Shadow

"Shadow" is a convenient term for the cause of the paranormal phenomena that have plagued our reality from time to time throughout history. Shadow is also the shorthand term for the home realm of these phenomena and creatures; such creatures or their descendents are considered Shadowkind.

The realm within Shadow appears to be centuries behind our own in terms of technology and overall civilization (roughly equivalent to the medieval period), yet far outpaces ours in diveristy of flora and fauna and vastly different from ours in familiarity and control over arcane power.

What the Shadow realm may lack in scientific progress, it more than makes up for through what can only be called magic. Some of this arcane potential has even found its way into our reality, spilled over from Shadow along with its creatures.

The reason for Shadow's rise and fall is utterly inexplicable; thus far, no intelligent force has been percieved to be guiding its ebb and flow. For all appearances it is a natural occurence between our two realities.

The only recorded Shadow phenomena in our world have been one-way intrusions, with the contents of Shadow's reality spilling into ours; however, it is the conjecture of some that the exchange works both ways, and inhabitants of our own world have been displaced into Shadow in the past.

Naturally, discovering the feasibility of this theory ranks high for Shadowkind bent on returning home. However, no Shadowkind displaced to our world has ever successfully returned to Shadow; or, if they have, they have done it in secret.