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Shades were humanoids who had merged with the essence of shadowstuff. They were said to have traded away their very souls,[2] in exchange for profound physical prowess, protection from harm, and ageless immortality.[6][page needed]

Understand Tamlin, that becoming a shade does more than simply transform your body. You will no longer be human. You will live alone, with history as your companion. Your family will die, your friends, even elves die and you live on. Everything will crumble and you will continue.

Description[]

While their size varied depending on race and stature pre-conversion, shades generally appeared more slender than other humanoids. Their skin looked wholly lifeless,[1] in hue ranging from ash-gray to black,[2] becoming darker as they got older.[1]

Shades had black eyes,[5] and sharp teeth that resembled fangs.[1][8]

Creation[]

Initially, shades of the Realms were not born but rather created by one or more magical processes.[2][9] While the specifics were rather esoteric, it was described as being "touched and overcome" by the magic native to the Shadowfell.[10] After these created-shades returned to Toril, they proliferated just as any other species.[11]

Becoming a shade was also possible by completing a ritual in the Fane of Shadows, the temple of Shar that shifted in and out of the Prime Material plane.[6][page needed]

Personality[]

Shade! Like the Netherese? Burn me, Cale! Those dark hearted bastards aren't even human. I've heard...

Shades each had free will, and were not inherently evil,[10] but often dedicated themselves to malevolent leaders or causes.[5] They were generally calm, calculating individuals that preferred to act without others taking notice.[10]

The shades of Thultanthar had an insulated society, separated from that of neighboring Realms. They were a cold and aloof people who kept old and often outdated sensibilities.[9] A select few were chosen as ambassadors of the enclave, and dispatched to speak for their people in foreign lands.[10]

Shades often preferred drab, dull-colored,[2] while those from Thultanthar wore attire that seemed otherworldly to the people of Faerûn.[12]

Abilities[]

I am a shade...I am stronger in the darkness. My hand regenerated entirely at night or in darkness. I can travel from one shadow to another in an eyeblink, covering a bowshot or thirty leagues. My flesh resists magic. As far as I can determine, I no longer age.

Shades grew more powerful in areas of darkness or shadows, but weaker when exposed to direct sunlight.[14][page needed] They possessed an inherent form of regeneration,[2][5] that could heal through the most grievous of wounds in moments,[15] and even regrow lost limbs while cloaked in shadows.[14][page needed] A shade's regenerative powers could be negated by contact with radiant energy.[1]

They held powers associated with the Shadowfell,[10] such as the ability to leap from shadow to shadow,[16] to create shadowy duplicates of themselves, and even to become entirely invisible. They could also decrease the amount of light in an area and could see through darkness, even of the magical variety.[5][1][2]

They could see in complete darkness,[16] including, unusually, magical darkness.[2][5][3]

Relationships[]

Shades were among the outsiders most generally feared across the breadth of Faerûn.[10] Shades in turn believed themselves wholly superior to all non-shades in existence.[5]

History[]

Netherese shades were first created through the research of Netherese wizards who left Faerûn for the Plane of Shadow―the previous iteration of the Shadowfell―for research purposes long before the kingdom's fall at Karsus's Folly in the -4th century DR.[5] During this journey, it was found that by removing a part of one's soul and replacing it with the essence of shadow, a shade could be produced.[9][5] This was an extremely complex and painful process, but the result was a being with a prolonged life and a greatly strengthened set of abilities when in the presence of shadows.[9]

Like the Shadovar of Netheril, many Eshowe of Chult also became shades, particularly priests of Eshowdow, the Shadow Giant, and mages who were members of the Abuya-Deimshowa.[17]

In the Year of Wild Magic, 1372 DR, the Netherese enclave of Thultanthar, then home to many shades in service to Shar, returned to Faerûn after centuries in the Plane of Shadow.[9][18] As directed by the city's Princes of Shade, a select few Shadovar―citizens of Thultanthar―were rewarded for their immense loyalty to the city by being made into shades.[5]

Some adventurers of the Realms took up the mantle as shade hunters, vowing to stop the Netherese shades and hinder their efforts to recreate their ancient empire at all costs.[19]

Notable Shades[]

Appendix[]

See Also[]

  • Wan shade

Appearances[]

Further Reading[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 260. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 314–315. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4  (1998). Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four. (TSR, Inc), pp. 67–68. ISBN 0-7869-1212-X.
  4. Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 108. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 147–149. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Paul S. Kemp (July 2003). Twilight Falling. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 11, p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-2998-7.
  7. Paul S. Kemp (December 2008). Shadowrealm. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 5, p. 101. ISBN 978-0786948639.
  8. Troy Denning (April 2014). The Sentinel. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 6, p. 102. ISBN 0786964596.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 280–281. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 21. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  11. Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 114. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Jason Carl, Sean K. Reynolds (October 2001). Lords of Darkness. Edited by Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 82. ISBN 07-8691-989-2.
  13. Paul S. Kemp (November 2006). Shadowbred. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 9, p. 185. ISBN 0-7869-4077-8.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Paul S. Kemp (June 2004). Dawn of Night. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 10. ISBN ISBN 0-7869-3225-2.
  15. Paul S. Kemp (July 2003). Twilight Falling. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 19. ISBN 0-7869-2998-7.
  16. 16.0 16.1 Greg A. Vaughan, Skip Williams, Thomas M. Reid (November 2007). Anauroch: The Empire of Shade. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 31. ISBN 0-7869-4362-9.
  17. Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 82, 192. ISBN 978-0786906574.
  18. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 152. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  19. Jeff Crook, Wil Upchurch, Eric L. Boyd (May 2005). Champions of Ruin. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 58. ISBN 0-7869-3692-4.
  20. Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 69. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
  21. Greg A. Vaughan, Skip Williams, Thomas M. Reid (November 2007). Anauroch: The Empire of Shade. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 61. ISBN 0-7869-4362-9.
  22. Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 173. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
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