SHADOWBOOK

Shadows are basically magical, nocturnal humans. Superficially, they look like vampires (and under a very strict definition, perhaps they are). They have pale or ashy skin, brightly-colored eyes (some of which have vertical pupils), and they have a very gothic aesthetic. But they are not undead, they are not immortal, and they're not any stronger or faster than normal humans. The basic premise of Shadows as a concept is the Jungian shadow complex, the idea that humans repress aspects of their personalities (emotions, desires, fears, impulses, etc.) that do not fit their image of themselves. Your Shadow is your own personal concept of the “other”— it is everything about yourself that you refuse to be associated with or even acknowledge, everything that society considers undesirable or improper, everything that you consider evil or sinful. I hesitate to call any philosophical ideal truly universal, but this one certainly rang true for me. Shadows are a race that apply traditionally “othering” concepts to themselves rather than their enemies. Their society subverts the values of contemporary Anglo-American society, making them a perverse reflection of it, just as any individual’s Shadow is a perverse reflection of themselves. To begin with, my Shadows look somewhat monstrous, but only enough to be uncanny. They have vampire-like pale skin, bright eyes in various strange colors (some with vertical pupils), and they are all nocturnal. Instead of clothing, they wear a magical substance called “folds” that are an externalization of the Shadow’s subconscious mind, and are the source of a Shadow’s power (functioning somewhat like selkie skins). They feed off the life force of normal humans, in small amounts, to thicken their folds and strengthen themselves. They use the pronouns “it/its” when referring to a generic Shadow, instead of “they/them.” In artwork, they depict themselves as beasts. They may speak of themselves in animalistic terms, call their bedrooms their “lairs,” and so forth. However, Shadows mostly live and behave like normal humans. From the perspective of other sapient monsters, like fairies and demons, Shadows are too human. They are humans playing at being monsters, humans that think that just because they are nocturnal and have some spooky magic they are somehow on par with monsters. But Shadows have a different sort of effect on normal humans than fairies, demons, undead, etc. precisely because they are so similar. They hit close to home, they’re personal, making them all the more terrifying. Astor and his father, the King of Shadows, will often debate about whether it is better to deliberately go out of one’s way to scare humans and make them question themselves, or better to befriend them and form advantageous alliances. The former is fun and satisfying, but tends to bring the torches and pitchforks, because humans don’t react well to being confronted with their own Shadows. Meanwhile, sapient monsters have gained more respect for Shadows because Astor’s mother, the Queen, is a dreaded sorceress. I think of the Queen as being like Maleficent, if you made her benevolent without changing anything else about her. Throughout my process of writing Shadows, I have taken traditionally “evil” aesthetics and tropes and simply made them not evil, without changing anything else. Astor looks and acts like a flamboyant classic villain — he swishes about in a dramatic black cloak, speaks in a villainous drawl (with an evil laugh), lives in a gargoyle-bedecked dark palace, commands minor demons to do his bidding, is bisexual and licentious, and is known to enjoy corrupting innocent ingenues like a Byronic incubus. However, this is all aesthetic. I’m writing Astor as an (anti-)heroic character, who never actually has evil intentions even if he looks or acts like he does. Similarly, Umbragard is a very gothic setting (the trope known as “Überwald,” after the parody of Transylvania from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld), a densely forested and mist-shrouded valley inhabited by all sorts of monsters, but the Shadows who live in it find it to be peaceful and beautiful. Umbragard’s society works similarly. It operates as a feudal-ish monarchy, which seems backwards and regressive in comparison to modern democracy. Its wizards practice spooky “black magic” in secret cabals, but do no real harm with it. Shadow religion centers around sinister-looking gods of madness and chaos and sex and savagery (inspired by the Daedric Lords of the Elder Scrolls games), but the gods are genuinely benevolent. Festivals look like Early Modern ideas of the Witches’ Sabbath, dancing naked around fires and screaming at the moon. Hedonism is considered a noble goal in life. Sexual norms are completely alien — most Shadows are polyamorous to some extent, and have no real concept of sexual orientation because it is a non-issue. Marriage is seen as a political or financial alliance; Shadows choose their spouses based on who would be best to raise children with and to help maintain property or businesses. One can always have sex with anyone else, after all. Astor’s court of noblemen and -women are definitely having debauched orgies behind the closed doors of the palace, but no one is particularly bothered by this. There aren’t many taboos (and the ones there are have to do with either consent or folds, mostly). Despite (or rather, because of) the apparent decadence and moral depravity of Shadows, they are a relatively peaceful people with a stable, functioning society. They value introspection and knowledge of one’s own desires and limits. Their rulers do not abuse their power. There is a remarkable lack of corruption, because Shadows literally wear their depravity on their shoulders as folds, displaying it for all to see. These social norms have mostly developed organically, but I have noticed how they all support the general themes of my novel, and destabilize the concept of “otherness.” I imagine a person with conservative “traditional” values, who is probably religious (i.e. Christian), who probably thinks that the nuclear family is the foundation of society as we know it, who perceives effeminacy as weakness, and who is horrified by any kind of sex (or discourse about sex) that isn’t straight and vanilla and strictly procreative. Such a person would look upon my Umbragard, my glorious gothic utopia, with abject horror. Umbragard is Western Europe (and the United States) with an “otherness” filter on it. It looks too much like you for you to make excuses. And I take a deliciously wicked pleasure in that.

Folds are what Shadows wear instead of clothing. They are an external addendum to the body and mind, an emanation of the soul. Folds are always unique, and as much a part of the Shadow who wears them as limbs. However, they can be removed and handled like actual clothing. Folds are usually described as being an externalization of the Shadow's subconscious mind, with their "fabric" being "woven" from the Shadow's desires, fears, impulses, secrets, and so forth. Whether this is actually true or not is unknown, but folds are certainly apart of a Shadow's being. Most Shadows develop them in an additional phase of "gestation" following birth, in which the baby Shadow is encased in a cocoon made from the mother's folds. The "flimsy layer" of folds develops in the cocoon. Opening such a cocoon is such a taboo that Shadows have no idea how this actually happens, with many assuming it is some kind of mystical process. Other layers of folds form gradually over time, thickening as the Shadow preys on humans. Folds disintegrate upon a Shadow's death, except for the flimsy layer, which becomes its shroud. They leave behind only a few wispy scraps, which the dead Shadow's relatives will lovingly preserve. Folds are the source of a Shadow's power. Without them, Shadows are severely weakened, unable to do magic or protect themselves from sunlight. Removing one's folds is not the same as having lost them -- simply being naked will not weaken a Shadow, because it retains its connection to its folds. If a Shadow's folds are stolen, however, or the Shadow is otherwise prevented from getting to them, then the Shadow is vulnerable. Most of Umbragardians' taboos revolve around folds. Deliberately touching another Shadow's folds without its permission is considered invasive, because folds are part of the self. Stealing a Shadow's folds while it is naked is unforgivable. Giving layers of folds to another person is a profound gesture of trust. Wearing another's folds is generally not taboo if that Shadow has given their folds to you. When "loose" or unmolded, folds appear to be robes that have been "woven" out of dark mist. Loose folds look like they are not entirely solid, and they aren't. Shadows will often mold their folds for the sake of fashion, but it is not considered improper to wear loose folds in public. Folds are multi-layered. There are three different kinds of layers: The inner layers are fluffy and blanket-like for insulation. The outer folds are thick like wool coats. In the middle is the "flimsy" layer, which appears to be a ghostly sheet of sheer fabric. This is the only layer that is waterproof. In general, thicker folds indicate that a Shadow is more powerful, but individual layers will vary in thickness from person to person. Regional differences also apply, for example, the folds of Windymere Shadows tend to be thinner to make gliding easier, while Ebonshire Shadows' folds are very thick to protect against the cold. Folds can be manually or magically "molded" into garments. Any sort of garment can be made from folds, but the garment will noticeably lack seams. Any apparent stitching is purely aesthetic. Folds appear more solid when they are molded. The base color of all folds is black, but most Shadows' folds will have a natural secondary color. The most common secondary colors are red, purple, blue, gray, green, and white. Folds can also be turned other colors by those who mold them. Folds are much softer and lighter than actual fabric, even when molded into clothing. They feel smooth, cozy, and sensual on the skin. To Shadows, actual fabric is stiff and uncomfortable. Loose folds often appear to float behind the Shadow when it walks, and Shadows actually can float or "glide" a few inches off the ground on their folds. Folds never completely lose their mistlike quality, but they do have weight, and thicker folds can sometimes be as heavy as velvet cloaks. Folds cannot easily be destroyed. They cannot be burned, torn, or stained. They can get thinner with time, weakening the Shadow who wears them, in which case the Shadow must thicken them by consuming Anima from humans.