The Plane of Shadow is a darkly lighted dimension that is both coterminous to and coexistent with the Material Plane. It overlaps the Material Plane much as the Ethereal Plane does, so a planar traveler can use the Plane of Shadow to cover great distances quickly. The Plane of Shadow is also coterminous to other planes. With the right spell, you can use the Plane of Shadow to visit other realities.
The Plane of Shadow is a world of black and white; color itself has been bleached from the environment. It is otherwise appears similar (but not exactly identical) to the Material Plane.
The terrain of the Plane of Shadow is usually similar to the area where the traveler enters from the Material Plane. If a wizard travels onto the Plane of Shadow from a forest, she first sees an equivalent shadow forest. If she starts underwater, she appears within a shadowy sea that behaves like a Material Plane ocean, so her water breathing spell still works. However, as she moves away from her entry point, the terrain of the Plane of Shadow changes dramatically, although it usually bears some resemblance to the corresponding terrain on the Material Plane.
Traits
The plane of Shadow is in many ways the dark duplicate of the Material Plane. Much is similar, but there are significant differences. The Plane of Shadow has the following traits.
- Normal Gravity.
- Normal Time.
- Infinite Size.
- Magically Morphic: Spells such as shadow conjuration and shadow evocation modify the base material of the Plane of Shadow. The utility and power of these spells within the Plane of Shadow make them particularly useful for explorers and natives alike.
- No Elemental or Energy Traits: Some small regions on the Plane of Shadow (called Darklands) have the minor negative-dominant trait, however.
- Mildly Neutral-Aligned.
- Enhanced Magic: Spells with the shadow descriptor are enhanced on the Plane of Shadow. Such spells are cast as though they were prepared with the Maximize Spell feat, though they don’t require the higher spell slots. Furthermore, specific spells become more powerful on the Plane of Shadow. Shadow conjuration and shadow evocation spells are 30% as powerful as the conjurations and evocations they mimic (as opposed to 20%). Greater shadow conjuration and greater shadow evocation are 60% as powerful (not 40%), and a shade spell conjures at 90% of the power of the original (not 60%). To calculate the effect of such spells, take advantage of Maximize Spell to garner maximum hit points or maximum damage, then apply the percentage above.
- Impeded Magic: Spells that use or generate light or fire may fizzle when cast on the Plane of Shadow. A spellcaster attempting a spell with the light or fire descriptor must succeed at a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + the level of the spell). Spells that produce light are less effective in general, because all light sources have their ranges halved on the Plane of Shadow. Despite the dark nature of the Plane of Shadow, spells that produce, use, or manipulate darkness itself are unaffected by the plane.
Links to Other Planes
- Travelers typically access the Plane of Shadow with spells or permanent portals.
- There are also vortices between the Plane of Shadow and the Material Plane that function randomly and have variable destinations. These intermittent portals to the Plane of Shadow are usually Medium-size and last for 1d6 days before fading. The frequency of these portals is unknown, for many may appear, last for a few days, then fade without anyone noticing, much less using, the portal. Like any vortex, spells and unattended objects (such as arrows) can pass from one plane to another.
- The Plane of Shadow does not connect to the Ethereal Plane. Spells and spell-like abilities that use or access the Ethereal Plane do not function in the Plane of Shadow.
- The Plane of Shadow is coexistent with the Astral Plane, so various spells and portals make it possible to move between the two planes.
- The Plane of Shadow can lead to alternate Material Planes and other planes of existence. This is a perilous way to travel, because the way to other planes plunges through parts of the Plane of Shadow that are not coexistent with any known plane and home to a variety of fell monsters.
Inhabitants
While the Plane of Shadow is not evil in and of itself, it is home to a wide variety of foul creatures that hate the light and the living. The best known denizen of the plane is the shadow, an undead creature that sucks the strength from adventurers on either the Material Plane or the Plane of Shadow.
The Plane of Shadow has native versions of many of the plants and animals found on the Material Plane, but the shadow versions are twisted, dark variants.
There are numerous stories of castles and entire cities that have been sucked up by the Plane of Shadow over the years. Some still survive, but they have been warped by the insidious, toxic nature of the Plane of Shadow. This toxicity only manifests after decades on the Plane of Shadow. It grants strange abilities and inhuman attributes to those infected by shadow's touch.
Features
The Plane of Shadow is no more or less dangerous than the Material Plane. Certain regions are perilous, and the natives are hostile, but the plane is not inherently damaging to most who travel it. Unlike on the Astral Plane and the Ethereal Plane, there is sufficient food (though it's often dark in color and dripping black blood) and water (though it's ichorous and thick). The air on the plane is normal, and a native of the Material Plane can survive years here without ill effect—once he gets used to the darkness and the ever-present slight chill.
But over decades, the Plane of Shadow is toxic to nonnatives. Creatures from elsewhere who spend most of their lives on the Plane of Shadow develop new abilities and vulnerabilities to match their adopted home. Which abilities change seems to be unpredictable from creature to creature and location to location on the Plane of Shadow.
Dark Mirages
One of the most distressing features of the Plane of Shadow is that it is a warped reflection of the Material Plane. A shadow traveler who enters the Plane of Shadow from her hometown may find herself in a dark, abandoned version of that town. The parallels are not exact, so her home may be on a different street, be built in a different style, or (most likely) lie in ruins.
Shadow travelers in a place particularly familiar or meaningful to them must make a Will saving throw (DC 15) to ignore such dark mirages. Those who fail are haunted and rattled by the similarities, suffering a –2 morale penalty on attacks and saving throws as long as they remain in a location familiar to them. Travelers who make their saves are unaffected by the dark mirages for the duration of their trip to the Plane of Shadow
Darklands
On the Plane of Shadow, patches of darkness exist that are even darker than the shadows themselves. Negative energy infuses these places. Whether the negative energy is bleeding over from the Negative Energy plane or it's simply a byproduct of the high concentration of undead shadows and other life-draining undead is unknown.
Darklands regions have the minor negative-dominant trait. Living creatures that enter the darklands take 1d6 points of damage per round from negative energy and crumble into ash if they reach 0 hit points or less. Spells and magic items that protect against negative energy function normally within the darklands.
Travelers to the Plane of Shadow can identify darklands easily. They are more desolate and bleak than the surrounding areas (which are themselves pretty bleak on this plane). Plants are dead and desiccated from the long-term effects of the negative energy.