Shadowfell
Ervenian Era, 1051 AB
The Shadowfell is one of the three Material Planes, together with the Prime Material Plane and the Feywild. Characterized by unrestrained emotions and muted colors, the plane is considered to be the most "desaturated" of the three. It is a bleak, desolate place full of decay, death, and abandonment. It is the home plane of the Gloam.
The most striking and immediate impression a visitor to the Plane of Shadow experiences is the lack of color and light; no sun, no moons, no stars - only Kas'shi, Nyx's moon, breaks the monochromacy of the inky black sky; all things look as if their color have leeched out, as if they were sun-bleached by a negative light.
The most common means of traversing in or out of the Shadowfell is through a shadow well, which often requires special knowledge of how to pass between the planes. This allows creatures and gloams to pass back-and-forth between the two planes at matching geographical locations without needing to traverse the Astral Plane.
Hollows
As a general rule, the Plane of Shadow has an affinity with negative energy, and is a favorable habitat for life-draining undead such as shadows, ghosts, and vampires. Where enough undead gather, a hollow may form; these are permanent drainage basins for negative energy that remain even if all undead are removed from the area. Certain powerful undead beings can claim a hollow, allowing them to assert control over it and rule it as a demiplane. Unprotected visitors to a hollow immediately fight for their lives as the balance of their Soul skews heavily; death may occur within mere moments, and within minutes a meager pile of ash will be all that's left.Geography
Localized Phenomena
The plane siphons emotions, causing them to bubble up to the surface; this causes sensations to be heightened, much like they are in the Feywild, though this is temporary. Eventually, the plane sucks out all feelings, and staying in the Shadowfell for too long would make one stoic, then indifferent, and then apathic. Death from starvation is three to five times more likely in the Shadowfell than it is on the other material planes.
Light
A light source only illuminates half the distance it normally would, flames and fires put out less heat, and spells that deal with light or fire are less predictable and prone to failure, whereas shadow spells are enhanced. Not only it do they not illuminate as far, any and all light sources on the plane can be spotted at a distance of up to ten times their normal range of illumination. Even a light source that only puts out shadowy illumination, like a darkness spell, can be seen up to five times its range of illumination.Shadow Walking
The plane is often used by certain individuals (commonly wizards and bards, but many others as well) for shadow walking; using the Shadowfell as a transitive plane, shadow walking allows one to traverse many miles in the Prime by taking a handful of steps in the Shadowfell.Fauna & Flora
The Shadowfell has naturally occurring animals and monsters that are often considered endemic to the other material planes; some of them reach the Shadowfell by accident and become trapped there. These creatures have their own niche in the ecosystem, though it might differ from the niche they fill in the prime or Feywild. Notable examples include apes, basilisks, bears, owlbears, rats, umber hulks, and wolves.
Whether they are native to the plane or attracted to it, there are several creatures which are considered to be endemic; these include bodaks, cloakers, darkweavers, ephemera, veserabs, liches, nightshades, spectres, and wraiths.
Sorrowsworn
Negative emotions on the plane regularly take physical form, manifesting as grotesque inanimate effigies throughout the Shadowfell. On occasion, the inherent imbalance of Soul present within all matter may animate, be seeded with a Genius, or both, thus creating creatures known as sorrowsworn. Sorrowsworn can survive only within the Shadowfell; they are more akin to phenomena than to living beings.Shadar-Kai
Humanoids that reside in the Shadowfell may find themselves overtaken by Ella'li's malign influence and become corrupted to such an extent they are transformed into a unique species called shadar-kai. This corruption poisons their mind, eliminating all compassion and erasing any benevolence; they are left with a near complete lack of empathy, with only the logical part of it remaining; they are able to perceive another's perspective, but are unable to identify with or pity them. Shadar-Kai are often described by some as the Shadowfell's equivalent of the Feywild's Eladrin.Trait Type |
Description |
|---|---|
| Gravity | Normal. |
| Time | Erratic. |
| Shape & Size | Finite Sphere. |
| Morphic Traits | |
| Elemental Energy | None Dominant. |
| Alignment | Neutral, Mildly Evil. |
| Magic |
Alternative Name(s)
The Plane of Shadows; Shadowland; the Demiplane of Shadow; the Shadow Deep; Shadow;
Type
Plane of Existence
Included Locations
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