Pure Darkness

Pure Darkness is the essence of darkness itself. It is an incredibly rare substance and has a myriad of uses. One should be wary when using it, though, as it is incredibly chaotic and dangerous.

Natural State
Pure Darkness can be found naturally. However, it is incredibly rare. One can find small pools of it scattered throughout the Shadow and a few areas of Dolernum. It can also be obtained through numerous otherworldly beings, such as Shadow Beasts, Daemon Alphas, and Aggyathat. Areas around pools of Pure Darkness are usually warped and connected to the Shadow. Plants will twist to look more like those of the Shadow, clouds will block the sun, and animals may mutate to look similar to the hellspawn of the Shadow.

Physical Form
Pure Darkness is a very strange instance of matter. It is half way between being a gas and a liquid, if that makes any sense. It is also incredibly sticky, an acts much like tar. Some instances of it also appear to have a loose mind, mostly consisting of it shooting out tendrils and dragging creatures into it's mass. The substance is incredibly harmful to organic matter; most physical creatures lose their life force when touching it.

Uses
Pure Darkness, despite it's danger, has many uses. It is needed for many alchemical recipes, has been used as a weapon and as a poison, it can be used to create Shadow Beast thralls, it is needed for many spells and rituals, and it has actually been proven to cure diabetes (although very small doses must be administered for the patient to survive). For these reasons, Pure Darkness is highly coveted.

Shadow Beasts
Many creatures are made up of, at least partly, of Pure Darkness. These monstrosities are known as Shadow Beasts. Some, such as Shades, Shadow Wraiths, and Stygian Doubles are completely made up of Pure Darkness, while some, such as Lighteaters, Uufgis, and Shadow Constructs are only partially made of it. Some of these creatures can form naturally from pools of Pure Darkness. Many are made, though, from mages, far gods, and otherworldly beasts alike as thralls and servants.