Elves, Shadow¶
Children of the Twilight Celestials, the shadow elves are the native denizens of the parasitic manifold of Equinox, also known as Dusk. Theirs is a world of perpetual twilight, a sun that never rises nor sets, a world that knows neither noon nor midnight.
Equinox is a dying world. The shadow elves plan to use their magic to rewrite Orden's topography, creating a new home with themselves as rulers over all.
In Equinox's Shadow¶
Shadow elves are lit by an unseen sun. In places like Orden, they appear washed out, silhouetted, or grayscale. In Equinox, they have lived in the shadow of their manifold's eternal dusk, making them incompatible with other light sources. Their skills, magic, and weapons do not fare well in the sun. But in turn, they can blend in with existing darkness and dissolve out of sight.
Manifold Weaponry¶
The shadow elves have mastered the art of combining deep, ancient magic with cutting-edge technology. Their weaponsmiths craft blades of solid shadow that strike and wound in many dimensions at once. A creature hit by one of these blades is injured in multiple worlds at a time. Only a victim of strong mind can compartmentalize and end these effects on their body in the here and now.
Brush Stalkers¶
When the shadow elves invade Orden, they often ride domesticated dwimmerbeasts known as brush stalkers—quadrupeds who carry entire ecosystems on their rack of antlers. Newly born brush stalkers do not survive translation into Orden, so the ones the shadow elves ride are old: overgrown with bioluminescent moss, cracks on their ancient cloven hooves.
A brush stalker's glamor allows them to look like a mundane deer. But when the glamour falls, the creature devours the light around them and plunges their surroundings into darkness.
Fractured Factions¶
Equinox is a small world, ruled by Every Strike of Lightning a Lover Betrayed, the Queen of Shadows. It is her shadow elf scouts and assassins who scour Orden seeking allies who might be persuaded that their lives would be better under a different master. But there are other factions of shadow elves in Equinox. Not all who dwell under the invisible sun seek conquest. Others are sages and pacifists who seek to heal their world or find an empty world somewhere in the timescape to resettle to.
Duskcalling¶
Certain shadow elf warriors have a natural link to the unseen sun that illuminates their world. With this link, a warrior can perform a Lay: a mix of humming and throat singing that aligns celestial bodies across manifolds. Some Lays can temporarily induce an eclipse on the manifold in which the duskcaller is performing, allowing their comrades to gain the advantage.
A skilled duskcaller can lead a band in a group song powerful enough to recreate the conditions of Equinox for a short time. Some shadow elf factions are researching this connection in earnest, considering it a viable step toward terraforming a second Equinox.
Shadow Tactics¶
Belief that Equinox is a dying world makes the shadow elves desperate, for soon they'll have no home to retreat to. Their tactics rely on both impenetrable defense and a swift and decisive offense. Since they can't benefit from a home advantage, all warriors are taught to create one. If there are no places to hide, form them. If the light is too bright, remove it.
In many shadow elf societies, all people are given basic combat training and are expected to serve at least one military tour in their life. Those who excel move on to become duskcallers, mournblades, and eclipses: paragons of strength who are venerated by the people. Research and discovery are employed for the primary purpose of furthering military goals. Even the popular children's game hide-and-seek is a military device created to prepare a people for constant, imminent conflict.
Shadow Elf Languages¶
Most shadow elves speak Illyvric, though platoon leaders might speak some Caelian or Hyrallic.
Shadow Elf Deployments¶
Shadow Elf Deployments
When under order of the Shadow Queen, shadow elf missions outside of Equinox are usually short, dangerous, and targeted. They rarely last more than a week or two, and the force often appears in Orden not far from their target. Mission goals trend towards the nefarious—kidnapping, assassination, theft, and general skullduggery are the order of the day.
However, not every shadow elf force is affiliate d wit h th queen. Some are exiled rebels plotting their return, others independent groups searching for lost magic to restore their world, and yet others have left Equinox permanently to seek new lives in the caverns and deep woods of Orden. No matter their affiliation, these groups will brook no attempts to thwart their goals and are all deadly warriors.
Shadow Elf Sample Encounters
- Infiltrator Wing, 44 EV: Eight cloaks, four dusk mages, one moondancer, one luminator
- Colony Guard, 64 EV: Eight nightstrikes, eight snipers, one knightfell, one brush stalker, one noctis mage
- Kill Wing, 84 EV: Eight dusk mages, two assassins, two panthers, one mournblade
- Shadow Incursion, 122 EV: Sixteen cloaks, eight snipers, two moondancers, one luminator, one duskcaller, one eclipse
Brush Stalker
- GoreMain actionSignature
- ReclamationMain action2 Malice
- SuneaterTrait
- Wyrd DyrTrait
Shadow Elf Assassin
- Lumina AssaultMain actionSignature
- SplitbowMain action2 Malice
- Of the UmbraTrait
Shadow Elf Cloak
- Stick and PokeMain actionSignature
- Of the UmbraTrait
Shadow Elf Dusk Mage
- Gloom BoltMain actionSignature
- Of the UmbraTrait
Shadow Elf Duskcaller
- Night KnifeMain actionSignature
- The Lay of Cor'thorothManeuver
- Of the UmbraTrait
Shadow Elf Eclipse
- Manifold BladeMain actionSignature
- Grasping ShadowManeuver
- Put It Out!Triggered action
- End EffectTrait
- Of the UmbraTrait
- From the ShadowsVillain Action 1
- Cast Away All HopeVillain Action 2
- Umbral HungerVillain Action 3
Shadow Elf Knightfell
- Suffusing StrikeMain actionSignature
- Trick of the EyeTriggered action
- Of the UmbraTrait
Shadow Elf Luminator
- Lumina MarkMain actionSignature
- Mourning Till DuskMain action3 Malice
- Of the UmbraTrait
Shadow Elf Moondancer
- Crescent SweepMain actionSignature
- DissolveTriggered action
- Of the UmbraTrait
Shadow Elf Mournblade
- Knife in the DarkMain actionSignature
- Shadow StepManeuver
- Of the UmbraTrait
Shadow Elf Nightstrike
- VaultMain actionSignature
- Of the UmbraTrait
Shadow Elf Noctis Mage
- Blotting BoltMain actionSignature
- Enemies in the DarkMain action3 Malice
- Of the UmbraTrait