The Shadow
The war between the Shadow and Aureon rages in all of us. Aureon’s voice tells us that we are stronger together, that it’s worth it to suffer for the sake of the common good. The Shadow whispers that there is no common good—all that matters is what you need and what you can do. Why should you make sacrifices for others instead of doing what’s best for yourself? Why should you give when you can take?
The Shadow is the Sovereign of ambition. Those who revere it view this as a positive trait; the Shadow will show you how to be the best you can be. But how far will you go in pursuit of your ambition? What—or who—will you sacrifice? Priests who embrace this aspect of the Shadow call themselves Mentors, emphasizing that they can show you how to achieve your full potential; others call them Tempters, as they will always drive you down the darkest path. The Pyrinean Creed says that the Shadow consumes the souls of those who fall prey to its temptation; a Mentor will tell you that this is exactly the sort of lie the Sovereigns use to trick you into following their rules. The Shadow is also the keeper of forbidden knowledge, of secrets you know you shouldn’t pursue. This includes arcane magic—granting powers virtuous people should shun (see the Forbidden Magic sidebar for ideas about this). Any spellcasting character could attribute their powers to the Shadow; a wizard might have been struggling with their studies, but after a sacrifice to the Shadow, they awoke with new insights. The Shadow can also serve as a warlock’s patron, likely in the role of the Fiend or the Hexblade. While the Shadow won’t interact directly with a warlock, they could receive visions like a priest; they could interact with a fiend who claims to speak for the Shadow; or they could be mistaken about the nature of their patron, and actually be bound to the overlord Sul Khatesh.
In addition to mystical knowledge, priests of the Shadow often know things they simply shouldn’t know—secrets that can harm people if revealed. Priests of the Shadow can sometimes be found working as fixers in the criminal underworld; how much are you willing to pay for the knowledge you seek?
Beyond all this, the Shadow is seen as a corrupting force that creates monsters, both figuratively through temptation, and literally—it is said to have created many of the monstrosities that prey on innocents. In turn, many monstrous creatures see the Shadow as their patron
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