Enshadowed

### Origins

The Enshadowed are a relatively unpopular —though powerful and well-placed— faction within the Alka Alon. They rose up in response to humans gaining permission to settle on Callidore, and later rallied around Korbal in the Land of Scars, against the Alka Alon Council. After Korbal was defeated, several noble family lines were exposed as allies to the necromancer and permanently exiled by the Council. Their most identifiable characteristic is their abiding hatred for humankind. Also notable is, unlike most Alka Alon, they wear all-black armor and pride themselves on their proficiency in war magic.

### Purpose

The Enshadowed were a vocal minority among the Alka Alon, who passionately hate humans and were belligerently against them settling on Callidore. When the Council overruled them, they went underground, where they began undermining humanity’s success in subtle ways. It is theorized that —in an effort to cause a mass extinction of humankind— the Enshadowed were in some part responsible for the sinking of Lost Perwyn. At some point in their storied past, they allied with Korbal, an Alka Alon necromancer obsessed with the pursuit of immortality. Centuries after Korbal and his confederates were imprisoned, the Enshadowed began working with the Gurvani as a means to find and reawaken their old leader. Their faction taught the Black Skull priests many Alkan secrets, transgenic enchantments, and the art of creating irionite. Although their long-term goals are hard to guess, what’s clear is that the Enshadowed wish for nothing more than to upset the natural order of things and remake Callidore in their own image.

## See Also Lists

**Notable Enshadowed members:** * Brinthildin

### History

The Enshadowed are an extremist faction within the Alka Alon who believe in racial purity and despise anyone who isn’t an Alkan. Their faction is mostly comprised of Verseroti, but include Alkans from other kindreds as well. Though they view any non-Alkan race as inferior, they have a special hatred for humans. When Man first arrived on Callidore, the Enshadowed strongly and vocally objected to the Humani settling on Perwyn— but were overruled by the Council.

In the centuries since, they have contrived to create several scenarios of mass extinction to rid themselves of the Humani— but have been largely unsuccessful. Their plans have been thwarted by everything from blind luck, to the stubborn endurance of Mankind, to divine intervention and the physical manifestation of human Gods.

Their first acknowledged attempt involved the deception and manipulation of human magi on the island of Perwyn. After the sinking of Perwyn and the Inundation, humanity lost touch with their storied past and focused on their survival— while the Enshadowed waited, and planned.

## Overview

Fanatics that were outlawed by the Alkan Council and that have been secretly plotting for 500 years to raise their leader Korbal and rid Callidore of the Humani stain.

It was the Enshadowed that preserved Shereul's head in irionite and stirred up the gurvani, which had their own grievances against the humani, to start a genocidally war between the two. The Enshadowed would like to see both species cleaned from Callidore.

And during this same time the Enshadowed were looking for where the Alka Alon emprisoned Korbal, The Demon God of the Mindens, to set him free.

> *“You never were”, the Sorceress condemned. I think there were tears in her eyes. “Pain, hate, and order were all you ever wanted. And you admit you are cooperating with the Shadow? [Shereul] You despise the gurvani almost as much as you do the humani!”*
>
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Once Korbal was free once more, the Enshadowed rallied to his side. While still technically allied with Shereul and the Gurvani, the Enshadowed turn their attention towards reclaiming lost Anthatiel for their fell Master. They also take advantage of the brief period of inaction Tavard’s treaty bought them, and begin maneuvering within the Penumbra and Umbra to position themselves for an eventual coup against Shereul’s forces.

### Spellmonger's Honeymoon

During Minalin and Alya’s honeymoon, the newlyweds find themselves at the Tower of Refuge, where they submit to an examination by an exiled Alkan. Lilastien (or Elray, meaning ‘rebel,’) is despised by the Enshadowed for her affinity with the Humani— and they are disgusted by her supposed involvement with human divinities.

While Minalin and Alya are there, the Enshadowed —led by Brinthildon— infiltrate the refuge with the intent of murdering everyone inside. After a protracted struggle, Alya murders him in self-defense. In order to safeguard the Spellmonger and his wife —and obscure their involvement in Brinthildon’s death— Lilastien erases their memories.

### High Mage

While in the Alkan city of Carneduin, Minalin meets Kardoreth, the brother of Brinthildon (the Enshadowed Alya murdered at the Tower of Refuge during their honeymoon.) Though Minalin has no memory of the events, Kardoreth’s presence —and the covert way in which he sought the Spellmonger out— puts Minalin on his guard.

After a terse exchange, Kardoreth offers to buy Minalan's son for research, so he might untangle the secret of creating Snowstone. Minalan is understandably horrified by this offer— and, if not for a timely intervention by Raer Haruthel, their interaction would have likely ended in bloodshed. Haruthel informs Minalin that Kardoreth is part of a “damaged” family line, most of whom were exiled after Korbal’s capture and imprisonment. Kardoreth alone was spared that fate because of his young age at the time of the scandal.

### Enchanter

The Enshadowed forge an alliance with Lady Mask after her humiliating defeat in the Penumbra— and Isily of Greenflower. Ostensibly, it is a way to acquire more of the precious Snowstone, but in reality, they plan to murder Minalin and his entire family.

Initially, they approach Isily to aid in her husband’s attempts to recreate the ‘snow that never melted,’ but find a kindred spirit in the audaciously ambitious young Shadowmage. Despite her backslide into obsession and insanity, the Enshadowed find Isily a useful tool on many fronts.

Through an intermediary, they manage to secure a source of Snowstone outside of Minalin’s control, where they secure large quantities of it, both to aid in Dunselen of Greenflower’s research and help the Gurvani control their dragons. After Lady Mask is defeated in Rolone, the Enshadowed break into Minalin’s lab to steal his research notes and as many of the crystals affected by the Snowstone spell they can get to. Though Minalin manages to intervene in a timely matter, one of the thieves escapes with a satchel full of unique stones.

After the thwarted burglary, Lady Mask’s capture, and the Greenflower Mage War, the Enshadowed distance themselves from the Spellmonger’s affairs and turn their attention to their undead mastery’s recovery and the reclamation of Anthatiel.

### Spellmonger's Yule

Once again the Enshadowed attack the Tower of Refuge as soon as most of Lilastien's protections are dropped, due to her being paroled for ten years by the Alkan Council.

When the Enshadowed arrived, they had transgenically altered their bodies to be taller and more robust. Min and Sire Cei with the aid of some well read Trolls were able to quickly dispatch their would be gangly assailants.

## References

1. ↑ Mancour, Terry. The Spellmonger's Honeymoon: A Spellmonger Novella (The Spellmonger Series). Kindle Edition.