The Unshient
The Unshient are not warriors, not beasts, not even entirely of this world. They are echoes, remnants of a forgotten epoch where reality fractured and bled into a realm of perpetual twilight. Legend speaks of them originating from the ‘Silent Fields,’ a place where sound ceases to exist and thoughts solidify into tangible forms. They were created, not born, by the dissonant harmonies of a civilization that worshipped the absence of all sensation. Their existence is a paradox – simultaneously present and utterly vanished. Witnessing an Unshient is said to induce a profound sense of displacement, a feeling of being simultaneously lost and found.
Their appearance is invariably unsettling. They are humanoid in form, typically tall and slender, draped in garments woven from solidified shadows. These garments shift and ripple even when there is no wind, and seem to absorb ambient light. Their faces are smooth, featureless masks, perpetually tilted in a silent expression of contemplation. Their eyes, if they can be called eyes, are pools of absolute darkness, reflecting nothing, absorbing everything. They move with an unnatural grace, gliding rather than walking, as if propelled by currents unseen.
Origin
The Silent Fields. A region where sonic waves cannot propagate and where the very structure of reality is unstable. The Unshient are fragments of a civilization that attempted to achieve perfect silence, a civilization that ultimately collapsed under the weight of its own ambition. They are said to be the solidified regrets of those who sought to erase all sensation.
Abilities
Echo Manipulation: Unshient can subtly manipulate the echoes of events, creating illusions or momentarily disrupting the perceptions of others. This isn't true magic, but a leveraging of the residual energies of past moments.
Temporal Distortion: Brief, localized distortions of time. They can’t travel through time, but they can briefly slow or accelerate the flow of time around themselves or a target.
Shadow Weaving: The ability to meld with shadows, granting them near-perfect camouflage and allowing them to move silently through darkened areas.
Weaknesses
Sound: Paradoxically, Unshient are profoundly vulnerable to sound. Loud, discordant noises disrupt their form and can inflict excruciating pain. Even a single, perfectly-pitched note can shatter their fragile existence.
Emotional Resonance: Unshient are repelled by strong emotions, particularly those associated with joy and love. These emotions create ripples in their solidified forms, causing them to unravel.
Obsidian: The mineral obsidian holds a peculiar effect on them, absorbing their energy and causing them to dissipate.