Shadowwalker

Shadowwalker is a term used in fantasy fiction, role-playing games, and related media to describe a being or practitioner who can move through, manipulate, or merge with shadows. The concept is not tied to a single origin; it emerges in different settings as a versatile archetype representing stealth, extradimensional travel, or occult access to darkness.

In many works, a shadowwalker may be a sorcerer, assassin, or undead entity who draws power from shadows, navigating by silhouette and avoiding the light. Common abilities include shadow travel or teleportation between adjacent shadows, enhanced stealth in dim environments, and the creation of shadow-based effects such as tendrils, barriers, or clones. Some versions grant a sense of night vision, shadow perception, or the ability to dampen or silence sound within a radius.

Limitations usually center on light and exposure; bright illumination can disrupt shadow routes, reveal the wearer, or drain shadow-energy. Many depictions require energy or ritual costs to sustain powers, with cooldowns or risks of becoming trapped in darkness. In some settings, shadowwalkers are bound to a religion, oath, or curse, linking to nocturnal cycles or funerary rites.

Variations appear across games, novels, and folklore-inspired works, where the term may refer to a class (shadow mage, nightblade), a race, or a solitary entity. The trope is often used to explore themes of duality, secrecy, and the thin line between light and shadow.