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{{GalaxyPortal}}The '''Shadowlight''' was an ancient [[Xenos]] artifact created by an unknown race (presumably the [[Ancient]]s) 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]]^{{{Fn|2a, }}{{Fn|2b}}}.

== History ==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]]^{{{Fn|2a, }}{{Fn|2d}}}.

The exact purpose of the xenos machine was unknown, although one researcher theorized that it was able to alter the fabric of reality itself, created by the Ancients as a weapon of last resort in their war against the [[C'tan]]^{{Fn|3b}}.

The Shadowlight had a "side effect" that made it extremely dangerous: contact with the artifact could awaken the powers of latent [[Psykers]], and boost the powers of active Psykers, making them extremely powerful. However, not every psyker, latent or otherwise, survived contact with the artifact, and non-psykers who touched it without protection died almost instantly^{{Fn|2d}}. 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^{{Fn|3b}}.

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^{{Fn|2a}}. One of the Tech-Priests, [[Metheius]], 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]]^{{Fn|2c}}.

During the One [[Imperial]] [[Siege of Perliapsyker]]who examined the artifact later said that, had Killian carried out his "imbecilic" scheme, under the cover of Shadowlight could well have destroyed the entire [[Orkgalaxy]] invasion of . Quite apart from the planetdamage wreaked by these individual psykers, Killian and Methius stormed the Shrinetheir very existence would have invited possession by [[daemon]]s, killed the researchers and stole acted as a gateway allowing the Shadowlight, with the unwitting help forces of a squad of over-zealous battle-sisters from the [[Adepta SororitasWarp]]^2c. to flow freely into the [[CommissarMaterium]] . This psyker soberly predicted that, in two generations, the [[Ciaphas CainEye of Terror]], leading an army would expand and swallow the rest of refugees across the Valley, discovered their handiwork, though he did not know until later who was responsible^1aGalaxy.{{Fn|3b}}

During the [[Siege of Perlia]], under the cover of the [[Ork]] invasion of the planet, Killian and Methius continued to study stormed the Shrine, killed the researchers and stole the Shadowlight in secret inside , with the unwitting help of a Sororitas convent on squad of over-zealous battle-sisters from the [[PeriremundaAdepta Sororitas]], recruiting members of a local {{Fn|2c}}. [[cultist|Chaos cultCommissar]] to serve as "test subjects."^{2c, 2d} When Cain and Inquisitor [[Amberley VailCiaphas Cain]] confronted Killian, he attempted to escape with itleading an army of refugees across the Valley, only to inadvertently handle it without protectiondiscovered their handiwork, killing him^2ethough he did not know until later who was responsible{{Fn|1}}.

The Shadowlight was returned Killian and Methius continued to Perlia and study the Shrine was rebuilt. Over the next few decadesShadowlight in secret inside a Sororitas convent on [[Periremunda]], several more components recruiting members of the machine were discovereda local [[cultist|Chaos cult]] to serve as "test subjects."{{Fn|2c, 2d}} When Cain and Inquisitor [[Amberley Vail]] confronted Killian, he attempted to escape with it, only to inadvertently handle it was partially reassembled^{3awithout protection, 3b}killing him{{Fn|2e}}.

Somehow, the forces of [[Chaos]] learned of the The Shadowlight was returned to Perlia and saw the same potential that Killian had, though in reverseShrine was rebuilt. During Over the [[13th Black Crusade]]next few decades, in 999 M41, [[Abaddon several more components of the Despoiler]] dispatched a small expeditionary forcemachine were discovered, under the command of Warmaster [[Varan]], to retrieve and it^{was partially reassembled{{Fn|3a}. Cain stopped Varan, but the Shadowlight itself was captured by the Necrons^3c3b}}.

Somehow, the forces of [[Chaos]] learned of the Shadowlight and saw the same potential that Killian had, though in reverse. During the [[13th Black Crusade]], in 999 M41, [[Abaddon the Despoiler]] dispatched a small expeditionary force, under the command of Warmaster [[Varan]], to retrieve it{{Fn|3a}}. Cain stopped Varan, but the Shadowlight itself was captured by the Necrons{{Fn|3c}}. In a private discussion with Vail, Cain softened the loss by reasoning that the Necrons must have feared the Shadowlight, since it was created by their enemies; and for that reason, they likely had no immediate plans to use it against the Imperium. Thus, losing it to them was preferable to losing it to Chaos^{{Fn|3d}}.

*^{{Endn|1}}: [[Death or Glory (Novel)]] – [[Ciaphas Cain}}: Defender of the Imperium (Omnibus)]] by [[Sandy Mitchell]]:**a: Chapter Twenty-One, pppgs. 205-213*^{{Endn|2}}: [[Duty Calls (Novel)]] – '''Ciaphas Cain: Defender of the Imperium (Omnibus)''' by '''Sandy Mitchell''':**a{{Endn|2a}}: Chapter Eleven, pppgs. 343-345**b{{Endn|2b}}: Chapter Twelve, pppgs. 353-354**c{{Endn|2c}}: Chapter Twenty-Four, pppgs. 460-463**d{{Endn|2d}}: Chapter Twenty-Five, pppgs. 467-469**e{{Endn|2e}}: Chapter Twenty-Six, pppgs. 472-478 *^{{Endn|3}}: [[Cain's Last Stand (Novel)]] – '''Ciaphas Cain: Defender of the Imperium (Omnibus)''' by '''Sandy Mitchell''':**a{{Endn|3a}}: Chapter Six, pppgs. 577-581**b{{Endn|3b}}: Chapter Fourteen, pppgs. 646-657**c{{Endn|3c}}: Chapter Twenty-Four, pppgs. 760-761**d{{Endn|3d}}: Chapter Twenty-Five, pppgs. 763-764