Speculum Umbra

**Speculum Umbra**

**(Plane)**

The Speculum Umbra was one of the first planes to be created. It was made by the Ancient Nothing and was made as a dark mirror for the root plane of existence. All planes made after this one also were represented in the mirror of Speculum Umbra. This plane has only a few names due to the fact it is known about by few people. It is called the Shadow World or Realm by many of the beings that inhabit it but it is also called the Mirror world by outsiders. The plane of existence has many laws in it that govern the existence of life. The native creatures of this realm are known by many names but each one was created as a shadow of one of the races created by the Elven. Life only appears here when life appears in the root plane. Life here however struggles for survival against even the plane itself. The shadow realm is known to be a place that monsters dwell even in the land and in the darkness itself.

One of the earliest forms of punishment developed by the Elven was to send criminals to this plane of existence as a form of exile and clean handed execution. The first Elven to be sent here became the father of the beings known as Shadow Demons as well as the first carrier of the plague of Vampirism. From the shadows came many creatures that found their way into our world but it all started with the Elven. The plane itself is both stable and unstable in that any time a plane is destroyed a section of the shadow realm is destroyed. The shadow realm exists as a perfect mirror of everything but life.

The major issue with this mirror is that it corrupts the image on the other side. The best example of this is that there is only one material in the shadow realm and that is a stone referred to primarily as Shadow Stone. This stone mimics even trees in its shape and form throughout the plane but its obsidian black quality makes it absorb light abnormally. IF the plane had a natural source of light the presence of this stone throughout it would cause the light to be destroyed against the rocks like waves defusing on a beach. The stone is considered as strong as a Divine Material but stands in its own category as a Planar Material due to the fact it has become the structure for an entire plane of existence.

The plane stretches endlessly unlike any other. It is by far the largest plane in existence and due to this has many different things within it. One trip here may have no encounters with life while another you could be swarmed instantly. The endless nature of the place makes it much harder to traverse for people as well. The darkness alone makes it dangerous that you might fall into one of the many ravines and even the locals do not know what happens to those lost to the darkness. The laws of 'space' do not apply here and traversing from planet to planet is a simple matter of walking through the shadows if you know how. If you do not then you too will be lost to the darkness. The stone that destroys light forms everything from the mountains peaks to the lakes of liquid stone.

To sum up the residence of this realm would be difficult to do but I will do my best to do so and then give a brief on what each of the residence are to the plane.

* Shadow Demons The shadow demons will need their own entry to really get into the meat and potatoes of the matter. But the general appearance of most of the shadow demons is similar to that of an Elf who has both a tail and wings made of the shadows that surround them inside the realm. Their true form is dependent on the Demon themselves but is often something more akin to a Balrog who is draped in shadows pouring off it like fire. The choice of form is rather small for them as the Elf appearance is closer to their original form as an Elven than what they became. The reason they survive so well here and are able to actually build cities in a plane without material is that they can shape and craft the shadow stone in a way none else can.
* Zroc'Onzu These inhabitants were created to mirror the ancient in existance. Each one was made for every ancient created. They are made as keepers to this realm and ones who protect it against any of the ancients being able to enter the Umbra. They are both the gate keepers and the key masters to this plane and are able to prevent the majority of the creatures in the plane from leaving. It wasn't until the interference from the Shadow Demons though that entities were even able to do so. Often they present themselves in a cloak of shadows making them much harder to see among the darkness.
* Shadow Beasts The shadow beasts are creatures that are made to mirror the living worlds creatures. The creatures range in size and shape but are generally only trying to survive. Many of them have been tamed and in some cases incorporated into the shadow demon society as low class citizens. The beasts themselves are often not any stronger or weaker than their living counterpart they just physically resemble the plane.
* Shadow Dragons Unlike their living counterparts dragons in the shadow realm are considered a manifestation more than an actual bodily being. They are what the locals refer to the land shark like creatures that live within the shadow stone. The shadow dragons cannot exist outside of shadow stone but they devour any and everything they can. The dragons grow in size the more they devour and there are entire planets that are controlled by them in this massively expanding plane.
* Shadow Fiends Similar to the shadow beast the fiends are images of living entities that have become tortured and lost. They sometimes obsess over their living counterpart and attempt to become them and in the process lose all thought aside from killing and taking over this beings life. Other times they become overwhelmed with the idea of being nothing but a shadow and become an abomination dead set on destroying anything it comes across.
* Shadow Enigmas These beings are like specters to the inhabitants here. It is said that they are beings from the ancient who crafted this plane. Their existence is a hostile one in most cases and they act like white blood cells trying to extract and destroy anything from the living world that comes to the shadow realm. The Enigmas generally are not seen until it is too late as they are nearly impossible to see if you have not spent your time here knowing what the various shifts in shadows mean. To the untrained eye they look no different from the darkness filling the area around you in this place.