A shadow
A Shadow is an incorporeal undead creature that can be encountered throughout the Known Spheres.[1][2]
"Beware the Dark Wind Which is Not,
Beware the Dark Waves Which are Not,
When That Which Was Lost, Strikes;
Ye Shall Be Not."
- An Augury.[3]
Overview
Shadows are shadowy, immaterial undead creatures whose chilling touch drain the strength from their victims. They are practically undetectable in all but the brightest of surroundings (continual light or equivalent), as they normally appear to be nothing more than their name would suggest. In bright light they can be seen clearly.[2]
Combat
Shadows exist primarily on the Negative energy plane, and as such have the ability to drain the life force of their victims. The chilling touch of a shadow harms its victim as well as draining some of their Strength. If a humanoid is drained of all their life force, they will die and will in turn rise as a shadow. The newly formed shadow is compelled to join with its fellows in a roving group in pursuit of living creatures.
If a non-humanoid creature is drained of its life energy, it simply collapses from fatigue or falls unconscious. The creature will either be left to die or may be hounded again after it has recovered. Those who survive a shadow's attack will recover their Strength within an hour and a half of being attacked.[2]
Shadows are immune to sleep, charm, and hold spells and are unaffected by cold-based attacks. They can also be turned by priests.[2]
Society
Shadows roam about aimlessly in loosely organized packs, terrifying any living creatures they encounter.[2] They can usually be found on abandoned asteroid bases or at the heart of some shipwreck floating in space. However, shadows may sometimes be forced to serve more powerful undead, and will then be found in their lairs.
Shadows can also be encountered haunting regions of wildspace imbued with negative energy; vague essences without any real presence. However, if a spelljamming vessel passes close enough, packs of shadows may be swept up in the ship's gravity plane, allowing them to attack the ship's crew and claim the vessel as their new lair. Because so much of their essence lies on the Negative energy plane, shadows prefer not to travel into the phlogiston.[1]
History
According to most sages, shadows appear to have been created through the use of magic, perhaps as part of some ancient curse laid upon some long-dead enemy. The curse only affects humanoids, implying that it affects the soul or spirit in some way. When victims can no longer resist, either through loss of consciousness or physical weakness, the curse becomes active, causing most of their essence to be shifted onto the Plane of Negative energy. Only a shadow of their former self remains on the Material Plane, and the transformation inevitably renders the victim both terribly insane and undeniably evil.
Attempts to remove the curse from captured shadows have all failed, thus providing more clues into the nature of their condition. A limited wish spell proves only partially successful as the victim is only restored physically for an hour, but remains irrevocably insane for the duration. It has been speculated that a full wish spell, followed by a heal spell, might be capable of restoring a shadow to their former state,[4] but again it must be emphasized that this is only a theory.
A victim's body is destroyed during their transformation into a shadow, either by the curse itself, or due to its exposure to the Plane of Negative energy. In any case, killing a shadow on the Material plane merely severs the connection between their Material and Negative energy forms.[2]
Notable shadows
- The vampire lord T'Laan was served by an elite guard of 20 shadows, led by three wraith captains.[4]
- The crystal shell of Shadowspace is enveloped in thick black clouds inhabited by countless shadows which attack any vessel trying to pass through.[5][6]
- Packs of shadows roam the bitter cold region of Darkside on Radole, having traveled to the planet via a gate from the Plane of Negative energy.[7]
Appendix
External Links
- Shadow article at the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
- Shadow article at the Eberron Wiki, a wiki for the Eberron campaign setting.
- Shadow article at the Dungeons and Dragons Lore Wiki, a wiki for official Dungeons & Dragons content from every edition.
- Shadow article at the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Wiki, a wiki for official Dungeons & Dragons content from 2nd edition AD&D.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jeff Grubb, AD&D Adventures in Space, Lorebook of the Void, 1989, (TSR Inc.), Undead section, chapter 3 Spacefarers, page 63
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Tim Beach et al, Monstrous Manual, 1993, (TSR Inc.), Shadow entry, page 312
- ↑ Grant Boucher, SJA4 Under The Dark Fist, 1991, (TSR Inc.), sidebar, page 16
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 J. Paul LaFountain, SJA3 Crystal Spheres, 1990, chapter 6, page 41
- ↑ Rick Swan, SJQ1 Heart of the Enemy, 1992, (TSR Inc.), chapter 3: Odux, Sall and Shisix, page 40
- ↑ Rick Swan, SJQ1 Heart of the Enemy, 1992, (TSR Inc.), sidebar, page 39
- ↑ Nigel Findley, SJR4 Practical Planetology, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Radole section, chapter 2: Earth Bodies, page 14