Radiance & Shadow

In terms of mortal understanding, Radiance and Shadow are the primary components of the Myst's reality. They were created with the intention of the two Idolons, who were influenced by the desired reality of the Myst. Reality is comprised of Radiance and Shadow, along with the balance that keeps them united, which was initially represented by the purpose of the Idolon Third.

Origins & Core Ideologies

According to Scionic tales, the origins of both as purposes and as materials of Radiance & Shadow can be traced back to the Myst’s own ideology of a balanced universe, it stems from rules desired by the Myst and set by the Idolon Third.
Haeis (Radiance) as the primordial purpose, represents set rules to live by and follow, it is what makes the Myst’s reality organized and to behave within its limitations set by the Myst’s original desires, accomplished by Third.
Whereas Vals (Shadow) as the primordial purpose, represents the randomness and chaotic nature of reality, all the things that cannot be predicted, lawlessness and freedom at the same time.
The Myst’s balance can only be achieved with both purposes represented, if one of them ever ceases to exist, the balance topples which would result in the Myst losing its set control over reality. This set control is not an active grip over reality, and it serves more like a roadmap to achieve the Myst’s “perfect universe”. Such a case (losing either Radiance or Shadow) would not definitely destroy the Myst, but would rather lose its original purpose toppled with the fact that if this were to happen, the path that the Myst chose to create a balanced universe would break apart, resulting in a universe that is no longer based on a set path or something that reality can follow through. Reality as we understand today, would follow an unpredictable path that would probably later lead to a Mystic catastrophe a lot similar to the results of the War of the Idolons.
To live with examples of the primordial purposes of both: Mortal concepts like definitive time, naturally endorsed cycles like how life and death works would be impossible without Haeis’ purpose (order, law, rules). However, at the same time, things like the freedom of an individual’s mind, general luck or the beauty in the randomness in the Nh’áhrean (Mother Nature) or in the life of every individual would cease to exist without Vals’ purpose (freedom, chaoticness, randomness, unpredictability). Therefore, the universe and Aesor rely on both Haeis and Vals, even though the Óhin’s narrative emphasizes Haeis' path. In reality, both sides of the coin are incredibly crucial for maintaining the world and the reality we know today.
As every mortal understands, Shadow or Vals today is seen as the most negative concept one could say or think about today. Mortal theories suggest that even though Vals’ corruption is something that every mortal should fear, in its core, it is still just the purpose that we mortals all require to live a fulfilled life, and it is within all of us. Which means, that becoming the evil corruption we identified it as, is only the result of the past mistakes of reality’s living beings, starting with the Idolons. According to academic assumptions, the Myst would’ve never wanted Vals’ purpose to represent corruption and the general evil, however Vals’ whole purpose indicates the possibility of such, since the complete freedom of a mind or soul bares its own consequences. If the Myst would’ve imagined Vals any different, we would not have free thoughts today. See Vals’ birth as the necessary risk the Myst had to take in order to achieve the seeds of free thoughts. Vals was never supposed to become evil, but freedom’s very nature is within the freedom of one’s choice and uncontrolled ambitions, thoughts. Without it, it could no longer represent the freedom we live today. Without the choice to become evil, one cannot call himself truly free and neither could Vals represent freedom without its own uninfluenced choices. It is the reason why Vals had the choice to pursue the path of greed, which if we call any different today, we’d be taken for heretics.
Because indeed, Vals did not pursue the path of greed and true evil, but merely followed its purpose and nature. Its nature in remaining uncontrolled and free, which obviously comes with its own downsides, being the exact opposite of Haeis made it detest Radiance, and vica versa. Haeis was in the same boat, created to represent its designated purpose but with the designated path of working with its polar opposite. This is where Third came in, to act as a mediator and maintain balance between the two. which if it wouldn’t have failed at its job, we would not be here today speaking of the War of the Idolons.

The Physical Matter

Now, we must differentiate Haeis or Vals as the purpose from Radiance or Shadow as the physical matter and marcritic energy. As of right now we’ve only touched their purpose as the first powers and creator components or beings of the universe, not reaching to what they stand for as mere sources and materials. As every other Ancestry and their corresponding Anchor (in this case Aysus), they develop accordingly to what living beings within reality use it for over years of use.
This effect is what caused both to be a very effective Marcry Ancestry in combat, countering each other all the time, because they were used this way for billions of years by the Scions (and the Idolons as well, though their case is a bit more complex). However, even though both were utilized in the form of combating their enemies, Shadow and Radiance developed drastically different over the many years of other uses. Aside from combat, both elements have been used to enhance their own side’s way of life and form the universe around them according to the two elements’ respective purposes.
Living with examples; Radiance, which developed and evolved under the use of the Scions of Haeis had taken an approach that focused more on defensive capabilities, healing and ways to fight the corruptive nature of Shadow. This is is the result of the fact that the Scions of Haeis had protected the Heart of the Myst from the Scions of Vals for billions of years, meaning that Radiance as a Marcry Ancestry had to evolve to the ways it was beings used. Or talking about its cleansing nature, which seeds from countering Shadow as a main goal.
With the case of Shadow, it developed at a similar pace but was beginning to take a form akin to a virus or disease, corrupting and infecting whatever it touched so that it could spread its own purpose. This aspect of Shadow had to be fought with Radiance, cleansing this corruption. Nevertheless, Shadow's evolution was a result of the Scions of Vals' inability to make progress in reaching the Heart of the Myst over billions of years. This led them to experiment with manipulating the minds of the Scions of Haeis instead of launching direct attacks, persuading them to join their cause. Now, in fact, this corruption was originally just a shift in purpose. It involved a Scion of Haeis adopting the principles of freedom and individualism instead of the structured and almost hive-like mindset they had adhered to for countless ages. However, despite the method being weaker than the mental resolve of the Scions of Haeis, Shadow was gradually transitioning from a mere change in purpose to becoming the corruption known as the Voice of Vals that people on Aesor recognize today.
Currently, it is truly fascinating to observe the extent to which the pursuit of freedom had to extend in order to have a possibility of achieving its objectives, which is why we still view Shadow as an adversary. The alteration in its specific approach to attaining the Heart of the Myst was pivotal. It is ironic that Vals’ purpose (Shadow), originally meant to symbolize complete freedom, has transformed into a tool of corruption that manipulates individuals into achieving certain goals through mind control. Despite extensive academic studies of history, biology and cosmology, scholars have come to the conclusion that there has been no similar shift in natural directives to date (that is why Vals’ mystic change is one of the most significant academic facts to this day, a shift in an originator purpose that should’ve remained eternal and unchanged theoratically). The desire to possess the Heart of the Myst so was extremely strong, that Vals had to fundamentally change its purpose and essence in order to obtain it. This quest for power was the primary factor that led Vals and Shadow to be associated with greed.
Theoretically, however, we could also state that all of this happened because the Scions of Haeis were fortunate enough to possess the Heart of the Myst first. Aesorian scholars have pondered this subject for ages, considering the potential for an alternate historical scenario. What if the side that had taken the Heart of the Myst had been Shadow from the beginning? Perhaps we would have witnessed Haeis' purpose change drastically and become morally corrupt. Even discussing this is deemed heretical by the Abbey of the Óhin; however, this is precisely why universities and academies continue to battle for their autonomy through research and publications such as this. They fight for the freedom bestowed upon us at birth, and indeed, the privilege that traces back to Vals, the arch nemesis of Aesor.

Morality of Radiance & Shadow

It is extremely difficult to differentiate between evil and good, to separate order from chaos, and to identify their historical "wrongdoings" because, as you can observe, the truth is not as straightforward as the Abbey attempts to portray it. There are always two sides of the coin, and while the Abbey deserves commendation for their efforts, their methods are too restrictive in terms of knowledge for those of us who seek it.
Studying and researching Radiance and Shadow on Aesor will always remain captivating, as we are essentially just a composition of flesh and bones with Radiance and Shadow residing within us. And like micro Ancestries and Anchors in each and every one of us, they evolve and develop based on what we do in life, leaning towards one direction or the other. Every day, we and everyone on Aesor are constantly balancing on a scale as we make decisions, whether they are small or significant. When you decide to assist someone in need, your soul aligns with Radiance; but when you choose not to help, your soul aligns with Shadow.
Defining Shadow and Radiance as evil and good may seem easier, but the truth is far more complex than a simple explanation suggests. Refusing to assist a person in need, as demonstrated in our previous example, does not necessarily constitute an "evil" act. Rather, it can be seen as a decision that prioritizes your individuality and freedom, affirming your ability to choose and exercise free will. It is a matter of perspective, and as academics, we strive to consider all viewpoints, even though we are aware that engaging with the Shadow can be risky. However, we find ourselves here, explaining to our fellow Aesorians who are eager to listen, the well-established truth about the concepts of reality and the world surrounding you, as we understand it. And the thing is, the explanations you have just received may seem extensive, but our assumptions suggest that they only scratch the surface of the complexity of the Myst. That all of this is just the tip of an iceberg, concealing the true intentions of Vals and Haeis, as well as the reality behind Radiance & Shadow.

General Information

Aliases - Vals & Haeis, Order & Chaos, Light & Darkness

Source - Myst. Both Radiance & Shadow are the materials of the Myst and have stemmed from the Myst.

Purpose - Both are the core essences of Reality and the primary purposes of all within the Myst.