Kal
Whispers
- Intent: A new form of body-hopping spirit native to both realspace and the Nether.
- Image Credit: Untitled and 8J1GIG9Y- 8 by Vi-da; El Pisuicas by TorVic Ulloa.
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: Force Alchemy, Sith Magic, Netherworld of the Force, Chaos.
- Name: The Shadows
- Designation: Sentient
- Origins: Darth Prospero
- Average Lifespan: Ageless
- Estimated Population: Rare
- Description: The beings generally introduced as Shadows (their name for themselves is less verbal, more a telepathic sense of belonging) are a strange breed, able to exist in both realspace and the Nether with equal ease, albeit in different ways. Their true forms tend to resemble the shadowy silhouette of a humanoid, though exceptions exist; they can just as easily turn entirely invisible, or inhabit a host. Their ability to physically affect their surroundings (not counting Force Use) is extremely limited, even producing sound is a chore; that said, within the Netherworld they can exert themselves more directly, its not-entirely physical nature favouring spirits such as them.
- Breathes: N/A | Variable (Possession)
- Average Height of Adults: Variable
- Average Length of Adults: Variable
- Skin Colour: Variable, usually shades of grey, black, and white.
- Hair Colour: N/A
- Distinctions: Incorporeal spirits with one foot in realspace and the other in the Nether, a Shadow's true form will most frequently resemble the figure of a shadowy humanoid with luminous white eyes, but this is hardly a universal rule; everything from animals to shifting clouds is within the realm of possibility. They have no biological sexes (or indeed biology), but may choose to identify themselves as male or female, especially if they frequently interact with sentients that place great importance on that distinction. The newly-formed are considered Shadelings, a vague term whose nature is more social than physical - maturity is measured in personal development, not time, due to forming fully-developed.
- Races: Shadows make a strict distinction between true Shadows and Shades, the former being created as its own person and the latter as a tool. Shades are still sentient, but have less potential and no real sense of self-interest. Some groups of Shadows make heavy use of Shades for the purposes of espionage or risky tasks while others consider it a faux pas of sorts. Very few consider Shades to be people.
- Shadows: True Shadows are independently-minded beings fully able to make their own decisions and chose their own loyalties.
- Shades: Shades are lesser Shadows who, while still Sentient, are shaped to be fundamentally subservient to a true Shadow, Sorcerer, or other being of power; they lack the emotional depth of their more potent kin, feeling little that it is not tinged by a profound sense of subservience. They are never as versatile as a proper Force User, but can often pick up a few tricks.
- Force Sensitivity: All Shadows are innately linked to the Force and can make use of to some extent or another, though far from all have the raw potential, strength, and breadth of a proper Sith or Jedi. Manipulating the Nether and its denizens comes easier to them than for most, owing to their deep connection to that strange realm, but it still has to be learnt and practised.
- Wanderer of the Ways: Innately tied to the Nether, Shadows are able to travel to and from that realm with remarkable ease, often using its nonlinear nature to circumvent travel times; while unshackled by a body, they are invisible (should they so desire) and incorporeal, able to infiltrate many a secure location with ease, though they are not necessarily undetectable to more unusual sensors and Force Users.
- Captain of the Body: Shadows can exert a great deal more control over the bodies they are controlling that is normal, being able to push it to or past the limit (with risk of injury), up to and including keeping a dead body moving by sustaining it with a trickle of Force energies.
- Born of the Force: Directly formed from Force energies, the biological trickery of Ysalamiri does not function on Shadows; Void Stone and other strange materials can weaken or contain them, however, as can properly-calibrated Universal Energy Cages and similar technology.
- The Spirit Unbound: The ability of Shadows to influence their surroundings without possessing a body is severely limited; furthermore, without the insulation a host/sleeve provides they are vulnerable to various forms of Magic, Force Abilities, and anti-Force weapons.
- Flawed Possession: Shadows struggle to possess the strong-willed or magically protected and, though subtle, there are certain signs for the in the know hunter to look out for; the eyes often glow a luminous white when pushing a body past its limits or making heavy use of Force Abilities and brain scans betray a lack of higher brain functions (Active Possession) as host/sleeve brains are only used for simple tasks.
- Shadow Begone: Regardless of whether they are possessing a body or not, Shadows cannot pass through ray shielding; to them, it is as solid as a duracrete wall is to a human. Furthermore, specifically calibrated energy weapons can harm them whatever form they take.
- Diet: Thaumovore; Shadows are sustained through the Force itself, though their hosts/sleeves still need nutrition as normal. When possessing a body Shadows are often eager to try new foods, which for more reckless/uncaring ones can include inedibles or poison.
- Communication: Communicate primarily with Telepathy, especially when dealing with each other or without a body. Many have an aptitude for languages and quite a few have learned how to "pick the brain" of a host for necessary linguistic information.
- Technology Level: Known for their sharp intellects and a deep sense of curiosity, many Shadows naturally amass significant knowledge during their unaging lives; due to their youth as a species, it is difficult to say whether or not they will develop unique technologies of their own.
- Religion/Beliefs: Shadows tend towards the secular rather than the dogmatic, due to an independent streak, but many have strong feelings about the nature of the Force and existence; they tend to value the mind significantly higher than the flesh, for obvious reasons. They often see the Force Dead as "abominations" due to their absence in the Force - and by extension their inability to be possessed.
- General Behaviour: As multifaceted and capable of individuality as most other sentient species, certain behavioural traits and cultural quirks nonetheless separate the Shadows from other lifeforms, below is an overview of certain key facets of their society and behaviour.
- Social Structure and Leadership: At least among their own kind, Shadows favour democracy over authoritarianism and strongly dislike not having a say in matters of importance. Leadership positions are usually granted meritocratically; there is no tradition for inherited power, unlike in some societies. Cleverness, sociability, long-term planning, and subtlety are all more important than raw strength.
- Covens: Larger groups of Shadows are referred to as Covens, sometimes Umbral Covens; they tend towards egalitarianism with a focus on shared decision-making and/or delegated decision-making to the most competent among them, rarely a single leader. Given the value Shadows place on intelligence, most Covens maintain intricate spy networks of their own. Such groupings are found both in the Nether and Realspace, but usually maintain a Sanctum in one of the two; larger Covens may have several.
- Sanctums: Major settlements (at least by the standards of the fairly rare Shadows; almost always smaller than a village by human standards) are called Sanctums, locations in realspace or the Nether that take the form of subterranean strongholds on frontier worlds, social clubs in the Core, strange Netherworld pockets, and everything in between. They tend towards extreme secrecy; they may be affiliated with a specific Coven or several or simply serve as a crossroads or other hub for Shadow activity.
- Shadow Cults: In contrast to Covens, so-called Shadow Cults are defined less by the partnership between Shadows and more by the manipulation of other sentients; they often take the form of cults, but spy networks, criminal organisations, and even major companies are all represented. Control usually rests in the hand of a single Shadow or a small group; it is not unheard of for Shadows belonging to a larger Coven to maintain Shadow Cults on the side, or for a Coven to organise several such groups.
- Reproduction and Formation: Shadows are formed, not born, an asexual process involving one or more fully-mature Shadows, a not inconsiderable amount of time, and a great deal of energy - Nexuses and certain parts of the Netherworld are ideal. Some Shadows consider Shadelings formed from them "their children", others "their younger siblings", and still others "potentially useful allies".
- Forming Shades: Shades are formed in much the same way as Shadelings are, but altered somewhat to heavily limit their ability for self-expression and emotion; being "tools", they are never considered Shadelings and are usually immediately pressed into service for whichever being created them. Unlike fellow Shadows, killing a Shade is considered (very) impolite, but not taboo. Shades are often formed in the image of their creators or to fit specific roles/archetypes and rarely exhibit much individuality.
- Shadelings: Less a physical descriptor and more a cultural/intellectual matter, newborn Shades are considered Shadelings despite forming fully functional and self-aware. It is widely accepted that they must be protected while they find themselves and hurting them is considered extremely taboo, on par with child-murder in most contemporary civilisations. Many Shadows extend this to Younglings of other species too, refusing to do them harm or even going out of their way to protect them.
- Sexuality: Sexless and incorporeal, Shadows do not experience sexual urges naturally but may begin to do so if they spend time with organic contemporaries, especially if they regularly possess bodies with strong reproductive urges. Those Shadows who do not engage in such practices usually consider it more quirky hobby than taboo, but actually reproducing while in a host is less accepted; most Shadows cannot understand why anyone would wish to "form fundamentally mortal offspring".
- Realspace and the Nether: With a foot in both Realspace and the Nether, Shadows can thrive in either; most use both to some extent or another, especially those who dwell primarily in Realspace, due to the ease by which they can travel through the Nether. Within the Nether they may have a physical presence, much like the spirits, ghosts, and demons that call that strange realm home; this is in sharp contrast to Realspace, where affecting matter without the Force is very difficult- even moving air to generate speech is a chore.
- The Umbral Paths: The Nether is a harsh realm, many of its regions doubling as insidious traps as if by cosmic design, but the Shadows have a special gift for slithering through the cracks; where possible they maintain so-called Umbral Paths, a network beyond the sight or understanding of most travellers by which they navigate the Nether's fickle expanses. The safety of these ambling paths is near-sacrosanct to the Shadows - to attack another of their kind there is the highest of crimes.
- Other Nether Denizens: The Shadows have a multifaceted relationship with the Nether's other denizens; the spirits of the dead are generally left alone and Netherworld predators avoided, though they have been known to "tame" some, notably Shrouds and on occasion Smoke Demons. The spirits of knowledgeable individuals such as Jedi Masters and Sith Lords are sometimes sought out for their secrets and Netherworld travellers may be aided, hindered, or ignored depending on the circumstances. Many have a certain degree of respect for the Sith Valkyries due to their ties to the Netherworld and the abilities it grants them.
- Bargains and Obligations: As with some other spiritual beings, Shadows have been known to attribute special significance to bargains and obligations; depending on the manner in which they were entered, the Shadow and the other party may even be mystically bound by the agreement, though this is not necessarily the norm. Whether or not a Shadow considers itself bound by the letter or the intent varies by individual and situation, as does their relationship with informed consent. They often think their contracts above the law.
- Naming Conventions: Shadows traditionally name themselves, but may also be given nicknames; choosing a proper name for themself is usually considered the point where a Shadeling becomes a Shadow. Words in esoteric languages (Kal means "Keeper" and Dis "Cat", both in Sith) are often chosen, as are terms a Shadow connects with (e.g., "Luminous" in whatever language is being spoken) or even (especially among Nether-dwellers) telepathic concepts, e.g., "contentment born from clarity of purpose". Proper surnames are all but unheard of, though many Shadows adopt various titles, aliases, and monikers as they interact with the world and its denizens.
- Social Structure and Leadership: At least among their own kind, Shadows favour democracy over authoritarianism and strongly dislike not having a say in matters of importance. Leadership positions are usually granted meritocratically; there is no tradition for inherited power, unlike in some societies. Cleverness, sociability, long-term planning, and subtlety are all more important than raw strength.
- Possession: It is difficult for Shadows to assume an active role within Realspace without a body, as such possession is an essential part of their existence. How such an act is approached varies greatly, however - most Shadows make the distinction between three forms of Possession, that being Active, Passive, and Cooperative. Furthermore, there is some debate about whether to refer to bodies as Sleeves or Hosts.
- Active: During Active Possession, a Shadow seizes direct and undisputed control over a sleeve, suppressing the native consciousness if there is one ("blank" clones are ideal); advantages include a near-total control of the body's functions while disadvantages can include potential resistance from the native mind, being detectable to brain scans, and certain ethical concerns.
- Passive: During Passive Possession, a Shadow remains within a body without controlling it; this could be unknown to the creature itself, often for the purposes of espionage, or the creature could be aware of the Shadow or even talking to it like a mystical ride-along. It is distinct from Cooperative Possession because the Shadow exercises no real control over the body, it simply observes. This is the form of possession most difficult to detect, but also the form in which the Shadow can do the least.
- Cooperative: Distinct from both Active and Passive, Cooperative Possession involves a Shadow sharing control with the native mind, for whatever reason; this includes, but is not limited to, the Shadow supporting the Host, the Host lending the Shadow its body but with certain limitations, or perhaps a strange telepathic symbiosis. (Dis)advantages depend entirely on the relationship in question.
- Sleeves or Hosts: It is a matter of some controversy whether the bodies they possess are Sleeves or Hosts; Cooperative Possession tends to be affiliated with the terminology of Host and "blank" clones Sleeves. Sleeve is generally considered the most callous term, though this is not always the case - notably, some have been known to refer to thinking beings as "the mind within the sleeve".
Counted among the last great creations of the late Darth Prospero, the Shadows are in many ways the culmination of his studies into spirits, the soul, and the nature of the Force; while hardly the perfect beings he sought to create, they are far, far closer than earlier attempts and do fulfil his goal of creating unaging (i.e., "soft" immortality, do not expire with age but can be killed) spirit beings able to survive outside his aegis.
Where they fall flat is when it comes to power - while all are Force Sensitive and many can be quite potent threats in the Nether, most lack the potential of a true Force User, instead learning a few tricks or honing a speciality, often telepathy or something relating to the Nether.
Since their creator's passing, they have largely begun to walk their own path; though some remained with the Sith and a smaller portion sought out the Jedi and those like them, most are loyal primarily to themselves and their own, not the ideals of their makers or one side of the Force. Given the nature of the Shadows, they are likely to remain primarily in the background in the years to come, at least broadly speaking.
As with any other species, however, there are always those who go beyond the norm to do things their own way.
Last edited:
