About [edit | edit source]
Personality[edit | edit source]
The shadar-kai have a love of battle so great that they spend most of their time training and sparring, though there are sects of their social structure that act as merchants, smiths, and priests.
In point of fact, there are two types of shadar-kai, those that grew up in shadowy civilizatoins (or came to one after leaving their original home) and those that live and stay in one of the many scattered enclaves in the Wastes of their native plane, the Shadowfell. Those that remain in the enclave are wild and more dependent on violence and pain to anchor themselves to their bodies so that they do not fade, though that is a part of who the shadar-kai are as a people.
Physical Description[edit | edit source]
They look human, with a few exceptions. Their skin is a dusky gray, a trait that being born in the Shadowfell has given them (unless they are born of another plane, in which case they will take on a skin tone of their birth plane), and sometimes in extremes of emotion they will "bleed" shadows. Their eyes and their hair are both always of the purest extremes of color, no matter what color it is. Hair is usually the pure forms of natural hair colors, like blood red, snow white, and raven black, while the eyes can be of any color, though that color is always vibrant to non-shadar-kai.
Last and most noticeable of all, most shadar-kai are covered with a web of scars and tattoos, either self-inflicted or gained in countless fights.
Relations[edit | edit source]
They can get along with most races, and have actually made trade partnerships with humans, elves, and halflings. Also, like most races, they do not get along with orcs, though for them it is because they do not see orcs as worthy opponents in battle. Unlike most races, they can identify with the drow elves and even respect them. To the shadar-kai, the drow are also born of chaos and darkness, and their love of battle makes them adversaries to be enjoyed. The drow are almost always given the honor of the shadar-kai's full ability in combat.
Their chaotic nature and their birth in the Shadowfell also mean that they feel the need to anchor themselves to their bodies, which leads them to establish bonds with vicious and unpredictable creatures.
Alignment[edit | edit source]
Chaotic neutral is most common, though any chaotic alignment is not unusual.
Lands[edit | edit source]
Mountains, deserts, and harsh wastelands are where they feel most comfortable. They choose to live in these places if they leave their native plane because these are the environments that will test them, almost as if the world itself is against them.
Language[edit | edit source]
Common, Elven, Draconic, and shadar-kai
Names[edit | edit source]
Occasionally take names from humans or elves, but much more frequently take names of heroes of the shadar-kai or great warriors that they revere. Examples would be Drizzt, Ryder, and Ashok for the males, and Quelanna, Baenrae, and Olra for the females.
Blackstones[edit | edit source]
Kai who live outside of the Shadowfell are often found traveling with "Blackstones", miraculous runes which allow the user to channel their own magical abilities and blink back into the Shadowfell. Because distance and time away from the Shadowfell weakens shadar-kai, it is essential that kai have access to a stone if they do not have natural planar-jumping abilities available.
If a "Blackstone" is not properly created, it may instead form an "Echostone." These "Echostones" are not capable of blinking into the Shadowfell alone, but will activate in conjunction with any "Blackstone" within 60 feet.
