The Shadowfell

The Shadowfell, also known as the Plane of Shadow, exists as a sort of counterpart to the Feywild, in the sense that is is a reflection, or "echo," of The Prime Material Plane. Unlike the Feywild, it is a bleak, desolate place full of decay and death.

Geography

The most striking and immediate impression a visitor to the Plane of Shadow experiences is the lack of color and light; no sun, moon, or stars adorn the vault of the inky black sky, and all things look as if the color has leeched out, leaving nothing but black and white, which in the dimness are more like "dark black" and "light black." A light source only illuminates half the distance it normally does, 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. On the other hand, although it does not illuminate as far, any light source on the plane can be spotted at a distance of up to ten times its normal range of illumination, such is the contrast to the constant gloom, similar to a star in the night sky. Even a light source that only puts out shadowy illumination, like a darkness spell or a lantern burning shadowlight oil, can be seen up to five times its range of illumination.

Gravity and time are the same on the Shadowfell as on the Prime, but because the Shadowfell is magically morphic, the landscape is a dark, twisted echo of what exists on the Prime. Upon entering the Plane of Shadow, the local features are usually quite similar: casting shadow walk in a forest puts you in a shadow forest; casting it under water drops you in a similar body of water, etc. But from that starting point, the landscape diverges rapidly away from the familiar, and on subsequent visits from the same starting point it diverges in different ways, making mapping the Shadowfell a useless endeavor. Landmarks are usually recognizable, but altered in some bizarre way: buildings might be constructed in a different style, built with different materials, at a different location, and/or in any condition from dilapidated ruins to its normal appearance, for example, or otherwise strange and distorted. Similar sites are sometimes called "shadow-analogues."

Due to the ever-changing landscape, the Plane of Shadow is subject to relatively frequent but very small earthquakes (called shadow quakes) that resemble an earthquake spell in an area about two hundred feet in diameter. For those on the ground, damage is equivalent to a Prime earthquake, but shadow quakes could also disrupt the shadow walk spell and dump unfortunate travelers onto the Shadowfell in the middle of the disturbance at a place very likely unknown and far from their destination.

Air, water, and food exist on this plane, supporting plants, animals, and some humanoids adapted to the shadow environment. Visitors can survive indefinitely if they are willing to endure thick, foul-smelling water, food that oozes dark blood, and a pervasive nip of cold in the air. A visitor can never feel warm, would often hear or sense the presence of things that weren't there, and can never shake the feeling of being watched. It is a constantly unsettling place. Over time, exposure to the Plane of Shadow alters living things, increasing various traits and abilities but also some vulnerabilities. Emotions and the ability to experience them seemed to fade over time for those imbued with shadowstuff (see below).

The morphic nature of the Shadowfell can produce strange effects, mainly in areas like the Black Rift that are especially morphic, and with events that have a particular affinity with the plane, like death. For example, in the Black Rift alone, a pile of bodies causes more skeletons to appear, until there are thousands. More bizarre are the strange biers upon which dead bodies spontaneously appeared, apparently drawn from wherever they rested, anywhere in existence, only to disappear after a few seconds, presumably to wherever they'd come from. Stalactites in a cave dripped ephemeral shadowstuff, which is reabsorbed into the plane rather than forming a puddle. Even common mushrooms bear realistic humanoid faces, capable of twitching or blinking. More significantly, forests of grasping tendrils sprout from some surfaces and reach for passersby, similar to the black tentacles spell.

Phenomena

Known as "shadowstuff," the material of the Shadowfell can be manipulated by illusionists to form semi-real monsters and quasi-real evocations that are still effective (to a lesser degree) even if the target successfully disbelieved the illusion.
Another tool of illusionists is the shadow well spell, which can turn a creature's shadow into a temporary gateway into the Shadowfell. If successful, the victim is sucked into the Shadowfell through his or her shadow and spends a few moments in a pocket realm (a very tiny demiplane attached to the Shadowfell) terrorized by dark phantasms. No physical harm results from this spell, but mental and emotional trauma resulting in a fear response is possible.
An unsuccessful attempt to build a gate to the Shadowfell can result in what is termed a failed Shadow Gate. A being that steps through one is taken only momentarily to the Plane of Shadow, but in that moment a "seed of shadow" is implanted in their flesh. This can cause their flesh to be subsumed by shadow, and they can see it mist away into darkness. Many die to this process, reduced to bare skeletons, but those who survive acquire the powers of a dark creature.

Fauna & Flora

The Shadowfell is home to a mysterious form of undead called shadows, other "shadow" creatures such as the shadow mastiff and shadow dragon, and a race of humanoids known as shades. In addition to those, there are numerous other inhabitants, such as communities of shadar-kai, Shadovar, and dark ones.
Other creatures that are either native to the plane or attracted to it included bodaks, cloakers, darkweavers, ephemera of all kinds, veserabs, liches, nightshades, shadar-kai, shadurakul, spectres, and wraiths. Occasionally, animals and monsters wander or fall into a vortex to the Shadowfell and become trapped there. Those that survive eventually take on shadow-given abilities, carve out a niche in the ecosystem, and prey on whatever attracted their attention. Examples include apes, basilisks, bears, owlbears, rats, umber hulks, and wolves. Such creatures give rise to dark creatures, shadowy counterparts of natural creatures.
Shadow sea serpents are not native to the Plane of Shadow, but are bred there by the Shadovar, crossing warm-blooded carnivorous orcas with vile shadow creatures. These serpents hunt in packs both in the sea and on land.

Alternative Name(s)

The Plane of Shadow

Type

Planar Sphere/Grouping