Difference between revisions of "Shadowling"

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{{Obsolete|PRNumber=17467|PRName=Removes shadowlings. Does not add anything else to compensate}}
{{JobPageHeader
{{JobPageHeader
|headerbgcolor = black
|colour = 222222
|headerfontcolor = white
|hcolour = red
|stafftype = EXTRATERRESTRIAL
|stafftype = ANTAGONIST
|imagebgcolor = #DDAADD
|img = Shadowling.gif
|img_generic =
Shadowbeing.png
|jobtitle = Shadowling
|jobtitle = Shadowling
|access = Whatever you or your victims had or have
|access = Whatever you or your victims had or have
|additional = Anywhere you can phase to
|additional = Anywhere you can phase to
|difficulty = Extremely Hard
|difficulty = Hard
|superior = None
|superior = None. Thralls just need to obey the Shadowlings.
|duties = Enslave the filthy humans, ascend and play God.
|duties = Enthrall the crew, ascend and become akin to a God.
|guides = This is the guide
|guides = No external guides.
}}
}}
{{JobAntag}}


Please note that Shadowlings are currently in a testing stage on Paradise, and are currently not in the secret rotation.
'''Shadowlings''' are light-sensitive xenoform alien creatures from space. They are mainly defensive, but can 'enthrall' crew, taking control of their minds by a tumor on their brain. Shadowlings start off disguised as a normal crewman but they have to take time to 'hatch' to unlock their powers.


Shadowlings are light-sensitive alien creatures from space. They are mainly defensive, but can 'enthrall' humans, which is basically a euphemism for enslavement of their minds. They start off disguised as a normal crewman (they can still enthrall like this!) but they have to take time to 'hatch' to unlock their full potential.
When hatched, shadowlings will resemble humans with black skin, small horns, red eyes, and claws.
While hatched, shadowlings will resemble humans with black skin, small horns, red eyes, and claws.


Until they ascend, of course.
'''Until they ascend''', of course.


==Shadowling Abilities==
==Shadowling Abilities==
Shadowlings have quite a few tricks up their sleeve, from vanishing to freezing the air around them. Below is a list of abilities that shadowlings can use.
Shadowlings have quite a few tricks up their sleeve, from vanishing to freezing the air around them. Below is a list of abilities that shadowlings can use.


{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"
{| class="wikitable" width="80%" style="background-color: #DBCBDB;"
! style='background-color:#DDAADD;' width='150px'|Name
|- style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center; background-color: #A06DA0;"
! style='background-color:#DDAADD;' width='150px'|Requirements
| style="width: 150pt; center;" |Name
! style='background-color:#DDAADD;' width='150px'|Cooldown
| style="width: 100pt; center;" |Requirements
! style='background-color:#DDAADD;' width='150px'|Description
| style="width: 50pt; center;|Cooldown
|                              |Description
|-
|-
!Hatch
!Hatch
[[File:Hatch.png]]
|N/A
|N/A
|N/A
|N/A
Line 37: Line 38:
|-
|-
!Enthrall
!Enthrall
|N/A
[[File:Enthrall.png]]
|45 seconds
|Hatched
|Of course, shadowlings are weak. They can easily be killed by a lightbulb. So, how does it fend off attackers? By enslaving them, like any good alien should! By getting close and rearranging the memories, motives, and physical form of the target, the target will become a "thrall", bound to the shadowling completely and utterly. Thralls can empower the shadowling with their own life force in addition to sharing a telepathic link with them and all other thralls.
|0s
 
|Of course, shadowlings are weak. They can easily be killed by a lightbulb. So, how does it act without risking itself? Entrallment! By getting close and rearranging the memories, motives, and physical form of the target, the target will become a "thrall", bound to the shadowling completely and utterly. Thralls can empower the shadowling with their own life force in addition to sharing a telepathic link with them and all other thralls. Be aware that mindshield implants make crew immune to this ability.
They have been known to drop dead in unusual circumstances.
|-
!Hivemind Commune
|N/A
|2.5 seconds
|Shadowlings and thralls share a telepathic link through which they can communicate silently, undetectably, and at zero cost or cooldown. There may be ways to discern this behavior, but it is unlikely and for now all you can do is simply let their words flow past you.
|-
|-
!Glare
!Glare
|Hatch required
[[File:Glare.png]]
|30 seconds
|Hatched
|Glare is a basic single-target stun. By forcing the target's gaze into its own, the shadowling can mesmerize a target for quite some time in addition to muting them.
|30s
|Glare is a basic single-target stun. It's effectiveness depends on the distance to a target. The further the target is, the shorter stun target gets and there will be a longer delay before stun kicks in. Target will also be slowed and muted even before stun takes effect. Targets glared right next to the Shadowling are stunned and muted without any further delay for a maximum duration. (WARNING: This Ability will bring up a menu, does not work as an area of effect but instead as a targeted ability)
|-
|-
!Veil
!Veil
|Hatch required
[[File:Veil.png]]
|25 seconds
|Hatched
|Veil instantly puts out all light sources, mobile or otherwise, near the shadowling. They can easily be repaired, turned back on, or simply replaced. Rumor has it that some slime extracts have shown resistance to this, as well as fire-based light and glowshrooms.
|15s
|Veil instantly puts out all electrical light sources, mobile or otherwise, near the shadowling. They can easily be repaired, turned back on, or simply replaced. Some slime extracts have shown resistance to this, as well as fire-based light.
|-
|-
!Shadow Walk
!Shadow Walk
|Hatch required
[[File:Shadow_walk.png]]
|1 minute
|Hatched
|30s
|Shadow Walk lets the shadowling briefly enter the space between worlds to escape attackers. For four seconds, the shadowling will be invisible, move quickly, and be able to phase through all obstacles. Unlike the wizard's jaunting, holy water does not have an effect on this.  
|Shadow Walk lets the shadowling briefly enter the space between worlds to escape attackers. For four seconds, the shadowling will be invisible, move quickly, and be able to phase through all obstacles. Unlike the wizard's jaunting, holy water does not have an effect on this.  
|-
|-
!Flash Freeze
!Icy Veins
|Hatch required
[[File:Icy_veins.png]]
|2 minutes
|Hatched
|Flash Freeze is a formidable crowd control ability. Everyone within a short range will instantly have their body temperature reduced to freezing in addition to having it continuously lowered, similar to a cryogenic sting. Targets will also be briefly stunned.
|25s
|Icy Veins is a formidable crowd control ability. Everyone within a short range will instantly have their body temperature reduced to freezing in addition to having it continuously lowered, similar to a [[Changeling#Cryogenic_Sting|
cryogenic sting]]. Targets will also be briefly stunned.
|-
|-
!Collective Mind
!Collective Mind
|Hatch required
[[File:Collective_mind.png]]
|30 seconds
|Hatched
|30s
|Shadowlings can draw upon the power of their thralls to enter a state of almost unstoppable power. Collective Mind lets them gain that ability - they send out mental "hooks" that latch onto the minds of their thralls, mainly a head-count, if you will. If there's enough (currently it is believed to be 15 thralls) then they will gain various abilities in addition to the ability to ascend with enough.
|Shadowlings can draw upon the power of their thralls to enter a state of almost unstoppable power. Collective Mind lets them gain that ability - they send out mental "hooks" that latch onto the minds of their thralls, mainly a head-count, if you will. If there's enough (currently it is believed to be 15 thralls) then they will gain various abilities in addition to the ability to ascend with enough.
|-
|-
!Blindness Smoke
!Rapid Re-Hatch
|Hatch required + 3 Thralls
[[File:Rehatch.png]]
|1 minute
|Hatched
|By regurgitating a cloud of black smoke, shadowlings can disorient pursuers. This smoke will induce blindness in non-shadowlings, but heal shadowlings and thralls.
|60s
|Allows the shadowling to rapidly rejuvenate their genetic material, removing any cloning damage and DNA defects that might have been the result of cloning or more creative of the weapons used by the crew.
|-
|-
!Drain Thralls
!Destroy Engines
|Hatch required + 5 Thralls
[[File:Destroy_engines.png]]
|10 seconds
|Hatched
|The shadowling will drain the life of all nearby thralls to heal for 25 brute and 25 burn. Damage dealt to thralls is split between all affected by the ability.
|N/A
|A one-time use ability, you can delay the shuttle from arriving by 10 minutes by sacricifing non-ally target. Useful for giving yourself that extra little time getting the final thralls.
|-
|-
!Sonic Screech
!Sonic Screech
|Hatch required + 7 Thralls
[[File:Screech.png]]
|30 seconds
|Hatched + 3 Thralls
|30s
|The shadowling can let out a piercing screech. This will confuse and deafen nearby humans, damage windows, and stun silicons.
|The shadowling can let out a piercing screech. This will confuse and deafen nearby humans, damage windows, and stun silicons.
|-
|-
!Spatial Relocation
!Blindness Smoke
|Hatch required + 10 Thralls
[[File:Blind_smoke.png]]
|5 minutes
|Hatched + 5 Thralls
|The shadowling instantly swaps places with any thrall in the world. Both parties are stunned for a brief duration.
|60s
|By regurgitating a cloud of black smoke, shadowlings can disorient pursuers. This smoke will induce blindness in non-shadowlings, but heal shadowlings and thralls.
|-
!Null Charge
[[File:Drain_life.png]]
|Hatched + 7 Thralls
|60s
|This ability will send an APC battery to the void, preventing it from recharging or sending power until it is repaired. Shadowling must stand still next to the APC without interruption for a good moment, or the whole process will fail and APC will immediately repower.
|-
!Black Recuperation
[[File:Revive_thrall.png]]
|Hatched + 9 thralls
|60s
|This ability allows you to either bring back a dead thrall to life or empower a living thrall, making them a Lesser Shadowling, making their abilities more powerful.
|-
|-
!Ascendance
!Ascendance
|Hatch required + 15 Thralls
[[File:Ascend.png]]
|Hatched + 20 Thralls
|N/A
|N/A
|Shadowlings gain the ability to 'ascend'. ''Very'' little is known about this process, only that they become nigh-invincible, they gain terrifying new powers, and it is a process similar to hatching but without the protection of a chrysalis.
|Shadowlings gain the ability to 'ascend'. ''Very'' little is known about this process, only that they become nigh-invincible, they gain terrifying new powers, and it is a process similar to hatching but without the protection of a chrysalis.
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|-
|-
!Annihilate
!Annihilate
|Ascendant only
[[File:Annihilate.png]]
|30 seconds
|Ascendant
|30s
|Ascendants, with extremely high telekinetic abilities, can easily cause someone's entire body to explode simply by directing a lance of mental energy at them.
|Ascendants, with extremely high telekinetic abilities, can easily cause someone's entire body to explode simply by directing a lance of mental energy at them.
|-
|-
!Hypnosis
!Hypnosis
|Ascendant only
[[File:Enthrall.png]]
|45 seconds
|Ascendant
|45s
|Ascendants can enthrall from a range and with extremely increased speed. Basically, it's a ranged and instant version of enthrall.
|Ascendants can enthrall from a range and with extremely increased speed. Basically, it's a ranged and instant version of enthrall.
|-
|-
!Plane Shift
!Plane Shift
|Ascendant only
[[File:Shadow_walk.png]]
|N/A, toggleable
|Ascendant
|Toggle
|An upgraded version of Shadow Walk, ascendants can simply enter the space between worlds at will at no cost. They use them as passageways, able to move from place to place extremely quickly.  
|An upgraded version of Shadow Walk, ascendants can simply enter the space between worlds at will at no cost. They use them as passageways, able to move from place to place extremely quickly.  
|-
|-
!Glacial Blast
!Lightning Storm
|Ascendant only
[[File:Lightning_storm.png]]
|1 minute
|Ascendant
|An upgraded version of Flash Freeze. It will stun for far longer, bring body temperatures to the point of no recovery, and almost instantly put people into near-critical condition from frost burns. Similar to its weak version, it does not affect thralls.
|10s
|Ascendants collect a ball of seething energy and then release it, shocking everyone in a radius around them.
|-
|-
!Vortex
!Ascendant Broadcast
|Ascendant only
[[File:Transmit.png]]
|2 minutes
|Ascendant
|Earlier it was mentioned that ascendants can use the space between worlds very easily. They can also do this offensively by simply tearing open a hole to this space. Anyone who steps into this hole will simply vanish into this space, never to be seen again. '''It is thought that this includes the ascendant, as they have been seen avoiding the portals they create.'''
|20s
|This ability allows for a broadcasted message that is very, very hard to miss.
|-
|-
|}
|}


==AAAAAAAAAA I'M A SHADOWLING WHAT DO==
==I appear to be a Shadowling. What do I do?==
So you're a shadowling. Congratulations! Here's some pointers on how not to die from a lightbulb within thirty seconds.
So you're a disguised Shadowling. Congratulations! Here're some pointers on how to play this role successfully.
 
===Starting Off===
===Starting Off===
You're disguised. You don't take any damage from lights and you are undetectable to any means short of godly intervention. You possess three abilities: Hatch, Enthrall, and Hivemind Commune. First off, send a message or two over the hivemind to see if you have any buddies - chances are high that you do. Assess your job's capabilities. Are you the captain? Feel free to grab some stun stuff to arrest people and then enthrall them - same goes if you're an officer or something. Are you an engineer? Build a stunprod and use that as well. Are you the clown? You're not clumsy, so use your banana peel to cablecuff people and do it too. Are you an assistant? Make use of the environment, using things like tables to stun or hinder people.
You're disguised. You don't take any damage from lights and you are undetectable by any means short of godly intervention. Your only ability currently is being able to communicate using the shadowling hivemind (:8). First off, send a message or two over the hivemind to see if you have any buddies - chances are high that you do. Assess your job's capabilities. Take advantage of the position you're in, coming back to your workplace later will be almost impossible. Grab equipment that will help you tie people up while you enthrall them. There are a lot of options.


There are multiple things to do from the start. Hatching immediately can work since you can easily enthrall people who rush into maintenance early for various goodies, or you can play it safe and try to get some thralls before that. It's up to you - you're the alien monster, after all.
===Post-Hatch===
===Post-Hatch===
So you've hatched. You have the rest of your abilities now - use them! Alert your fellow shadowlings (and thralls) that you're hatched over the hivemind, and make more thralls your first priority. You can't wear normal clothes, but you can still put on backpacks and headsets, which is an extremely good idea. If you're discovered by a group of people, use your defensive abilities to escape in addition to your thralls. If a single guy sees you, just glare at him, slap some cablecuffs on if you have them, take away his headset, and enthrall him. People who you enthrall '''cannot be turned back under any means''' and their new loyalty to you overrides all else. If you enthrall a nuclear operative somehow, they will serve you over their Syndicate friends. If you enthrall the captain, he will do much the same.
So you've hatched. You have all of your proper abilities now - use them! Alert your fellow shadowlings (and thralls) that you're hatched over the hivemind, and make more thralls your first priority. You can't wear normal clothes, but you can still put on backpacks and headsets, which is an extremely good idea. If you're discovered by a group of people, use your defensive abilities to escape in addition to your thralls. If a single guy sees you, just glare at him, slap some cablecuffs on if you have them, take away his headset, and enthrall him. People who you enthrall can only be turned back through [[Surgery]] and their new loyalty to you overrides all else. If you enthrall a [[Nuclear Agent|Nuclear Operative]] somehow, they will serve you over their Syndicate friends. If you enthrall the Captain, he will do much the same.
 
Your priority is to gain fifteen thralls. You have the Collective Mind ability which will, after a short time, give you a count of how many thralls you have as well as the needed amount for Ascendance. If you get fifteen thralls, use the ability and it will give you the Ascendance ability in a new tab. Simply use that ability and you've won - no need to escape on the shuttle!


Your priority is to gain fifteen thralls. You have the Collective Mind ability which will, after a short time, give you a count of how many thralls you have as well as the needed amount for ascendance. If you get fifteen thralls, use the ability and it will give you the Ascendance ability in a new tab. Simply use that ability and you've won - no need to escape on the shuttle!
===The Light and You===
===The Light and You===
While hatched, the light is your worst enemy. You take extreme damage from even being in it, and burn-based stuff like flashbangs, welders, and lasers all hit harder. However, on the other side of the coin, the ''darkness'' is extremely beneficial. All wounds will heal. You will have a stun reduction. You have night vision and thermal vision as well, so not being in the darkness at all is a huge downside to everything about you. Use the darkness as your buddy in times hard and easy. The darkness will always give you a shoulder to cry on. He's a bro like that.
While hatched, the light is your worst enemy. You take extreme damage from even being in it, and burn-based stuff like flashbangs, welders, and lasers all hit harder. However, on the other side of the coin, the darkness is extremely beneficial. All wounds will heal, and you gain a stun reduction, night vision and thermal vision as well. Use the darkness as your buddy in times hard and easy. The darkness will always give you a shoulder to cry on. He's a bro like that.
 


==AAAAAAAAAA I'M A THRALL WHAT DO [[File:Shadowling_huds.png]]==
==Alright, a Shadowling got me. What do I do?[[File:Shadowling_huds.png|32px]]==
So a shadowling mesmerized you by staring into your eyes (lewd) and now you're a thrall! What this means is that your primary goal and objective is to obey the shadowlings and help them at all costs. If you look in your tabs, you have a new one, Shadowling Abilities. In this tab is the Hivemind Commune ability, which lets you communicate on a silent channel with all other thralls and shadowlings. You're basically an [[Adamantine Golem]] in terms of where your loyalties lie -- utterly with the shadowlings. Loyalty implanted? Not anymore, the nanobots are dead. Wizard? Use your spells to help the shadowling. Traitor? Tough titty, if the shadowling wants your uplink you give it to him with zero questions asked. You have no free will.
So a Shadowling mesmerized you by staring into your eyes and now you're a thrall! What this means is that your primary goal and objective is to obey the shadowlings and help them at all costs. If you look in your tabs, you have a new one, Shadowling Abilities. In this tab is the Hivemind Commune ability, which lets you communicate on a silent channel with all other thralls and shadowlings. You can also communicate with the hivemind by using the :8 channel. You're basically an Adamantine Golem in terms of where your loyalties lie—utterly with the shadowlings. If the Shadowling wants you to march to your death, you do. You no longer have a choice.


Keep in mind that many of the shadowling's abilities rely on damaging or manipulating you. Even by helping the shadowlings accomplish their one objective, you are sentencing yourself completely and utterly to death - there is no way around it. You may find yourself drained of half your life, used as bait, used as a bodyguard, or suddenly surrounded in the middle of a maintenance tunnel by Security officers who are trying to cave your chest in. Assume you're going to die because you are and there's no way around it.
Keep in mind that many of the Shadowling's abilities rely on damaging or manipulating you. Even by helping the shadowlings accomplish their one objective, you are sentencing yourself completely and utterly to death - there is no way around it. You may find yourself drained of half your life, used as bait, used as a bodyguard, or suddenly surrounded in the middle of a maintenance tunnel by Security officers who are trying to cave your chest in. Assume you're going to die because you are and there's no way around it.


As of right now, thralls cannot currently see in the dark as shadowlings can. That means you have to use your lights in the dark areas, so make sure you don't accidentally make a Kentucky Fried Shadowling with your PDA light. You do have one advantage, however: stealth. Short of attempting to loyalty implant you, there is zero way of finding out that you're a thrall. Use this to your advantage to do things for your masters. Keep in touch often.
As a Thrall, your Darksight ability isn't as powerful as a Shadowling's, so you have to utilize a light - remember that you can kill your Masters with even your PDA light. You do have one advantage, however: stealth. It is very difficult to tell you are a Thrall without a [[Implants|Loyalty Implant]], exploratory [[Surgery]], or if you wear a mask. Use this to your advantage to do things for your Masters. Always stay in touch.


Finally, you also have a HUD indicator above your head. A more intimidating version can be seen above any shadowlings, hatched or not. Your indicator signals that you are a thrall - only other shadowlings and thralls can see this. If you're killing someone with that HUD indicator, expect a ban.
Finally, you and other tralls will have a HUD indicator above your head. A more intimidating version can be seen above any shadowlings, hatched or not. Your indicator signals that you are a thrall - only other shadowlings and thralls can see this. If you're killing someone with that HUD indicator, expect a ban.


[[File:shadowling_hud_big.png]]
[[File:shadowling_hud_big.png]]


'''This is the HUD indicator for shadowlings. These are your masters.'''
'''This is the HUD indicator for shadowlings. These are your Masters.'''


[[File:thrall_hud_big.png]]
[[File:thrall_hud_big.png]]
Line 158: Line 181:
'''This is the HUD indicator for you and fellow thralls. You obey the shadowlings.'''
'''This is the HUD indicator for you and fellow thralls. You obey the shadowlings.'''


==AAAAAAAAAA THERE ARE SHADOWLINGS WHAT DO==
To help your masters, you also have a few abilities.
So the shouts over the radio weren't wizard, ops, or blob, but shadowlings? Your work is gonna be cut out for you, soldier. Shadowlings are terrifying foes and can do much in their power to avoid you. They can even extinguish lights, save for fire-based sources and yellow slime extracts, and even then they can extinguish those fires. Don't get caught alone or you'll live out the rest of your considerably shortened lifespan in mindless servitude.
 
{| class="wikitable" width="80%" style="background-color: #DBCBDB;"
|- style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center; background-color: #A06DA0;"
| style="width: 150pt; center;" |Name
| style="width: 50pt; center;"  |Cooldown
|                              |Description
|-
![[File:Shadow_walk.png]]
Guise
|120s
|Wraps your form in shadows, making you harder to see. If you are in a dark place and you use this ability, you will becoming harder to see for 4 seconds. This doesn't make you completely invisible, however. The ability has to be activated in the dark, but works in the light.
If you become a Lesser Shadowling this ability will be upgraded to the normal Shadowling's Shadow Walk.
|-
![[File:Darksight.png]]
Thrall Darksight
|N/A
|Gives you night vision.
|-
|}
 
==I think there's Shadowlings. How do I fight them?==
So the shouts over the radio were not wizards, nukies, or blob, but shadowlings? Your work is gonna be cut out for you, soldier. Shadowlings are terrifying foes and can do much to avoid you. They can even extinguish lights, save for fire-based sources (like Flares) and yellow slime extracts. Don't get caught alone or you'll live out the rest of your considerably shortened lifespan in mindless servitude.


===Things you SHOULD do===
===Things you SHOULD do===
* Travel in groups
* Travel in groups.
* Get burn-based weapons and lots of light sources (flares are good, so are slime extracts if xenobio is doing their job, and if all else fails botany can make torches)
* Get burn-based weapons and lots of light sources (flares are good, as are slime extracts if [[Xenobiology]] is doing their job, and if all else fails [[Botanist|Botany]] can make torches)
* Carry flashbangs or flash powder grenades from security or the medbay
* Carry flashbangs or flash powder grenades from [[Security]] or [[Research Division|Science]]. Flashes are not enough.
* Be extremely wary
* Be extremely wary.
* Avoid areas that seem unnaturally dark
* Avoid areas that seem unnaturally dark, usually maintenance.
* Don't fight anything alone
* Don't fight anything alone.
* Watch for suspicious activity
* Watch for suspicious activity.
* Don't fight anything alone
* Do not fight anything alone.
* Be prepared for anything
* Be prepared for anything, people with masks on make great hints that these people are thralls.
* DON'T FUCKING FIGHT ANYTHING ALONE
* Do NOT fight anything alone.
* Consider getting a cyborg to accompany you—glares cannot stun them, and they can turn their lights on again very quickly. Sonic screeches, however, can still stun them.
* '''Do NOT fight ANYTHING alone.'''


===Things you SHOULDN'T do===
===Things you SHOULDN'T do===
* Hoard the entire armory and secede from the station as your own force
* Run up to the shadowling and ask to be enthralled. Seriously, it's a dick move to everyone and the admins will ban your ass for it.
* Run up to the shadowling and ask to be enthralled. Seriously, it's a dick move to everyone and the admins will ban your ass for it.
* Prowl the maintenance tunnels alone armed with your trusty screwdriver and PDA flashlight
* Prowl the maintenance tunnels alone armed with your trusty screwdriver and PDA flashlight. That won't work, ever.
* Refuse to talk or communicate - a silent vigilante, as proven by the mime, is the best vigilante
* Refuse to talk or communicate - a silent vigilante, as proven by the mime, is the best vigilante.
* Attack an ascendant
* Don't suicide once enthralled. This is a bannable offense.
* Ask to be enthralled by an ascendant. They'll seriously just make you explode.
* Attack an ascendant.
* Be near an ascendant
* Be near an ascendant.
* Consider approaching an ascendant
* Consider approaching an ascendant.
* Look at an ascendant in a suggestive way
* Look at an Ascendant in a suggestive way.
* Think about ascendants
* Hug lewdly at an Ascendant.
* Trade life stories with an Ascendant.
* Exist around an Ascendant.


===Is that a horrible wail in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?===
===Is that a horrible wail in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?===


So you're in the maintenance tunnel with your group of vigilantes and ready to fight a shadowling. Suddenly you hear a horrible wail in your head and all the lights blow up. '''Not good.''' This means a shadowling has ascended. You're basically fucked over since all the shadowlings can ascend when one can.
So you're in the maintenance tunnel with your group of vigilantes and ready to fight a shadowling. Suddenly you hear a horrible wail in your head and all the lights blow up. '''Not good.''' This means a Shadowling has ascended. At this point, it's pretty much Game Over -


===In Case of an Ascendant===
===In Event of Ascendance, Break Glass===
If you see an ascendant, it'll probably look something like this:
If you see an Shadowling Ascendant, it'll probably look something like this:


[[File:Shadowling_ascendant.gif]]
[[File:Shadowling_ascendant.gif]]


That guy just exploded.
That red stuff used to be the [[Clown]]. Run in another direction.
 
===Your Last Hope===
Ascendant Shadowlings are obscenely powerful - They are completely invulnerable to normal attacks, can phase through walls at zero cost, and possess a slew of other abilities that make even the most stoic crew members flee in terror. They can instantly enthrall you, literally use their brains to instantly make you explode into a colorful splatter of blood and organs, rip holes in spacetime and generally be a bad guy to be around.
 
You're probably going to die in a painful and gruesome manner, so make your peace with your [[Administrators|Gods]]. You can hope that they're somehow friendly, or want more thralls...<br>
More than likely, they'll just murder you, though.
 
[[High-Risk Items|Unless you can find a way to kill them?]]


===RUN.===
Run far and fast. There is no way to fight a shadowling ascendant. They are completely invulnerable to normal attacks, can phase through walls at zero cost, and possess a slew of abilities designed to make you and all you hold dear explode. They can make the air explode, they can make reality explode, they can make objects explode, they can make your corpse explode, they can make ''you'' explode, too, so run. They can instantly enthrall you, so run. Not that it'll do you any good since they move faster than you. They'll probably just make you explode like they did the seven guys before you it found. The now-exploded seven guys. Oh, and they also hit harder than an esword with their melee attacks.


You're probably gonna explode, too, so just accept it and hope they're either merciful, somehow friendly, or want to enthrall you.
==The Chaplain's Chain==
This was one of the chaplain's null rod items that were removed with the removal of shadowlings, it has been placed here for purpose of archiving. It had a few voice clips it could play when striking a shadowling as well.


Again, though, you'll probably just explode.
* "Die monster! You don't belong in this world!!!"
* "You steal men's souls and make them your slaves!!!"
* "Your words are as empty as your soul!!!"
* "Mankind ill needs a savior such as you!!!"


[[Beyond the impossible|Or maybe, somehow, you can kill it?]]
 
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|- style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center; background-color: #C66B2D; color: white;"
| style="width: 150pt; center;" | Object
| style="width: 400pt; center;" | Description
| class="unsortable"            | Special Notes
|-
! [[File:Chain.png]]
Holy Whip
| What a terrible night to be on Space Station 13.
| 27 brute damage to shadowlings. Belt slot item.
|-
|}






{{Jobs}}
{{Archive}}
[[Category: Jobs]] [[Category:Game Modes]]
[[Category:Jobs]] [[Category:Game Modes]] [[Category:Guides]]

Latest revision as of 17:50, 13 May 2022

This article features obsolete content.
This article contains content which is no longer in the Paradise Codebase, this page has been kept for archiving purposes.
Removed in: #17467 Removes shadowlings. Does not add anything else to compensate
ANTAGONIST

Shadowling.gif
Shadowling

Superiors: None. Thralls just need to obey the Shadowlings.
Difficulty: Hard
Guides: No external guides.
Access: Whatever you or your victims had or have
Duties: Enthrall the crew, ascend and become akin to a God.


Antagonist


Shadowlings are light-sensitive xenoform alien creatures from space. They are mainly defensive, but can 'enthrall' crew, taking control of their minds by a tumor on their brain. Shadowlings start off disguised as a normal crewman but they have to take time to 'hatch' to unlock their powers.

When hatched, shadowlings will resemble humans with black skin, small horns, red eyes, and claws.

Until they ascend, of course.

Shadowling Abilities

Shadowlings have quite a few tricks up their sleeve, from vanishing to freezing the air around them. Below is a list of abilities that shadowlings can use.

Name Requirements Cooldown Description
Hatch

Hatch.png

N/A N/A In order to utilize their full potential, shadowlings need to go through a little-understood evolution process coined as "hatching". They will form a chrysalis around themselves, which is impenetrable, and begin the evolution. After a few minutes, they will burst from the chrysalis, evolved and with a plethora of new abilities. The chrysalis will quickly decay before vanishing entirely.
Enthrall

Enthrall.png

Hatched 0s Of course, shadowlings are weak. They can easily be killed by a lightbulb. So, how does it act without risking itself? Entrallment! By getting close and rearranging the memories, motives, and physical form of the target, the target will become a "thrall", bound to the shadowling completely and utterly. Thralls can empower the shadowling with their own life force in addition to sharing a telepathic link with them and all other thralls. Be aware that mindshield implants make crew immune to this ability.
Glare

Glare.png

Hatched 30s Glare is a basic single-target stun. It's effectiveness depends on the distance to a target. The further the target is, the shorter stun target gets and there will be a longer delay before stun kicks in. Target will also be slowed and muted even before stun takes effect. Targets glared right next to the Shadowling are stunned and muted without any further delay for a maximum duration. (WARNING: This Ability will bring up a menu, does not work as an area of effect but instead as a targeted ability)
Veil

Veil.png

Hatched 15s Veil instantly puts out all electrical light sources, mobile or otherwise, near the shadowling. They can easily be repaired, turned back on, or simply replaced. Some slime extracts have shown resistance to this, as well as fire-based light.
Shadow Walk

Shadow walk.png

Hatched 30s Shadow Walk lets the shadowling briefly enter the space between worlds to escape attackers. For four seconds, the shadowling will be invisible, move quickly, and be able to phase through all obstacles. Unlike the wizard's jaunting, holy water does not have an effect on this.
Icy Veins

Icy veins.png

Hatched 25s Icy Veins is a formidable crowd control ability. Everyone within a short range will instantly have their body temperature reduced to freezing in addition to having it continuously lowered, similar to a cryogenic sting. Targets will also be briefly stunned.
Collective Mind

Collective mind.png

Hatched 30s Shadowlings can draw upon the power of their thralls to enter a state of almost unstoppable power. Collective Mind lets them gain that ability - they send out mental "hooks" that latch onto the minds of their thralls, mainly a head-count, if you will. If there's enough (currently it is believed to be 15 thralls) then they will gain various abilities in addition to the ability to ascend with enough.
Rapid Re-Hatch

Rehatch.png

Hatched 60s Allows the shadowling to rapidly rejuvenate their genetic material, removing any cloning damage and DNA defects that might have been the result of cloning or more creative of the weapons used by the crew.
Destroy Engines

Destroy engines.png

Hatched N/A A one-time use ability, you can delay the shuttle from arriving by 10 minutes by sacricifing non-ally target. Useful for giving yourself that extra little time getting the final thralls.
Sonic Screech

Screech.png

Hatched + 3 Thralls 30s The shadowling can let out a piercing screech. This will confuse and deafen nearby humans, damage windows, and stun silicons.
Blindness Smoke

Blind smoke.png

Hatched + 5 Thralls 60s By regurgitating a cloud of black smoke, shadowlings can disorient pursuers. This smoke will induce blindness in non-shadowlings, but heal shadowlings and thralls.
Null Charge

Drain life.png

Hatched + 7 Thralls 60s This ability will send an APC battery to the void, preventing it from recharging or sending power until it is repaired. Shadowling must stand still next to the APC without interruption for a good moment, or the whole process will fail and APC will immediately repower.
Black Recuperation

Revive thrall.png

Hatched + 9 thralls 60s This ability allows you to either bring back a dead thrall to life or empower a living thrall, making them a Lesser Shadowling, making their abilities more powerful.
Ascendance

Ascend.png

Hatched + 20 Thralls N/A Shadowlings gain the ability to 'ascend'. Very little is known about this process, only that they become nigh-invincible, they gain terrifying new powers, and it is a process similar to hatching but without the protection of a chrysalis.
Below is a list of abilities ascendant shadowlings are known to have used.
Annihilate

Annihilate.png

Ascendant 30s Ascendants, with extremely high telekinetic abilities, can easily cause someone's entire body to explode simply by directing a lance of mental energy at them.
Hypnosis

Enthrall.png

Ascendant 45s Ascendants can enthrall from a range and with extremely increased speed. Basically, it's a ranged and instant version of enthrall.
Plane Shift

Shadow walk.png

Ascendant Toggle An upgraded version of Shadow Walk, ascendants can simply enter the space between worlds at will at no cost. They use them as passageways, able to move from place to place extremely quickly.
Lightning Storm

Lightning storm.png

Ascendant 10s Ascendants collect a ball of seething energy and then release it, shocking everyone in a radius around them.
Ascendant Broadcast

Transmit.png

Ascendant 20s This ability allows for a broadcasted message that is very, very hard to miss.

I appear to be a Shadowling. What do I do?

So you're a disguised Shadowling. Congratulations! Here're some pointers on how to play this role successfully.

Starting Off

You're disguised. You don't take any damage from lights and you are undetectable by any means short of godly intervention. Your only ability currently is being able to communicate using the shadowling hivemind (:8). First off, send a message or two over the hivemind to see if you have any buddies - chances are high that you do. Assess your job's capabilities. Take advantage of the position you're in, coming back to your workplace later will be almost impossible. Grab equipment that will help you tie people up while you enthrall them. There are a lot of options.

Post-Hatch

So you've hatched. You have all of your proper abilities now - use them! Alert your fellow shadowlings (and thralls) that you're hatched over the hivemind, and make more thralls your first priority. You can't wear normal clothes, but you can still put on backpacks and headsets, which is an extremely good idea. If you're discovered by a group of people, use your defensive abilities to escape in addition to your thralls. If a single guy sees you, just glare at him, slap some cablecuffs on if you have them, take away his headset, and enthrall him. People who you enthrall can only be turned back through Surgery and their new loyalty to you overrides all else. If you enthrall a Nuclear Operative somehow, they will serve you over their Syndicate friends. If you enthrall the Captain, he will do much the same.

Your priority is to gain fifteen thralls. You have the Collective Mind ability which will, after a short time, give you a count of how many thralls you have as well as the needed amount for Ascendance. If you get fifteen thralls, use the ability and it will give you the Ascendance ability in a new tab. Simply use that ability and you've won - no need to escape on the shuttle!

The Light and You

While hatched, the light is your worst enemy. You take extreme damage from even being in it, and burn-based stuff like flashbangs, welders, and lasers all hit harder. However, on the other side of the coin, the darkness is extremely beneficial. All wounds will heal, and you gain a stun reduction, night vision and thermal vision as well. Use the darkness as your buddy in times hard and easy. The darkness will always give you a shoulder to cry on. He's a bro like that.

Alright, a Shadowling got me. What do I do?Shadowling huds.png

So a Shadowling mesmerized you by staring into your eyes and now you're a thrall! What this means is that your primary goal and objective is to obey the shadowlings and help them at all costs. If you look in your tabs, you have a new one, Shadowling Abilities. In this tab is the Hivemind Commune ability, which lets you communicate on a silent channel with all other thralls and shadowlings. You can also communicate with the hivemind by using the :8 channel. You're basically an Adamantine Golem in terms of where your loyalties lie—utterly with the shadowlings. If the Shadowling wants you to march to your death, you do. You no longer have a choice.

Keep in mind that many of the Shadowling's abilities rely on damaging or manipulating you. Even by helping the shadowlings accomplish their one objective, you are sentencing yourself completely and utterly to death - there is no way around it. You may find yourself drained of half your life, used as bait, used as a bodyguard, or suddenly surrounded in the middle of a maintenance tunnel by Security officers who are trying to cave your chest in. Assume you're going to die because you are and there's no way around it.

As a Thrall, your Darksight ability isn't as powerful as a Shadowling's, so you have to utilize a light - remember that you can kill your Masters with even your PDA light. You do have one advantage, however: stealth. It is very difficult to tell you are a Thrall without a Loyalty Implant, exploratory Surgery, or if you wear a mask. Use this to your advantage to do things for your Masters. Always stay in touch.

Finally, you and other tralls will have a HUD indicator above your head. A more intimidating version can be seen above any shadowlings, hatched or not. Your indicator signals that you are a thrall - only other shadowlings and thralls can see this. If you're killing someone with that HUD indicator, expect a ban.

Shadowling hud big.png

This is the HUD indicator for shadowlings. These are your Masters.

Thrall hud big.png

This is the HUD indicator for you and fellow thralls. You obey the shadowlings.

To help your masters, you also have a few abilities.

Name Cooldown Description
Shadow walk.png

Guise

120s Wraps your form in shadows, making you harder to see. If you are in a dark place and you use this ability, you will becoming harder to see for 4 seconds. This doesn't make you completely invisible, however. The ability has to be activated in the dark, but works in the light.

If you become a Lesser Shadowling this ability will be upgraded to the normal Shadowling's Shadow Walk.

Darksight.png

Thrall Darksight

N/A Gives you night vision.

I think there's Shadowlings. How do I fight them?

So the shouts over the radio were not wizards, nukies, or blob, but shadowlings? Your work is gonna be cut out for you, soldier. Shadowlings are terrifying foes and can do much to avoid you. They can even extinguish lights, save for fire-based sources (like Flares) and yellow slime extracts. Don't get caught alone or you'll live out the rest of your considerably shortened lifespan in mindless servitude.

Things you SHOULD do

  • Travel in groups.
  • Get burn-based weapons and lots of light sources (flares are good, as are slime extracts if Xenobiology is doing their job, and if all else fails Botany can make torches)
  • Carry flashbangs or flash powder grenades from Security or Science. Flashes are not enough.
  • Be extremely wary.
  • Avoid areas that seem unnaturally dark, usually maintenance.
  • Don't fight anything alone.
  • Watch for suspicious activity.
  • Do not fight anything alone.
  • Be prepared for anything, people with masks on make great hints that these people are thralls.
  • Do NOT fight anything alone.
  • Consider getting a cyborg to accompany you—glares cannot stun them, and they can turn their lights on again very quickly. Sonic screeches, however, can still stun them.
  • Do NOT fight ANYTHING alone.

Things you SHOULDN'T do

  • Run up to the shadowling and ask to be enthralled. Seriously, it's a dick move to everyone and the admins will ban your ass for it.
  • Prowl the maintenance tunnels alone armed with your trusty screwdriver and PDA flashlight. That won't work, ever.
  • Refuse to talk or communicate - a silent vigilante, as proven by the mime, is the best vigilante.
  • Don't suicide once enthralled. This is a bannable offense.
  • Attack an ascendant.
  • Be near an ascendant.
  • Consider approaching an ascendant.
  • Look at an Ascendant in a suggestive way.
  • Hug lewdly at an Ascendant.
  • Trade life stories with an Ascendant.
  • Exist around an Ascendant.

Is that a horrible wail in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

So you're in the maintenance tunnel with your group of vigilantes and ready to fight a shadowling. Suddenly you hear a horrible wail in your head and all the lights blow up. Not good. This means a Shadowling has ascended. At this point, it's pretty much Game Over -

In Event of Ascendance, Break Glass

If you see an Shadowling Ascendant, it'll probably look something like this:

Shadowling ascendant.gif

That red stuff used to be the Clown. Run in another direction.

Your Last Hope

Ascendant Shadowlings are obscenely powerful - They are completely invulnerable to normal attacks, can phase through walls at zero cost, and possess a slew of other abilities that make even the most stoic crew members flee in terror. They can instantly enthrall you, literally use their brains to instantly make you explode into a colorful splatter of blood and organs, rip holes in spacetime and generally be a bad guy to be around.

You're probably going to die in a painful and gruesome manner, so make your peace with your Gods. You can hope that they're somehow friendly, or want more thralls...
More than likely, they'll just murder you, though.

Unless you can find a way to kill them?


The Chaplain's Chain

This was one of the chaplain's null rod items that were removed with the removal of shadowlings, it has been placed here for purpose of archiving. It had a few voice clips it could play when striking a shadowling as well.

  • "Die monster! You don't belong in this world!!!"
  • "You steal men's souls and make them your slaves!!!"
  • "Your words are as empty as your soul!!!"
  • "Mankind ill needs a savior such as you!!!"


Object Description Special Notes
Chain.png

Holy Whip

What a terrible night to be on Space Station 13. 27 brute damage to shadowlings. Belt slot item.


Archived Obsolete Content