Shadow Walkers

Shadow Walkers, known as *Kage no Hokousha* in their native language, are a class of peculiars known for their ability to phase through terrain, travel through shadows, and create highly realistic illusions using the dark. They originate from Japan, specifically the Ishikawa clan, who have history from as early as the fourteenth century. Their highly specialized and conditional class of magic, while strong, is difficult to cultivate, which is mainly why the majority of Shadow Walkers have died out in modern day. While, Shadow Walkers are rare, there's been a resurgence in their population in recent decades, with more untrained Shadow Walkers popping up in different corners of the globe every year, and alerting the eyes of magical authorities and Ishikawas destined to reclaim their pride, alike.

### Abilities & Traits

There are three classes of Shadow Walkers: Untargetables, Illusionists, and Blinkers. They use different facets of shadow walker magic itself, and there can be overlaps between classes, but it's uncommon to see a Shadow Walker of more than one class.

* Untargertables
* Illusionists
* Blinkers

Untargetables are primarily known for their ability to phase through any sort of terrain, which is typically observed as "walking through walls" by anyone who has no idea what's happening.

1. Untargetables can phase through any sort of terrain, such as but not limited by: solid rock, stone, brick, cement, and plaster. As long as at the atomic level, the thing they're phasing too is mainly inactive (so yes, they could phase through lava if they so choose to), they can move through it. As a result, they cannot phase through liquid bodies, like water, because at the atomic level, water moves too much for them to phase through it.
2. Untargetables may remain "untargetable" or in terrain for as long as they please, as long as they have the strength for it. A good and well trained untargetable may be able to remain in terrain for hours at a time, while a new one may only be to stay in terrain for a few seconds to a few minutes.
3. Untargetables are unable to cast any sort of spells while phasing through terrain, as one could imagine, it takes the majority of their magic and focus to do so.
4. Untargetables tend to be intrinsically slippery people, who are hard to get ahold of, and typically run at the first sight of danger or conflict.
5. By contrast, since untargetables' abilities require the most focus out of the three classes, many untargetables tend to be highly disciplined and great at magic, due to the requirements to become an untargetable in the first place.

Illusionists are known for their ability to create and construct highly realistic illusions in dark areas. Illusionists can quite literally make someone believe they're standing at the edge of a cliff in the nighttime, or show them their worst fears, depending on the illusionist's skill.

1. Illusionists are able to create visions for a target if the target is in a dim or completely dark area. Illusionists are strongest in darker places, so the darker the area they and the target are in, the stronger or more realistic the illusionist can make the vision.
2. Illusionists can use shadows to create illusionary objects or people. This only requires enough shadow to create something that's equal in size to the shadow, but can only be maintained if the illusionist is nearby the illusion. The moment the illusionist looses focus or gets too far away, the illusion will disappear. The illusion will also disappear if the source of its shadow disappears (ex. a cloud moves in front of the sun casting the shadow).
3. Illusionists naturally tend to be deceitful people, though not necessarily devious. They're just not very straightforward and have a tendency to lie or spin things.
4. Illusionists are typically very creative and are great at visually things, as its a requirement of their power. If they can't visualize whatever illusion they're trying to create or vision they're giving someone, the illusion or vision will loose its power and believability.

Blinkers are known for their ability to travel in the shadows, or literally "blink" from shadow to shadow. They thrive at night, as it gives them easy access to move between places swiftly. They're somewhat argued as the "weaker" versions of untargetables, since they can still take injury while blinking, but there are many advantages to blinking as well.

1. Blinkers can teleport from one shadow to another, bringing anything they're holding with them, including people. As long as they are connected to said thing or person by physical touch, they may travel with the blinker.
2. Blinkers may turn "invisible" for short periods of time, by essentially blending in with nearby shadows. They are still physically tangible and can be touched while they're not visible, but this won't necessarily reveal them unless the blinker themselves chooses to become visible again.
3. Blinkers are usually night owls, just as a result of their magic thriving during the night. They tend to favor the night and the darkness it brings over all other times of day, and as a result, their biological clock adjusts to it.
4. Blinkers are typically quiet or invisible people, tending not to bring or draw attention to themselves when they don't need to. By their nature, they typically fly under the radar and are rarely noticed by other people.

### Lore

The Ishikawa clan is an old and tarried line of Japanese wizards, known for their proficiency at manipulating their surroundings. So much so, that they created an entire class of magic of it, that only amazed the European wizards that would come to trade. Eventually, these European wizards would attempt to document would attempt to document these *Kage no Hokousha*, shadow walkers, but many of their secrets remain untold. Now as the Ishikawa's magic resurfaces, wizards and witches of all allegiances are taking an interest, knowing that if they discover the truth behind this magic, they'll be unlocking an entirely new level of capability. The clan itself is over six-hundred years old, but the earliest records of them are from the fifteenth century. The Ishikawa clan are highly secretive and guard both their clan's secrets and the key to their magic with their lives, which is why they've avoided appearing in the records of history in whatever way they can. Many documents on them have been destroyed over the years, and the world's magical governments have limited information on both them and their magic. They do, however, know what this magic looks like, so there's been series of agreements over the years for these "shadow walkers" to be taken in whenever seen. It's part of the reason why many of the Ishikawa clan are not public with their identities, instead, hiding among the powerful and elite while carrying the secrets of their clan. To the modern day, the Ishikawa clan is radio silent, but the truth is, they've always been around all along.