Celestial shadows (New Mysteries)[3.5, Tome of magic]

[DragoonWraith]

Well, I really, really can't judge the monsters; I really know nothing about monster balance or how CR works, etc. Sorry.

As for the mysteries, though:

Protection from evil
Apprentice, Twilight Evangelist
Level / School: 1st/Abjuration [Good]

As the Protection from Evil spell but instead of the deflection bonus to AC and the resistance bonus to saving throws against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures, the target gains an insight bonus to hide, spot, listen and move silently checks equal to ¼ of your caster level to detect, hide from or avoid attacks made or effects created by evil creatures

I think it looks better if if the level and school (as in, "1st/Abjuration [Good]") weren't bolded. That's how they format it in Tome of Magic, too.

Anyway, you shouldn't call it Protection from Evil because Protection from Evil is a spell, not a mystery, and more importantly this isn't the same as Protection from Evil. "Hidden from Evil", perhaps? Otherwise, looks fine.

Acolyte’s Charm
Apprentice, Twilight Evangelist
Level / School: 2nd/Enchantment [Mind Affecting]
Range: Close
Target: 1 living creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You make the subject believe that you are more valuable alive than dead

The affected creature tries to capture and incapacitate the caster rather than kill him. He uses means as non lethal damage, restricting spells and grapples. Whenever the caster deals lethal damage to the affected creature, the creature gains a new save with a +2 bonus to shrug off the effect.

Possible abuse from gaining immunity to nonlethal damage, but otherwise this looks quite reasonable.

Also, again, you should bold each of the sections but not their values (e.g. "Range: Close", "Target: 1 living creature", etc), it makes things clearer.

Dark Prophecy
Apprentice, Twilight Evangelist
Level / School: 3rd/Enchantment [Mind Affecting, Good]
Range: 40 ft.
Area: All allies and foes within a 40-ft.-radius burst centered on you
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None and will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Voices from the shadows sing praise to the glory of righteousness to favor your allies and hinder your enemies.

You bring special favor upon yourself and your allies while bringing disfavor to your enemies. Good aligned creatures gain a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and skill checks, while evil aligned creatures must make a will save or become shaken. In addition the DC of good aligned bardic music abilities and spells with the [good] descriptor and verbal components is increased by 1.

"Dark Prophecy" is an odd name for a Good mystery, methinks. Anyway, the mechanics... well, all but the last sentence are totally fine; the last sentence is a little strange, as it references a specific class feature of another class, and moreover I'm not aware of any "Good-aligned Bardic Musics" - you should probably use something like "supernatural abilities to aid allies (such as Bardic Music or a Marshal's Aura) used by Good creatures", IMO. Along with the spells thing. I'm not sure why you're requiring that they have Verbal components...

Shadow Circle against Evil
Initiate, Benevolent Shadows
Level / School: 4th/Abjuration [Good]
Range: Touch
Area: 10-ft.-radius emanation from touched creature
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

Nearby shadows move to your side forming a protective circle. Your moves muffled and hidden and your vision expanded, you can proceed fearing no evil.

All creatures within the area gain the effects of a protection from evil mystery as well as the benefits of concealment against attacks originated by evil creatures, and no nongood summoned creatures can enter the area either. You must overcome a creature’s spell resistance (if the mystery is cast as an arcane spell or a spell like ability) in order to keep it at bay (as in the third function of protection from evil). The protection from mental control applies regardless of enemies’ spell resistance.

Sounds fine other than the use of Protection from Evil, as above.

Twilight Aura
Initiate, Benevolent Shadows
Level / School: 5th/Necromancy [Good]
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

You channel an influx of positive energy to the affected creature. Like a magnet it amplifies healing and dampens negative effects affecting the warded creature.

Whenever the affected creature regains hit points or ability points due to a spell or effect, he instead regains double the amount. In addition it takes half damage from negative energy and untyped or vile damage originated by spells and spell like abilities with the evil descriptor or supernatural abilities originated by creatures with an evil aura (such as a blackguard’s smite good ability).
Lastly evil creatures take a -2 penalty on attack rolls when attacking the affected creature.

I like this one; a series of nice defensive enhancements.

Leaving a blank space between paragraphs is a good idea, formatting-wise, as it makes it much easier to see the separation. We can't really indent here, so skipping a line is the next best thing.

Light from Darkness
Initiate, Benevolent Shadows
Level / School: 6th/Evocation [Light, Good]
Range: 120 feet
Area: 120-feet line
Duration: Instantaneous and 1 round / level
Saving Throw: Reflex half and Fortitude half
Spell Resistance: Yes

The darkest corner may well hide the brightest of lights. Revealing such light has dire consequences for your opponents.

This spell deals 1d6 per 2 caster levels points of damage to everyone within the area. A successful reflex save halves the damage. Undead and Oozes take double damage. In addition evil creatures are blinded for one round per caster level (a successful fortitude instead causes the creatures to treat any other creature as though it had concealment). Lastly Light from Darkness dispels spells of lower level with the darkness, glamer, figment or shadow descriptor that it comes in contact with.

Glamer, Figment, and Shadow are not descriptors, they are subschools. The last line should read "spells of a lower level with the Darkness descriptor, or from the Illusion (Glamer), Illusion (Figment), or Illusion (Shadow) subschools." Descriptors use square brackets (e.g. "[Good]"), while subschools use parentheses (e.g. "Conjuration (Creation)").

Otherwise, looks good. You're lacking some formatting, though.

Smiting Darkness
Initiate, Dark Justice
Level / School: 4th/Evocation [Darkness, Good]

You summon a globe of darkness that only hinders the vision of the wicked.

As the darkness spell but good aligned creatures can see through as thought it was not there. In addition whenever an evil creature inside the smiting darkness receives damage, he takes an additional 2 damage per caster level (max 30), half of which is cold and half electricity.

Typo; you have "as thought" instead of "as though". Otherwise, I rather like this one.

Cloak of Retribution
Initiate, Dark Justice
Level / School: 5th/Evocation [Cold or Electricity, Light or Darkness]
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: No and Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You weave together light and darkness in order to punish your offenders

This mystery damages and hinders attackers. It also sheds light or darkness depending on your choice.
Any creature striking you with its body or a handheld weapon deals normal damage, but at the same time the attacker takes 1d6 points of damage per 2 caster levels (maximum 10d6). This damage is either cold damage (if the shield sheds darkness) or electricity damage (if the shield sheds light). If the attacker has spell resistance, it applies to this effect. Creatures wielding weapons with exceptional reach are not subject to this damage if they attack you.
You may choose to be affected by either a Blacklight (Spell Compendium) or a Daylight effect that moves with you.
Finally, if an evil creature succeeds on a melee attack against you, the offending attacker is slowed for 1 round / level (fortitude negates). If the attacker has spell resistance, it applies to this effect.

You should say "melee attacks made with natural weapons or manufactured weapons without reach", I think. You should also specify whether or not the damage happens before or after their attack - after all, the damage might kill them. Or their attack might kill you. If both parties always take damage, you should spell that out, otherwise, state which damage applies first.

As for the effect, I think it's fine. My only concern is that the duration of the Slow is rather long for a reactionary effect. It's also two levels higher than Slow, though, and Slow effects many targets at once, so it's probably fine.

Inquisitor’s Verdict
Initiate, Dark Justice
Level / School: 6th/Abjuration/Transmutation
Range: Close
Effect: Ray
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: See text

You reduce your opponent to a mockery of its shadow. Now it is ready to face justice.

You must succeed on a ranged touch attack with the ray to strike a target. The affected creature is silenced.
Also any polymorph or similar form altering effects are suppressed and the creature reverts back in its natural form for the duration of the spell.
Lastly any and all illusions affecting the creature are dispelled as per the greater shadows fade mystery.
Spell resistance is effective versus the silence and the polymorph suppression effect but not the illusion dispelling effect.

Looks fine to me.

Umbra Angelus
Master, Repentant Darkness
Level / School: 7th/Transmutation [Good]
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Dark angels and spiritual celestials inhabit your shadow, imparting you with many of their abilities.

For the duration of the mystery you gain the Umbra Angelus subtype and all associated benefits

The... what?

Burning Sins
Master, Repentant Darkness
Level / School: 8th/Abjuration [Good]
Range: Personal and Medium
Targets: You and all creatures in a 15-ft. radius burst
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None, Will negates and fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You invoke the harshest of punishment upon the corrupt. Not only they can’t be protected against the Light, but unless they repent, they suffer as much harm as they cause.

For the duration of the mystery you take only half damage from all wounds and attacks (including that dealt by special abilities) that deal hit point damage. The amount of damage not taken by you is taken by the creatures affected by this mystery. Each creature takes that damage individually (you don’t split it amongst them). Forms of harm that do not involve hit points (such as charm effects, temporary ability damage, level draining, and death effects) are not affected. If you suffer a reduction of hit points from a lowered Constitution score, the reduction is not split because it is not hit point damage. When the spell ends, subsequent damage is no longer divided between the subjects and you, but damage already split is not reassigned to you. Affected creatures can make a will save to negate this effect.
In addition affected creatures must make a fortitude save or they do not benefit from any of the following abilities: Damage reduction x/good, Spell resistance versus spells and spell like abilities with the [Good] descriptor, and any bonuses to AC or saves granted by spells and spell like abilities with the [Evil] descriptor.

This mystery affects only evil creatures and if all affected creatures succeed on their will save then you do not take reduced damage.

OK, the Return key needs to get to know this mystery. I think they could be good friends.

Anyway... This seems very strong. I'm not sure it's too strong, but it seems very strong. There aren't any effects out there to my knowledge that are like either of these, though, so it's hard to judge.

Purifying Ray
Master, Repentant Darkness
Level / School: 9th/Evocation [Good]
Range: Close
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous and Permanent
Saving Throw: Fortitude half; see text
Spell Resistance: No

A golden white ray sprouts from your fingers. Empowered by shadow magic it pierces through all defences in order to neutralize the wicked.

You must succeed on a ranged touch attack with the ray to strike a target. As noted below the target does not gain any bonuses to its touch armor class from abjuration, conjuration or force effects of up to 8th level. If the attack succeeds, the subject takes 1d6 damage per caster level (max 25d6) (rounded down, Fortitude save for half damage).

Purifying Ray ignores Abjuration, conjuration and force effects of up to 8th level completely. Treat those effects as if they weren’t present when resolving if Purifying Ray affects or not its target.

This mystery cannot kill its target. Ignore all damage and effects that would drop the target below -9 hp. If the target creature drops to negative hit points, it is stabilized and a temporal stasis effect protects it for 1 hour or until the caster dismisses it.

If the target is undead or evil outsider it instead takes damage equal to its total, unmodified hit points, with a fortitude save for half damage.

I like the "not kill" thing, but you should probably not specify -9 damage - there are effects that can change the HP point at which you die. Just say "the minimum number of hit points to avoid death (usually -9)", IMO. Anyway, I like the effect and the ignoring of defenses is a nice boost to what would be an otherwise somewhat boring blasty spell.

Eternal Mystery
Master, Reality of Shadows
Level/School: 7th/Universal
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 24 hours
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

You tap upon the boundless power of shadow in order to make your magic immune to the passage of time.

This mystery makes certain other mysteries last for 24 hours rather than their normal duration. Depending on the mystery, you must be of a minimum caster level and must take a penalty to your Constitution score. The minimum caster level is 13 for fundamentals and apprentice mysteries, 19 for initiate mysteries and 25 for master mysteries. The penalty to the Constitution score equals the level of the mystery (0 for fundamentals), is cumulative and cannot be recovered by any means short of dismissing the mystery. You cannot use this mystery if it would otherwise lower your Constitution score under 3. You can only make mysteries with a personal range permanent with this mystery.

You cast the desired mystery and then follow it with the eternal mystery mystery. The mystery can be dispelled as normal, however when that happens you regain a number of points of Constitution equal to the level of the mystery dispelled.

Mysteries with instantaneous, 1 round, 24 hours or greater and concentration durations cannot be affected with the use of this mystery.

I feel like you should say "reducing your Constitution penalty to less than that caused by this mystery immediately undoes it. When the Eternal Mystery ends, you undo its Constitution penalty, returning it to whatever value you would have if you had never used Eternal Mystery, including if it was ended by reducing the penalty."

Anyway, this is somewhat dangerous but I don't think Shadowcasters really have anything they can abuse it with.

Echo Spell, Greater
Master, Reality of Shadows
Level/School: 8th/Universal
Range: Medium

Your adversary's smile turns into a worrying expression as you replicate with ease the power he just had invoked. If he only knew you did more than just replication.

As per the Echo Spell mystery except as noted above and usable against spells, as well as mysteries, spell like abilities and psionic powers, of up to 7th level. In addition you can apply any applicable metashadow feat to the power replicated as it was a mystery, despite its actual type (arcane/divine spell or psionic power).

I like it, this is cool.

Reflection of Power
Master, Reality of Shadows
Level/School: 9th/Illusion (Shadow)

As per the Shades spell or the Greater Shadow Evocation spell (PHB) except as noted above, and it can mimic a Conjuration (creation) or (summoning) or Evocation of up to 8th level. The illusory conjurations or evocations created deal 80% damage to nonbelievers, and non-damaging effects are 80% likely to work against nonbelievers.

I would say "This may be used as the Shadow Conjuration or Shadow Evocation spells, but it may create shadow versions of applicable spells up to 8th level, and the shadow spells are 80% real." This references back to the original spells (otherwise you have "this is as Shades, which is as Shadow Conjuration"), and the 80% real rule applies itself to everything applicable.

To keep in line with my previous works and comparability with Realms of Chaos materials, in this spoiler are the corresponding path mastery feats for the new paths.

Afraid I'm not overly familiar with RoC's Shadow project, though I am impressed with its scope. At any rate, I can't really judge these feats.

Evil Vore [Dark Store]
Unlocking the knowledge of countless celestials you infuse your body and mind with potent defenses against evil magic. Not only you nullify their effects, you transform them into helpful effects via the use of shadow magic.
Prerequisites: Must be of good alignment, access to a 6th level mystery with the [Good] Descriptor.
Benefit: In order to gain the benefits of Evil Vore on any given day, you must surrender the use of any 6th level mystery with the [Good] descriptor while recovering your mysteries for that day.
As an immediate action you may ward yourself against an attack, spell, spell like ability or supernatural ability.
You are healed instead of damaged by vile damage caused by the action (a damage type that appears in Book of Vile Darkness).
In addition if the action originated by a spell with the evil descriptor, or by a creature with an evil aura and you suffered hit point or ability damage or ability drain by that action, then your attacker suffers the same amount of damage or drain.

Is the immediate action at-will? Considering that this costs a feat and an action, I don't think you should have to sacrifice a 6th level Mystery for it. If you stick with that, you need to clarify if it's a single use of a Mystery, or all uses.

Also, "Vore"? Informally, that can refer to eating, but... not really. Usually it refers to... an extremely squicky fetish. I think you might come up with a better name, here, because honestly "Evil Vore" sounds like something far more vile than anything in the BoVD...