Description
The presence of a Shade is unsettling for most citizens of Morden—these Accursed are pale and wan, every color of their body and clothing muted. A Shade’s eyes are black and without pupil. Their voices have a resonant, hollow quality. Perhaps the most unusual factor of the Shade’s appearance is that, from time to time, they become translucent, allowing onlookers to glimpse outlines of things through the Shade’s own body. Lastly, Shades possess an unnatural aura that raises the hackles of any being nearby—most animals and beasts cannot tolerate a Shade’s presence.
The Witch known as the Dark Queen is responsible for the creation of this terrifying Witchbreed. At the onset of the Bane War, she damned hundreds of men and women of the Outlands to an everlasting ghostly existence. Only those with the strongest connection to their former lives were able to retain their sense of self. These hardy few became the Shades, while those who failed the Dark Queen’s test instead became mindless creatures of shadow.
Intended to act as scouts and infiltrators, Shades have a number of unique abilities that allow them to move about undetected and to sow fear and discord. First, a Shade that marshals his willpower can become nearly entirely incorporeal, able to move through physical barriers or even travel through solid ground. A Shade’s incorporeal nature also assists them in battle—many well-aimed blows simply fail to connect. However, Shades are halfway between one world and the next, and eventually any foe can land a lucky blow. A Shade can also focus the unnatural chill of his aura as an attack, striking fear into all beings nearby.
For all their strengths, Shades also suffer from significant weaknesses. The most significant of these is salt—Shades simply cannot abide its touch. A Shade cannot cross a line of salt drawn on the ground, nor can they travel across salt water. Weapons coated in salt inflict wounds that burn the Shade’s very spirit.
Second, the Shade’s unnatural aura means that animals react strongly to their presence. Guard dogs, horses, and the like sense a Shade’s approach from far away. Their strange half-existence means that Shades sometimes have difficulty exerting their full strength, and Shades often face challenges when interacting with others—even other Accursed.
Many Shades possess a strong will and sense of self, tools that are essential to those who follow the path of a white witch. Witchcraft comes very naturally to Shades, as their creator the Dark Queen possesses great power in that discipline.
At Velmand Priory, the Order’s head librarian is a Shade known as Jassarian, and his ghostly abilities are often in demand for locating and retrieving tomes of forgotten lore.
Shade Witchbreed Package
Fear: Power (Fear)
Limited Presence: Attribute Penalty (Strength –1)
Out of Phase: Skill (Subterfuge d6), Parry +1
Phasing: Treat as Burrowing, though they do not leave a tunnel behind and may pass through any inanimate object of less dense material. While Phasing, Shades can perceive but not interact with the physical world, except for powers and their weakness.
Unnatural Aura: Any creature of animal intelligence (those with a Smarts designator of (A)) automatically senses the unnatural presence of a Shade within a distance of 6” and will not willingly approach closer to the Shade. If forced to do so, either through threat or duress, the animal becomes panicked and immediately moves its full Pace plus running die away from the Shade and is Shaken.
Hindrance: Minor Weakness to Salt (+4 Damage suffered, even when Phasing)
Edges
Spectral Chill of the Grave
Requirements: Seasoned, Shade, Vigor d10+
Treat this as the Power (Damage Field) Edge, using
the Shade’s Focus skill and Power Points from the
Power (Fear) racial ability.
Spectral Camouflage
Requirements: Seasoned, Shade, Subterfuge d8+
Treat this as the Power (Invisibility) Edge, using
the Shade’s Focus skill and Power Points from the
Power (Fear) racial ability.
Spectral Flight
- Requirements: Seasoned, Shade, Spirit d8+
The Shade’s form continues to become more out
of phase and begins to lose its tethering to the earth.
Through strength of will, a Shade may fly with Flying
Pace 10 and Climb 3.