A shadow is a stab of darkness in the heart of the light. It is the eternal affirmation of night’s dominance over the day. The brighter the radiance becomes, the murkier the shadow. And when that light fades, the shadows come out to take over, their sharp edges blurring into mist. Shadows can be your friends. A renegade soldier, pursued by Drakov’s
Talons, takes refuge in a stand of trees. A small child hides in a closet, as alcohol turns his father into a monster. The cool shade of a boulder greets a
lost traveler in the desert, and a few precious drops of water cling to the dark side of the stone.

Shadows can be your enemies. A frightened woman hurries home through the twilight, her pursuer’s unseen footsteps echoing from the dark alley where he parallels her path. A vampire billows from his hiding place, awaiting the end of sunlight. A party of pious priests walks though the Svalich woods, oblivious to the wolves which lie in wait beneath the trees ahead of them.

In the end, however, shadows simply are. Whether refuge or ambush,shadows hide the dark from the light. You have reached into the shadows and brought forth wisdom and learning. You have reached into the shadows and brought forth terror and evil. And, as day fades, and the fire burns down to embers, the shadows are reaching for you as well.
Welcome to the night, weary traveler.