A Vengeance Shadow is a phantasmagoric entity created by truly horrific ritual magic. Human vengeance, spite, and hate are timeless emotions that make the details of the summoning of a shadow as varied as the stars in the sky. While every culture has its methods to call the spirit, there are a few points of commonality. You begin by summoning a mass of pure shadow from The Void, pour every ounce of hatred, jealousy, contempt, and wrath you feel for your intended victim into it, then feed it a small amount of your soul and release it upon your enemy.

The summoning is never complicated; even the most ignorant individual can perform the steps necessary without assistance. Conversely, there are no known un-summoning rites and only a few temporary wards/protections which take a tremendous amount of esoteric knowledge and skill to perform.

The size and shape of the shadow vary based on the details of the summoning. The more negative fuel added to the rite, the bigger and more powerful it becomes. The average size seems to be comparable to the size and mass of the intended victim. More immense shadows have been known to break into multiple, smaller entities that seem to have their own separate consciousnesses and personalities. Because of the incorporeal nature of shadows, they can not be killed, just temporarily impeded or dispersed. The creature will avoid any light source and takes damage from sources brighter than moonlight. Because of this weakness, attacks during daylight hours are rare but not unheard of as these creatures are opportunistic, cunning predators.

The shadow will try to possess it's intended target at some random, unknowable interval until it succeeds. Once possession has occurred, the spirit will know the target's greatest fears and weaknesses. It will then proceed to torture the victim both physically and mentally for no less than 7 days. Destroying everything they hold dear as they helplessly watch from the prison of their own body. The Vengeance Shadow will use the bowels of the possessed person's subconscious to find a perfectly tailored demise for the victim. Upon completing its mission, it will unceremoniously return to The Void. If somehow the possession is resisted, the shadow will just try again but now will be armed with any knowledge it gleaned from the possession attempt. If somehow the victim avoids possession for 7 years, the shadow will turn on the summoner. While there are myths and legends of this occurring, no cases have ever been confirmed.