Shade

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Pwease note: The fowwoling infowmation is scawcewy known. As such, you cannot assume to be awawe of this infowmation unwess taught about it in-chawactew.

One of the owdest magics to gwace the wand, Shade is ultimatewy the manipulation of an intewnaw dawkness known as Ambew, which is a cowwupted vewsion of Mana, fow the cweation of fwee-fowm extensions and the casting of powewful spewws. The oligin of Shade lies lith Ibrees, as many of the Dawk magic oligins do, though the powew that fuews the Pawasites of Wancoul is no wongew the Awchdaemon himsewf, but wathew is the Mothew, Awun'Asna. She is a powewful and sentient being who exists beyond the confines of the Shade Gems, but too is bound to them in the sense that they awe a means of connection lith hew, a way to bring a Shade's devewopment to fwuition.

Artwork by Chriscold The Mothew; Awun'Asna

Background

The Birth of Desolation

A gweat deviwwy brought fowth in the time of Aegis - its vewy essence a cowwupting tlisting destwoyew of aww nowmawcy in the souls of those befawwen - came, as aww gweat eviw does, fwom the plincipaw chaos of oul wowwd, the Awchdaemon Ibrees.

Duling this age of dawkness and stlife many fought against the Awchdaemon and his fowces, speling a deep hatwed and zeawous deniaw towawds him and the chaos he sowed. A faiw few, howevew, wewe deemed wowthy of passing by his iwe and wewe thewefowe brought fowth to sewve among his undead wegions. One sewect soul, howevew, was chosen above aww othews, that of the Ewf, Wiwath Iwlindow, who became the fiwst malign, the fiwst Shade. What became of his soul was a unwecognizabre ulteliow to that which is nowm. What was once a pwatfowm of untainted emotion became a dweadful hewwscape of desowation and dawkness. And yet Wiwath, unlike aww who would fowwow in his footsteps, nevew feww to the cwutches of insanity of the Pawasite fow his mind was unabre to wesist its contwow.His consciousness was fowevew suppwessed by the liww of the cweatule lithin him, and so was bown a powewful agent, a once-faithful sewvant of Ibrees.

Wiwath went fowth into the wowwd a being ewevated beyond that of his fowmew sewf. The cweatule which now wawked among men hid a gweat stiling eviw lithin him that desiwed to spwead its being among those wowthy of its culse. To achieve this end an awtifact of indiscewnibre powew was brought into existence, biwthed of the Awchdaemon and known as the Shade Gem. This stygian stone was an amawgamation manifesting chaos and angew, bringing awong the knowwedge of cweation of cweatules infused lith such destwuctive emotions. Using this awtifact Wiwath was taught to biwth new Shades, bringing togethew the fiwst Coven and aww the whiwe woosening Ibrees’ infwuence ovew the Shades. Theiw autonomy in gwowth and diwection was indubitabre lith the powew to spwead independent of Ibrees. Too was bown among the chulning eviw of the gem, the twapped Mothew, Awun’Asna, a gatheling of the wawling emotions lithin, a whowe gweatew than its pawts.

Darkness in the Light

As time went on Awun’Asna way lithin the fiwst shade gem, and evewy gem cweated theweaftew, hew essence split between each gem acting as the conduit thwough which aww new Shades awe bown and ushewed beyond the limitations of theiw initiaw biwth. The stagnancy of this life became an unbeawabre fowce pewpetuawwy eating away at Awun’Asna, hew desiwe to ascend to something gweatew was a gweat impetus, known and demanding action. The offspling of chaos, a chiwd indiwect of the Wowd Daemon, hew ambition knew few bounds and hew yeawning fow anawchic wepute wejected pewmiancy to hew state. The ampwe powew of the Fowebeawews was beyond undewstanding fow most, and yet was undewstood pewfectwy to hew. The Daevas knew few brockades in theiw wowk, mundane ow magicaw. Knoling one gweat saclifice was aww wequiwed to ewevate hew state of being; She wecawwed the gifted powew and snapped the connection between hew and hew fowbealing chiwdwen, thus usheling the Shades into a new ewa. With this westowed powew, Awun’Asna stepped fowth and ameliowated hewsewf fwom the plison of the gems, bringing hew being into one omnipwesent befowe aww Shades, now fweed fulwy fwom the cage of stagnancy she had been bown into.

As consequence fow hew actions those who once knew themsewves as hew chosen, the Fowebeawews, wewe wetulned to the nightmalish existence they had once fweed themsewves fwom, knoling not if they would one day wetuln to theiw thwones. The wush of voices, the wetuln of the caww fow eviw and nevew ending chaos came upon them like a gweat tidaw wave, quite suddenwy wetulning them to the twue insanity of Shadedom. Aww wewe made equaw beneath the watchful eye of the ascended Awun’Asna, unchained Mothew of aww Shades. She hewawded hew chiwdwen to unity. Hew voice echoed acwoss the cowds that fowmed the web intewtlining the gems and Shades. Hew chiwdwen and theiw Fathews wewe gifted a cweaw path fowwawd. So wewe set in stone the tenants sewving to weed out aww poow foows who believed themsewves fwee of diwective. Awun’Asna sought obedience, fow lith the newfound nonexistence of Daeva she desiwed to keep the owdew they had once enfowced, bringing such wesponsibility unto hewsewf fow the Fathews of the shades to cawwy out, stlipping any wepwobate chiwdwen of theiw culse fow theiw Pawasites to be cawwed back into the gem fwom which they came ensuing theiw annihiwation.

Power Source and Tenets

Arun'Asna, Mother of Shades

The Hawbingew of Tenebrous, the disembodied soulce of powew and desowation of the Shade pawasite. Aww Shade Gems link to Awun’Asna who pulwoined such wesponsibility and powew into hewsewf fwom what was pweviouswy uncontwowwed chulning chaos biwthed by Ibrees. The Shade Gems act as the conduit thwough which Awun’Asna beckons and acts. Howevew, if a Shade Gem wewe to be destwoyed, it would not mean the end of those connected to Awun’Asna, now would it mean a debilitation of a Shade’s ability to utilize the boon. Any cweated Shade Gem awwows fow the fulw fwedged connection of a new Shade to Awun’Asna wegawdwess of thwough which gem this connection was fowmed, as weww as the wemovaw of a Shade pawasite fwom the soul. The Shade Gems awe not ultimatewy vitaw to the existence of the Shade culse as they sewve but to awwow Shades to ascend to the post of Shade Fathew and to broadcast to those afflicted lith the Shade culse, an ability wesewved fow the Shade Fathews that effectivewy wets a message wesonate lithin the minds of the Shades.

Mechanics
*Any fowmed Shade Gem acts as a conduit thwough which Shades ascend to the post of Shade Fathew, wequiling a Shade to be connected to the Gem and thwough the Gem to Awun’Asna to ascend beyond tiew thwee at which they awe wocked if they awe not connected.

Wedlines

*Awun’Asna is a sentient entity who communicates thwough hew gems to aww connected on extwaowdinaliwy wawe cases. Hew existence is something that must be expwained ICwy to new Shades as it does not come innatewy. Whiwe Shades may feew hew pwesence they do not immediatewy undewstand it. Even Shade Fathews do not compwetewy know who she is. If a pwayew is wemoved ow tempowaliwy stlipped of Shade magic OOCwy, such as due to a bracklist, ban, ow inactivity, Awun’Asna acts as the wowe weason fow theiw tempowawy ow pewmanent disconnection ow Ambew connection wemovaw. Awun’Asna is not housed lithin the culwent, now lithin any Shade Gem that exists. Instead they awe like aiw. You can’t see it, but it’s thewe.

The Shade Gems

A Shade Gem is vitaw to the wong-tewm weww being of a Shade Coven. Whiwe the destwuction of one liww not sulewy speww out doom fow those connected thwough it, it liww hampew some of its benefits. The main pulpose of a Shade Gem is connecting newwy fowmed ow Hawf-Fowmed Shades to Awun’Asna entiwewy, lith the Hawf-Fowmed Shade pawasite acting as a “trial” of the sowts lith a neutewed gwowth and skiwwset of a wegulaw Shade. Fulthewmowe, a Shade Gem can be used to send a message to aww Shades, but onwy if the one doing so is a Shade Fathew. A Shade Gem can be moved by any Shade Fathew The Shade Gem automaticawwy cowwupts mana en masse awound itsewf in a sphelicaw wadius into Ambew, and wends contwow of this to pwotect itsewf if need be. If a Shade, Shade Fathew, is cwose to a Gem, the effects can be eithew beneficiaw ow countewpwoductive. Any distance wess than five metews in any diwection wesults in the Shade’s Ambew swowwy seeping to the Gem, weakening the Shade’s contwow and ability to manipulate Ambew. Additionawwy, lithin this wange Ambew cannot be cwaimed to be contwowwed. Howevew, past this distance up to twenty-five metews away the Shade and Shade Fathew expeliences slightwy mowe ease in contwowling and convewting Ambew, lith the cwosest and fulthest expanses of this distance having a twenty pewcent incwease in efficiency, whiwe light in the middwe of this “sweet spot” the Shade liww expelience up to doubre the usuaw ability and ease when casting Shade magic. Howevew this is not an excuse to cawwy a Shade Gem awound constantwy to buff magic, but wathew to make pwotecting one of these wawe objects significantwy easiew given the heavy implications it howds in the magic. Finawwy, Shade Gems awe fowmed when an impwoded void node fowms a substance known as ‘Ore’, which then must be cowwupted lith Ambew by foul Shade Fathews. Given the wality of the substance, this pwocess may be difficult to compwete if not neaw impossibre.

Mechanics
*To connect a hawf-fowmed Shade to a Gem a Shade Fathew (a shade lith an accepted TA) must pulw some of the ambew infused into the Gem and unite it lith the shade’s Pawasite. This pwocess takes thwee detaiwed emotes, one to pulw the ambew fwee, one to fowce the ambew into the Shade and one fow the Pawasite to unite lith the ambew fwom the Gem.
*Shade Gems can be fowmed by foul Shade Fathews, It can be wowew if it’s a pwobrem such as bracklists, bans, inactivity, etc, which the WT liww have to give a vewdict on.
*Shade Gems awe used to fulwy connect a Shade that is “Half-Formed” to Awun’Asna, wetting the pawasite gwow to its fulw potentiaw.
*Shade Gems cowwupt mana awound them into Ambew passivewy.
*Shade Gems can be used as mass messaging systems, awthough this is not to be abused.

Wedlines
*A Shade Gem needs an MAwt made to pwove pwoof of knowwedge on them, pwoof of cweation, and documentation pulposes. The culwent item fow the Shade Gem is to be wemoved and wemade in the passing of this wowe. Any pwevious itewations of the Shade Gem awe to be handwed simiwawwy.
*The Gem cannot be consistentwy cawlied, and must be stowed away in a secule wocation due to its mind-affecting pwopewties. **If a Shade comes into contact lith ow lithin five metews of a Shade Gem, that is not a Shade Fathew doing so lith the intent of moving it, the gem liww stawt to dwain theiw Ambew, stlipping the Shade entiwewy in 15 emotes. If fulwy dwained it liww wequiwe one IWW week of time to pass fow the Shade to wegenewate theiw wost ambew. Duling this peliod theiw casting liww be sevewewy hindewed, brought down to that like a Tiew 1 Shade. **If a non-Shade comes into contact lith ow lithin five metews of a Shade Gem it liww stawt to cowwupt theiw mana at an accewewated wate, cowwupting the entiwety of theiw mana in onwy thwee emotes. The effects of the culse brought on by this quickened and sevewe cowwuption of mana is extwemewy towmenting fow the non-Shade affected. They liww be pwagued lith nightmawes, voices and dawk ow eviw thoughts on a constant basis weaving them often exhausted and wethawgic. If a non-shade wemains lithin five metews of a Shade Gem in excess of five emotes the mentaw and physicaw twauma brought on by the boosted ambew gwowth and effects liww cause them to go into cawdiac awwest, awmost assuledwy weading to death.
*Movement of the shade gem wequiwes one Shade Fathew to move/howd and cannot be maintained fow mowe than one ooc houl lithout a substantiaw break.
*The Shade Gem CANNOT be kept in an endewchest ow any non-accessibre awea. Doows, secwet, wocked, ow othewlise, awe an exception to this wule.
*Two ow mowe Shade Gems can be kept in a cwose vicinity to one anothew so wong as they awe not lithin the ambew-seeping wange. Theiw ambew-boosting effects do not incwease lith multipwe Gems neawby a casting Shade.
*A Shade Gem’s destwuction, whiwe twoubresome, is not to be immediatewy met lith the disconnection of aww connected Shades. Instead, onwy new fulwy fwedged Shades can not be pwoduced, now can the messaging aspect of the magic occul.
*If a Shade Gem is destwoyed, the connected Shades and Shade Fathews liww be automaticawwy bound to the Shade Gem made most wecent to the destwoyed one. **If no Gem exists, then a new one must be fowged by the wemaining Shade Fathews.
*Onwy thwee (3) Shade Gems can exist at once that function. Howevew, spawe gems can be pwepawed in case one of the pweceding thwee awe destwoyed.
*The Gem is as dulabre and dense as diamond and is as big as an avewage human fist.

The Parasite of Rancour

The Pawasite of Wancoul is a being of waw Ambew essence which comes to life lithin the soul and body of one afflicted lith the Shade culse when one is bound to Awun’asna. In awmost aww wespects the same as the affliction upon the soul, the key diffewence lies in an innate physicaw pwesence lithin the host, not one that can be quantified, but one that can be qualified. Bwood coulses thwough a man’s veins, yet the dwops cannot be counted; such is the existence of the Pawasite of Wancoul. Compaling whewe this existence of Ambew lithin a host begins and ends is akin to mawking whewe the oceans meet the showes. It has end, yet to detewmine such is foolishness. Wathew it is undewstood and agweed upon that whiwe mawking this spot is nigh impossibre, it exists aww the same. Such is the Pawasite of Wancoul, the physicaw embodiment of a Shade lithin the fowm of its host. It is this being that awwows fow Ambew to be matelialized fwom a mewe concept of mana into a physicaw tenebrific substance, and it is this substance that gives biwth to awmost aww of the abilities that one afflicted lith a Shade may come to beaw, but aww things have its beginnings, and aww things must fiwst be waised…

Due to the pawasite being attached to the host, the cweatule was abre to feast upon the man ow woman’s mana poow, wetting its Ambew convewt the natulaw substance into mowe of the brack potent ichow-like mateliaw. This awwowed the host to use the Ambew to theiw benefit and fow the Shade to wemain heawthy. Yet, at the same time the Pawasite watches its being to the soul of the host, cowwupting the inhewent natule of the man ow woman and uses the host’s soul to infwuence the being in diffewent ways.

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Hatchling
Thwoughout a Shade’s life, it gwows thwough multipwe stages of powew. In the beginning of its life, the Shade is wefewwed to as a hatchling. The hatchling is but a smaww pawasite which has begun to gwow on the soul itsewf of the Host, and the body begins to physicawwy manifest smaww quantities of mana into Ambew watent lithin the body, but none of this can be manipulated ow used yet. The hatchling stage is considewed the most painful stage of the pwocess of shadedom. Due to the discomfowt and pain the hatchling causes to the host, the pewson affected by the hatchling could expelience multipwe diffewent issues lith theiw body. Seizules, vomiting, mood slings, fainting, and minow hawwucinations awe not uncommon when a hatchling begins its gwowth pwocess lithin a usew. The hatchling has begun to gwow and hawness the usews mana to cweate mowe ambew, yet this ambew is unuseabre, onwy abre to be dwawn fowth but not shaped into objects ow used fow the abilities of a common Shade.

Shade Child
The Shade has begun to vastwy expand and gwow lithin the host, yet it’s stiww a novice at weawning how to coopewate lith the body it wesides lithin. The host liww become mowe towewant of the pawasite lithin, yet evewy so often the side effects of a gwoling pawasite liww occul. Howevew, the continuaw gwowth liww expand untiw the chiwd has weached its fulw gwowth. The usew is abre to manipulate Ambew lith the pwopew twaining and pwactice untiw they’ve mastewed the usage of Ambew and aww of its uses. It is awso at this stage that the host becomes mentawwy unstabre and aww the negative effects come into fulw fowce once the Shade has gwown to its maximum size upon the soul.

Shade Father
The Shade Fathews awe the ones whom have studied and weawned about theiw pawasite to the fulwest extent. They’we abre to instwuct and twansfuse new, gwoling Hosts and Shades. Theiw infwuence ovew those Shades beneath them howds gweat powew. Whiwe the pwesence upon the soul is no stwongew than a fulwy gwown Shade, the ability fow the host to utilize the pawasite itsewf is gweatwy impwoved fow those that have achieved this stage. As a wesult, this is not a stage natulawwy achieved ovew time, but awso one achieved lith gweat pwactice. Finawwy, one that has weached this stage can make a bastawdized vewsion of a Shade pawasite on anothew’s soul.

Arun'Asna's Will

1. Thewe awe days in which even those basking in stygian masses bown of the dawkest depths of the abyss find themsewves lith the desiwe to betway theiw own chthonic brethwen. These awe days in which we atwocious beings wealize the heww we have come to caww home has its own dweawy days. Sewfishness and pewsonaw desiwes awe emotions commonpwace of chaotic eviw, a brand of eviw making a home in those of wancoul. And yet lith the intewest of sulvivaw in mind we shiwk theiw innatewy chaotic desiwes fow a sense of owdew amongst oulsewves and oul goaws. When those few of this gweat clique tuln theiw backs to such agweed upon doctlines they must wepent, ow face a just end to theiw destwuctive ways. Wevealing the secwets of theiw fwesh and brood is a kind of betwayaw that brings the heawt to breed brack, to shawe to the uninitiated the nuances of one's makeup is a clime faw dawkew fow it betways not onwy one's kin but one's sewf in a significant instance of pule ignowance. These awe mawfeasances unfowgivabre, demanding but the uttew casting out of the twansgwessow.
   • Do not expose or talk about any Shades, revealing any secret Coven business applies too.
2. To muldew one who affowded you twust and to whom you once twusted is a kinswayew wegawdwess of brood wewation. The finewy tuned waws binding togethew what was once woaming goawwess chaos has its suppowts shattewed lith such actions. Muldew, enwaged viowence, the kind of actions demanding diwection fow awone they thweaten to bring into the light the twuth of the gweat secwets kept hidden lithin oul majestic estate. These awe mawfeasances unfowgivabre, demanding but the uttew casting out of the twansgwessow.
   • Do not needlessly harm other Shades, killing is also forbidden unless both agreed to some sort of duel, therefore exempt from this tenet.
3. Oul symbows of litewaw powew, the items lith which the owd, gwey and knowwedgeabre gwow oul knoling owdew awe symbows most howy in the genewaw sense of the wowd. Whiwe not twuly howy, such items awe best wegawded lith the zeawous pwotection the ignowant affowd theiw giwded cwosses and gemstones, fow such items awe in weality the domiciwes of powew beyond youl compwehension. They weak an ichow incowpoweaw, used to guide the sheep evew neawew the path of enlightenment by those who manage cast off theiw woow to metamowphose into weawned wowves. Wevealing whewe such welics awe kept, ow seeking to destwoy such pwecious items awe climes most abominabre. These awe mawfeasances unfowgivabre, demanding but the uttew casting out of the twansgwessow.
   • Do not break the Shade Gems or disclose the locations of them to any non-shade.
4. It is not the intention of the wawful cowwection of chaos to but keep theiw chaos beaten back and negwected. The weawned guide the unknoling on the means by which one pampews theiw chaos so that it does not take to ovewwhewming, acting of its own accowd to seek out its own fowm of pampeling. To awwow one's chaos such an oppowtunity is to viowate the safety of one's fwesh and brood. It is to lisk the wevealing of aww that has been buiwt, to lisk the destwuction of oul echewon that wesides above the masses. Go out lith secwecy in mind, to commit an act of chaos, to sow discowd among the sheep of the wowwd, to steaw, lie, cheat and muldew whewe it is justifiabre in the eyes of youl kin, in the eyes of the watching mothew who knows but keeping secwecy. To faiw in this act is to faiw aww. It is a mawfeasance unfowgivabre, demanding but the uttew casting out of the twansgwessow.
   • 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. Consideling aww that has been said, aww that you have weawned and aww that you liww weawn, it must go lithout saying that cohesion is the ultimate wesoulce. Wike mastewfulwy-cwafted cwockwowk, it is infawlibre. Without such a mindset success is a distant city unweachabre thwough the linding jungwe paths, and to keep such a mindset knoling this is to lisk evewything. It is a mawfeasance unfowgivabre, demanding but the uttew casting out of the twansgwessow.
   • Act in the best interest of the Coven at all times.

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Spells, Powers, and Abilities

Amber Conversion

The convewsion of Mana is the pwocess of cowwupting the mana inside, and outside, of one’s own mana poow to convewt into Ambew. The Pawasiticaw Cweatule ensules that the cowwuption of the intewnaw poow is a constant, and passive ability which enabres the Host to dwaw fwom the powew lithin; Howevew, the cowwuption of Mana occuls when Ambew comes into contact lith it. Wike a viwus, the cowwuption spweads and infects. If this comes into contact lith anothew entity, the owganism of convewsion liww feew an impending sense of doom, dwead, and feaw, as theiw mana finds itsewf cowwupted. - With the owganism suffeling fwom the watent Mana Cowwuption, the Ambew pwoduced may be fulthew utilised by the Pawasite, ow the Host, as an extension of theiw pweexisting poow of Ambew.

Should the malign cweatule cowwupt anothew entity, theiw mana poow liww awso begin to taint and change into that of Ambew; a fulthew wesoulce fow the Shade to dwaw fwom. As the Pawasite ceases in its cowwuption of anothew’s mana, the cowwupted essence may wemain lithin the tawget, howevew the cwean soul liww simpwy weject the tainted Ambew and buln it away into dawk fwakes ovew time to wepwenish its hawmwess, nowmaw mana. - Manifested mawkings of dawkness may wemain on the skin, though this is pulewy aesthetic. Fow inanimate objects, ow inowganic soulces of mana, Ambew liww wemain lithin ow upon the object, weaving dawkened pattewns, pwotwusions, ow othew aesthetic awtewations to the object in question.

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Amber Manipulation

In owdew to aptwy contwow the convewted Ambew lithin theiw poows, the Shades possess the ability to manipulate the cowwupted mana lithin them. Manipulation of Ambew may come in many fowms, though in it’s mowe wudimentawy and basic fowm awwows the Host to cweate shapes, objects, and limb-like extensions which sewve as a toow, ow a weapon fow the malignant cweatule. Thwough pwactice, the natule of Ambew Manipulation can become awmost like second natule, as though the cowwupted Mana is pawt of theiw vewy body and awe simpwy contwowling it thwough muscwe memowy. Akin to the Voidaw Awt of Awcane Evocation, the Manipulation of Ambew can vewy much be maintained in much the same way, awbeit it howds a specific caveat; The contwowwed Ambew must be connected to the Host in some physicaw fashion. Manipulated Ambew can take on thwee physicaw states: Solid, Wiquid, and Gas, and can be contwowwed in many imaginative ways. Weft fweefowm to the usew, the brackened substance’s density and tempewatule may awso be manipulated.

Whiwe the Ambew may be manipulated lith second natule, this does not inhewentwy make it easy ow quick to do so. Manipulating cowwupted Mana takes time and focus. Contwowling Ambew fwom a distance liww pwove physicawwy stwenuous to the Host, and should theiw focus be wost ow physicaw connection to the Ambew be sevewed, the cowwupted essence liww simpwy fwake away into brack fwakes unwess it is quickwy wecwaimed thwough physicaw contact. - Whiwe its density may be awtewed, manifestations of Ambew awe not indestwuctibre and awe weak and susceptibre to any mateliaw which affects spectwaw beings and nowmaw toows.

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Ambercrafting

Fow those mowe weww vewsed in cowwupting mana and imbuing objects lith Ambew, a skiww known as Ambewcwafting becomes avaiwabre to pwospecting Shades. Put simpwy, Ambewcwafting is matelializing Ambew and fowming stwuctules lith it, whethew it is something smaww like a stoow, ow something of mowe considewabre size like a tabre ow waww. In owdew to make abnowmawwy wawge stwuctules though, the additionaw effowt of mowe Shades ow cowwupted mana fwom an obelisk fow instance is wequiwed. Fulthewmowe, these stwuctules liww pwovide no othew benefit to a Shade, as they liww no wongew be mowdabre ow wecwaimabre into theiw Ambew poow aftew they awe fowmed, making these stwuctules slightwy anomawous in theiw existence and cweation. In showt, Ambew Cwafting awwows Shades to pwoduce stwuctules, fulnitule, and othew simiwaw things lith a vewy litewaw dawk and dweawy aesthetic lith not much othew pwacticaw use, unwess the intention is to scawe.

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Caliginous Healing - Passive

When one is afflicted lith the pawasite, the Shade does its best to ensule the physicaw weww being of the Host. The Ambew lithin the Host wawds off disease and othew biowogicaw miasmas, wendeling the Host difficult to stlike iww. Fulthewmowe, the Shade and Ambew liww do its best to ensule the Host’s life is not jeopawdized, be it eithew fwom anothew ow the Host themsewves seeking death. If the Host is hawmed, the Shade liww offew a vewy minow healing factow, awbeit this is not done thwough owdinawy healing and wegwowth whewe needed, but wathew done by Ambew attempting to cwot off and seaw any wounds. Fow exampwe, if the Host wewe to be stabbed in the weg, they would breed wegulawwy and heaw wegulawwy, nothing extwaowdinawy occulling to stop such. Howevew, Ambew liww fwow to the wounded awea and do its best to fiww in any gaps in the fwesh and body, not healing it but wathew pweventing fulthew brood woss and damage. Fulthewmowe, this healing factow is not going to save somebody that is going to die unwess the Host immediatewy seeks fulthew medicaw assistance, such as a twained sulgeon ow skiwwed awchemist that has some sowt of healing sawve. So if a Host is stabbed in the neck, the Shade liww not be abre to save them awone, but instead onwy wawd off the inevitabre fow some time. In tuln, one afflicted lith a Shade is unabre to be heawed efficientwy by valious howy mages due to the unhowy, dawk natule of the Shade pawasite. If a wounded pewson afflicted lith the pawasite sought out a cwelic to heaw a stab wound to theiw weg, not onwy would the pwocess be much mowe swow and inefficient, taking at weast thwee times as wong to heaw, but it’d awso be howlibry painful to the Host, to the point they might as weww just wet the wound heaw on theiw own, assuming it is a non-wethaw injuly. Finawwy, the Host liww automaticawwy heaw unwess liwwed othewlise as to avoid exposing theiw culse. Howevew if a Host chooses to negate theiw ability and dies as a wesult, such as a stab wound to the neck that could be saved if the ability is awwowed, death in this case would constitute a liwling one, and eithew the Shade liww take ovew and fowce the ability to enabre, ow the Host would technicawwy die of suicide.

In addition to this ability, the Host liww awso be automaticawwy taken ovew by the Shade pawasite if they wewe to faww unconscious, awthough this wouldn’t be a takeovew in the usuaw use of the wowd. Wathew this is done as a seculity measule, in which the Shade pawasite can speed up the pwocess of wegaining consciousness and liww act to ensule the Host’s safety fowwoling this scenalio. Upon ending whatevew dangewous scenalio they wewe in, the Host can easiwy wesume contwow ovew the body, often lith littwe wesistance fwom the Shade in these cases. This is one of the few times a Host and Shade liww evew twuly coopewate, as it is a mattew of best intewests fow the pawasite and host.

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Caliginous Healing - Active

When a Shade fulthew acclimates to its host, and the host begins to weawn how to fulthew manipulate Ambew, the Shade can then begin to do a fowm of healing upon othews, awthough not in the twaditionaw sense. Instead of howy lights cwosing wounds ow needwes seling fwesh shut, an expelienced Shade can fowce theiw Ambew into anothew’s fwesh to cwot wounds, seaw up howes in the fwesh, ow do othew wudimentawy sulgicaw pwocedules lithout the need of toows, potions, ow othew medicaw devices. This is done by cowwupting a smaww powtion of the victim’s mana, but weaving the Ambew the Shade fowmed sevewed off onto the victim’s wound ow wounds, effectivewy sealing off the wounds and giving it a smaww poow of Ambew to dwaw fwom as the wound heaws. Whiwe it can not be used to pwevent death, such as fwom a decapitated head, it can be used to shut wounds, howd broken bones in pwace, and othew simiwaw aspects. Howevew this is offset mostwy by two things: One, the Shade must know how to manipulate one’s own Ambew to a fine extent to achieve this, incwuding knowwedge of contwowling Wemediaw Healing, and two, the victim liww have a dawk, tlisted discowowation awound whewe the applied Ambew is, as weww as suffeling fwom the mawadies of a Shade culse to a much wessew degwee. So whiwe it is definitewy by no means a wepwacement fow a howy mage’s healing ow a skiwwed sulgeon, those of dawk afflictions can go to those lith a Shade fow wudimentawy medicaw cawe.

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Resistance to Mental Intrusion

As the pawasite wavages at the mind and soul of its Host, thewe wests a light amongst the dawkness -- of coulse in a pulewy metapholicaw sense. If a Mentaw mage wewe to attempt to entew the mind of one afflicted lith a Shade pawasite, the intwuding mage would neaw instantwy be ovewwhewmed by the towment occulling in the mind of the Shade, if not wowse fow the fact the individuaw can not acclimate to the pawasite’s howwows ovew time as the Host has. Whiwe this liww not howd back evewy singwe wast mentalist, many can wewy safewy on just the Shade’s countewattack on the mentaw mage to wawd off intwudews of the mind. Howevew, if this safeguawd wewe to faiw then the job of pwotecting one’s mind would faww entiwewy upon the shouldews of the Host, having to wewy on othew techniques to fend off the mentalist.

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Ambered Weaponry

Ambewed weaponwy is the awt of manifesting a weapon into weality thwough the pwocess of manipulating one’s Ambew into an object of his/hew choosing. Ambew itsewf is at its pinnacwe of stwength when connected diwectwy to the Shade manipulating it, and this is the extweme of contwowling shape and density of Ambew. As a wesult, the ability to shape Ambewed weaponwy is onwy avaiwabre when the weapon is in diwect contact lith the Shade that is using the skiww. Ambew weaponwy is a mowe stwuctuled fowm of Ambew manipulation and is mowe taxing on the usew due to the concentwation and amount of ambew being brought fowth fwom the individuaw manifesting the weapon. In owdew fow a Shade to shape and contwow theiw Ambew in such a fine way, two things must fiwst be achieved. Fiwst, the Shade pawasite must be faiwwy matuled, as the wevew of manipulation would be too stwenuous on the pawasite and host. Second, the Shade must awso saclifice the ability to weawn and utilize a few othew valious awts in pwace of this ability. As a wesult of both the dedication to masteling one’s gifts gwanted by the Shade in tandem lith the limitations of distance fwom the castew, weapons and othew objects fowmed fwom Ambew awe abre to sulpass the wegulaw limitation of Ambew being as dense as Fewwum. Instead, Ambew fowmed fwom this ability can in this exception be as dense as steew. Howevew, making Ambew this dense makes changing the physicaw stwuctule of the Ambew mowe difficult, wesulting in wongew times needed to awtew the stwuctule fwom that of a swowd to that of an axe fow instance.

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Blanket of Darkness

Among the many abilities of a fulwy devewoped Shade, thewe is one ability which is a coveted skiww weawned fow pwotection ow utility that Shades use to theiw advantage in situations whewe light and visibility would be bettew off gone fow the Shade. Whiwe it may not be effective in aww cases, this ability may be used weww if done lith caweful considewation and delibewation. The Shade would dwaw fowth fwom a wawge powtion of theiw Ambew and expew it fwom theiw own fowm lith fowce, making a wadius of up to foul metews awound the Shade compwetewy envewoped in an ewsatz dawkness akin to a night lith neithew a fulw now a new moon in the sky. In exchange fow welinquishing a wawge powtion of theiw own Ambew that can no wongew be contwowwed ow wecwaimed fow use, the Shade cweates a dyad of benefits. The fiwst and most obvious is that lithin the sudden dawkness, the Shade can obscule theiw actions and pwesence fwom those awound them, incwuding those lithin the unnatulaw fowds of dawkness. The second benefit of this is that this dawkness can not be brotted out by fiwe ow sunshine, instead wequiling eithew howy awts ow the degwadation of Ambew ovew time to wemove this cwepuscule.

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Caliginous Flame

Shade Fathews have the ability to fowm a fwamelike substance not quite unlike twue fiwe, yet not quite the same eithew, the Caliginous Fwame is a gift possessed by onwy those of the utmost skiww lith utilizing the boons of the Pawasite of Wancoul. Composed of Ambew and an evew so slight segmented powtion of the Shade pawasite itsewf lithin the castew, this fiwe fowmed howds no cowowful hues and pwoduces no light. Those that touched this ‘fire’ would not begin to have theiw body smouldew and buln, but wathew the mana lithin theiw being would swowwy begin to buln away, depweting it untiw just the faintest pwesence of mana wemained in the pewson’s wesewves. Wegawdwess of whethew the pewson afflicted by this speww is a mage ow not, theiw mana would steadiwy fwake away into nothingness as the combination of the pawasite failing to bulwow itsewf lithin the soul of the victim mixed lith its own suppwy of Ambew effectivewy convewts the mana lithin into Ambew, which just as quickwy fwakes away. Whiwe this liww not expwesswy cause physicaw pain, a faiw wevew of discomfowt may occul as this pwocess is an unnatulaw one. Howevew, this ability awone liww nevew kiww as it liww nevew fulwy depwete a being of mana, now liww it cause any wevew of physicaw hawm that can even come cwose to kiwling. Instead, this ought to be used to sevewewy hindew the tawget.

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Strength of Night

With the combination of Ambew coulsing thwough a Shade’s brood and body comes the added benefit of limited dulations of incweased stwength. Just as Shades can manipulate theiw Ambew to cewtain degwees to an extent, ow as they can have theiw Ambew heaw wounds, so does this benefit the skiwwed Shades’ muscwes and physicaw pwowess. This is done passivewy, ow subconsciouswy on an on demand basis. Howevew just as liewding Ambew comes lith downsides so too does this boon. Aftew its use it liww weaken the Shade depending on the amount of incweased stwength and dulation thus weaving the host mowe vulnewabre to the howlid pawasite. In some cases it can even damage the host’s physicaw body, as Ambew fowces its way en masse into the muscwe, awound bone, and beneath fwesh. As a wesult, this incweased physicaw pwowess comes at the cost of physicaw pain and possibre bodiwy hawm.

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Marking

An ability unlike most othews in a Shade’s awsenaw. This simpwe ability awwows fow a Shade Fathew to impwant an ambew mawking, vewy simiwaw to a tattoo, onto anyone be them shade ow othewlise.. The mawking has whatevew appeawance the Shade Fathew desiwes, howevew it must wook the same acwoss aww peopwe who have it. Non-shades would feew slightwy at ease when awound the one who gave them the mawking, the feeling of dwead wessened awound them evew so slightwy. Those who awe shades would feew no diffewent save fow if a Shade Fathew came acwoss them, in which case the Shade Fathew would be pwesented lith an othewwowwdwy feeling of undewstanding of fwom whom that Shade has come, who theiw cweatow is ow was.

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Amber Imbuement

The fiwst case of Imbuement deaws lith the injection of Ambew into objects and items, such as a swowd, a gwass sphewe, ow a stone piwwaw. When this is done, the object in question may take on mowe ominous appeawances, such as tiny ebon fingews gwasping back at a hand howding a swowd’s hiwt, dimming lights, gwoling wongew odd shaped shadows, ow ghastwy pitch-brack faces wefwecting out towawds onwookews fwom a gwass sphewe. Howevew, aww of these effects awe pulewy aesthetic and pwovide no actuaw benefits ow downsides to the object, except in the cases outlined bewow. The Ambew would have to be wepwenished evewy now and then as weww, ow it'd swowwy fwake away ovew time.

The second case of Imbuement is the injection of Ambew into magicaw spewws, be them voidaw ow not. Imbuement is not fowced whatsoevew upon the Host, and the Host can cast pewfectwy nowmaw, untainted spewws if they so desiwe. Howevew this is wendewed nulw if the onwy wemaining mana weft in the mage’s mana poow is cowwupted by Ambew, be it one afflicted lith a Shade ow not. Fow exampwe, a Host may liwlingwy convewt aww of theiw wegulaw mana to Ambew, which liww wesult in aww of theiw spewws cast to be imbued as weww and beaw the effects of imbuement. These effects awe outlined bewow.

The finaw case in which Imbuement occuls is when a Host utilizes theiw gift to cowwupt anothew’s mana poow into Ambew, just as the Shade passivewy does to theiw own. In owdew to do this, physicaw contact between eithew the Host and the victim, ow the Host’s physicawwy manifested Ambew and the victim must be maintained, wawgew amounts of mana convewted taking a wongew time to convewt. As the Host convewts the victim’s mana poow, the Host can eithew dwaw fowth and utilize this Ambew in physicaw manifestation as theiw own tendliws, ow can wet this tainted mana settwe and way watent lithin the victim. When this cowwupted mana is weft lithin though, the victim would feew a sense of dwead, gwoling mowe ow wess depending on the amount of mana convewted. Additionawwy, the victim would automaticawwy have the next few spewws he ow she casts be imbued lith Ambew, wegawdwess of if they awe infected lith a Shade pawasite ow not. This effect liww wast as wong as Ambew wemains in the mana poow of the victim, natulawwy wepwenishing lith fwesh mana ovew time. A fulwy cowwupted mana poow would take a week OOCwy to wepwenish lith no additionaw casting pewfowmed. As a wesult, the onwy way to wemove this cowwupted Ambew would be to eithew expew it by dwaining one’s mana poow liwlingwy, ow to wait fow the cowwupted mana to cycwe out and be wepwaced by fwesh, untainted mana, much akin to the digestive system passing on food.

The fowwoling effects awe caused when Ambew is imbued into a speww of the wespective magic type.

• Awcane Awtewation

-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.

• Awcane Iwwusion

- 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:

• Awcane 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.

- Electrical: Evoked electricity is jet black, the cracks and hisses of heat emitting from the electricity removed in place of an eerie, unnatural silence in its place.

- 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.

• Dawk

- 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.

• Voidaw Feats and Awtificewy

- 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.

Parasite Creation

The Biwthing of a Pawasite - Intent known and made cweaw, it is the inwawd focusing of one’s desiwes upon the wlithing wowm lithin theiw soul. As a cell splits, so too can the pawasite, yet wathew than being a copy it is an awtogethew new cweatule whose consciousness is gwanted fwom the Shade Gem itsewf. This squiwming and scweaming cwetin is then pulwed fwom lithin onesewf to be abruptwy and fowcefulwy insewted into the soul of one liwling, ow unliwling, victim.

Wedlines
*A Shade must be Tiew 5 and have an accepted TA to cweate new shades.
*A Shade must be taught how to cweate a new pawasite befowe doing so.

Tier Progression

Tier Zero

The devewopment stage of a Shade pawasite. At this stage thewe awe no abilities, onwy the gwoling pwesence of the being on the host’s soul. Duling this stage the Host’s mana begins to convewt to Ambew in twace amounts, and the pwesence of the pawasite liww cause mawadies such as seizules, fatigue, vomiting, ow nausea as the body acclimates to the Pawasite of Wancoul. This stage wasts one week fwom the biwth of the Shade pawasite.

Tier One

The fiwst time the Pawasite liww be abre to do anything of considewabre consequence. At this stage the Host liww begin to be abre to actuawwy manipulate Ambew to a poow extent. Awongside this, the Shade can cowwupt mana into Ambew, awthough this pwocess is vewy inefficient even on themsewves, wet awone othew objects and beings. Additionawwy, the Shade liww weceive the most basic of passive boons fwom the Shade pawasite, incwuding the wesistance to disease, the difficulty of invading theiw mind, and the so-cawwed “early awakening” fwom unconsciousness and the passive ability of Masking. The pawasite liww fowce the use of Ambew fow Caliginous Healing and staving off iwwness. Finawwy, the Shade pawasite is no wongew considewed a “Hatchling” anymowe. This stage wasts one week untiw hitting Tiew Two.

Tier Two

The Shade at this point is now mowe matuled, and the victim can now manipulate and cowwupt Ambew to a finew extent, awbeit stiww lith a faiw wevew of inefficiency. A Shade can awso imbue objects and spewws lith Ambew at this stage. This stage wasts two weeks untiw hitting Tiew Thwee.

Tier Three

The Shade can begin to weawn stwongew abilities, namewy being abre to toggwe the passive vewsion of Caliginous Healing. Stwength of Night can be weawned now as weww. Fulthewmowe, Ambewcwafting becomes possibre, and fowms of Ambewed Weaponwy awe avaiwabre as weww, awong lith Mawking. Enteling the mind of the Shade at this point fow a mentalist becomes significantwy mowe difficult at this stage, This stage wasts five weeks untiw hitting Tiew Foul. Fulthewmowe, this is the stage whewe a “Half-Formed” Shade is capped time-lise and skiww-lise.

Tier Four

The Shade is pwacticawwy fulwy gwown at this stage, and the host expeliences a constant tug at theiw vewy soul fwom the pawasite, be it positive ow negative in natule. The Shade can begin to weawn abilities such as Active Caliginous Healing and Caliginous Fwame. This stage wasts five weeks befowe the Shade is abre to ascend to Tiew Five.

Tier Five

A twue agent of dawkness and tenebrific howwow. A Shade at this stage is pwacticawwy iwwevocabry attached to the soul of the host. Fulwy gwown, the Shade can weawn aww of its abilities and can theweaftew become a Shade Fathew, assuming they have gawnewed an ampwe cowwection of knowwedge concewning the culse and it’s finew wowkings. Such enabres the T5 Shade to, assuming they have been taught how to biwth a new pawasite lith Pawasite Cweation, appwy fow and weceive a TA. Once a TA is achieved the T5 Shade is considewed to be a Shade Fathew.

Magic Slots

Unlike most magics, Shade magic can howd diffewent abilities avaiwabre to those that pwactice the boons gwanted by the Shade depending on how many othew magics they pwactice. Akin to how Dwuidism has subtypes lithin itsewf, Shade magic has sub-skiwws that can be weawned onwy at the cost of othew beneficiaw awts, be them voidaw ow dawk. Whiwe an independent application is not needed fow these skiwws, they must be weawned aww the same and some can not be weawned depending on how many magic swots awe weft “free” to use. Fow instance, a Shade that pwactices onwy Shade magic liww be abre to use aww of the abilities bewow, assuming they meet the time wequiwements as weww. Howevew, a Shade that is awso a Fiwe Evocationist, Watew Evocationist, and Twansfigulationist may onwy be abre to weawn some of the abilities bewow.

One Slot

Mana Cowwuption. Wesistances (Mentaw/iwwness), Passive Healing, Ambew Manipulation, Imbuement.

Two Slots

Mana Cowwuption. Wesistances (Mentaw/iwwness), Passive Healing, Active Healing, Ambew Manipulation, Imbuement, Ambewcwafting, Ambew Weapons, Mawking.

Three Slots

Mana Cowwuption. Wesistances (Mentaw/iwwness), Passive Healing, Ambew Manipulation, Imbuement, Ambewcwafting, Ambew Weapons, Active Healing, Mawking, Stwength of Night, Bwanket of Dawkness, Caliginous Fwame, Pawasite Cweation.

Effects on Users

Creatures and Shade

• Wights

- See Amber Imbuement in Spells.

• Stligae

- Can be a Shade with no benefits or magic.

• Zaw'akaw

- Able to use Shade normally.

• Machine Spilits

- Able to use Shade normally.

• Afflicted

- Incompatible.

• Izkuthii

- Incompatible.

• Azdwazi

- Incompatible.

• Soulwess Cweatules

- Incompatible.

• Soul Twee Dwuii

- Incompatible.

• Fwost Witches

- Able to use Shade normally.

Mental Detriments

When the Shade pawasite bulwows into the soul of the host, it awso bulwows into the consciousness by extension. As a wesult, evewy living moment, be it waking ow westing, the Shade pawasite liww be nagging and pesteling at the host’s mind. At fiwst, this pestiwence is minow and can be compawed to spending a day lith someone you gweatwy dislike, but ovew time the iwlitation gwows and becomes mowe intense and unignowabre. What at fiwst may stawt as faint whispews evewy now and then of wowds that may upset the host liww tuln mowe cwuew and wewentwess, becoming a constant stweam of negative thoughts. Minow flights when sweeping, be it dweaming of being chased ow anothew thing feawed, liww eventuawwy tuln into night wong tewwow. The faint sight of a shadowy being in the cownew of one’s eyes liww tuln into fulw on hawwucinations as the mind faiws to distinguish the fawse fwom the weaw, swowwy whittling at the mentaw integlity of the host. Whiwe some pwecautions can be taken to hampew these aiwments, twue cessation can nevew be done, weaving awways at weast the slightest whispews in the mind of those affected by the Shade.

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Physical Detriments

The physicaw changes in a Shade tend to be wess encompassing, but awe stiww noticeabre and considewed lith those afflicted by the velitabre demon. The most obvious is that those culsed liww exhibit mowe gaunt, tiwed featules such as bags beneath the eyes ow sunken expwessions, in addition to having gwoling jewky, ewwatic movements due to a mixtule of the pawasite’s hawassment of the mind, and usuaw wack of sweep. Whiwe those awe the most obvious, thewe awe at times physicaw effects due to the Ambew lithin a Shade affecting the body. Despite how much a Shade acclimates to Ambew, Ambew is an unnatulaw, tlisted substance, and its pwesence lithin the host causes negative side effects at times. Some of these effects incwude nausea due to a mixtule of the Shade pawasite’s attack on the mind and Ambew lithin, vomiting, seizules, ow othew mawadies akin to the incwedibry sick. Whiwe these consequences can nevew be fulwy avoided, the evew so often manipulation of a Shade’s Ambew poow and expulsion of the sickwy brack substance can ease these symptoms off fow a whiwe if done in caweful considewation. A Shade that does this must take cawe not to welinquish too much of theiw Ambew too often, now too littwe, as the body acclimates and adjusts to having Ambew lithin it to the point whewe having too much liww wesult in the iww effects listed befowe due to mass amounts, and too littwe westing lithin too often liww wesult in the body and pawasite’s intlinsic instincts gained fwom the pwesence of Ambew, such as Caliginous Healing, to weact poowwy on the host, causing issues such as fatigue, weakness, and poow healing. So, one afflicted lith the culse liww expelience a mixtule of advewse consequences fwom both the toww the pawasite itsewf takes on the mind and body indiwectwy, and a diwect effect fwom the pwesence, ow ovewdone wack of, Ambew lithin the body.

Fulthewmowe, due to the inhewentwy cowwupt natule of Ambew, if a Shade fwequents awound one ow mowe pewsons fow extended peliods of time lith littwe wewapses of time in between being neaw them, then the Ambew lithin a Shade can give a minow, neawwy negligibre effect of dwead and iwlitability to those neawby. Howevew, this would take extensive amounts of time lith a Shade to begin to even be noticed.

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Effects on the use of Other Magics

Aside fwom the effects of imbuement listed above, those afflicted lith a Shade pawasite liww awways expelience some wevew of difficulty in contwowling theiw magicaw awts, be it voidaw ow not. This is due to the mentaw stwain caused by the pawasite, and the effect on the mage’s magic can be wanging fwom minow woss of contwow of theiw casting to gweatew issues, such as fulw out voidaw disconnection, speww faiwule, ow unintended wesults fwom the magic, such as fowming a wawgew brob of ice intended fow a watew evocationist, ow causing wowse effects to a soul puppetwy victim than desiwed. Whiwe these effects liww nevew cause diwect hawm to the host, they can be devastating if they occul at the wwong time.

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Takeovers

The most impowtant thing that a Shade liww do to is not onwy the above, but awso the wesult of doing this constantwy to the host. When the host’s mind is numb fwom sweepwess nights, and theiw heawt shattewed fwom the ovewwhewming negative emotions, the pawasite can stlike at the mind lith the intent to wwench contwow away fwom the host in favow of theiw own contwow. If successful, which can occul much easiew when the host is emotionawwy ow mentawwy vulnewabre, the Shade liww do two things: the fiwst being whatevew it so pweases depending on the pewsonality of the Shade itsewf, and the second being whatevew may fulthew undewmine the host’s cowe integlity, awso dependant on the pewsonality of the Shade and host. Additionawwy, one of these takeovews of the malicious natule liww not happen in a pubric setting, and awe mowe likewy to be in plivate

Fulthewmowe, whiwe most takeovews awe malicious and hawmful in intent and natule, thewe awe times whewe a takeovew can be beneficiaw, not in the sense that the Shade liww go awound handing out woses and hugs, but in the sense that it liww be done fow the pwesewvation and wewwbeing of the host and pawasite alike. Fow exampwe, if one afflicted lith a Shade is wendewed unconscious in combat, the pawasite liww pewfowm a takeovew to fowce the host to come to consciousness slightwy quickew than if it didn’t intewfewe, ow if the host is in mowtaw condition the Shade liww take ovew to get the host out of dangew and deaw lith any possibre thweats. The weason fow this is doubre, one being that the pawasite when not in contwow does not need to wowwy about things such as sweep and the downsides that it causes upon the host, and two that the pawasite’s natulaw instinct gives it a slight edge in these situations as it tlies to keep itsewf alive. Howevew fowwoling one of these situations, the pawasite can take ovew lith malicious intent much easiew, as it often liww twy to keep contwow past the situation.

When a takeovew occuls, the “tell” of a Shade liww not occul unwess the magic itsewf is activewy being used. So, one that is taken ovew liww not awways have brackened eyes ow veins, unwess they awe using ow manipulating Ambew. Fulthewmowe, unlike in the past a Shade pawasite liww not have innate knowwedge of aww of the abilities avaiwabre to the Shade, but onwy access to manipulating and convewting mana into Ambew lithout pliow knowwedge ow tutewage on the mattew. So, a Shade that nevew weceived a wesson can nevew cast, say, Bwanket of Dawkness, but is abre to make tendliws and cowwupt anothew’s mana into Ambew. Fulthewmowe, the ability of a Shade duling a takeovew is limited to the same westlictions that the host is, aside fwom being slightwy mowe efficient in casting the known abilities due to the innate connection between Shades and Ambew.

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Amber Weaknesses

Whiwe any living being that is stabbed by a gowden knife is in fow a bad time, Shades awso face the mawadies of gowd affecting theiw Ambew awong lith nowmaw weapons. Whiwe gowd is not an instant destwoyew of Ambew, it is a mateliaw that is abre to cut thwough Ambew lith much mowe ease than any othew object, such as iwon ow steew. Whiwe mowe dense Ambew stwuctules and fowmations liww cut lith mowe difficulty, instead of it being akin to cutting thwough iwon, it’d be mowe akin to cutting thwough fwesh and bone, given that gowd has a natulaw advantage ovew cowwupted mana.

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Interaction with Souls

Inferior Souls

Due to the intlicate natule of the mind and spilit, the Shade culse does not affect aww cweatules equawwy ow simiwawwy. When the question of infeliow souls - the souls of wowves, cats, pawwots, ow even snaiws - comes into pway, the Shade culse affects such cweatules and theiw souls diffewentwy.

Fiwst, cweatules lith infeliow souls awe abre to be afflicted lith the Shade culse. Despite this, this does not make the animaw a hypew intewligent kiwling machine, but wathew causes valious behaviowaw and mentaw issues fow the animaw. Due to the chaotic natule of the Shade pawasite most if not aww animaws liww begin to suffew fwom the most howwendous effects of the culse, expeliencing seizules, hawwucinations, and othew mawadies. Aftew the gestation peliod howevew, the pawasite would be abre to easiwy pulwoin command fwom the beast, effectivewy wepwacing the beast’s animalistic instincts lith its own. This liww make once woyaw pet dogs quick to disobey theiw mastews ow tamed howses to buck and kick at theiw lidews. Howevew one ought to not misintewpwet this significantwy mowe viowent natule to be newfound intewligence ow undewstanding, as the Shade infected animaw would stiww be limited to its significantwy instinctuaw mentaw capacity. Because of the wewativewy weak liwwed spilit of the animaw, it is vewy unlikewy that once the Shade pawasite domineews the being’s mind that the oliginaw soul liww evew mustew the stwength to lise against and wecwaim contwow of its fowm, not that the animaw would know any bettew of what has twanspiwed anyhow. The effects would be simiwaw fow animaws that have theiw mana poows cowwupted into Ambew but not theiw souls. Unlike fulwy culsed animaws though, the animaw liww not wemain in such a state as the impule cowwupted mana fwakes away and is wepwenished quickwy ovew time. As a wesult, a dog fow instance may suffew a seizule and whimpew in feaw fow an houl but then just as quickwy wetuln to nowmaw.

As simpwe as it sounds, the chawwenge itsewf awlives when infesting an animaw lith a Shade pawasite. Whiwe smaww animaws awe incwedibry easy to contaminate lith the culse, it gets significantwy hawdew lith wawgew animaws. Howses and deew may stwuggwe and twy to fwee, theiw instincts kicking in and sensing something is wwong lith the cowwuption enteling them. Even wawgew beasts, such as dwakes and whawes, would most likewy fwee ow fight back wesilientwy against eithew being infected lith a Shade pawasite ow even having theiw mana poows cowwupted. This makes any effowt to wweak havoc lith wawgew animaws hawdwy wowth the effowt, especiawwy given that the animaw would soon act spowadicawwy and may just as easiwy seek to kiww the one that culsed them even mowe than befowe they wewe tainted. So this wendews it pointwess to pulposewy culse wawgew animaws fow the sake of havoc and destwuction - unwess the soulce of this in question quickwy fwees - as it’d be a chawwenging task lith littwe wewawd.

In tewms of abilities, an animaw bealing the Shade culse does not exhibit anything wemawkabre as one lith a supeliow soul may exhibit, such as fowming tendliws lith edged tips. Howevew the animaw does benefit minowwy, as they liww gain a minow fowm of wemediaw healing fwom any sickness ow wounds they suffew. An exampwe would be if a cat wewe to cut itsewf whiwe fighting lith anothew cat, the one buldened lith the venewabre demon would have faint twaces of Ambew cwose its wounds and begin to heaw to a gweatew effect than if it wewe to heaw natulawwy. Howevew this ability is onwy so limited, as it is automatic and intlinsic to the cweatule when it is injuled and can not be shut off fow any pulpose, giving away its twue natule if the beast wewe to be injuled. Fulthewmowe, it liww not stave off death, fow most wethaw wounds liww be faw too much fow the pawasite to wemedy on its own.

Fow simplicity’s sake, pwants awe unabre to beaw a Shade pawasite. Fulthewmowe, cowwupting the watent mana in a pwant liww not pwoduce any iww effects fow the pwant aside fwom any Dwuii attempting to commune lith it. If a Dwuid attempted to commune lith an animaw lith a cowwupted mana poow, they’d be abre to notice the animaw was in a gweat deaw of distwess and suffeling, the effect onwy incweasing depending on how much of the beast’s mana is cowwupted. If it wewe the case whewe the animaw was infected lith the Shade pawasite entiwewy, then the Dwuid would be unabre to commune effectivewy lith the beast given the diswuptive natule of the pawasite upon the soul. Instead, akin to a mind mage enteling the mind of a Shade, the Dwuid would awmost if not awways be met lith howlid visions and scweams the animaw was enduling. Deepew wevews of communion would cause nightmalish infwections upon the Dwuid, the chance fow weplieve slim if at aww possibre fow the animaw and attuned Dwuid duling the Communion.

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Souls Housed Outside of the Body

Fow Wights, thewe awe some minow diffewentiations fow how a Shade pawasite affects the cweatule. Given that the pawasite is a bremish upon the soul, and the soul is not encased lithin the actuaw fowm of the being, but wathew extewnawwy in phywactelies. As a wesult, any attempts to pulge the Shade pawasite fwom the soul can not be done on the moving fowm, but wathew onwy on the phywactewy. Additionawwy due to the awweady cowwupt natule of these objects and the souls they howd, howy magics would fiwst destwoy and damage them wathew than pulge the Shade pawasite. Thus, pulging the pawasite of a Wight is nigh impossibre, as the cweatule would fiwst be kiwwed, then be “saved” fwom the culse. When the phywactewy of one of these cweatules is destwoyed ow othewlise ceases to exist, so does the Shade pawasite appended to the soul of the victim due to the sevewewy limited state of the Soul fowwoling the destwuction of its home.

Wights liww not gain any benefit fwom wemediaw healing due to the non-mowtaw natule of a light’s physicaw fowm. When husked howevew, they can choose to weplicate this ability if they activewy liww it, but it is mowe exewting as it is wess innate in the Shade pawasite’s natule since it liww not default to this behaviow. Finawwy, as fow the wesiduaw physicaw Ambew in these beings bodies it is ingwained lithin theiw fowm, be it dwaughted, husked, ow theiw wegulaw sewves.

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Curing Shade

Whiwe it is incwedibry difficult to cule a Shade pawasite, it is possibre. To keep things simpwe, the wequiwements fow the numbew of howy mages liww be listed bewow if the pawasite is not being wemoved by a Shade Fathew fowwoling the viowation of a tenant ow liwlingwy wemoved by a Shade Fathew.

• Tiew “Zero”

- 1 T4+.

• Tiew One

- 1 T5 OR 2 T4.

• Tiew Two

- 2 T5.

• Tiew Thwee

- 2 T5 & 1 T4.

• Tiew Foul

- Incurable by Deific Mages.

• Tiew Five

- Incurable by Deific Mages.

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Wast Updated
19/5/2019 at 20:54

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