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Shadix Who Dreams
The Gentlest Repose, the Lord who Slips Away [they/them] / N)
Portfolio: Souls of cutters who pass away in their sleep
Realm: Outlands / Underlands / The Silent Tomb
Alignment: N
This enigmatic psychopomp usher is a figure draped in mystery and nightmare-stuff. Shadix is responsible for escorting the souls of those who die in their sleep, a task that requires compassion and an unyielding sense of duty. These souls often awaken in the River of Souls in a state of confusion and fear, beyond the ability of even the catrina to handle. It is the role of Shadix to quell their alarm, guiding them gently but firmly to their destined afterlife.
The form of Shadix Who Dreams is ethereal, shifting like the fabric of hallucinations. They stand tall and slender, with a flowing, almost liquid-like robe that appears to be woven from the shadows of night. Their face is a blank canvas, featureless and smooth, reflecting the unknowable depths of the dreamscape. From beneath the hood of their robe, one can sometimes catch a glimpse of swirling, star-like patterns.
Their hands are elongated, with fingers that taper into delicate, silver talons capable of both gentle touches and sharp incisions into the veil of reality. The most sinister aspect though are their eyes—or rather, the lack of them. Instead of eyes, Shadix possess twin orbs of pure, glowing darkness that seem to absorb light and give nothing back.
Shadix has the uncanny ability to enter the dreams of those who are about to die in their sleep. They weave their essence into the fabric of these final dreams, subtly altering the dreamscape to prepare the soul for its imminent departure. They can appear as anything—a comforting figure, a guide, or even an old friend—always aiming to ease the soul’s transition from life to death.
Chant goes that Shadix is also responsible for dreams containing omens of death. This is their way of preparing the living for the inevitable, giving them a subtle nudge and a chance to reconcile unfinished business or come to terms with their mortality. Omens can take many forms: a shadowy figure at the end of a long hallway, a mirror that reflects an older, more withered version of the dreamer, or a clock that ticks down to the final hour. These dreams are not meant to terrify, though they often do. Instead, they’re a form of divine mercy, a whispered warning that the end is near. Shadix understands that the unknown is far more fearsome than the known, and by providing these omens, they offer a semblance of control and preparation to the dreamer.
Why does Shadix undertake their solemn duty? The dark is that they were once a mortal who met their own end in the peaceful embrace of sleep, only to awaken in the afterlife lost and terrified. Pharasma, moved by their plight, bestowed upon Shadix the duty of psychopomp usher, allowing them to help others avoid the same fate of having to face the afterlife alone and bewildered.
Source: Jon Winter-Holt, inspired by Strange Aeons — the Thrushmoor Terror p63 [PF1e]
Compiled by: Jon Winter-Holt—drawing heavily from Pathfinder 1e Concordance of Rivals