Hunter's Shadow

Also known as the "Burden of Aziz", the Hunter's Shadow is understood to be the shattered essence of the Eighth Paragon, Lubor an Kaliset, which acts as a kind of spiritual parasite that latches onto the souls of those that it touches, granting them power but at an unknown cost. How widespread the Shadow is, and what its deeper implications may be, are poorly understood. It appears that the effects of the Shadow intensify as it accumulates within an individual soul.
Whilst the precise way in which the Shadow is propagated is unclear, it is known that should an carrier slay another being which holds a portion of the Hunter's Shadow, the killer will absorb the shadow of the slain. Carriers of the Hunter's Shadow are able to recognise each other on sight, though doing so is believed to be an active process - the carrier must actively look for the signs of the Shadow in order to sense it.
Those who carry the Hunter's Shadow cannot be affected by a Ceremony of Dedication; it is believed that if attempted, this would fail visibly and obviously, invoking the magical quiddity associated with the Paragons and the Fountain of Night.

1/12th

Whilst there are few outward signs that an individual carries a portion of the Hunter's Shadow, once one-twelfth has been collected within a soul, its effects become increasingly pronounced. The carrier of the Shadow stops ageing, their lifespan unnaturally prolonged by their proxy connection to the Fountain of Night; they also begin to exert a subtle but significant effect on nearby flames, which can be seen to recoil away from the host.

Type

Magical

Origin

Magical