The Shadowfell
Geography
The geography of the Shadowfell mirrors that of the Freelands, but with a twist. Significant mountains, lakes, cities, and monuments become more decrepit and magical with heavy levels of "gothic artistry"; creating a perverse and dark version of the Freelands and the Material Plane.
Ecosystem
The ecosystem of the Shadowfell mirrors that of the Freelands as well, with a world devoid of almost no animal or plant life. Wherever life of any kind is plentiful and vibrant in the Freelands; black magic, depression, and undeath are in excessive abundance. Everything from the greatest of Skull Lords to the lowliest of Zombies, and every Sorrowsworn and Shadar-Kai in between inhabit this Plane in such places.
Ecosystem Cycles
There are no day and night cycles nor seasons in the Shadowfell, time stretches to an eternity as there is no relative standard for time there. As such when one enters this Plane, one could be there for an instant or for eras and one would not know until they left. None reflect this as much as the Shadar-Kai, Elves that have dwelled here since the Great Revolution, who have succumbed to the darkness of this Plane leaving them listless and apathetic as Elves can be. Many of them were born here, yet some claim that they remember the Great Revolution despite it being thousands of years ago.
Localized Phenomena
In addition, unlike the Feywild and its time dilation, the Shadowfell's lack of "time-sense" creates a sense of despair, dread, or even madness the longer one wanders there lost to time. These effects may remain long after one leaves as well if one is not careful. Scholars, both heretical and not, cannot agree if this emotional darkness spawns from the Plane itself. Or that it is possibly from the collective unconsciousness of the minds and souls of the Freelands, or even possibly from the natives of the Shadowfell. This darkness cyclically creates more darkness and lost adventurers may become some the local Undead or consumed by them or the Sorrowsworn. Also for some bizarre reason this is the only Plane that The Crocea Mors cannot enter, traditionally this deity abhors undead and will correct the issue by laying it to rest and carrying the soul to one of the other Outer Planes. There is some sort of barrier here that prevents death itself from coming, perhaps its all the natural and unnatural levels of darkness that keeps the undead grounded here and "protected" from The Crocea Mors as death itself.
Fauna & Flora
There is no plant life to speak of here in the Shadowfell whatsoever, the closest you'll find to animal life is either undead or living a half-life as a twisted abomination of some sort.
Natural Resources
There are few natural resources in the Shadowfell, but there are an abundance of undead here if one wished to make an army of some sort... though they are dark and willful lot to be sure. Some of the older and more powerful undead here may carry certain wisdoms or answers to burning questions an adventurer may have, but they also may carry said adventurer's doom as well.
History
They Shadowfell has existed as long as the Freelands and the Feywild themselves have, if the Feywild is a positive and magical reflection of the Freelands, then the Shadowfell is the Freelands negative and worst aspects given form. Many of the more heretical scholars suggest that the Shadowfell is the incarnation of Trinity Hecate, the third form of the triple goddess of the Green. Her third form traditionally is depicted as an aged and lonely crone who is both wise and dark, an appropriate description of the Shadowfell and is quite possible explanation as supposedly the Freelands is Trinity Cybele and the Feywild is Trinity Hestia.
Tourism
Adventurers may claim to have visited and gotten lost in the Shadowfell, and they are liars. Most who end up lost here and find their way out usually never speak of it again lest they end up there again somehow. For the Shadowfell is a Plane just dangerous as the Feywild but twice as unwelcoming to wandering adventurers. The only beings that call this place home are already dead in form of Undeath, incarnations of negativity in the form of Sorrowsworn, or lie somewhere between like the Shadar-Kai Elves. Few, if any, sane or wholesome person would call this place home.
Alternative Name(s)
The Dark Realm, The Negative Material Plane
Type
Dimensional plane
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
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Related Myths
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