Fun little theory :)

[eeriecupid]

So, I had an interesting little epiphany a while ago about alter and the shadows.  
basically, it all boils down to 

1 pure brilliance, the alter version of dreadstone grows out of lunar infected soil from the rifts, which implies it probably grows out of alter’s surface too

2 enlightenment only naturally occurs when you step on lunar grounds, like lunacy is the default when on alter, meaning sanity is the default when on the constant

3 alter is literally a celestial body that is one big eye that can mess with the minds and bodies of creatures

what the shadow eye is

1 grows dreadstone out of the constants surface

2 applies sanity to sentient creatures when on the constants surface

3 big sentient(?) eye

 

 

i think I have a name for the shadow. Constant. 
the literal opposite of alter.

To change, to stay the same.

Alter and Constant. 

[AsAboveSoBelow]

YES ITS NOT JUST ME WHO THINKS THIS IM SO HAPPY

but yeah pretty sure the game takes place on the shell? Skin? Prison?? Of the shadow god and it’s been right there this whole time which has a number of interesting implications 

Also pretty sure their names are based off what they do(sort of) the moon entities mutate things and change what already exists whereas the shadows seem to have some sort of “unity through stagnation” vibe(at least based of the dialogues of the heralds)

[Wumpair]

Boy I have an old theory of mine for you from way back in 2023!

Spoiler

Ignore the fact that I though the game is near its finale, as Klei continued to developed the rifts and lore a lot more in the years to come!

I do think however that for now we can be certain that the shadow eye's cannon name is "Tenebrau" from the Void-maks stageplay. And I am preaty sure its not the Constan itself as the play talks about other reals that were 'saved' by Tenebrau: <<The Sage: "We too hail from our own realms.; Menaced by horrible gods." The Toady: "That is until the sweet pall was laid upon us." The Sage: "And now, we three be free!">> 

So its a cool theory, I also thpugh about once, but I dont think it holds.

As a retrospective, I dont mind that it was not proven right, honestly I love the lore of DST because its all this musterious; even if there was no way to know the name "Tenebrau" before the stage play update. I feel like Klei are like G.R. Martin with his Game of Thrones books - they follow the "gardeneer" aproach. They have some main things planed for the story, but then they let them develop on their own (like Wagstaff using the bugnet from the ruins as the main thing to catch gestalts, when that item was just added initally as a QoL with, probably, no major segnificance in mind)

[Cosmic_Eternus]

My interpretation is that the names Constant and Alter are for the shells(planet) of these beings. With the names for these beings Tenebrau for the shadow entity and Lumin for the lunar entity.

Because both names are mentioned in The Pall stage play, with Tenebrau being the true name of the Void Masque enemies and Wilson saying "Brought to you by the Heralds of Tenebrau" when examining the playbill for The Pall.

[Wumpair]

25 minutes ago, Cosmic_Eternus said:

My interpretation is that the names Constant and Alter are for the shells(planet) of these beings. With the names for these beings Tenebrau for the shadow entity and Lumin for the lunar entity.

Because both names are mentioned in The Pall stage play, with Tenebrau being the true name of the Void Masque enemies and Wilson saying "Brought to you by the Heralds of Tenebrau" when examining the playbill for The Pall.

Some food for tgought that I just though about nos: "The Pall" as a concept is quite simillar to "Fog", something that is like a veil, covering things. You know, like "The Fog" we see in thr new DS Elsewhere? And with a white Mr. Skitts showing up in the fog... there might be something here. 

[Cosmic_Eternus]

3 minutes ago, Wumpair said:

Some food for tgought that I just though about nos: "The Pall" as a concept is quite simillar to "Fog", something that is like a veil, covering things. You know, like "The Fog" we see in thr new DS Elsewhere? And with a white Mr. Skitts showing up in the fog... there might be something here. 

I wonder, maybe the Fog is the lunar version of darkness. Since it seems to mutate things it touches which is a major effect of things with lunar influence and white tends to be associated with lunar entities such as Gestalts.

[eeriecupid]

6 hours ago, Wumpair said:

Boy I have an old theory of mine for you from way back in 2023!

  Reveal hidden contents

Ignore the fact that I though the game is near its finale, as Klei continued to developed the rifts and lore a lot more in the years to come!

I do think however that for now we can be certain that the shadow eye's cannon name is "Tenebrau" from the Void-maks stageplay. And I am preaty sure its not the Constan itself as the play talks about other reals that were 'saved' by Tenebrau: <<The Sage: "We too hail from our own realms.; Menaced by horrible gods." The Toady: "That is until the sweet pall was laid upon us." The Sage: "And now, we three be free!">> 

So its a cool theory, I also thpugh about once, but I dont think it holds.

As a retrospective, I dont mind that it was not proven right, honestly I love the lore of DST because its all this musterious; even if there was no way to know the name "Tenebrau" before the stage play update. I feel like Klei are like G.R. Martin with his Game of Thrones books - they follow the "gardeneer" aproach. They have some main things planed for the story, but then they let them develop on their own (like Wagstaff using the bugnet from the ruins as the main thing to catch gestalts, when that item was just added initally as a QoL with, probably, no major segnificance in mind)

“And most importantly: Don’t starve!” 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[BalkanCockroach]

On 4/29/2026 at 6:26 PM, Cosmic_Eternus said:

I wonder, maybe the Fog is the lunar version of darkness. Since it seems to mutate things it touches which is a major effect of things with lunar influence and white tends to be associated with lunar entities such as Gestalts.

If it was Lunar I don't think Mr. Skitts would pop up from the fog in the trailer since they are shadow creatures. Also you know what else mutates stuff to a marshy/swamp form? The Gnaw. And Elsewhere aesthetic seems to be really similar to Gorge.

[AsAboveSoBelow]

19 hours ago, BalkanCockroach said:

If it was Lunar I don't think Mr. Skitts would pop up from the fog in the trailer since they are shadow creatures. Also you know what else mutates stuff to a marshy/swamp form? The Gnaw. And Elsewhere aesthetic seems to be really similar to Gorge.

ATP I need elsewhere lore just to know what’s up with foggy Mr skitts 

[Frosty_Mentos]

I think both sides just transmute the ground and any creature with a soul, probably assimilating everything and making it into same material as their out of the world bodies.