Shade Race by Mch9717

Shade

THE TRAIL OF FIVE DARKNESSES IS NO EASY PATH
to follow. You say you are ready to make your own journey, to see where the Trail ends? I can tell you this--- the passage to immortality is unique to the individual. My experiences are my own, as are my fears and memories of that awful time. And if you emerge, clinging to the fragile thread that is life, expect no comfort and no kinship, for by embarking on this quest you sever ties with anyone you ever loved. Are you ready? Are you truly prepared?

-Khasus, High Dark of Fellwarren

In the stories of many cultures, there’s tales abound of people who seek out the power of shadows to gain back lost love or power. Those knowledgeable in the greater histories of the Shadowfell know that these stories are no old wive’s tales— there are such people in the world. These humans are called shades, and they trade half of their soul for the powers of the Shadowfell.

The Trail

The process of becoming a shade is commonly known as the Trail of Five Darknesses, a series of magical rituals and tasks that draw on the ambient energies that surround shadow crossings and replace part of the caster’s soul with the dark essence of shadow.

The Trail of Five Darknesses is not a small undertaking— it is just as likely to tear a reckless caster apart as create a shade out of the energy. The actions that go into the casting are also no small undertakings, and many would-be shades bow out before completing even one of the tasks entailed. See Sidebar: The Five Darknesses for more details on the Trail and what it entails.

Inured to Passion

The Trail of Five Darknesses can only be completed by an individual with an uncommon sense of ambition or desperation. Oftentimes, the source of a shade’s motivation is a lust for power, money, or other things of the world. Others, the shade transforms to allay a great evil or tragedy they would otherwise have no power over.

Just as the Shadowfell saps joy and spark out of unlucky adventurer’s soul, the sliver of shadow in a shade’s heart casts a pall over their deportment. Shades are often subdued in their emotion— they still feel hate, love, joy, and sadness. However, those emotions are buried deep down, and don’t show on a shade’s dark countenance. A smirk or a glare from a shade carries the same weight as the joyous laughter of a halfling or the frenzied roar of an orc.

Community and Independence

Shades are all too often self-dependent and reliant on no other beings, not even the gods. Such qualities are necessary to survive the Trail, yet at the same time, many shades feel a hunger for companionship in place of the lost part of their fractured souls. Shades often take the path of an adventurer after their transformation, channeling their natural ruthlessness and grace into the protection and betterment of a group of companions.

Sidebar: The Five Darknesses

The first of the Darknesses is anger. In this ritual, a caster must give up an object that causes rage in their past. Often, casters choose the weapon of a hated rival— or in extreme cases, the head of one. During the casting, the shade must burn the weapon, and recite an incantation that turns the metal into a replica of the Hated One. The shade must kill the replica to complete the ritual.

The second Darkness is hunger. In this ritual, a caster must sit submerged up to their neck in water, with fruit hanging just above them. As they do this, they must fast for three weeks, only drinking the dew of the fruit and eating nothing during the time.

The third Darkness is loneliness. In this ritual, a caster must sit in a stone room for three months, talking to no one during the time. If they speak or cry out or seek company, they fail this part of the ritual.

The fourth Darkness is fear. In this ritual, the caster must conjure the thing they fear most, and stand in front of it and face it down. The conjured in this ritual is an illusion— the caster can’t beat it, and it will only transform into many more terrifying forms as the caster tries to fight it. The creature doesn’t disappear until the caster manages to light a bushel of sage and clearly say the command word— few succeed in this task.

The fifth and final Darkness is wretchedness. In this Darkness, the shade must choose a memory: their most treasured memory in all of their life. By offering this memory to the ritual, they lose it, and cannot remember it to save their life. It is after this ritual is complete that the caster becomes a shade, and they enter the world with half of their soul left to give them life.

At the same time, shades are rarely looked upon in a positive light in their societies. Most shades walk as outcasts through the world, wandering from city to city under a disguise (magical or otherwise), to hide their dark countenance. Even the most social and trusting of shades trust only a few close friends, while the most misanthropic grow to see other mortals as pawns and underlings to be manipulated and thrown away at a whim.

Due to their status as outcasts from society, shades often form communities near shadow crossings, or in the Shadowfell itself. Shade society has a rigid caste system based on power in shadow, and noble shade families are always plotting against one another, using lesser shades as cannon fodder in their conquests. Such shades are nearly always at conflict with the shadar-kai, the two shadow races representing an animosity that rivals that of elves and drow, and dwarves and orcs.

Shades who do turn to a life of adventure often are members of classes that either put to use their natural charisma or grant them more power in shadow. Many warlocks and wizards arise from shade ilk, while many become fighters and rogue who use their words as weapons and shields in battle.

Shade Personality

You can use the Shade Quirks table to determine a personality quirk for a shade or highlight a unique mannerism.

Shade Quirks

d6	Quirk
1	You cannot sleep except when in complete darkness.
2	When you use your darkvision, your subconscious writes messages on the field of your vision.
3	While you have no natural weakness to sunlight, you dislike it and avoid it whenever possible.
4	Small animals have a natural aversion towards you, and stay away from you whenever they can.
5	You overcompensate for your dulled emotions by reacting almost cartoonishly to every situation.
6	You try to avoid holy symbols of a particular deity.

Shade Names

Shades were once humans, and many still carry the names they were born with.

However, due to the discrimination and prejudice they receive from their societies, many shades instead take the name of the shadow crossing where they undertook the Trail of Five Darknesses. This, to them, is symbolic of a disownment of human society, and an embrace of shade culture.

Crossing Names: Blackwood, Deadhill, Dubhtyn, Eboncross, Fellwarren, Gloomhallow, Hematiton, Newmoon, Wolfbarrow.

Shade Racial Traits

The Trail of Five Darknesses grants you abilities that are common among others of your race.

Age. The Trail of Five Darknesses has a dramatic effect on longevity, doubling a shade's normal life span. Shades can live up to two or three hundred years after completing the Trail of Five Darknesses.

Size. Shades are the same size as their former human selves. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Fragile Mortality. You have two creature types: humanoid and undead. If a spell or effect would effect one of your creature types, you are affected by the effect. You are immune to effects that would turn undead.

Practiced Sneak. When you are in dim light or darkness, you can add 1d4 to the result of any Dexterity (Stealth) check you make.

Additionally, you can attempt to Hide even when you are only lightly obscured by dim light, darkness, or other things of the like.

Shaded Eyes. Your ties to the Shadowfell give you superior vision in dark conditions. You may see in dim light and darkness within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light.

Shadow's Spells. You know the detect magic and pass without trace spells, and can cast each of them once using this trait. You also can cast these spells using any spell slots you have. Once you cast either of these spells in this way, you cannot cast it again in this way again until you complete a long rest. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Shadow Origin. You may detect shadow portals and other entrances to the Shadowfell within a range of 60 feet without requiring a check. This sense may manifest itself as a faint ringing, a feeling of disgust or elation, nausea, or an intense headache.

Credits

The Shade is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC