The Shades

"To be a Shade is to bear witness to the finest hour of a mans life: the end." - Azadeh el-Kalik, Priestess of Uion

An inclusive organization, the Shades follow the teachings of Uion ; they prepare both the soul and the body for death. A stereotype of the Shades is that they are cold, unfeeling, and distant people, but nothing could be further from the truth. Many family members find that when a Shade enters their home to soothe and oversee the dying, they comfort not just the dying but their family as well. A Shade assists the soul in coming to rest, settling each person gentle down for their Eternal Peace. Families have the ability to request a male or a female Shade from their temple, and many times Shades will come in pairs. Each place they visit is a melancholy; to be so warmly welcomed into death is a beautiful but sad experience for all involved. The Shades believe that their purpose in this life is to help others prepare for what comes after. Each Shade is trained in counseling, compassionate listening, and basic apothecary mixtures to ease discomfort for the dying. In addition to soothing and counseling, a Shade also writes down notes about the person's life, so that the scrimshander will have an idea of what to carve into their skull before it is placed in the temple, or given back to the family. The Shade will listen to deathbed confessions, pass on any legal documentation to the appropriate law offices, and summons the family when the time is close. Each Shade performs their duty with a sense of awareness that one day they too will need to be led into Uion's arms.

Tenets of Faith

"I lead them to Uion the same way I would want to be led; gently and with respect. Patiently, because I will be scared, and kindly, because I will not want to go." - A Shade instructing his trainee on counseling.

The Shades follow the tenets of Uion listed in the Scrolls of the Dead.