Difference between revisions of "Shade"

The origin of the shades is unknown, but they were likely created or at least altered in some way by the fight between [[Odium]] and [[Ambition]]. It is implied that once shades may have been made intentionally rather than as a product of being killed by a shade.{{msh ref|3|2}} Originating on the smaller of Threnody's two continents,{{au ref|threnody}} the shades rendered all predators on the continent extinct due to the violation of the Simple Rules.{{book ref|sfs}} The shades were first discovered by the [[Forescout]]s, adventurers who called these lands the [[Forests of Hell]] due to the shades. Following the destruction of the [[Homeland]], humankind fled to the Forests, abandoning their old lands to the [[Evil]]. They developed the Simple Rules in order to survive life among the shades in the Forests and [[Forescout]]sForescouts traintrained their children to fight shades. The presence of the shades has shaped their society and culture greatly. The Simple Rules forbid the lighting any kind of fire, which has strongly stifled innovation, preventing inventions such as gunpowder and steam engines from taking root. It has also led to a unique service, fire merchants, which sell fire to those without so they do not have to kindle their own. The prohibition on drawing blood has removed the ability for traditional war to be fought and led to the development of methods for killing both humans and animals that do not require the shedding of blood. The presence of the shades in the Forests has led to the establishment of [[Fortress Town]]s in the mountains. Waystops guard against shades with concentric rings of silver inset into the ground, providing spaces secure from the shades, but most Homesteaders cannot afford such protection and allow shades to move around inside their homes. At some point after the creation of the shades, the [[Ire]] has deployed forces around the border of Threnody's subastral to prevent their escape and has developed devices capable of detecting the shades.{{msh ref|5|2}}