Shadar-Kai
The shadar-kai, or shadow fey, are a race of bitter, determined folk whose souls are poisoned by shadow. Gray skinned and dark-eyed, the slender shadar-kai stand slightly taller than average humans, and their soft movements exude grace and uncanny stealth. Shadow follows the shadar-kai wherever they go. Shadows cast by the folds of their clothing seem deeper than those on humanoids, and a shadar-kai can seemingly fade out of sight by simply stepping into any common shadow.
The shadar-kai prefer light weapons suited for grace and agility, especially spiked chains. Many shadar-kai favor a variety of piercings and tattoos.
Long ago, the shadar-kai thought to preserve the world from the rising humanoid races. Skilled in shadow magic, the shadar-kai made a pact with a dark power of the Plane of Shadow to cast the world into an endless twilight in which the shadow fey would rule supreme. But the experiment went awry, and the shadar-kai were left bound to the Plane of Shadow, cursed to lose their souls in its dark depths. This shadow curse affects shadar-kai to this day, and every member of the race is engaged in a lifelong struggle to stave off inevitable doom.
The continuous pull of the Plane of Shadow has left the shadar-kai grim and embattled. Few races understand the plight of the shadow fey. Even the temporary solutions the shadar-kai have found leave them struggling with constant pain, making them vicious. Their willingness to commit acts of cruelty and violence has increased with each generation.
Shadar-Kai Names
Shadar-kai names sound like twisted elven names and many elves even find their names offensive.
Male Names: Adr, Aelech, Aranat, Arannt, Austar, Berri’im, Enialate, Erdamn, Galingal, Harderied, Ivillain, Lucian, Pelvis, Rollin, Therein, Varriis
Female Names: Adream, Althebees, Bichryn, Burriel, Cowlyyn, Enny, Jellyniith, Liiare, Mealay, Sarrihell, Shavvir, Thibie, Vain, Xenapheobia
Family Names Translated: Stonewilt, Starfire, Moonglare, Hardsweat, Stonefall, Blackfrond, Ashenboot, Nighterror, Darkwater, Blackflower
Shadar-Kai Traits
Ability Score Increase: Your Dexterity score increases by 2
Age: Adulthood is a loose concept to the Shadar-Kai. They reach physical maturity around age 20, but due to their curse, they spend their youngest years learning to fight the pull and pain of the plane of shadow. Therefore, they consider themselves adults when they’ve learned some semblance of control, usually around age 30, though some have accomplished this as young as 10. They have the physical ability to live as long as elves, but usually succumb to the pain at around 500.
Alignment: Their bitterness to other humanoids and constant pain lead them to be generally Neutral Evil, but exceptions are common. A brave and good soul sometimes appears among them, striving to save their race.
Size: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Superior Low-light Vision: You can see in dim-light or shadowy conditions up to 120 feet as if they were bright light. This has no effect on your ability to see in darkness.
Hide in Darkness: You are exceptionally proficient in Stealth checks made to hide in shadows or darkness. When making these checks, you may double your proficiency bonus before adding it to the check.
Keen Senses: You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Fey: Magic cannot charm you or put you to sleep.
Sneak Attack: You know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe’s distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use finesse or a ranged weapon.
You don’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
This damage does not stack with damage from similar class skills, such as a Rogue’s Sneak Attack. Instead, replace this ability with the class ability.
Shadar-kai Weapon Training: You have proficiency with the longbow, short bow, and spiked chain.
Shadow Curse: The Plane of Shadow exerts a tremendous pull on shadar-kai’s soul, which is only tenuously connected to its mortal body. Any time a shadar-kai is incapacitated or unconscious (other than from natural sleep), the shadow fey must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 15) or lose a portion of her soul to the Plane of Shadow.
A shadar-kai with a damaged soul loses 2 points from her Constitution score and 2 points from her Wisdom score that cannot be restored until she restores her soul completely. If exposed to another event that requires a save against the shadow curse, a shadar-kai may continue to lose points in this manner. If a shadar-kai’s Constitution score or Wisdom score drop to zero from this, her soul is ripped from her body and brought to the Plane of Shadow, and her body dies. A shadar-kai on the Plane of Shadow can transfix her soul to her body again with a greater restoration spell. A shadar-kai on the Material Plane (or elsewhere) must use a wish spell to restore her soul.
A shadar-kai afflicted with a damaged soul from the shadow curse cannot be raised from the dead, resurrected, or healed of Hit Point damage. The touch of the shadow curse galls a shadar-kai, filling her heart with an icy emptiness that eventually drives all but the most determined individuals to capitulate and leave the Material Plane altogether.
A shadar-kai who goes to the Plane of Shadow and remains there ameliorates the effects of the shadow curse and suffers no ill effects. However, if she leaves the Plane of Shadow without restoring her soul, she suffers the effects of the shadow curse until she returns to the Plane of Shadow or restores her soul.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common, Elven, and Sylvan.