Horrible things lurk in the The Other, the endless sea of shadow at the edge of reality. The shadow symbiote is one such horror. At first glance, these fiends resemble ordinary undead shadows. That's a mistake, of course—they lack the same sunlight weakness common shadows do. In addition, they feed of the despair and sadness they create and prefer to keep their prey alive as long as possible. Thus, they have more in common with parasites.
Shadow symbiotes latch onto unsuspecting creatures with the intent to infiltrate their lives and create dismay. A single shadow symbiote can attach itself to a young creature and live with it for decades before changing targets. During that time, the unfortunate host finds itself surrounded by death and bad luck. Once the shadow symbiote is gone, though, the grim realization of what's transpired finally sets in, often driving the host, whose life the symbiote shattered, completely insane.
Creature concept by Magnus Rock / Illustration by Nacho Lazaro