Shade
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A Shade was a magic user possessed by a spirit or spirits, thus becoming a new creature neither human nor spirit.
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[edit] Creation
Shades were usually created when a sorcerer or sorceress summoned a spirit or spirits that he or she couldn't control, and consequently became possessed by it or them in both mind and body. According to Angela, some magic users willingly submitted to the control of spirits in order to gain greater magical power, thus becoming a Shade.
In Brisingr, it was revealed that Shades could also be created by a sorcerer summoning spirits into the body of another, turning the recipitant into a Shade. The incantations took several minutes and left the spellcasters vulnerable during the casting.
[edit] Appearance
Regardless of their original appearance, Shades became very thin and pale after their transformation. Their eyes and hair became dark red: Their eyes are maroon, "as red as wine" and their hair was crimson, "as red as blood." Shades resembled humans in other ways, with lean bodies "like a runner's, thin and compact." Durza, one of only two known Shades, was noted for his tallness, and also for his nearly "translucent" skin.
[edit] Nature
Since only an evil spirit would welcome the opportunity to enter and control the body of a living creature, Shades were altogether vile and cruel. Nevertheless, they were also intelligent and cunning, and skilled in magic and swordplay. They gained a reputation of terror and dread among humans as dangerous monsters and sorcerers: Reports of Shades disturbed traders such as Merlock, and it was said that "rivers of blood" followed a Shade. Soldiers were expected to attack Shades on sight.
According to Christopher Paolini, it was nearly impossible for a Shade to be good because of the inevitably evil nature of the spirit. He also commented that the personality of the product Shade was an amalgram of the minds of the spirit and the spellcaster.
[edit] Abilities
Once created, Shades were extremely powerful and dangerous, among the most feared creatures in the the world. In addition to sorcery, Shades were gifted with superhuman physical abilities, many times greater than the fittest humans. These abilities included supernatural strength, speed, stamina, pain tolerance, and unmatched senses: A Shade could see as clearly at night as they could during the day, track scents at great distances. Shades could also survive falls that would shatter the bones of ordinary humans.
Perhaps they're greatest ability was their resistence to death. A Shade could only be killed by being stabbed through the heart; otherwise, it would merely be temporarily disembodied, and would reappear elsewhere in spirit form before returning to a body, healed. This process was unpleasant for the Shade and extremely painful, but had no lasting consequences. According to Ajihad, Shades were actually strengthened from being disembodied.
All Shades could use magic. Usually only sorcerers became Shades, meaning they would already have experience in using magic when they came into being. It is likely that Shades would become sorcerers anyway after being possessed, because of the magical nature of the spirits controlling them.
Because they possessed greater strength and stamina than any human, Shades were more powerful in magic than human magicians, and were able to cast spells that normally only Elves could use, and for longer than a human without exhausting themselves. Shades were known to practice the darkest kinds of magic.
[edit] Shadeslayers
Shades were enormously difficult to kill. Only four people in the history of Alagaësia have ever killed a Shade and lived, and therefore been granted the title "Shadeslayer." Some of these few were Eragon, who killed Durza with some help from Arya during the Battle under Farthen Dûr, and Arya, who stabbed Varaug in the heart with some help from Eragon during the Siege of Feinster.
[edit] Known Shades
[edit] Known Shadeslayers
- Eragon Bromsson (human Rider)
- Arya Dröttningu (elf)
- Laetri (elf)
- Irnstad (Rider)
