Forsaken Shades

In the realm of Tormentia the fate of mortals takes a chilling turn in the afterlife. Here, there is no ethereal paradise, no heavenly haven awaiting souls after their mortal journey. Instead, the land of Tormentia harbors a dark and haunting reality—the domain known as the Realm of Shadows.

In this unsettling afterlife, mortals have but two destinies. The fortunate among them simply cease to exist after their demise, their existence reduced to mere memories and ashes. For these souls, there is no torment, no suffering, and no eternal dread. They find solace in the embrace of oblivion, where the weight of existence is lifted from their shoulders.

However, there exists a more sinister path—one walked by those whose actions or fate have caught the attention of the Devil-King. These unfortunate souls are destined to become Forsaken Shades, wraith-like apparitions forever bound to the tormented landscape of Realm of Shadows.

In a world where the knowledge of this unsettling afterlife is far from a mystery, mortals tread carefully in life, seeking to avoid the attention and wrath of Mephiston. For they know that a single misstep or a malevolent gaze cast upon them by the narcissistic being could condemn them to a fate worse than death—an eternity as a Forsaken Shade, forever tormented within the shadowy abyss of Tormentia.

## The process

The harrowing transformation from a mortal soul to a Forsaken Shade is a nightmarish journey that occurs at the very moment of a mortal's death.

As a selected mortal's life draws to a close, and the final breath escapes their lips, one of the emissaries is issued to snatch his soul. This shadowy entity materializes with terrifying swiftness, it's presence foreshadowing the grim destiny that awaits.

Hovering over the dying body, the emissary extend it's clawed shadowy hands toward the departing soul. In an agonizing and grotesque act, they forcibly wrench the soul from the mortal shell. This torturous separation is accompanied by the mortal's final, anguished cries.

With the stolen soul firmly in it's grasp, the emissart wastes no time. It takes flight, soaring upward into the foreboding sky, As it ascends, it breaches the veil between realms, and in an instant, the ensnared soul is transported to the dreaded Realm of Shadows.

In the heart of Realm of Shadows, the Forsaken Shade awakens, consciousness restored, but in a state of torment and despair. They find themselves trapped in an otherworldly, nightmarish landscape, with no hope of release.

For those unfortunate souls who find themselves chosen by Mephiston, this brutal and horrifying transformation marks the beginning of their eternal suffering as Forsaken Shades. Forever bound to the malevolent whims of their creator, they haunt the shadowy abyss, yearning for escape and a respite from the relentless torment of Tormentia's cruel afterlife.

Eventually they become mad and mindless spiritual abominations, who are drawed to any life force they can grasp.

## Who is chosen

### Suicides

Mortals who, in the throes of despair, choose to end their own lives seal their dreadful fate as Forsaken Shades. Mephiston does not tolerate anyone who wishes to quit their suffering the easy way. So he is ever watchful for such desperate souls, claims them as his own at the moment of their tragic demise.

### Defiance against Devil-King

Those who dare to challenge the dominion of Mephiston, openly defying his oppressive rule, risk being selected for the grim transformation into Forsaken Shades. Acts of rebellion, defiance, or open opposition against the malevolent being's influence draw his wrath and ensure that the defiant souls are handpicked for eternal torment. Their punishment becomes a dire warning to others who dare to question Mephiston's authority.

### Ebony Eclipse

Within the depths of Ebonwood, an eerie and perilous phenomenon unfolds on certain moonless nights. These dark hours witness the emergence of rifts that pierce the veil separating the mortal realm from the dreaded Realm of Shadows. From these rifts, Forsaken Shades manifest, their insatiable hunger for life force compelling them to hunt the living.

Driven by an unholy instinct, these spectral entities pursue mortals unfortunate enough to remain exposed. Once caught, they drag their hapless victims into the gaping maw of the rifts. Here, amidst the unforgiving darkness of Realm of Shadows, mortal bodies dissolve into nothingness, and their souls are irrevocably bound to the realm, becoming Forsaken Shades themselves. Thus, Ebonwood becomes a sinister gateway through which the living are condemned to an eternity of torment.

### Dreamscape Passage

Dreams are not always a realm of peaceful slumber. Instead, they can become a treacherous passage into the dreaded Realm of Shadows. When certain mortals find themselves trapped within these nightmarish dreams, their fate takes a sinister turn.

As they wander through the distorted landscapes of the dream, the Forsaken Shades lurking within the Realm of Shadows seize the opportunity to ensnare their unsuspecting prey. When caught by these suffering entities, the mortals' very souls are wrenched from their dreaming bodies, forever torn from the realm of the living.

The unfortunate victims are left as mere lifeless shells, their physical forms extinguished, and their souls irrevocably shackled to the torment of Realm of Shadows.

### Handpicked

In the grim tapestry of fate woven by Mephiston, some mortals are selected for reasons known only to the malevolent entity himself. These unfortunate souls, perhaps bearing a potential threat to his dominion or simply caught in the twisted designs of the malevolent being, are marked for transformation into Forsaken Shades. Their lives and choices, known only to Mephiston, are a puppetry of darkness, leading them to a fate from which there is no escape.

## Notable forsaken shades

### Vespera Starweaver

Vespera Starweaver's fate as a forsaken shade was sealed the moment she attempted to outsmart Mephiston during the Ritual of Malicious Desires. Her desire for absolute magical power had driven her to seek the dark ritual, believing she could control the unimaginable forces it would unleash. However, Mephiston, ever cunning and quick to exploit the weaknesses of mortals, saw an opportunity to make her a subject of torment in his realm.

When Vespera performed the ritual, her wish for supreme magical might was granted, but it came at a terrible cost. She found herself engulfed in uncontrollable, raw magical energy that tore through her hometown, reducing it to ruins and claiming her own life in the process.

Mephiston, always vigilant for those who sought to bend his malevolent wishes to their advantage, took notice of Vespera's reckless pursuit of power. Her inability to harness this newfound might, resulting in tragedy and her own demise, made her a prime candidate for becoming a forsaken shade.

In death, Vespera's soul was ripped from her mortal form by an emissary and transported to the Realm of Shadows, where she would be eternally tormented as a forsaken shade. Her pursuit of power had not only cost her life but had also thrust her into an existence of endless suffering at the hands of the malevolent entity she had tried to outsmart.

Though she was dragged into this realm as a testament to Mephiston's cruelty, her spirit refused to succumb entirely. Through her magic prowess and shere willpower she was one of the very few forsaken shades who managed to keep their sanity despite all the suffering.