Roots of the Wild
The Twilight Realm

A Guide to Twili

Shadow realm lore, appearance, abilities, and backstory guidance for Twili OCs in Roots of the Wild.

A Guide to Twili

The Twili race are beings from a world with a different history and way of functioning than that of Hyrule and its setting in RotW. Because of this, we've created this page to aid in the creation of backstories for Twili OCs.

Prior update: 4/27/2022 — Added Sunsickness

Latest update: 12/28/2024 — updated info

Timeline of Twili: A Roots History Recap

Hawa Koth 14th, 1000 AB (October 1st, 2021)

In Hyrule, a message was sent out to Rudania, Inariko and Vhintl at the behest of Aemu, the Oracle of Power. This message requested that the residents of Hyrule band together and begin a search for strange artifacts that had always been scattered and buried around the land — artifacts known as Ancient Parts. Over time, news came out that the reason for the parts collection was connected with stopping an invasion which was being planned by an outside force. A device was being built which would repel them.

This device, a combination of ancient technology and magic, was built by the gravekeeper known as Loq inside of a large cave at the back of the graveyard in Rudania. While the device stopped the Twili army from invading, it did not work well enough to stop the tainted twilight atmosphere from being pushed into Hyrule by shadow mages on the other side.

Unknown to all but a scarce few, this outside force was none other than the Twili, led to these actions by the greed of their current ruling monarchy. The device was in fact a magical shield and disruptor of sorts meant to prevent the Twili from opening a portal with which to gain access to Hyrule. Their goal? To turn the residents of Hyrule into spirits before they arrived so that they could easily take over and track down the Oracles to execute them and bind their souls from further reincarnation, thus ridding themselves of the Golden Goddesses. After this, they would be free to finally seize control of the sacred land and cover it in eternal twilight. Thus, fulfilling the perceived ambitions of their ancestors and securing another realm to assert their dominion over.

Maka Rah 18th, 1000 AB (October 31st, 2021)

The night of invasion arrived. Instead of a tangible army, shadows caused by the warping of small birds and other creatures changed by the atmosphere gathered in the night and attacked the three villages. For five nights they returned, bringing harm to village buildings and residents alike. During the daytime, strange things were seen. Animals refusing to leave the shadows and enter the sunlight. Deep areas of unnatural darkness. On the sixth night, half-warped larger animals attacked with the shadows after finally succumbing to the taint and becoming hostile enough to lose their aversion to people and attack wherever they could find life. On the seventh night, fully warped shadow beasts — things which once were wolves, bears, bokoblins, keese and crows attacked in full force. After a hard battle they were defeated, and the final taints of the weaponized twilit atmosphere dissipated from Hyrule.

Maka Rah 25th, 1000 AB (November 7th, 2021)

With the battles done the gravekeeper Loq met with Rudania's villagers at twilight on the eighth night. He revealed the existence of the Shadow World and the people known as Twili, as well as his true identity as one of this race from another realm, and let them know why this had all happened. Knowledge of the Twili and the failed invasion as well as the origin of the shadow beasts traveled quickly by word of mouth across all three villages.

Ya Naga 5th, 1000 AB (November 13th, 2021)

Another Twili enters Hyrule, given asylum from the Twilight Realm by permission of the gravekeeper Loq, and of the Oracle Aemu.

Slowly, others who mean no harm to the realm of light may begin to come through as well...

Jitan Sa'mi 10th, 1002 AB (June 15th, 2023)

An unexplained phenomenon…. A wave of magical energy emanating from the Rudania graveyard could be felt throughout the villages. It was subtle, most would not have noticed it. However, the Twili that now called Hyrule home would be very aware of this eerily familiar magic. It wouldn't be long before some would discover that the portal once used to ferry them across realms was now defunct. No more Twili would find refuge in Hyrule… or would they?

Sha Warvo 25th, 1004 AB (July 26th, 2025)

Mysteriously, it's come to light that perhaps another way has been found, well concealed from the eyes of the Royal Family as it is discovered some new individuals have made their way to Hyrule..

Twili Appearance

Visually, Twili are a rather complex and varied race. Their many millennia of living in the shadow realm has caused them to evolve with the shadows into what they are now. Though not everyone has evolved the same... for instance, members may create Twili OCs which are more humanoid, along with ones more like the unusual, disproportionately bodied and limbed Twili Citizens. They may also be a mixture of the two!

The most uniform thing about a Twili's appearance is the presence of two-toned skin varying in shades of greys, charcoal blacks, and whites to subtle blues ranging from muted darker tones to pale. Their hair is often variegated reds/oranges/yellows or blues/teals (though it can also be a solid color), and they are born with natural markings which show their magical lineage.

Less uniform are some of the details. Twili ears, noses and even teeth come in a wide variety. Ears may be simply pointed, similarly to Hylians, or have irregularities. Noses are commonly but not exclusively wide with a flat bridge, and teeth can be blunt or pointed, or a mixture of the two.

Twili Variations

Twili'ziin (Often shortened to 'Zinn' or pronounced 'Twilazin' when said quickly by Twili) — These are the most typically humanoid of the clans. Most of those in high ranking in the Palace of Twilight are of this type.

Twili'kol (Often shortened to 'Kol' or pronounced 'Twilahcole' when said quickly by Twili) — Less like their Twili'ziin counterparts, these Twili tend to have features which are more unusual to the standard proportional humanoid shape, such as elongated limbs, shorter torsos with long legs or vice-versa.

Twili'unn (Often shortened to 'Unn' or pronounced 'Twiloon' when said quickly by Twili) — The Twili'unn are the least traditionally humanoid of them all, though they're still generally bipedal and walk upright. These are Twili who have evolved living furthest away from the Palace of Twilight and its Sols, either on the border of or directly in the wilds of the Realm of Twilight.

Some individuals amongst the other variations of the realm look down on Twili'unn for their unusual appearances, viewing them as wild and less refined.

NOTE: Please be sure that any Twili you design do not have or appear to have actual animal parts (no hooves/paws/tails/horns/etc), as they are not faun, tiefling or other such races. Shapes and proportions may be varied and creative, but should still use 'humanoid' as a foundation. (Think weird shadow elves). Cosmetics accessories or body-mods to achieve certain looks however, are acceptable.

Other Facts

  • While glowing is the natural state for Twili markings, they can learn to dim and even 'turn off' that glow with about as much effort as it takes to breathe manually, though some who have practiced a lot can do it even more easily than that. Since their marks are a sense of pride, most Twili wouldn't even consider doing this though unless they need to for stealth. For this reason, many are currently unable to and will have to practice and learn if they choose to gain the ability.
  • Their marks also naturally dim and may even go out entirely while they sleep.
  • Twili blood is red, but if their markings are slashed the mark itself will bleed the same glow mixed with the red.
  • Instead of white, Twili hair turns black with age.
  • Though the race is varied and diverse, albino, melanistic and leucistic Twili are rare to the extreme that many don't even know that they can exist. As such, they must be approved by the mod team before an app is made for them, and the likelihood of them being accepted is very low.

The Shadow World / Twilight Realm

The Realm of Twilight is one of serene beauty... and relative permanence.

There are no seasons, no cycles of night and day. No stars to see - only a clouded, shifting sky of twilight. It does rain, but does not grow cold enough to snow. Both the Palace of Twilight floating high above the center of the realm and the cities that surround it down below are all home to a Sol (or 3, in the case of the Palace) which provide both power and warm climate to the people who live there. The far reaches of the realm are cooler by comparison.

Magic and technology are known concepts which run hand in hand, interwoven into each other. Much like the Sheikah of old, Twili have advanced to use machinery in combination with magic to make it work, and they have things like transportation using magical propulsion and floating platforms used to get to where one may be going. In the Twilight Realm, Twili are a largely populated race with an intact history and its own politics and ideas on how things work and should be run. Unlike Hyrule, money in the form of gold coins and other precious materials is widely used and there exists a hierarchy of rich and poor.

The Twili have followed a monarchy system for as long as anyone can remember. The current monarchy, while not overly oppressive to their own people, desire greatly to invade Hyrule and reclaim that land for their own, regardless of how it harms those races currently living there.

Twili History

Twili have a stable and intact history. While their exact ancestral origin is not common knowledge, many Twili know that their race was exiled from The Realm of Light, Hyrule, eons ago in the midst of a great war fought over control of the land of Hyrule.

Many still hold a biased and passed-down resentment for that world and its Goddesses, as well as the people living there. They abhor the Goddesses of Hyrule and their world of light. The anger and perceived injustice of their circumstance, of losing their home and being banished to the in-between and forever forbidden from returning has been passed down through the generations.

While some very rare Twili do still revere the goddesses, it is a persecuted and unpopular opinion. Instead, many Twili worship a deity they call Majora, one of the old gods of their people.

Over the eons, Twili have evolved and grown. Like many cultures, they've gone through many phases of peace and strife... the latter of which wasn't helped by the fact that the realm was where Hyrule continued to send their worst criminals (though this has not happened now in over a millennia).

In the past, these criminals more often then not caused great trouble for the mostly peacefully evolved Twili, and their home being a dumping grounds for the depraved only increased the people's resentment of Hyrule and its Goddesses.

Twili began looking for ways to send the criminals back... and they finally found it. They could open a portal into Hyrule, but the portal was located hundreds of feet in the air and would only open during the daytime. This prevented Twili from entering Hyrule but gave them a way to return to sender, which they began to do with great satisfaction. After a while, they began sending their own criminals through the portal as well. If Hyrule saw it fit to unleash their worst on the Twili, then it could host some of their dead. Or at least that was their original reasoning... over the millennia since they last received any 'newcomers' from Hyrule, this practice of disposing of the sentenced and banished has just become how things are run. And somewhere in Hyrule, the ground beneath this portal still exists, yet unseen by any beings living in this day and age...

Twili Abilities

In the Twilight Realm magic is a common thing which is woven along with shadow into the very biological makeup of the people who live there. Most Twili are not trained in magic, however, though many have the natural potential to wield it. Some cannot at all - and these magicless Twili have little or none of the luminescent markings others are born with.

Some Twili have the ability to 'weave' shadows about themselves to create temporary clothing. This will quickly dissipate in the sunlight of Hyrule, however. Due to the nature of this new world of light, this is the only skill Twili retain upon entering Hyrule, as they find themselves weakened and unable to perform their more complicated shadow magics in a place with so much light in its atmosphere.

As such, Twili start with 0 Magic like the other races, but perhaps they may regain their magical strength at some point in the far future...

Sunsickness

Adapted to the perpetual twilight of their native realm, the Twili are deeply vulnerable to sunlight. Exposure to Hyrule's full day-night cycle can trigger a condition known as Sunsickness — a progressive and dangerous illness caused by contact with sunlight, even when filtered through fabric.

Stage 1: Indirect Exposure

Conditions: Briefly outside during the day, but staying in shadows or avoiding direct contact with sunlight.

Symptoms:

  • Mild nausea and a general sense of weakness. No visible changes to appearance.

Recovery Time: A few hours spent in full darkness or deep shade will allow symptoms to fade.

Stage 2: Momentary Direct Sunlight

Conditions: A few seconds of direct sunlight exposure.

Symptoms:

  • Increased nausea, dull pain, and worsening weakness.
  • Glowing body markings begin to dim. Hair and dark skin patterns lose vibrancy.

Recovery Time: 1–2 full nights of rest in darkness, depending on severity.

Stage 3: Sustained Exposure

Conditions: A few minutes in direct sunlight.

Symptoms:

  • More intense sickness and pain.
  • Significant fading of hair and skin tone.
  • Glowing marks dim further.

Recovery Time: 3–5 nights in a fully dark environment recommended.

Stage 4: Prolonged Exposure

Conditions: Up to 1 hour in direct sunlight.

Symptoms:

  • Severe physical pain.
  • Twili's form appears visibly degraded — hair and skin lose vibrancy, glowing marks almost fully faded.
  • Internal shadow-energy begins breaking down.

Recovery Time: 7–12 nights required for full recovery, ideally in deep shadow.

Stage 5: Critical Exposure

Conditions: 2–4 hours of sunlight exposure.

Symptoms:

  • Twili appears ghostly and deathly ill.
  • Hair is pale and dull, glowing markings have turned black.
  • Body feels cold to the touch, movement becomes nearly impossible.
  • Life force is barely hanging on.

Recovery Time: 14–30 nights of uninterrupted darkness and intensive care.

Final Stage: Fatal Exposure

Conditions: 5–7 continuous hours in direct sunlight.

Outcome: Death. The Twili's form breaks down entirely. There is no coming back from this level of exposure.

The darker and more shadowed the environment, the faster a Twili will heal.

Exposure to any light during recovery may slow or disrupt the healing process.

“Even in shadow, the sun can kill us.” — Anonymous Twili healer

Backstories & Old Professions

SOME professions of those in the Twilight Realm are listed as examples below. This list is not exhaustive! Feel free to be creative and present your own ideas!

Some Common Jobs

CITIZEN — A person living life and doing their best to make their way in the world of Twilight. Citizens may be craftsmen, artists, weavers, cooks, hunters, or a variety of other things. This includes the working class of the Twilight Realm and is here to give an example of how varied things can be.

Rare: Some artisan Twili weavers have the ability to pull tangible strands from the very shadows themselves and weave them into garments which maintain their permanence even in the sunlight... but this is a rare skill indeed.

SHADOW MAGE — Being a shadow mage is a very respected thing in Twili culture - a mark of their own power and ability to use their knowledge for greater things. Shadow mages would have once been able to do many things... including but not limited to things like teleportation and levitation, melding into shadows and warping creatures into shadow puppets to do their bidding. Just about anything one can imagine relating to shadows, a mage probably exists who at least dabbles in it. Losing their magic upon entering Hyrule is a particularly harsh blow for mages.

NOBLE — A noble is someone who works as a go-between for the Royal Family. They are the Twili's aristocratic class, and they usually hold positions such as generals and advisors. Nobles typically own land and estates and live comfortable lives.

Palace Jobs

In addition to the examples further up, this is a more controlled set of positions one may have had before making the move to Hyrule. For each of these, please DM Roots.Admin on Discord with any questions on the deeper palace lore needed to make one of these your choice!

Many people who have positions in the Palace were seen for their high magic potential as children and were brought to be raised and taught there, in hopes of strengthening the bloodlines and keeping power with the leadership.

PALACE GUARD — An individual who would have defended any part of the Palace and its occupants. Royal Guards, Escort Guards, Gate Guards, etc. all fall into this category.

ROYAL ADVISOR — An advisor to the Ruling Family. Intelligent and highly trained in political matters as well as typically very loyal, it would be extremely unusual for any to side with Hyrule and decide to leave the Twilight Realm - thus such a limited number.

PALACE ESCORT — Escorts provide entertainment and pleasure in all forms for the royalty and nobility of the Twili within the palace. They live in the palace as well and are provided comfort with all of their physical needs met with luxury and decadence. They are highly trained in skills such as music, massage and first aid, though many specialize in one thing or another. Being a Palace Escort is a respected and even a coveted position by some.

PALACE MAGE — The most powerful Shadow Mages are invited to live within the palace and serve the monarchy. Those who accept are called Palace Mages, and they make up a good portion of the ruling family's closest operatives. It is these Palace Mages who used their magic to corrupt and warp the twilight atmosphere which was sent through to Hyrule during that short time that the portal was open, and a battlemage amongst them who attempted to execute the palace's former Royal Judge, Loq, when he showed himself to be a traitor by showing up back in the Twilight Realm to close the portal that they had been trying to keep open after the device activated in Hyrule weakened it.

ROYAL JUDGE — One of Rudania's gravekeepers, Loq, was once the Royal Judge of the Twilight Realm. Many of those in the palace would have seen him around, and may perhaps have connections with him. Though no longer the judge and not welcome by decree of the monarchy, Loq still makes trips back to the Twilight Realm in secret, in disguise there now instead of in Hyrule. His goal? Investigating some odd events which have come about with the royal family and their behaviors... and to find and connect with other Twili who side with Hyrule.

In Twilight Princess, all we see of the Twilight Realm is a group of floating islands housing the Palace of Twilight. That structure is larger in the world of Roots, more closely resembling the extended map in Hyrule Warriors. In this world, more islands exist, and there is ground far below with cities and lots of life and diversity. As such, all of the above is just an example! Many other jobs and backstories may exist within the Realm of Twilight.

Think medieval fantasy with a small twist of scifi with the magical technology. Just remember - there are no computers or anything like that... it's all powered through magic. If you're unsure on your ideas, please DM Roots.Admin on discord and drop us a note in FAQ to let us know and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!

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