Shadow child

A Shadow Child was apparently a son or daughter born to an important Chiss family, whose birth and identity were kept secret to prevent the entire bloodline being extirpated by rivals. However, the only recorded allusion to the custom was made in order to explain an apparent paradox in the family of the Imperial General serving as a liason, and latterly military commander, with the Chiss.

Baron Soontir Fel and his wife Syal Antilles had six named children, Chak, Davin, Jagged, Cherith, Cem, and Wyn, when they were said to only have a total of five. While it may well be that the Shadow Child was a real Chiss custom, it may also be that the supposed tradition was supplied as misinformation to disguise the true reason for the discrepancy.