Difference between revisions of "Shadows"

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<Center>''"Everyone carries a shadow."''</center><br>
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<Center>''"Everyone has a shadow."''</center><br>
 
 
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There are three types of Shadow on PersonaMUSH. They are:
  
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=Overview=
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* Wandering non-sapient Shadows.
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* the Personal Shadows born from a specific person's psyche.
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* Rumor Shadows, which are generated by conflicting rumors.
  
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Dark things dwell in depths of the collective unconsciousness of humanity. Whether springing forth from an individual level, or the conflicting views of an entire community, or representing the submerged thoughts from humanity as a whole, all the broad types of Shadows have one thing in common: they are dangerous.
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==Wandering Shadows==
  
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==The Nature of the Wandering Shadows==
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===What are Wandering Shadows?===
  
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Every human being carries a shadow within them. Under certain circumstances, this shadow is released and exists as a kind of independent being. Most commonly found during the Dark Hour and within the Midnight Channel, Shadows of this broad type encompass numerous forms, as strange as they are varied. They are hostile to humans found in their world and attack them, with what happens to their victims ranging from what the world calls the Apathy Syndrome to death. While not truly sentient in a way that humans would find familiar, they still possess a certain intelligence, capable of pack hunting tactics to chase down their prey. For those unfortunate enough to encounter them, prey often means 'humans'. Shadows will also prey upon other (usually weaker) Shadows and can grow larger by engulfing them.
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Effectively, they are bits and pieces of people's psyches, drawn from the Collective Unconsciousness. As such, they possess great power, akin to that expressed by a Persona-user or Shadow-Possession. They take many shapes and forms, all of which wear masks.
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All Shadows of this sort bear masks, and can be further subdivided into various subtypes depending on the mask and where they hail from. For example, those in SEES may know that there are twelve types of Shadows seen within the Dark Hour. The same is not the case within the Midnight channel. The form that the Shadows will take are varied ones, perhaps reflecting some of the free-floating concepts and emotions within the collective psyche of humanity.
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Shadows possess strange powers of such a nature that they can only be called 'magical'. They possess a wide array of abilities, depending on what sort of Shadow they are. Some might be able to summon fire effortlessly, others display a lethal mastery over ice. Still others might command powers that affect the mind, terrifying or confusing their opponents. It's been rumored by some researchers that particularly powerful Shadows might possess the ability to manipulate time itself.
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They are non-sapient, but hardly stupid. Like animals, they are capable of hunting effectively and often in packs, and their prey of choice are humans. Should they devour only the mind of their target, their target will succumb to [[Apathy Syndrome]], while if they entirely devour their target, the person will die.
  
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While most Shadows of this type are dangerous, there exist those among them with greater power still. Those of this type are incredibly rare, with frightful powers far beyond any mundane Shadow. For example, a Shadow of this type might possess the power to take the forms of their targets' greatest and most hidden fears. Port Island in particular has seen many of them recently, dating back to the spring of 2009. What these strong Shadows might foretell is, for now, a mystery.
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Larger Wandering Shadows tend to prey on weaker Wandering Shadows, which allows them to grow in power.
  
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==The Nature of the Shadow Within==
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===Where can I find Wandering Shadows?===
  
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Everyone has a part of their personality that is unacceptable to them, whether they've rejected it because they've found it personally repellent, or because of their role in society, or because it's a part of themselves that simply runs counter to what society says is acceptable. Cast aside and buried deep, most people remain unaware of what they've rejected in their daily lives.
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Wandering Shadows are creatures most commonly found within the confines of the [[Dark Hour]] (wherever it may be) and the [[Midnight Channel]]. Please see those news files for more information.
  
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Within the world accessible through the television in Inaba, this Shadow within is freed. Appearing as a duplicate of the original self, usually only their abnormal behavior and eerie golden irises give away the fact they are the Shadow. As a manifestation of discarded urges and instincts desiring to be acknowledged, they are often defensive, and become violent they are disagreed with. When drawn to combat, these Shadows shed their human-like appearance and, drawing weaker Shadows to them, take on strange forms reflecting the mind of the person they sprang from.
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Note that the masks of Shadows in the Dark Hour reflect the tarot: Magician through Hanged Man only.
  
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While it is not considered IC information for the most part, Personas and Shadows are one and the same: a Persona is a controlled Shadow, and a Shadow is an uncontrolled Persona. It's entirely possible for someone to both lose control over their Persona and risk it reverting into a Shadow, as well as for someone to integrate and accept their Shadow as a part of themselves and gain a Persona. It's entirely possible that someone who gains a Persona by facing their Shadow may notice that there are some general visual similarities between the Shadow and the Persona.
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===Can my character talk to Wandering Shadows? Can they chase Wandering Shadows off?===
  
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Under certain circumstances, this Shadow can come to the fore. Significant stress can result in one's Shadow emerging, and depending on the circumstances of this eruption, may result in one of two things.
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Unlike demons, Shadows cannot be talked to and will not back down from a fight once engaged, though they will flee from stronger opponents.
  
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Complete possession by one's Shadow is possible, if the stress on the psyche is too great to be overcome easily, or if the Shadow is accepted in such a way that it isn't really controlled at all. For more information on the causes behind and abilities of the Shadow Possessed, please see [[Shadow Possession]].
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===What about more powerful Wandering Shadows? Do the things above apply to them?===
  
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Confronting one's Shadow is also a route to obtain a Persona, assuming this takes place within the depths of the Midnight Channel. For more information on this route to a Persona, please see [[Persona#The_Shadow_and_the_Truth|this page]].
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Exceptions to the above may exist for more powerful Shadows. Often, these are plot elements or other singularly powerful entities, and thus the scope of their powers fall outside normal concerns.
  
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==The Nature of Rumor Shadows==
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===Is there anything else I should know about Wandering Shadows?===
  
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Occasionally, two opposing stories about a person spread wildly within Sumaru City. Normally, this would hardly be cause for concern, but through the power of rumors and the nature of that city, both stories becoming true creates a contradiction which in turn produces an actual entity known as a 'Rumor Shadow'. A near-perfect duplicate save for several features which are 'off' in some way, a Rumor Shadow retains all that the original knew, but not their personality. A Rumor Shadow's personality may simply be a reversal of the original, or something else entirely, often relating to the rumors that spawned them. A good example of a contradictory pair of rumors might be one where a person is described as being a hero and a friend to all children in one, while the other rumor insists that they're actually a card-carrying member of some nefarious organization.
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Shadow-Possessed may control normal (not the more powerful ones touched on above) Wandering Shadows.
  
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As stated earlier, a Rumor Shadow knows what the original knew at the time of their creation. This means that they will know all about the dirty secrets the original might have kept to themselves, and may go so far as to air dirty laundry if it's sufficient to cause the original to suffer. Of course, they're also fully capable of lying if it suits their needs, but usually it's the truth that hurts more.
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==Personal Shadows==
  
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In some respects, they possess a similarity to the Shadow that dwells within all people. However, while inner Shadows likely consist of negative thoughts and repressed impulses, they are not inherently evil. A Rumor Shadow unambiguously /is/. Wholly malicious and filled with absolute loathing for their original, they seek to do nothing else but to erase them and take over their life. If they should succeed in this goal, the original will obviously cease to exist.
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===What are Personal Shadows?===
  
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If the original is a Persona-user, the Rumor Shadow will fight similarly to the person they mirror, even going so far as to possess an apparent warped version of their Persona. However, they are unable to change Personas at all or undergo the physical transformation other Shadows might perform. What a Rumor Shadow of someone who was Shadow-Possessed or who didn't possess a Persona in the first place might be capable is, for now, unknown. In all cases, though, it must be noted that it is '''not possible''' to reliably tell a Rumor Shadow from the original against the Shadow's will. Even ostensibly obvious physical tells such as the strange eye color can be suppressed or hidden, and resonance marks no change.
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Personal Shadows are similar to Wandering Shadows, save that rather than being collective pieces of an unknown number of people, a Personal Shadow derives from just one person.
  
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Personal Shadows reflect the part of the self that is unacceptable to a person. They have rejected it because it's repellent, or counter to their role, or otherwise something they cannot and will not integrate into their psyche. They are not evil in and of themselves.
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This is the Shadow that possesses a person during [[Shadow-Possession]]. Though it is not commonly known, this Personal Shadow is akin to the reverse side of the same coin as a Persona. A controlled and accepted Personal Shadow becomes a Persona, while an uncontrolled Persona invariably slides into Shadow-Possession.
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===Where can a Personal Shadow be found?===
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They are almost always found within the [[Midnight Channel]], after someone has been cast into there.
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The only exception to this includes the Personal Shadow which may also be encountered if they are produced by the psyche-splitting function of the [[SHU]] as one of the archetypes. These appear in a somewhat different capacity and will not be discussed further here, so please see the file for more information on archetypes.
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===Can someone who already has a Persona produce a Personal Shadow?===
 +
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Absolutely! Such victims will realize that their Persona has vanished as they wander the Midnight Channel. They will regain it once they successfully handle their Shadow.
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===What happens when a person confronts their Personal Shadow in the Midnight Channel?===
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A confrontation takes place where the Shadow airs out the character's dirty laundry and secrets, and typically this results in the character completely rejecting the Shadow as a part of themself.
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At this point, the character tends to collapse while the Shadow, gaining power from its rejection, goes wild and draws Wandering Shadows to it. A group is needed to defeat the Shadow so that the character can then conditionally accept the Shadow as a part of themself.
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If they didn't already have a Persona, at this point they will gain one.
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===What happens if a character doesn't reject their Shadow? What if they keep rejecting it after it's defeated?===
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A character who doesn't reject their Shadow becomes Shadow-Possessed, as they have unconditionally accepted their repressed self which promptly takes over. Shadows are not evil, but their drives need to be kept in check without being completely smothered.
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A character who continues to fail to accept the Shadow and what it has to say after it has defeated, they will not gain a Persona if they didn't already have one, and their continued repression of their inner drives may set the stage for eventual Shadow-Possession if it is not addressed.
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==Rumor Shadows==
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===What's a Rumor Shadow?===
 +
 +
When conflicting [[rumors]] spread about a person (or a group of people), both come true. This forms a contradiction, which in turn produces the Rumor Shadow. This Shadow is a perfect replica of the person the rumor was about, right down to possessing a dark mirror of the persona's Persona.
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In may respects, they are akin to a Personal Shadow, as they know what makes their original tick and what they hate about themselves. The difference is that Rumor Shadows are unambiguously evil, reflecting the evil potential in all people, and want nothing more to destroy the original and take their place.
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It's best to think of Rumor Shadows as evil doppelgangers.
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 +
===Can a Rumor Shadow be distinguished from the original?===
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Not easily. The only difference is that they possess red or yellow eyes, both of which may be suppressed at their will. Their resonance is also the same. They appear and function as human in every respect that matters.
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Typically, someone can only tell if their act slips for whatever reason, or if the Shadow wants to be detected.
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===What if the original gets killed by a Rumor Shadow?===
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They die. The Rumor Shadow takes over their life, and the character can no longer be played, removed to NPC status.
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===How do I create a Rumor Shadow for my character, and what does this entail?===
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First two conflicting rumors need to be spread. This can be handled however you like, but please +request to let staff know that you are planning to produce a Rumor Shadow.
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You will also need to +request staff to receive your Rumor Shadow. This is reflected by a separate character object from your character. It does not count against your alt character limits.
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After that, have fun!
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</div>
 
[[Category: Newsfiles]]
 
[[Category: Newsfiles]]
 
[[Category: IC]]
 
[[Category: IC]]

Latest revision as of 15:08, 20 January 2014

Contents

"Everyone has a shadow."

There are three types of Shadow on PersonaMUSH. They are:

  • Wandering non-sapient Shadows.
  • the Personal Shadows born from a specific person's psyche.
  • Rumor Shadows, which are generated by conflicting rumors.

[edit] Wandering Shadows

[edit] What are Wandering Shadows?

Effectively, they are bits and pieces of people's psyches, drawn from the Collective Unconsciousness. As such, they possess great power, akin to that expressed by a Persona-user or Shadow-Possession. They take many shapes and forms, all of which wear masks.

They are non-sapient, but hardly stupid. Like animals, they are capable of hunting effectively and often in packs, and their prey of choice are humans. Should they devour only the mind of their target, their target will succumb to Apathy Syndrome, while if they entirely devour their target, the person will die.

Larger Wandering Shadows tend to prey on weaker Wandering Shadows, which allows them to grow in power.

[edit] Where can I find Wandering Shadows?

Wandering Shadows are creatures most commonly found within the confines of the Dark Hour (wherever it may be) and the Midnight Channel. Please see those news files for more information.

Note that the masks of Shadows in the Dark Hour reflect the tarot: Magician through Hanged Man only.

[edit] Can my character talk to Wandering Shadows? Can they chase Wandering Shadows off?

Unlike demons, Shadows cannot be talked to and will not back down from a fight once engaged, though they will flee from stronger opponents.

[edit] What about more powerful Wandering Shadows? Do the things above apply to them?

Exceptions to the above may exist for more powerful Shadows. Often, these are plot elements or other singularly powerful entities, and thus the scope of their powers fall outside normal concerns.

[edit] Is there anything else I should know about Wandering Shadows?

Shadow-Possessed may control normal (not the more powerful ones touched on above) Wandering Shadows.

[edit] Personal Shadows

[edit] What are Personal Shadows?

Personal Shadows are similar to Wandering Shadows, save that rather than being collective pieces of an unknown number of people, a Personal Shadow derives from just one person.

Personal Shadows reflect the part of the self that is unacceptable to a person. They have rejected it because it's repellent, or counter to their role, or otherwise something they cannot and will not integrate into their psyche. They are not evil in and of themselves.

This is the Shadow that possesses a person during Shadow-Possession. Though it is not commonly known, this Personal Shadow is akin to the reverse side of the same coin as a Persona. A controlled and accepted Personal Shadow becomes a Persona, while an uncontrolled Persona invariably slides into Shadow-Possession.

[edit] Where can a Personal Shadow be found?

They are almost always found within the Midnight Channel, after someone has been cast into there.

The only exception to this includes the Personal Shadow which may also be encountered if they are produced by the psyche-splitting function of the SHU as one of the archetypes. These appear in a somewhat different capacity and will not be discussed further here, so please see the file for more information on archetypes.

[edit] Can someone who already has a Persona produce a Personal Shadow?

Absolutely! Such victims will realize that their Persona has vanished as they wander the Midnight Channel. They will regain it once they successfully handle their Shadow.

[edit] What happens when a person confronts their Personal Shadow in the Midnight Channel?

A confrontation takes place where the Shadow airs out the character's dirty laundry and secrets, and typically this results in the character completely rejecting the Shadow as a part of themself.

At this point, the character tends to collapse while the Shadow, gaining power from its rejection, goes wild and draws Wandering Shadows to it. A group is needed to defeat the Shadow so that the character can then conditionally accept the Shadow as a part of themself.

If they didn't already have a Persona, at this point they will gain one.

[edit] What happens if a character doesn't reject their Shadow? What if they keep rejecting it after it's defeated?

A character who doesn't reject their Shadow becomes Shadow-Possessed, as they have unconditionally accepted their repressed self which promptly takes over. Shadows are not evil, but their drives need to be kept in check without being completely smothered.

A character who continues to fail to accept the Shadow and what it has to say after it has defeated, they will not gain a Persona if they didn't already have one, and their continued repression of their inner drives may set the stage for eventual Shadow-Possession if it is not addressed.

[edit] Rumor Shadows

[edit] What's a Rumor Shadow?

When conflicting rumors spread about a person (or a group of people), both come true. This forms a contradiction, which in turn produces the Rumor Shadow. This Shadow is a perfect replica of the person the rumor was about, right down to possessing a dark mirror of the persona's Persona.

In may respects, they are akin to a Personal Shadow, as they know what makes their original tick and what they hate about themselves. The difference is that Rumor Shadows are unambiguously evil, reflecting the evil potential in all people, and want nothing more to destroy the original and take their place.

It's best to think of Rumor Shadows as evil doppelgangers.

[edit] Can a Rumor Shadow be distinguished from the original?

Not easily. The only difference is that they possess red or yellow eyes, both of which may be suppressed at their will. Their resonance is also the same. They appear and function as human in every respect that matters.

Typically, someone can only tell if their act slips for whatever reason, or if the Shadow wants to be detected.

[edit] What if the original gets killed by a Rumor Shadow?

They die. The Rumor Shadow takes over their life, and the character can no longer be played, removed to NPC status.

[edit] How do I create a Rumor Shadow for my character, and what does this entail?

First two conflicting rumors need to be spread. This can be handled however you like, but please +request to let staff know that you are planning to produce a Rumor Shadow.

You will also need to +request staff to receive your Rumor Shadow. This is reflected by a separate character object from your character. It does not count against your alt character limits.

After that, have fun!

Retrieved from "http://www.mysterymeep.net/mw/index.php?title=Shadows&oldid=12074"
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