From Introduction: Conspiracy of Shadows is a game of paranoia and horror. The Players and Game Master alike will find many similarities as well as many striking differences between the continent of Polian and our own medieval past. Fear is the heart of this game. The source of this fear derives from a sinister unknown, the slow discovery of truth, and the constant belief that something is out to get you. The Players are helpless and, at the same time, masters of their own fate. Like the protagonists in any good piece of conspiracy or horror fiction, they must eventually confront the evil within as well as without, but the when and how of that confrontation is up to them. This type of story, like that found in classic gothic novels and television shows such as X-Files, relies on a terror that is shrouded in mystery. There is always a constant sense of danger and foreboding. Warnings are given, but the characters still try to unravel the mystery, seduced by scraps of knowledge. In the end they discover that the evil of the world is overwhelming and mankind is small, helpless, and unaware of its doom. However, unlike the often times maddening characters in fiction who seem to simply give up, the characters in this game refuse to give in and continue to fight the battle that needs to be fought.