The Penumbra

The Penumbra isn't a singular place but rather a space of transition that is present everywhere there is light. Wherever the light from a Spire or Lamp falls, it creates both regions of illumination and encircling regions of shadow, where plants and animals grow sickly and stunted, and where travellers might fall victim to any Thramorri brave enough - or foolish enough - to venture out of the Dark. It can be difficult to chart the edges of the Penumbra; it grows and shrinks with the waxing and waning of the Spirelight. It grows deeper where the land folds and casts shadows of its own, and it grows more shallow when the land rises up to drink in the distant light of the Spires. The Penumbra is a hazardous place not traveled through easily, and those who do must always be on their guard. Even though the Thramorri are deathly afraid of Spirelight, they can with preparation enter the Penumbra for brief periods of time to waylay travelers for food, sport, or to be taken as slaves. In some of the more densely populated regions, the Spirelight is reinforced by rings of smaller Lamps set at the inner edges of the Penumbra. In so doing, the inhabitants of the illuminated lands can reclaim small bands of penumbral spaces, pushing the Dark ever so slightly back. It is a costly endeavour, and it does not destroy the Penumbra, it only moves it ever so slightly away.

Geography

The geographies of the penumbral regions are varied. They occur wherever the light from a Spire or Lamp grows dim. The deeper one moves into the penumbral regions, the greater the threat from Thramorri raiders. Once a person crosses the Penumbra and enters the Dark, they are at the mercy of the Thramorri.

Alternative Name(s)

Penumbral regions; shadowlands; borderlands; light's ending

Related Tradition (Primary)