Gloom-Wraith

Umbra animata / “Living Shadow” / “The Cold Touch”

“Gloom-wraith touched me. Felt my life drain. Felt corruption enter. Escaped somehow. I’m infected now. Worth it to warn you: If you see shadows move alone—run.”
—Dying survivor’s final words

Quick Reference

Gloom-Wraith - Living Shadow

Description

Gloom-wraiths are among the most terrifying Rot manifestations—shadow-like entities that phase through solid matter, drain life with a touch, and corrupt instantly. Whether they’re humans who’ve transformed beyond Stage 4 or pure Rot-energy given form is debated by scholars. What’s not debated is that encountering one means probable death.

The creatures appear as humanoid silhouettes made of living shadow—darkness that moves independently, flows like liquid smoke, and trails tendrils of absolute black. They have no solid form, no physical substance, yet they can touch and be touched (briefly, fatally). Their presence is marked by sudden cold, by shadows that move wrong, by a sense of dread so profound it paralyzes.

They don’t have faces—just vague humanoid shapes with glowing eyes (color varies: green, red, purple) that float in the darkness where a head should be. They don’t make sound when moving. They don’t breathe. They don’t leave footprints. They simply exist in the darkness, waiting for prey to wander close enough to touch.

What makes gloom-wraiths uniquely horrifying is their malevolence. Other Rot-Beasts attack from hunger or instinct. Gloom-wraiths attack from something worse—they seem to enjoy fear, to savor the moment before the kill, to drain life slowly rather than quickly. Survivors describe feeling watched, toyed with, hunted for sport. The wraiths could kill instantly but choose not to. That’s somehow worse.

Physical Characteristics (If They Can Be Called Physical)

Appearance

Form: - Humanoid silhouette - Made of shadow/darkness - No solid substance - Flows like smoke - Constantly shifting

Size: - Human-sized (2m tall) - Can compress or expand - Shifts moment to moment - No fixed dimensions

Eyes: - Glowing (green, red, or purple) - Float where head should be - No pupils or iris - Track movement - Only “solid” part

Tendrils: - Trail from body - Darkness made tangible - Reach and grasp - Dissolve and reform - Weapons and sensors

Substance: - Shadow-like (not literal shadow) - Cold to touch (freezing) - Partially incorporeal - Leaves no residue - Dissipates when killed

Abilities and Powers

Incorporeality

Phase Through Matter: - Pass through walls, floors, objects - Not completely incorporeal (can be touched) - Selective solidity - Enables ambush from anywhere

Immunity to Physical Weapons: - Swords pass through - Arrows ineffective - Blunt force useless - Only special weapons work

What Harms Them: - Fire (burns them somehow) - Light (sunlight especially) - Holy power (constellation blessings) - Magical weapons (if they exist)

Life Drain

The Touch: - Contact drains vitality - Victim feels cold, weak, exhausted - Aging effect (temporary or permanent?) - Can kill through prolonged contact

Mechanism: - Unknown (steals life force?) - Victims describe “feeling empty” - Survivors never fully recover - Some age years in minutes

Effects: - Exhaustion (immediate) - Weakness (hours) - Aging (days to weeks) - Death (if drained completely)

Instant Corruption

Touch Infects: - Contact = Stage 1 corruption immediately - Bypasses normal progression - Rapid onset - Difficult to treat

Mechanism: - Wraith is concentrated Rot - Direct transfer - Overwhelming dose - System can’t resist

Survival: - Immediate treatment (minutes matter) - Sanctification (clergy) - Alchemical purification - Often too late

Shadow Travel

Teleportation: - Move between dark areas instantly - Range: Unknown (100m+) - No travel time - Appears without warning

Requirements: - Darkness at both ends - Line of sight? (Unclear) - Seems unlimited

Tactical Use: - Ambush - Escape - Pursuit - Impossible to corner

Fear Aura

Presence: - Induces profound dread - Paralyzing fear (some victims) - Rational thought difficult - Courage checks required

Range: 10-20 meters

Effect: Varies (some resist, some freeze)

Purpose: Psychological warfare (it enjoys fear)

Encounter and Survival

Warning Signs

Before Appearance: - Temperature drops (suddenly, dramatically) - Shadows move wrong (independent of light) - Sense of being watched - Dread (instinctive, profound) - Whispers (faint, Voice Beneath)

During Encounter: - Darkness deepens - Cold intensifies - Shadows coalesce - Eyes appear - Too late to run (usually)

Survival Tactics

Prevention: - Avoid deep corruption zones - Carry light sources (multiple) - Travel in groups - Stay in lit areas - Don’t investigate strange shadows

If Encountered: - Light (maximum brightness) - Fire (if available) - Holy symbols (minor help) - Run toward light - Pray desperately

Fighting: - Only if no choice - Fire essential - Holy power helps - Physical weapons useless - Expect casualties

Escape: - Run to light (they avoid it) - Drop darkness sources (torches out = death) - Don’t look back - Don’t stop - Pray you’re fast enough

Origins and Nature

Theories

Stage 4+ Transformation: - Humans who corrupted beyond recognition - Lost physical form - Became living shadow - Consciousness remains (malevolent)

Pure Rot-Energy: - Not transformed beings - Manifestations of Rot itself - Given form by Voice Beneath - Never were human

Spirits of the Corrupted: - Souls of those consumed by Rot - Trapped between life and death - Malevolent from suffering - Seeking company in damnation

Truth: Unknown (no one studies them long enough to find out)

The Consciousness Question

Are They Aware? - Behavior suggests intelligence - Tactical, calculating - Seem to enjoy fear - Malevolent intent clear

Were They Human? - If so: Horror (transformation is this complete) - If not: Horror (Rot creates intelligent entities) - Both options are nightmares

Related Topics

• The Hollow - Primary habitat
• The Rot - Source
• Stage 4 Corruption - Possible origin
• The Voice Beneath - Possible controller
• Incorporeal Entities - Nature

In-World Documents

Clergy Warning

GLOOM-WRAITH PROTOCOL

If shadows move independently: - Assume gloom-wraith present - Maximize light immediately - Gather group (don’t separate) - Prepare holy symbols - Pray

If it appears: - Do not let it touch you (life drain + corruption) - Fire is only reliable weapon - Physical weapons useless - Flee toward light

If touched: - Seek clergy immediately (minutes matter) - Corruption begins instantly - Life drain permanent - Treatment difficult

Survival rate: 20%

Prevention is only real defense.

Final Testament (Found on corpse, 285 S.)

To whoever finds this:

Gloom-wraith got me. Touched me. I’m dying.

Felt my life drain away. Felt corruption enter. Felt cold like I’ve never known.

I’m writing this while I still can. While I’m still me.

It’s in the ruins ahead. In the darkness. Waiting.

Don’t go there. Please.

It’s not worth it. Nothing is worth facing that thing.

I’m cold. So cold.

Tell my family I—

[Writing ends]

“Gloom-wraiths are proof that corruption doesn’t just transform bodies—it transforms reality itself. They’re shadows made solid, darkness made deadly, fear made manifest. They shouldn’t exist. Physics says they can’t. Yet they do. They hunt. They kill. They corrupt. And they’re nearly impossible to stop. If you see one, you have two choices: flee or die. There is no third option. Choose wisely. Choose quickly. Because gloom-wraiths are patient, and they’re very, very good at what they do.”
—From Bestiary of Horrors