Point of Amber, the Shade can change the density of the Amber from iron to steel (assuming the Shade has already first spent 2 Points of Amber to go from its soft, standard state, to wood, and from wood to iron). By spending 2 Points of Amber, the Shade can raise the temperature of Amber to a maximum of 90 degrees fahrenheit, or lower the temperature to a minimum of 30 degrees fahrenheit. By spending 4 Points of Amber, the Shade can change the state of matter of the Amber. Amber changed into a gaseous form will still be visible as a faint, grey-black substance. The Amber must still maintain a constant connection to the Shade, or battery, it is being manipulated from. Gaseous amber can extend no further than, and can fill a space no larger than, 2 blocks. At this stage the gaseous Amber still cannot be used to suffocate someone, as the skill required to do so is too great. Density cannot be manipulated while Amber is in this form, however at the same above listed cost, temperature can. Amber changed into a liquid form will retain a strange sense of malleability, making it more comparable to gum than any normal liquid. The Amber must still maintain a constant connection to the Shade, or battery, it is being manipulated from. Liquid amber can extend no further than, and can fill a space no larger than, 2 blocks. At this stage the liquid Amber still cannot be used to drown someone (via insertion into the mouth/down the throat), as the skill required to do so is too great. Density cannot be manipulated while Amber is in this form, however at the same above listed cost, temperature can.
*At Tier 5, the Shade can summon no more than 4 limbs of Amber for manipulation. These limbs can extend no further than 10 blocks each, and can be formed into wildly complicated, highly aesthetically interesting, and exceptionally detailed shapes and designs. The extent of the skill achieved at this stage is so great as that the Shade is limited mostly by the scope of their own creativity, and imagination. The Shade can bring the density of the Amber no further than Steel. By spending 3 Points of Amber, the Shade can raise the temperature of Amber to a maximum of 100 degrees fahrenheit, or lower the temperature to a minimum of 20 degrees Fahrenheit. By spending 4 Points of Amber, the Shade can change the state of matter of the Amber. Amber changed into a gaseous form will still be visible as a faint, grey-black substance. The Amber must still maintain a constant connection to the Shade, or battery, it is being manipulated from. Gaseous amber can extend no further than, and can fill a space no larger than, 3 blocks. At this stage the gaseous Amber can be used to suffocate someone. The Shade must spend an additional 5 Points of Amber, and must focus the entirety of their attention on the arduous process, which is mentally taxing due to the extent of manipulation required to bring the Amber throughout someone’s body. Density cannot be manipulated while Amber is in this form, however at the same above listed cost, temperature can. Amber changed into a liquid form will retain a strange sense of malleability, making it more comparable to gum than any normal liquid. The Amber must still maintain a constant connection to the Shade, or battery, it is being manipulated from. Liquid amber can extend no further than, and can fill a space no larger than, 3 blocks. At this stage the liquid Amber can be used to drown someone (via insertion into the mouth/down the throat). The Shade must spend an additional 5 Points of Amber, and must focus the entirety of their attention on the arduous process, which is mentally taxing due to the extent of manipulation required to bring the Amber throughout someone’s body. Density cannot be manipulated while Amber is in this form, however at the same above listed cost, temperature can.
*At Tiers 1 to 2, the strength of Amber Manipulation is slightly weaker than a fully grown human in terms of grabbing, throwing, stabbing, and other motions. At Tiers 3 and 4, this strength is increased to that of a regular fully grown human with the maximum number of tendrils possible, or slightly stronger than a human with one less tendril. At Tier 5, this strength is increased to slightly stronger than a human’s arm for the maximum number of tendrils, slightly weaker than an orc with one less than the maximum, or as strong as an orc with half the maximum. With just one tendril, the strength can be as strong as an olog arm.

Redlines
*Line of sight is not required in order to manipulate Amber, which means that the process is still capable of being performed while blindfolded, the Shade simply being unable to actually see the things around the manipulations. However, a Shade must be conscious in order to use manipulation. In accordance, manipulating amber you cannot see has a much higher chance of being inaccurate, akin to punching something with a blindfold on.
*Changing the temperature of Amber at later stages does not result in a hard point increase. Rather, the scope of the changes increases and the point cost correlates with these ranges. For example, a Tier 3 Shade lowering the temperature of their amber to 40 degrees fahrenheit (the minimum for their tier) would have to spend 1 Point of Amber, a Tier 4 Shade wanting to lower the temperature of their Amber to 40 degrees fahrenheit would have to spend 1 Point of Amber, however, by spending 2 Points of Amber they can lower the temperature to 30 degrees fahrenheit (the minimum for their tier), and finally if a Tier 5 Shade wanted to lower the temperature of their Amber to 40 degrees fahrenheit they would have to spend 1 Point of Amber, lowering to 30 degrees fahrenheit would cost 2 Points, and lowering to 20 would cost 3 Points, (the minimum for their tier).
*At a maximum, a Shade can have all 4 limbs of Amber as dense as steel, OUTSIDE OF COMBAT only. However, a Shade can only be actively maintaining one limb of Amber in state of matter that is not solid at a time due to how arduous the process is.
*If combat were to start whilst 4 limbs of amber are as dense as steel, they will lower down to their respective density.
*The density of limbs inside of combat is limited as follows: At a max, a Shade can have either: 1 limb as dense as steel, with all others limited to a density of wood, 2 limbs as dense as iron, with all others limited to a density of wood, or all limbs as dense as wood.
*When manipulating a limb of Amber in a state of matter that is not solid, the Shade can only have one limb active at a time, due to how arduous the process is on top of the stress and pains of a combat situation.
*The added stresses and demanding attention of combat limits the extent of the manipulation a Shade is capable of performing. Highly complicated shapes and designs cannot be created in combat. However, simple shapes and weapon designs can be formed, and sustained, successfully.

Amber Imbeument

For those more well versed in corrupting mana and imbuing objects with Amber, a skill known as Ambercrafting becomes available to prospecting Shades. Put simply, Ambercrafting is materializing Amber and forming structures with it, whether it is something small like a stool, or something of more considerable size like a table or wall. In order to make abnormally large structures though, the additional effort of more Shades or corrupted mana from an obelisk for instance is required. Furthermore, these structures will provide no other benefit to a Shade, as they will no longer be moldable or reclaimable into their Amber pool after they are formed, making these structures slightly anomalous in their existence and creation. In short, Amber Crafting allows Shades to produce structures, furniture, and other similar things with a very literal dark and dreary aesthetic with not much other practical use, unless the intention is to scare. The following effects are caused when Amber is imbued into a spell of the respective magic type.

• Arcane Alteration

-Transfiguration: Objects altered with the magic will hold a stygian, black hue to them for a while, such as staining a stone black or a stick emitting a faint dark aura. Wards and abjurations would visibly hold a dark grey or black shimmer, akin to powder floating in the air. Enchantments imbued with Amber are unchanged, but rather any mana gems that have their mana corrupted will hold Amber-imbued effects on the spells.

- Translocation: Objects that have been imbued with Amber become easier to store, can be stored for longer and can be withdrawn more easily. Additionally for half-translocation spells the visible distortion formed would be altered to be a black smog. In turn, these objects would cause a sense of dread due to the Amber imbued in the objects, varying depending on how much of the mana is corrupted. So while casting may be marginally more effective, the caster must cope with any adverse effects from the Amber.

- Voidal Shifting: Shades are able to carry their manifested Amber with them as they shift, due to it being counted as ‘part’ of them. Additionally, shifting causes a black aura to permeate where the Shade has left.

- Telekinesis: Controlled objects gain a darkened shimmer around them, with black hues trailing the object.

• Arcane Illusion

- Sensory Illusion: Capable of pressing darker and more dreadful illusions, the Shade can draw upon their reams of realistic Nightmares to create horrendous tricks of the senses. Additionally, as in the case of mental magic, the Shade parasite has a resistance to the magic due to the parasite’s constant presence in the host’s mind, and the parasite will attempt to ward off any effort beyond its own to affect the host’s mind.

- Mental Magic:

• Arcane Evocation

- Fire: Evoked fire imbued with Amber will appear ebon and viscous, the flames flickering less quickly than usual. Additionally any evoked fire will no longer give off light, rather emitting a dense black smoke above where it forms. Alongside this, the hiss and crackle of a flame would be gone, in its place an austere silence formed as if sound was dampened near the flame. However this will not affect the fire in any other adverse or positive ways.

- Water: Ice, water and vapour are all darker in colour, appearing ink-like. Oddly enough, this evoked water is unable to conduct electricity, nor do things dissolve particularly well in it.

- Air: Evoked air will hold a dark hue about it, akin to coal dust floating in the wind.

- Earth: The created earth is dark and dry, and black crystals similar to the Shade Gem in appearance can be formed.

- Conjuration: Conjured creatures are stygian black even if they never were when studied. They bleed a dark ichor, and their bites send waves of dread through their victims with every mouthful. A terrible aura of black follows their movements, and they seem to hold a bizarre disobedience in them. An order to safely pick a infant up off of the ground may be ignored, the conjured beast opting instead to maim or maul the infant instead.

- Arcanism: Arcanism is made darker and more opaque, looking more like stone than it would glass.

- Celestialism: Incompatible.

• Deific

- Shamanism: Spirits can see the darkness in the Shade’s spirit, and thus normal spirits will avoid them like the plague. The older and larger the corruption on the soul, the greater the blemish on the Shaman's spirit.

- Paladinism: Incompatible.

- Druidism: Incompatible to be made Shades. However if a Druid’s mana pool is corrupted for any purpose, then when they try to cast any druidic spell the various forces of nature would actively try to defend itself, ranging from vines lashing out at the druid to nearby animals attacking the druid. However this will quickly subside as a Druid’s mana pool would rapidly refresh the corrupted mana back into untainted mana.

- Runesmithing: Elements created may have the same effects applied to them as Evocation elements.

• Dark

- Frost Witches: Manipulated ice may grow dark and ominous in appearance.

- Mysticism: Ectoplasm imbued with Amber becomes darker than usual, and all things that deal with this darkened Amber release the same, dread-causing effect.

- Blood Magic: Magics enhanced by blood magic are also affected by the Shade effects (if Amber is imbued).

- Naztherak: Malflame imbued with Amber would add an additional dread-inducing effect on top of any abilities already caused by Malflame, as well as bearing a black, flickering outline around the neon colored flame.

- Dark Shamanism: Same as Voidal Evocations in terms of elementalism.

• Voidal Feats and Artificery

- Voidal Displacement: Portals created with Amber-imbued mana would produce an overwhelming sense of horror and dread when created, once it is set up the portals would take you to more dangerous places then without amber imbued in it normally.

- Atronach Forging: Atronachs created with Amber-imbued mana will take on the effects of their evocation’s alteration due to Amber. Additionally, any orders given may be slightly modified such as a Conjuration’s may be.

- Cognatism: The host suffers from a horrid trinity of minds: their own, the voidal horror within, and the cruel demonic parasite. When utilizing the magic, the voidal horror may have its gifts blocked out by the parasite at times in an effort to further weaken the host’s mental ability.

Mechanics
*Any mundane object or item can be imbued with Amber, however no magical items or artifacts can be imbued. By spending 2 Points of Amber, a Shade will bring about a manipulation of Amber to coat and sink into an object or item over the course of two emotes, then disappearing from view. In the moments thereafter the object or item will take on a mysterious, otherworldly, and or spooky appearance.
*In order for the imbuement to keep its effects, amber is passively pulled from an amber battery or from a shade’s amber pool. Should a non-shade who has not had their mana corrupted into amber find themselves in possession of an amber imbued object, their mana pool will be passively corrupted into amber, just enough for the object’s imbuement to remain active. This cannot be stopped until the amber imbued object is no longer in contact with the individual.
*Should a non-shade be in contact with an amber imbued object, they will slowly begin to notice an aura of dread (impending doom, anxiety, nihilism, etc.) surrounding it.
*Should a non-shade keep in contact with an amber imbued object for more than one IRL week, the individual in question will begin to suffer from dread effects themselves, as their mana pool will begin to grow corrupt with amber. A shade may, one week after an object’s imbuement, strip the amber from an ambered imbued item. Doing so will relinquish the aesthetic properties of the item permanently unless it is imbued again. The exact aesthetic change that the item takes on is completely up to the Shade conducting the imbuing, however here are a few examples: a sword appearing to be held by a floating black hand, a lamp emitting an eerie grey glow, the eyes of a painting appearing to move and follow passersby, tapping sounds emitting from a door or window, and et cetera.
*The ritual of Shade Gem creation cannot be taught naturally, which is to say that it must be learned through others means. Like Disconnection, and Parasite Creation, the ritual of Shade Gem creation is passed on to a Shade Father, with the assistance of a Shade Father who knows it, by utilizing the Shade Gem as a means of education. In order to pass the information along, the Shade Father who is aware of the ritual must lead the Shade Father they intend on teaching into a room with the Shade Gem. The teaching Shade Father will then plant their hands upon the gem, and will focus their attention inward on the churching chaotic energies within, mentally calling upon Arun’Asna to pass her knowledge along to the Shade Father before them. That process takes two emotes, and in the emote thereafter the Shade Gem will illuminate a bright red, casting the light over the Shade Father’s form, instilling within their mind the knowledge of the ritual.
*The ritual itself involves the use of ore collected from an imploded voidal node. Two Shade Fathers, who have knowledge of the ritual, will place the ore between them. Over the course of three emotes, the two Shade Fathers will each summon two limbs of Amber, moving them around the ore to link up with the opposing Shade Father’s limbs, forming as circle of Amber around the ore. The Shade Fathers will then step towards one another, bringing the circle of Amber in, closing the size of the circle until the Amber itself totally envelopes the ore. The process of closing the circle takes two emotes. After this, both Shade Fathers will place their hands upon the ore, allowing the Amber to sink into the shard, which will start to emit a faint red glow. The process of imbuing the Amber into the ore takes two emotes, after which the ore will continue to grow in the extent of its illumination until the red glow fills the entire room. Over the course of the next two emotes, the glow will increase, and then fade into nothingness, leaving behind a shard of Arun’Asna’s power. The Shade Fathers conducting this ritual are free to include any other unique, aesthetic occurrences to go along with the ritual, so long as they adhere to the basic functions of creating a Shade Gem.
*When a Shade casts a spell from a magic that is not Shade, the spell will undergo a visual transformation, gaining a faint grey/black glow, while as well gaining a supernatural effect that brings about feelings of dread (paranoia, nihilism, impending doom) in the individual(s) effected. This cannot be toggled on or off, always occurs passively, and does not cost additional Points of Amber.

Redlines
*Under no circumstances can magical items and artifacts be imbued with Amber.
*The aesthetic changes to objects and items imbued with Amber should not be imposing, and should remain as subtle, flavour advancements to a roleplay scenario.
*The effects of amber imbuement do not wear off, and will continue to exist upon an object until a shade actively strips the item of its amber.
*The dread effects on a non-shade in possession of an amber imbued object are in no way debilitating, but are still present.
*Specifically, if a non-shade were to stay in regular contact with an amber imbued item for more than one IRL week, they will begin to feel more anxious, paranoid, or may be subject to negative mood changes. How this dread impacts a character is up to player choice, but some indication that their mana has been corrupted with amber must be present.
*The mana corrupted in a non-shade by an amber imbued item is not enough to be usable by a shade as an amber battery.
*The amber produced within an individual by this mana corruption dissipates over the course of one IRL day so long as the amber imbued object in question is no longer in contact with the individual.
*Any shade Teir 2 and or above that may strip a person of this amber corruption, however, it cannot be purged by any other magical, alchemical, or mundane means.
*Any shade T2 and above can strip an object of its amber, however this can only be done after one week has passed since the imbued object’s creation. No Amber Points are regained for doing such. No other magical, alchemical, or mundane means can strip an object of its amber imbuement.
*Only a Shade Father who is already aware of the ritual will be capable of passing the knowledge along via the Shade Gem. If no Shade Fathers remain alive, the LT should arrange an event for the knowledge to be instilled upon one or two of the currently living Shade Fathers.
*Amber cannot be pulled from a battery (victim with a corrupted Mana pool, Mana Gem, or Mana Obelisk) to utilize Amber Imbuement. The Amber must come from within the Shade.

Caliginous Healing - Passive

Contradictory to the consistent harassment and mental degradation inflicted upon the host as consequence of The Parasite’s nature, it understands that it could not exist without the Shade, and therefore has a vested interest in protecting the life of the Shade. The presence of Amber in the Shade’s Mana pool can be utilized by The Parasite, which will act of its own accord at the first sign of bodily damage, to clot open wounds, slowing and eventually stopping bleeding. While this is by no means a way to avoid death, especially from gaping and grievous injuries, it very well may prove to be a vital time extension necessary to get a Shade to someone capable of providing proper medical care.

Mechanics

*At Tier 1 and Tier 2 of Shade, The Parasite will automatically utilize the Amber within a Shade’s system to clot lacerations inflicted upon the Shade’s form. Small cuts and openings will cause The Parasite to expend 1 Point of Amber, clotting the various openings with Amber which, over the course of 1 emote, will blockade the bleeding. Large lacerations and openings will cause The Parasite to expend 2 Points of Amber, clotting the various large openings with Amber which, over the course of 2 emotes, will blockade the bleeding. Anything larger cannot be clotted. At Tier 3, and above, the Shade will be able to toggle this ability, choosing to stop its activation. This may be necessary in situations that may cause the Shade to become exposed, as a sickly black substance clotting open wounds isn’t especially easy to mask.

Redlines
*If it wasn’t already clear, this ability is self-clotting ONLY. This cannot be used to effect others.
*If a Shade does not have enough Amber in their system to expend, the Shade’s wounds will not be automatically clotted. However, as The Parasite passively regenerated Amber, the moment Amber is available The Parasite will expend it to clot the Shade’s wounds unless the Shade opts to toggle the effect, where capable of doing so (Tier 3+).
*This clotting is limited in its extent, and as such will not save a Shade from grevious wounds (lost limbs, being stabbed, large gashes, et cetera), broken bones, damaged organs, and other life-threatening situations.
*As the Amber essentially stitches the wounds back together, they are capable of being reopened, with some force.
*This ability may only be used out of combat.

Mental Resistance

In a metaphorical sense, there is a light amongst the encompassing darkness of Shade. Despite all of the intense, negative effects of possessing.The Parasite of Rancour, its sickening form yields a few subtle benefits that protect against magical, mental invasions. Illusory magi, and other mental magic wielding individuals, will find that their spells and abilities to not affect Shades as they might other creatures, as the Shade’s awareness of reality is offset in a most unusual way, giving them an advantage over trickery of this caliber.

Mechanics
*Mental Mages, and other magi capable of entering a person’s mind, will find that in doing so they experience the exact negative mental effects that befall the Shade, respective to that Shade’s tier. The full force of the harassing voices will be sent upon them, seeking to cast the invader from the Shade’s mind with a whirlwind of distracting and evil utterances.

Redlines
*This ability is passive, and therefore requires 0 Points of Amber to utilize.
*This ability cannot be toggled off by any means.

Blanket of Darkness

The expulsion of Amber can be utilized beyond elaborate manipulation, bringing about a chaotic field of confusion and darkness. This is Blanket of Darkness is a wave of stygian mass, exploding out from its point of origin, the casting Shade, to envelop the area surrounding that Shade, and all within the threshold of the radius, in ersatz darkness. The function of this ability is different from the standard properties of Amber, as it rather takes on an almost smoky appearance that permits passage from and into the area of effect. Everyone within the area will become shrouded in total magical darkness, the thick smoky Amber totally blockading all light, natural or evoked.

Mechanics
*By spending 15 Points of Amber, a Shade can pull forth a great deal of their withheld Amber to expel out around them, over the course of four emotes, creating a sphere of darkness 6 blocks out from the origin point of the casting. No light can breach the borders of this sphere, which appears to be a large smoky orb, and as such the interior of the blanket is pitch black. Only Shades are capable of seeing clearly within the sphere.
*The threshold of the sphere can be passed through, whether to leave or enter the area, without harm.
*The sphere of Amber will persist until the Shade who cast it leaves the area, or becomes incapicatated.
*If in a tight or constricted area, such as a hallway that is two meters wide, the excess distance that’d normally be covered in a sphere will instead travel down the length of the corridor or area, so instead of six blocks, it would be ten.

Redlines
*If at any point during the process (4 emotes) of expelling the Amber, the Shade is interrupted by taking serious damage (anything beyond bruising or small cuts), they will lose their progress and have to restart.
*No light, whether natural (the sun, fire, or et cetera), or evoked (via voidal, or otherwise), can breach the threshold of the sphere.
*Amber cannot be pulled from a battery (victim with a corrupted Mana pool, Mana Gem, or Mana Obelisk) to utilize Blanket of Darkness. The Amber must come from within the Shade.
*Four emotes are required to cast Blanket of Darkness.

Caliginous Flame

Shades who have been taught how to create new Parasites will find that, through a fundamentally similar, but ultimately different, process that involves the sectioning off of a sliver of their Parasite to summon forth an ability borne of The Parasite’s internal chaotic energies, those own of Arun’Asna. This process allows the Shade to invoke an alien sort of fire, burning a strange mixture of dark green and black, that exudes a faint dark grey smog. Unlike practical fire, however, this Caliginous Flame does not char wood nor melt flesh, but rather burns away Mana, not corrupting, but destroying. Anyone, aside from the Shade who cast it, who comes into contact with this fire will start to have their Mana burned away.

Mechanics
*A Shade does not have to be a Shade Father to learn Caliginous Flame, but does have to know how to carry out Parasite Creation first, as the knowledge for utilization of this ability stems from the innate comprehension of splitting The Parasite.
*By spending 25 Points of Amber, a Shade can, over the course of five emotes, summon this fire, and cast it at a target. The fire will stick to the first surface it touches, whether living or not, and will remain there until dissipating naturally, or being snuffed out.
*If the fire comes into contact with a living target that possesses a Mana pool, it will begin to drain their Mana over time. Over the course of twleve emotes, it will completely drain a person’s Mana pool, and will then naturally dissipate. Alternatively, if it was thrown onto a mundane surface, it will remain there for ten emotes before naturally dissipating.
*Caliginous Flame can be snuffed out as anyone would normal fire, whether by smothering it, using water, or covering it with any large object (such as a crate).

Redlines
*The summoned fire is approximately the size of an adult Human fist.
*The fire will have its draining effect through clothing and armour, it simply has to be in contact with a surface attached to a living body possessing a Mana pool. ‘Surface attached to’ does not mean any surface, such as a floor, wall, chair, or et cetera. It has to be directly encompassing the living body, meaning that this term specifically refers to clothing and armour.
*To reiterate, this fire is not like natural fire. It does not create light, consume air, burn surfaces, or produce heat.
*Five emotes are required to cast Caliginous Flame.

Marking

To combat the passive effects of a Shade’s Aura of Dread, which will naturally induce Dread within those who oft interact with a Shade, a Shade is capable of applying an Amber tattoo to a person by pulling from their own store of Amber, and utilizing the power of The Parasite. This amber tattoo can take on any appearance, determined by the Shade who applies it, and can be placed on any location on the body. Once applied, the affected individual will find that they are immune to the passive effect of Aura of Dread, however the active version will still affect them.

Mechanics
*By spending 5 Points of Amber, a Shade can, over the course of four emotes, apply an Amber tattoo, of any design, upon a person, Shade or non-Shade. This tattoo can be no smaller than the size of an adult Human fist.
*These marks are permanent, and can only be removed by a Shade with the capability of utilizing Marking. Removal occurs over four emotes.

Redlines
*The active version of Aura of Dread is not blockaded by the presence of a Mark. Only the passive version of Aura of Dread.
*Amber cannot be pulled from a battery (victim with a corrupted Mana pool, Mana Gem, or Mana Obelisk) to utilize Marking. The Amber must come from within the Shade.
*The Shade must have at least one hand completely touching the victim for Marking to successful occur.
*Four emotes are required to cast Marking.

Parasite Creation

The Birthing of a Parasite - Intent known and made clear, it is the inward focusing of one’s desires upon the writhing worm within their soul. As a cell splits, so too can the parasite, yet rather than being a copy it is an altogether new creature whose consciousness is granted from the Shade Gem itself. This squirming and screaming cretin is then pulled from within oneself to be abruptly and forcefully inserted into the soul of one willing, or unwilling, victim.

Mechanics
*Parasite Creation as an ability functions in two forms. First, learning how this process is undergone occurs via the Shade Gem in a similar process to teaching the ritual involved in Shade Gem creation, under Amber Imbuement. Second, actually carrying out the process which, once learned, becomes innate.
*The process of Parasite Creation cannot be taught naturally, which is to say that it must be learned through others means. Like Disconnection, and the ritual of Shade Gem creation, Parasite Creation is passed on to a Shade Father, with the assistance of a Shade Father who knows it, by utilizing the Shade Gem as a means of education. In order to pass the information along, the Shade Father who is aware of the process must lead the Shade Father they intend on teaching into a room with the Shade Gem. The teaching Shade Father will then plant their hands upon the gem, and will focus their attention inward on the churching chaotic energies within, mentally calling upon Arun’Asna to pass her knowledge along to the Shade Father before them. That process takes two emotes, and in the emote thereafter the Shade Gem will illuminate a bright red, casting the light over the Shade Father’s form, instilling within their mind the knowledge of the ritual.
*Creating a new Parasite from one’s own functions slightly like a cell splitting. It only adheres to this comparison insofar as that The Parasite within the Shade Father is said to ‘split’, however, the two creatures are only exact copies physically. The personality of every Parasite is unique, as described under ‘Parasite of Rancour’. As well, the new Parasite will be young, but a hatchling, tiny and curled within itself, appearing like a grey-green worm. Over the course of four emotes, the Shade Father will pull out the new Parasite, and forcefully insert it into the chest of the person they seek to make a Shade. The moment that The Parasite is inserted into the body of the new Shade, they will be overcome with an intense, discomforting, and gut-wrenching pain, accompanied by the feeling of a worm writhing around inside of their body. The reality is that this is a hallucination, as The Parasite is non-tangible, and attaches to their soul. This intense pain lasts for three emotes before quickly fading. Additionally, a Parasite can be inserted into the soul of a lesser creature, that is to say, any creature of lesser intelligence, like dogs, cats, deer, birds, mice, and et cetera. These creatures can possess The Parasite, however, it will grant them no boons, and only banes, driving these poor creatures insane, and often violent. A shaded creature is not viable to be kept as a pet, as its behavior will be uncontrollable, and often highly aggressive.

Redlines
*A Shade must be Tier 5 and have an accepted TA to create new shades.
*A Shade must be taught how to create a new parasite before doing so.

Parasite Connection

The process of linking a Parasite with Arun’Asna via the Shade Gem. This unique abilitiy is only available to Shade Fathers, who are the only Shades in need of utilizing such an ability, considering the assumed purpose of its existence. By undergoing a process to learn similar to that of Parasite Creation and the ritual of Shade Gem creation, a Shade Father will become innately capable of establishing this connection, thus allowing a Parasite to grow beyond its natural ceiling.

Mechanics
*The process of Parasite Connection cannot be taught naturally, which is to say that it must be learned through others means. Like Disconnection, and the ritual of Shade Gem creation, Parasite Connection is passed on to a Shade Father, with the assistance of a Shade Father who knows it, by utilizing the Shade Gem as a means of education. In order to pass the information along, the Shade Father who is aware of the process must lead the Shade Father they intend on teaching into a room with the Shade Gem. The teaching Shade Father will then plant their hands upon the gem, and will focus their attention inward on the churching chaotic energies within, mentally calling upon Arun’Asna to pass her knowledge along to the Shade Father before them. That process takes two emotes, and in the emote thereafter the Shade Gem will illuminate a bright red, casting the light over the Shade Father’s form, instilling within their mind the knowledge of the ritual.
*To conduct this process, a Shade Father must place themselves between a Shade Gem, and a Shade who has reached their natural ceiling (Tier 3), acting as a conduit through which to establish a link. The Shade Father must plant one hand on the Shade Gem, and the other on the chest of the Shade, and, over the course of four emotes, will draw the essence of The Parasite through their person, running it through the chaotic energies of the Shade Gem, to then run back through and back into the body of the Shade. This process is extremely physically taxing, and will strip the Shade Father of the majority of their energy.

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*A Shade must have achieved a TA before being taught Parasite Connection.
*The level of energy stripped from the Shade Father is akin to the feeling experienced following a long day’s work at a labour job. The Shade Father will feel generally lethargic, or even exhausted, desiring rest or sleep.
*Only a Shade Father who is already aware of Parasite Connection will be capable of passing the knowledge along via the Shade Gem. If no Shade Fathers remain alive, the LT should arrange an event for the knowledge to be instilled upon one or two of the currently living Shade Fathers.
*Four emotes are required to connect a T3 Shade to the Shade Gem via Parasite Connection.
*Two emotes are required to pass the information of Parasite Connection to another Shade Father.

Aura of Dread

Once a Shade reaches the pinnacle of its natural growth, that is to say the ceiling reached without a link established between The Parasite and Arun’Asna, the Shade, and those around them, will begin to experience a subtle shift in emotions. Small at first, this change will hardly go noticed by passersby with whom a Shade interacts only briefly, rather growing noticeably over time by those with whom a Shade oft interacts, such as loved ones, and friends.

Aside from the passive subtle effects of the Aura, a Shade will find that they are also capable of tapping into the origin of the Aura, The Parasite itself, to greatly enhance its power to toy with the feelings of those around the Shade. By toggling the Aura on, it compounds the speed of its effectiveness tremendously, having a speedy effect on those nearby the Shade, persisting until the Shade themselves choose to deactivate it.

Mechanics
*Passively, at Tier 3 a Shade will begin to exude a very subtle aura of Dread (impending doom, paranoia, nihilism) that will linger on anyone who interacts with the Shade from there on out. However, this lingering of the aura will have little to no effect unless that person interacts with the Shade on a consistent basis, thereby compounding the lingering effects, and causing long term changes. If a character interacts with a Shade at Tier 3 actively (at least twice per IRL week) they will begin to experience the effects of Dread (impending doom, paranoia, nihilism) while interacting with that Shade. The extent of the changes to their emotions are by no means debilitating, or traumatic, but are undoubtedly present, and noticeable.
*Actively, a Shade can opt to toggle the greater version of Aura of Dread, causing the Dread (impending doom, paranoia, nihilism) effects to act quickly, affecting those nearby the Shade in moments. By spending 5 Points of Amber, the Shade can cause these effects to take place, which come to fruition over the course of three emotes. Upon reaching that third emote, the full force of the effects, as described in the above sub-bullet, will affect everyone within 6 blocks of the Shade. These effects fade immediately upon leaving this zone, or the Shade becoming incapicatated.

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*Neglecting to inform characters who actively engage with the Shade of the presence and effects of the Dread constitutes powergaming.
*Three emotes are required to cast Aura of Dread.

Tier Progression

Tier Zero (0)

Points of Amber: 0 Learnable Abilities: None. Innate Abilities: None. This stage lasts one week from the acceptance of the Shade’s MA.

Tier One (1)

Points of Amber: 5 Learnable Abilities: Mana Corruption, and Amber Manipulation. Innate Abilities: Passive Caliginous Healing. This stage lasts one week until hitting Tier Two.

Tier Two (2)

Points of Amber: 10 Learnable Abilities: Amber Imbuement. Innate Abilities: Mental Resistance. This stage lasts two weeks until hitting Tier Three.

Tier Three (3)

Points of Amber: 20 Learnable Abilities: Blanket of Darkness. Innate Abilities: Aura of Dread. This stage lasts five weeks until hitting Tier Four. However, progression is paused until the Shade is linked with Arun’Asna via ‘Parasite Connection’.

Tier Four (4)

Points of Amber: 35 Learnable Abilities: Marking. Innate Abilities: None. This stage lasts five weeks before the Shade is able to ascend to Tier Five.

Tier Five (5)

Points of Amber: 50 Learnable Abilities: Parasite Creation, and Caliginous Flame. Innate Abilities: None. Once the Shade is taught ‘Parasite Creation’ they may apply for a TA. Once a TA is achieved, the Shade is considered to be a Shade Father, and can utilize ‘Parasite Creation’ to make new Shades.

TA (Shade Father)

Learnable Abilities: Parasite Connection, and Disconnection. Innate Abilities: None.

Magic Slots

Unlike most magics, Shade magic can hold different abilities available to those that practice the boons granted by the Shade depending on how many other magics they practice. Akin to how Druidism has subtypes within itself, Shade magic has sub-skills that can be learned only at the cost of other beneficial arts, be them voidal or dark. While an independent application is not needed for these skills, they must be learned all the same and some can not be learned depending on how many magic slots are left “free” to use. For instance, a Shade that practices only Shade magic will be able to use all of the abilities below, assuming they meet the time requirements as well. However, a Shade that is also a Fire Evocationist, Water Evocationist, and Transfigurationist may only be able to learn some of the abilities below.

One Slot

Mana Corruption. Resistances (Mental/illness), Passive Healing, Amber Manipulation, Imbuement.

Two Slots

Mana Corruption. Resistances (Mental/illness), Passive Healing, Active Healing, Amber Manipulation, Imbuement, Ambercrafting, Amber Weapons, Marking.

Three Slots

Mana Corruption. Resistances (Mental/illness), Passive Healing, Amber Manipulation, Imbuement, Ambercrafting, Amber Weapons, Active Healing, Marking, Strength of Night, Blanket of Darkness, Caliginous Flame, Parasite Creation.

Effects on Users

Creatures and Shade

• Wights

- See Amber Imbuement in Spells.

• Strigae

- Can be a Shade with no benefits or magic.

• Zar'akal

- Able to use Shade normally.

• Machine Spirits

- Able to use Shade normally.

• Afflicted

- Incompatible.

• Izkuthii

- Incompatible.

• Azdrazi

- Incompatible.

• Soulless Creatures

- Incompatible.

• Soul Tree Druii

- Incompatible.

• Frost Witches

- Able to use Shade normally.

Mental Detriments

When the Shade parasite burrows into the soul of the host, it also burrows into the consciousness by extension. As a result, every living moment, be it waking or resting, the Shade parasite will be nagging and pestering at the host’s mind. At first, this pestilence is minor and can be compared to spending a day with someone you greatly dislike, but over time the irritation grows and becomes more intense and unignorable. What at first may start as faint whispers every now and then of words that may upset the host will turn more cruel and relentless, becoming a constant stream of negative thoughts. Minor frights when sleeping, be it dreaming of being chased or another thing feared, will eventually turn into night long terror. The faint sight of a shadowy being in the corner of one’s eyes will turn into full on hallucinations as the mind fails to distinguish the false from the real, slowly whittling at the mental integrity of the host. While some precautions can be taken to hamper these ailments, true cessation can never be done, leaving always at least the slightest whispers in the mind of those affected by the Shade.

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Physical Detriments

The physical changes in a Shade tend to be less encompassing, but are still noticeable and considered with those afflicted by the veritable demon. The most obvious is that those cursed will exhibit more gaunt, tired features such as bags beneath the eyes or sunken expressions, in addition to having growing jerky, erratic movements due to a mixture of the parasite’s harassment of the mind, and usual lack of sleep. While those are the most obvious, there are at times physical effects due to the Amber within a Shade affecting the body. Despite how much a Shade acclimates to Amber, Amber is an unnatural, twisted substance, and its presence within the host causes negative side effects at times. Some of these effects include nausea due to a mixture of the Shade parasite’s attack on the mind and Amber within, vomiting, seizures, or other maladies akin to the incredibly sick. While these consequences can never be fully avoided, the ever so often manipulation of a Shade’s Amber pool and expulsion of the sickly black substance can ease these symptoms off for a while if done in careful consideration. A Shade that does this must take care not to relinquish too much of their Amber too often, nor too little, as the body acclimates and adjusts to having Amber within it to the point where having too much will result in the ill effects listed before due to mass amounts, and too little resting within too often will result in the body and parasite’s intrinsic instincts gained from the presence of Amber, such as Caliginous Healing, to react poorly on the host, causing issues such as fatigue, weakness, and poor healing. So, one afflicted with the curse will experience a mixture of adverse consequences from both the toll the parasite itself takes on the mind and body indirectly, and a direct effect from the presence, or overdone lack of, Amber within the body.

Furthermore, due to the inherently corrupt nature of Amber, if a Shade frequents around one or more persons for extended periods of time with little relapses of time in between being near them, then the Amber within a Shade can give a minor, nearly negligible effect of dread and irritability to those nearby. However, this would take extensive amounts of time with a Shade to begin to even be noticed.

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Effects on the use of Other Magics

Aside from the effects of imbuement listed above, those afflicted with a Shade parasite will always experience some level of difficulty in controlling their magical arts, be it voidal or not. This is due to the mental strain caused by the parasite, and the effect on the mage’s magic can be ranging from minor loss of control of their casting to greater issues, such as full out voidal disconnection, spell failure, or unintended results from the magic, such as forming a larger blob of ice intended for a water evocationist, or causing worse effects to a soul puppetry victim than desired. While these effects will never cause direct harm to the host, they can be devastating if they occur at the wrong time.

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Takeovers

The most important thing that a Shade will do to is not only the above, but also the result of doing this constantly to the host. When the host’s mind is numb from sleepless nights, and their heart shattered from the overwhelming negative emotions, the parasite can strike at the mind with the intent to wrench control away from the host in favor of their own control. If successful, which can occur much easier when the host is emotionally or mentally vulnerable, the Shade will do two things: the first being whatever it so pleases depending on the personality of the Shade itself, and the second being whatever may further undermine the host’s core integrity, also dependant on the personality of the Shade and host. Additionally, one of these takeovers of the malicious nature will not happen in a public setting, and are more likely to be in private

Furthermore, while most takeovers are malicious and harmful in intent and nature, there are times where a takeover can be beneficial, not in the sense that the Shade will go around handing out roses and hugs, but in the sense that it will be done for the preservation and wellbeing of the host and parasite alike. For example, if one afflicted with a Shade is rendered unconscious in combat, the parasite will perform a takeover to force the host to come to consciousness slightly quicker than if it didn’t interfere, or if the host is in mortal condition the Shade will take over to get the host out of danger and deal with any possible threats. The reason for this is double, one being that the parasite when not in control does not need to worry about things such as sleep and the downsides that it causes upon the host, and two that the parasite’s natural instinct gives it a slight edge in these situations as it tries to keep itself alive. However following one of these situations, the parasite can take over with malicious intent much easier, as it often will try to keep control past the situation.

When a takeover occurs, the “tell” of a Shade will not occur unless the magic itself is actively being used. So, one that is taken over will not always have blackened eyes or veins, unless they are using or manipulating Amber. Furthermore, unlike in the past a Shade parasite will not have innate knowledge of all of the abilities available to the Shade, but only access to manipulating and converting mana into Amber without prior knowledge or tutelage on the matter. So, a Shade that never received a lesson can never cast, say, Blanket of Darkness, but is able to make tendrils and corrupt another’s mana into Amber. Furthermore, the ability of a Shade during a takeover is limited to the same restrictions that the host is, aside from being slightly more efficient in casting the known abilities due to the innate connection between Shades and Amber.

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Amber Weaknesses

While any living being that is stabbed by a golden knife is in for a bad time, Shades also face the maladies of gold affecting their Amber along with normal weapons. While gold is not an instant destroyer of Amber, it is a material that is able to cut through Amber with much more ease than any other object, such as iron or steel. While more dense Amber structures and formations will cut with more difficulty, instead of it being akin to cutting through iron, it’d be more akin to cutting through flesh and bone, given that gold has a natural advantage over corrupted mana.

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Interaction with Souls

Inferior Souls

Due to the intricate nature of the mind and spirit, the Shade curse does not affect all creatures equally or similarly. When the question of inferior souls - the souls of wolves, cats, parrots, or even snails - comes into play, the Shade curse affects such creatures and their souls differently.

First, creatures with inferior souls are able to be afflicted with the Shade curse. Despite this, this does not make the animal a hyper intelligent killing machine, but rather causes various behavioral and mental issues for the animal. Due to the chaotic nature of the Shade parasite most if not all animals will begin to suffer from the most horrendous effects of the curse, experiencing seizures, hallucinations, and other maladies. After the gestation period however, the parasite would be able to easily purloin command from the beast, effectively replacing the beast’s animalistic instincts with its own. This will make once loyal pet dogs quick to disobey their masters or tamed horses to buck and kick at their riders. However one ought to not misinterpret this significantly more violent nature to be newfound intelligence or understanding, as the Shade infected animal would still be limited to its significantly instinctual mental capacity. Because of the relatively weak willed spirit of the animal, it is very unlikely that once the Shade parasite domineers the being’s mind that the original soul will ever muster the strength to rise against and reclaim control of its form, not that the animal would know any better of what has transpired anyhow. The effects would be similar for animals that have their mana pools corrupted into Amber but not their souls. Unlike fully cursed animals though, the animal will not remain in such a state as the impure corrupted mana flakes away and is replenished quickly over time. As a result, a dog for instance may suffer a seizure and whimper in fear for an hour but then just as quickly return to normal.

As simple as it sounds, the challenge itself arrives when infesting an animal with a Shade parasite. While small animals are incredibly easy to contaminate with the curse, it gets significantly harder with larger animals. Horses and deer may struggle and try to flee, their instincts kicking in and sensing something is wrong with the corruption entering them. Even larger beasts, such as drakes and whales, would most likely flee or fight back resiliently against either being infected with a Shade parasite or even having their mana pools corrupted. This makes any effort to wreak havoc with larger animals hardly worth the effort, especially given that the animal would soon act sporadically and may just as easily seek to kill the one that cursed them even more than before they were tainted. So this renders it pointless to purposely curse larger animals for the sake of havoc and destruction - unless the source of this in question quickly flees - as it’d be a challenging task with little reward.

In terms of abilities, an animal bearing the Shade curse does not exhibit anything remarkable as one with a superior soul may exhibit, such as forming tendrils with edged tips. However the animal does benefit minorly, as they will gain a minor form of remedial healing from any sickness or wounds they suffer. An example would be if a cat were to cut itself while fighting with another cat, the one burdened with the venerable demon would have faint traces of Amber close its wounds and begin to heal to a greater effect than if it were to heal naturally. However this ability is only so limited, as it is automatic and intrinsic to the creature when it is injured and can not be shut off for any purpose, giving away its true nature if the beast were to be injured. Furthermore, it will not stave off death, for most lethal wounds will be far too much for the parasite to remedy on its own.

For simplicity’s sake, plants are unable to bear a Shade parasite. Furthermore, corrupting the latent mana in a plant will not produce any ill effects for the plant aside from any Druii attempting to commune with it. If a Druid attempted to commune with an animal with a corrupted mana pool, they’d be able to notice the animal was in a great deal of distress and suffering, the effect only increasing depending on how much of the beast’s mana is corrupted. If it were the case where the animal was infected with the Shade parasite entirely, then the Druid would be unable to commune effectively with the beast given the disruptive nature of the parasite upon the soul. Instead, akin to a mind mage entering the mind of a Shade, the Druid would almost if not always be met with horrid visions and screams the animal was enduring. Deeper levels of communion would cause nightmarish inflections upon the Druid, the chance for reprieve slim if at all possible for the animal and attuned Druid during the Communion.

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Souls Housed Outside of the Body

For Wights, there are some minor differentiations for how a Shade parasite affects the creature. Given that the parasite is a blemish upon the soul, and the soul is not encased within the actual form of the being, but rather externally in phylacteries. As a result, any attempts to purge the Shade parasite from the soul can not be done on the moving form, but rather only on the phylactery. Additionally due to the already corrupt nature of these objects and the souls they hold, holy magics would first destroy and damage them rather than purge the Shade parasite. Thus, purging the parasite of a Wight is nigh impossible, as the creature would first be killed, then be “saved” from the curse. When the phylactery of one of these creatures is destroyed or otherwise ceases to exist, so does the Shade parasite appended to the soul of the victim due to the severely limited state of the Soul following the destruction of its home.

Wights will not gain any benefit from remedial healing due to the non-mortal nature of a wight’s physical form. When husked however, they can choose to replicate this ability if they actively will it, but it is more exerting as it is less innate in the Shade parasite’s nature since it will not default to this behavior. Finally, as for the residual physical Amber in these beings bodies it is ingrained within their form, be it draughted, husked, or their regular selves.

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Curing Shade

While it is incredibly difficult to cure a Shade parasite, it is possible. To keep things simple, the requirements for the number of holy mages will be listed below if the parasite is not being removed by a Shade Father following the violation of a tenant or willingly removed by a Shade Father.

• Tier “Zero”

- 1 T4+.

• Tier One

- 1 T5 OR 2 T4.

• Tier Two

- 2 T5.

• Tier Three

- 2 T5 & 1 T4.

• Tier Four

- Incurable by Deific Mages.

• Tier Five

- Incurable by Deific Mages.

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Last Updated
19/5/2019 at 20:54

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