We are but dust and shadow

The shadows look forward to hearing from you. [An ask blog for the Shadow Monster AU, Gloamtale. Contains dark and heavy themes so please tread carefully.]About | CharactersMonsters Open for Questions: Umbra - Sans Pen - Papyrus Ante - Toriel

[redeyedryu]

When you get caught stuffing popato chips in your maw while hiding under someone’s bed.

[redeyedryu]

Updated drawing of Muffet in Gloamtale, whom I’ve decided to refer to as Arachne.

[asktheshiftingshadows]

Pen, what happened to your brother? What made him the way he is now?

Pen is quiet as he thinks on your question. It's painful to admit, even if only to himself, that he didn't notice his brother's descent until it was far too late. There is only one way for monsters to tread the path his brother now follows—and there is no going back.

He doesn't know when Umbra started to lose his grip on Hope, when his brother started to seek an escape in the fleeting sensations of humans' energy, in their emotions, to drown out what was likely his own apathy and despair. Pen regrets how naïve he had once been. Perhaps if he had been more aware, more attentive, he could have stopped his brother's corruption.

Exhaling heavily, the shadow looks to you. "A few bad choices," is all he says. There's a weak, almost brittle smile that tilts the tips of his teeth upwards.

[asktheshiftingshadows]

So, we can't really physically interact with pen and the others. But do they have any hobbies that we could do together and just talk over? Sorry if this has already been asked before!

[[Prior to their release, no, you can't interact with them. But post their release you can, as well as on this blog, since it's canon-adjacent. Assuming you can get a proper answer out of them. Related: Hobbies: [x] Monster and Human realm: [x] Befriending a Monster: [x] ]]

[asktheshiftingshadows]

question foe umbra ....... what if someone wishes to be your friend because they can feel safe and happy being your friend? would you see them as a willing source basically?

One look at his brother, at the glow of his single socket and the magic reacting and seeping from between his bones, Pen knows it won’t do his brother any good to be further worked up. He intercepts you.

“Human,” he starts, his ethereal voice pleading, “I am afraid that with things as they currently are, such a choice would be made in folly. My brother…” He pauses, taking a moment to gather his thoughts, to put his own emotions to rest. “Nothing good would come of offering yourself up to him like that. He’s… Sans has not been himself for a very long time. Please do not tempt him.”

[redeyedryu]

A Sippy of Gloamtale Lore

The main span of the story takes place in the Winter.

When monsters are initially locked in the shadow plane, hundreds upon hundreds of years ago, it is referenced to be in the Fall.

The end of the main story begins with the blooming of Spring and the future, where Monsters have been freed and Frisk has grown, is shown to be Summer.

[asktheshiftingshadows]

so what does happiness taste like?

Unable (or perhaps unwilling) to conceal his hunger at the mere thought of such a tantalizing meal, magic begins to pool and drip from the corner of Umbra’s maw. As the shadow grows ravenous, his magic reacts, flaring in the spaces between his bones—never mind it hasn’t been long since the last.

Umbra’s gaze drifts to you, a single thought in mind.

You don’t feel safe.

[redeyedryu]

Frisk as they appear in Gloamtale. Their character information is under the cut.

Keep reading

[asktheshiftingshadows]

Do the shadows miss the sun? I mean, with them being in darkness, can they go into the light?

[[Most monsters don’t remember life prior to being locked away, so most have nothing to really miss. They can also see the sun and moon when interacting with the human world, but it looks different to them from their plane of existence. Those that remain from before their imprisonment, however, do miss it.

As seen below, the monsters’ and humans’ planes exist parallel to one another and do not intersect. 

Image text reads: The humans and monsters live in separate planes of reality.

Humans cannot interact with the monsters’ plane, nor are they able to perceive it*, but monsters are not quite as limited. Monsters can view the human realm from theirs, though it is colorless—monotone.

They can go out in light, as they’re not really in it. Their view of the human plane is something like a “mirror”.

* Every now and again there are humans able to see monsters. It is incredibly rare, but there are some humans that have been able to even see into the monsters’ plane.

To monsters interacting with the human world, its appearance is quite similar to their own.

Regardless of the time of day in the human world, things would look similar to the above. There is no color and the farther away something is in the distance, as well as the less amount of light there is in the human world, the darker and more a silhouette it is.

This is also what a human would see if they are unfortunate enough to see beyond the veil.]]

[asktheshiftingshadows]

What's Umbra favourite thing to snack on?

Strange... is that a glow on Umbra’s face? ...an eye?

Something prickles down the back of your neck, trailing the length of your arms. The tiny hairs along your skin stand on end and a sense of foreboding now hangs heavy in the air. You get the sense that accepting will have dire consequences.

[asktheshiftingshadows]

The shadows shift and swirl before you, the writhing tendrils looking suspiciously like hands. They reach towards you, clawed digits splayed, and you find yourself thinking they look as if they’re expecting something from you.

The shadows are once again ready to receive your questions...

[redeyedryu]

Thinking.

[asktheshiftingshadows]

Bombarded with such an unexpectedly strong and expressive response, Pen struggles to gather everything into a cohesive, singular message. He’s certainly not doing so as a means to filter open invitations his brother would otherwise take advantage of. It is not as if, as a lieutenant in His Majesty’s Royal Guard, it is but one of his many duties to ensure a Monster does not lose themselves in their gluttony and greed. It would especially not do for said overindulging Monster to hypothetically be his brother of all people.

[asktheshiftingshadows]

Hi Mom! Are you doing well? Do you need anything? How about a nice cup of tea? Or an interesting snail fact?

Ante chuckles, a paw delicately covering her snout. “Goodness me, dear one,” she manages after quelling her laughter, “aren’t you just the sweetest?” Though you can’t make out her gaze like all the other shadows present, you get the distinct feeling she’s giving you a gentle look. “It has been so very long since I have enjoyed a cup of tea...” She sounds wistful, her cadence near melancholic. The fleeting sadness is gone before either you or she can dwell on it as she instead perks up. “An interesting snail fact? Do tell!” 

[redeyedryu]

This isn’t locked in and definitely needs some more tweaking and detailing but here’s goat mom for the AU!

As with canon she’s a very motherly figure and will often attach herself to children dealing with stressful situations in the hopes of alleviating what she can of their troubles. Children whose emotions she feeds off of are often left with an inexplicable feeling of peace and the sensation of warm, motherly affection.

[asktheshiftingshadows]

You have succeeded in flustering the skeleton. He was not expecting this, and still more than a little confused after the earlier smooch, but not wanting to risk embarrassing you by turning you down, he obliges.

Like all previous contact with the shadows, the hug feels... strange. The sensation does not linger long enough to warrant any concern, however.

For better or worse (but let’s face it, it’s definitely better), Umbra does not seem present for the hug invitation.

[asktheshiftingshadows]

Why is Pembra so selfish and sadistic in his feedings?

[[ I'm going to assume you meant Umbra ]]

"hey now, no need to be like that." Umbra pouts, skull resting on his palm. "i'll have you know no one ever feels a thing."