Looming Shade
Value: 9
Mysteries • Rats • Mirrors • Stone
Meanings: Terror, doom, impending danger, unseen threats
Ghosts and spirits lurk everywhere. Most never interact with mortals. Some shades, however, prey upon mortals, looking to feast upon their fear, their flesh, or their very souls. The Looming Shade is almost certainly such a danger. It is terrifying, but it’s not just idle fear—the threat is real. The best possible outcome you can hope for is that it’s not a horror that appears now, but is yet to come, so perhaps you can prepare for it. But readying for the unseen is always difficult. Even forewarned, how do you expect the unexpected?
Divination: Danger raises its head when this card is turned. This is a threat that comes from an unseen, unexpected quarter. It is the doom that lurks where one least expects it. Obviously, this card is always a bad omen. It really has no positive meanings.
Game Narrative: An unexpected threat arises. An evil spirit (probably a dead spirit) attacks a living mortal. An NPC is terrified of something (probably justifiably).
Joy: The PC recognizes an impending threat before it occurs, in time to try to prevent it. An NPC foe is terrified.
Despair: The PC loses control for a time, gripped in abject terror. An unseen threat harms an NPC ally.
Do not ignore the threat that lurks in the dark just because you can’t see it.