Dungeons & Dragons - A Guide to the Shadar-Kai

In this guide, I'm going to dig through D&D history and pull out all of the lore I can find on the shadar-kai. Hopefully this will be useful to you if you decide to use the shadar-kai in your campaign.

The shadar-kai are a race that has changed slightly in each edition, but the basic concept is the same - humanoids infused with shadow. They usually have lots of tattoos and piercings.

I'm a bit blown away by some of the cool ideas, particularly in 3rd edition.

Fiend Folio

There was no "Shadowfell" in 3rd edition. Instead, there was the somewhat nebulous "Plane of Shadow."

"The shadar-kai, or shadow fey, are a race of bitter, determined folk whose souls are poisoned by shadow."

Traits:

• They can fade from sight by stepping into any common shadow.
• Many shadar-kai have piercings or tattoos.
• Feel constant pain, which makes them vicious.
• Steal when they can, and like to ambush foes.
• Shadar-kai spellcasters prefer shadow and illusion magic.
• Hate other fey and kill those that cross their path.
• Often accompanied by shadow mastiffs.
• Long ago, they made a pact with a dark power of the Plane of Shadow to cast the world into an endless twilight that they would rule. The experiment failed and the shadar-kai were bound to the Plane of Shadow.

Shadow Curse: "Any time a shadar-kai is stunned, dazed, staggered, or unconscious (other than from natural sleep), the shadow fey must make a Will save (DC 15) or lose a portion of her soul to the Plane of Shadow." This means they become weaker (energy drained), basically.

"A shadar-kai on the Material Plane (or elsewhere) must use a wish or miracle spell to restore her soul."

A shadar-kai suffering from the shadow curse cannot be raised from the dead or resurrected. The effects of the curse do not surface when the shadar-kai is in the Plane of Shadow, only other planes.

Society: They have a predatory society, often preferring to infiltrate a settlement rather than build their own.

• Shadar-kai cities are concealed by illusions and shadow magic. Desolate and sparsely-populated.
• Most are mageocracies, ruled by powerful illusionists.

They have a number of unique magic items associated with them:

Gal-Ralan: A cold-forged iron armband that has needles that pierce the forearm of the wearer.

• Fixes the wearer's soul to their body, but causes never-ending pain.
• Enchanted to give a bonus to armor class.
• Also protects against energy drain and effects that target the wearer's soul.

Blackstone Rune: Shadar-kai overcome with the Shadow Curse use this, a sigil drawn on a small glossy stone, to plane shift from the Plane of Shadow to the Material Plane.

Night Extract: A vial of magic liquid that reduces the ambient light level to that of starlight in a 20-foot radius. Magical light in the area functions normally, but mundane light sources are suppressed.

Dragon Magazine #337 - Ecology of the Shadar Kai

This article changes things slightly, presenting the shadar-kai as fey who hate the despoilment of nature.

• The shadar-kai were always fey linked to shadow
• They did not like seeing mortals despoiling nature.
• 100 shadow fey performed a ritual that bound the world of mortals and the Plane of Shadow.
• This ritual bound the souls of every living shadar-kai to a single point.
• Heroes disrupted the ritual, but this gave the shadow curse to the shadar-kai.

Shadow Slip: This spell gives the recipient partial concealment and allows them to move at half speed without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Shadowlight Oil: A slow-burning oil that contains a small touch of the Plane of Shadow and can be burned in any lantern. The lantern does not provide bright illumination, but instead doubles the area of shadowy illumination.

Physiology of the Shadar-Kai:

• Long Life: Have incredibly long life spans (nearly immortal), but none remember the time when the shadow curse was bestowed upon them.
• Shadows: Shadows seem to bend to conceal their movements. They can almost physically manipulate shadows.
• Spicy: When eating, they seek out the strongest flavors. "Even the most powerful spices seem bland and distant to the shadow fey..."

Shadar-Kai on the Plane of Shadow:

• The vast majority live on the Plane of Shadow.
• They do not like being separated from the material plane. It is a source of endless torment.
• Live as either crazed brigands or despairing vagabonds in the shadowy doubles of their ruined cities.

Homes: Elegant half-ruined dwellings cut into the sides of shadowy cliffs, and slender towers rising beneath the densest forest canopies, home only to the most crazed shadow fey.

Weapons: Use spiked chains as weapon of choice.

Enemies:

• Other fey do not associate with the shadar-kai.
• Shadow mastiffs and shadow asps are frequent companions.
• Redcaps will sometimes work with shadar-kai out of wild bloodlust.
• Dark Ones hate shadar-kai.

4e Monster Manual

By Chris Stevens & Espen Crundetjern

The 3rd edition shadar-kai were very cool. In 4e, they are a bleak people who inhabit the Shadowfell and serve the Raven Queen. "Following the dark augeries of their witches, shadar-kai move secretly to accomplish ruinous ends..."

Appearance:  They resemble humans, but have grey skin and eyes that are lustrous black orbs, like a raven's. The shadows seem to deepen around them. Their skin always has patterns of tattoos and scarifications.

Don't Fear Death: They fight without any concern for their well-being, believing that death is foretold at birth and cannot be avoided. Embrace death, trusting that the Raven Queen will keep their souls safe long after they've passed on.

No Family: Personal achievement and glory defines a shadar-kai more than family, wealth, or holdings. "A shadar-kai can gain a lot of power and prestige by murdering rivals, slaying powerful beasts in the name of the Raven Queen, or wreaking havoc and reaping souls in the natural world."

Teleport: "All shadar-kai have the ability to teleport a short distance and reappear in a dark, wraithlike form."

In 4th edition, the Raven Queen has these winged, humanoid agents known as sorrowsworn (who are completely different from the 5e version of sorrowsworn found in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes).

In this book, the entry on the sorrowsworn says: "Heroes among the shadar-kai, and others who serve the Raven Queen without fail, can ascend to the ranks of the sorrowsworn. Doing so is one way mighty shadar-kai can acquire immortality..."

4e Monster Manual 2

by Ben Wooten

"These shadowy humanoids pursue pleasure and pain, depravity and hedonistic excess - any rush of sensation to forestall the Shadowfell's gloom."

Long ago, the shadar-kai bound themselves by oath and blood to the service of the Raven Queen. However, they found their extended lives threatened by the omnipresent malaise of the Shadowfell.

There are 4 new types of shadar-kai presented here:

• Shadar-Kai Blacksoul: Shoots bolts of necrotic energy.
• Shadar-Kai Dawnkiller: Fights with a kukri.
• Shadar-Kai Gloom Lord: Can create shadowcages.
• Shadar-Kai Painbearer: Wield spiked chains, do shadow dances.

Dragon #372 - Playing Shadar-Kai

by Chris Seaman

This issue has an article that lets you play a shadar-kai as a character.

Shadar-Kai "...see themselves as instruments of death and dissolution, the bringers of the righteous end to complacency, stagnation, and life itself."

"The weak molder to dust, passing into eternity unremembered."

Death: Shadar-Kai could live longer than an eladrin, but their "Extreme living" keeps them from seeing old age.

"Some simply fade away, disappearing into shadow and death, perhaps leaving behind a wraith as the soul passes into the Raven Queen's care."

Shadar-kai push boundaries because they have learned to channel the darkness of the Shadowfell that would otherwise doom them.

Religion: Shadar-kai revere the commandments of the Raven Queen as societal traditions. They do worship other deities, though demon worship is not tolerated.

Origin: Shadar-kai were once a tribe of humans.

• When the Raven Queen slew Nerull and ascended to godhood, the shadar-kai struck a deal with her. They promised to serve as her mortal agents, and in exchange, she gave them long life and freedom from frailty.
• The shadar-kai moved to the Shadowfell. Living there reshaped them and became a distinct species.
• The Raven Queen doesn't demand worship from them, she only asks that they follow her commandments.
• Most shadar-kai hold no pity for the dying and try to punish those who defy fate. They believe that nobody truly knows what fate holds.

Raven Consort: In 4th edition, once a shadar-kai character hits a high level, they can take an 'epic destiny' called Raven Consort. "All your oaths are fulfilled, and your destiny is sealed with your legendary deeds. Death now loves you more than any other."

Immortality: You have become the greatest among your kind. "Perhaps you have even armed the bleak heart of winter and risen above those who must merely joined the ranks of the sorrowsworn."

The Queen's Right Hand: Death has "...pulled you close under her black wings." You are all but eternal in body and in fable. You might get a reward:

• Dominion over the borders of her domain.
• Command over the Raven Knights, sorrowsworn nobles who watch over her lands.
• "Perhaps you'll marshal the Raven Queen's forces to bring death to all of her remaining enemies."
• Quickened Corpus: Your Constitution score goes up by 2.
• Cycle of Life: You gain bonuses to death saves.
• Death's Companion: Whenever you kill a creature, a lich vestige forms from that corpse and serves you for a short time.
• Vitality Eternal: Once per day, you can automatically succeed on saving throws against all ongoing effects.

Dungeon #158 - The Shadow Rift of Umbraforge

by Dave Allsop

This adventure deals with a settlement in the Shadowfell called Umbraforge. It is located near a magma shadow rift. A shadar-kai named Sarshan uses the magma to create shadow-infused weaponry.

Sarshan: An outcast shadar-kai who lead a mercenary band known as the Black Arrow.

Leena: A shadar kai witch who trains combat spellcasters. "The shadar-kai witch wears a black cloak edged with adamantine beads, and she keeps her long hair plaited to hang down her back. Gold piercings line her ears and lower lip, and a black starburst tattoo encloses her right eye."

Dark Foundry: "Fell beasts of battle are created here by dark arcane craft."

Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

In 5th edition, the shadar-kai are elves! They were followers of the Raven Queen (who, in 5e, was an elf queen who attempted to ascend to godhood). 

• "Sworn to the Raven Queen's service, the mysterious shadar-kai venture into the Material Plane from the Shadowfell to advance her will."
• They exist in a strange state between life and death.
• Eladrin and shadar-kai are like reflections of each other: one bursting with emotion, the other nearly devoid of it."

Origin:

• The Raven Queen tried to use the souls and magic of her people to elevate her to godly status.
• Some elves pledged themselves to her - they became known as the shadar-kai.
• The Raven Queen wanted to use their souls to "...forge a pathway through the Feywild to Arvandor, all while increasing her influence."
• Before she could do this, evil wizards tried to siphon the souls of the shadar-kai for their own purposes.
• This led to a magical catastrophe that sent the Raven Queen and the shadar-kai to the Shadowfell.

Servants of the Queen: The shadar-kai have it rough in 5e. Check it out:

• Cursed to forever serve the Raven Queen, too terrified to enter the Fortress of Memories.
• Old: When shadar-kai are in the Shadowfell, their bodies and faces are old and withered. They often wear masks of metal or wood. When away from the Shadowfell, they take on youthful features.
• Immortal: When a shadar-kai dies, they are resurrected to live again. They consider death to be a temporary condition.
• Sediment of Memory: Shadar-kai are very interested in the magical silt at the bottom of the River Styx that holds the memories and identities of lost souls.

Traits:

• +1 to CON
• Resistance to necrotic damage.
• Blessing of the Raven Queen: Teleport up to 30 feet as a bonus action once per long rest.

The Monster Entry: Shadar-kai appear in this book both as a player race and as a monster type.

Soul Custodians: Shadar-kai watch over the Shadowfell and the material world scouting out choice souls and tragedies.

Blighted Elves: Eons of exposure to the Shadowfell have left them joyless and mournful.

Monster Types:

• Gloom Weaver: Uses its shadow magic to reduce its enemies to ghastly corpses.
• Shadow Dancer: "Living darkness," shadar-kai who fight using chains.
• Soul Monger: Despairing over lost memories, the aching void within them radiates outward. "A bottomless void of tragedies."