The Shadowlands wrap and reflect the living world – every location in the Skinlands has a direct physical analogue in the Shadowlands, although the relationship can sometimes be tenuous. A Wraith living in the Shadowlands of New York, for example, can walk from Manhattan to the Bronx. However, objects which are remembered in the living world still exist in the Shadowlands, so that same wraith may be able to climb the memory of the Twin Towers.
The Shadowlands are accessible to any Wraith who still possess Fetters, such as Gaunts. Wraiths who have lost their Fetters, such as Domem, will dissolve from the Shadowlands in minutes if they do not return to Stygia or another stable point in the Tempest.
