A Fragment of the Codex of Shades, Found in the [REDACTED] Compound · 3:01pm Jan 10th, 2015
(from part of the Codex of Shades, reputed author the Imperator Sombros, last King of the Crystal Empire)
Many and multifarious are Those Who Wait in Shadow, and many and multifarious are the Gifts they give to the Mage who hath Ambition. There are the Great Night-Shadows, such as might be summoned only by the Greatest of Mages, if her heart be sufficiently blackened by the Hate which be the true source of that Power which Transcends the Flesh. Only an Alicorn -- or a Unicorn of Surpassing Skill -- might hope to Merge with Such and not be Instantly Subsumed. Such Symbiosis will of necessity Transform the Mage, for she will Radiate the glorious Darkness which is the Essence of the Night-Shadows.
Then, there are the normal Night-Shadows, whose Gifts be Weaker. Anypony whose Will be Strong and who leaves the foolish and thankless Path of Harmony may reap the Rewards of their Acquaintance. Any Unicorn Mage, or even a Pegasus Adept or Earth-Pony Priestess, may call upon Such and be Empowered. The Transformation will be less Obvious, though to any with Discernment, including a Mage of Harmony, the Transformation will be Obvious. Hence, One who hath Received the Gift must Avoid the Servants of Harmony, lest their Gift be Exposed to these canting and puling Foals.
But there also be the Least of the Night-Shadows, which are not even of the same Kind, and are scorned as Lesser Beings and mere Vermin by the True Night-Shadows. Yet do They have Power, when bound to a Pony who hath the Might to serve them as Suitable Vessel, and the Desire to Express their Essences.
These be the Shadow Vices ...
Notes: This is one page of notes we found in the walls. It's written on a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11" paper of the kind and conformation common to school notebooks any time over the last half century. Analysis shows that it was written in ink with a fountain pen sometime in the late 1480's. The translator is unknown, but whoever penned these notes did so from an actual copy of the Codex of Shades -- a book which had been banned for general distribution for over a thousand years.
I strongly recommend further investigation. Whoever wrote this was taking notes -- possibly toward some terrible purpose.
And we do not know what happened to the original.
You sure know how to world build effectively.
Very well done. The tone of it reminds me of some actual real-world 15th-16th century grimoires I've read. And I think I detect a hint of both Robert E. Howard and Lovecraft here.
You know, now I'm thinking: if you swapped out Night with Light, and Shadows with "spirits", how similar would that text be to one that could be read by a "good guy" in a heroic fantasy?
It's kinda chilling to think about :-/
Like...it's surprisingly simple to make a mock case for why one should or would want to take up dark magic :-/
2715173
Well ... it's written by King Sombra, so of course it would argue for it as a good plan!
2715175
That IS true. Still, it's entertaining to think about a world where the Shadows are brave resistance fighters trying to overcome the oppression from those evil Cosmic Concepts!
Huh. Cloud Kicker (?) can be a very diligent student when she tries.
2715620
Yes, she can.
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Actually I interpret her as a hedonistic supergenius -- and a failed heroine. Largely failed because of that particular piece of research.
2715702 King Sombra's destroying the world, and he isn't even there. Woohoo.