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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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The '''Shadowlight''' was an ancient [[Xenos]] artifact created by an unknown race long before the origins of [[Mankind]]. It was said to be as old as the [[Necrons]], so ancient that it was only known as a legend among the [[Eldar]]<sup>2</sup>.
In appearance the Shadowlight was a small, flat slab of dark stone that, nondescript though it was, gave off an unmistakeable erieness. It was apparently intended to be part of a larger machine, several parts of which were scattered along with it in "The Valley Of Daemons" on the planet [[Perlia]]<sup>2</sup>.
The exact purpose of the xenos machine was unknown, but the Shadowlight was able to influence the [[Warp]] and had a "side effect" that made it extremely dangerous: contact with the artifact could turn latent [[Psykers]] into active, and extremely powerful, ones. NonHowever, not every latent psyker survived contact with the artifact, and non-psykers who touched it without protection died almost instantly<sup>2</sup>. Based on this, one Mechanicus [[Tech Priest]] theorized that it was designed as a combined antenna and storage battery, meant to draw on the energies of the Warp and use them to power the primary machine<sup>3</sup>.
The Shadowlight was discovered by agents of the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] and the [[Ordo Xenos]], who established a secret Mechanicus Shrine in the Valley to study its properties. One of the Tech-Priests, [[MethiusMetheius]], believed that the Ordo Xenos were blind to the Shadowlight's real potential, and shared its existence with [[Inquisitor]] [[Ernst Stavros Killian|Killian]] of the [[Ordo Hereticus]]. Killian believed that with the artifact, he could create an army of [[psykers]], powerful enough to finally overthrow and destroy the forces of [[Chaos]]<sup>2</sup>.
During the [[First Siege of Perlia]], under the cover of the [[Ork]] invasion of the planet, Killian and Methius stormed the Shrine, killed the researchers and stole the Shadowlight, with the unwitting help of a squad of over-zealous battle-sisters from the [[Adepta Sororitas]]<sup>2</sup>. [[Commissar]] [[Ciaphas Cain]], leading an army of refugees across the Valley, discovered their handiwork, though he did not know until later who was responsible<sup>1</sup>.
