The Forest of ShadowsBack to Top
Coterminous to and coexistent with the Material plane, Shadow plane, and Fey world and coterminous with the Astral plane and Ethereal plane. Creatures able to modify the shape of the plane can extend regions to be coterminous with any other plane as well. Regions of the Forest of Shadows overlap the Material and Shadow planes and often have regions where it is possible to walk to and from those planes. Other regions are similarly overlapping with the Fey world often having convoluted methods via which an individual can be transported from one to the other. It is also possible to navigate the Endless Forest to any plane with which the Forest of Shadows is coterminous, emerging either in area of shadow or dense forest. Similar regions can also occasionally be connected to the Forest of Shadows depositing travelers into the Endless Forest. There is a 80% chance any region used to exit the Forest of Shadows can be used by that creature to reenter the Forest.
Colors within the Forest of Shadows are muted but not altogether absent. Throughout most of the Forest there exists no natural light however some regions include either moonlight and/or starlight and most other regions include bioluminescent life or artificial lighting. Despite the lack of sunlight, the Forest of Shadows is home to a vast number trees and other plants as would be anticipated in any dense forest. Unlike most normal plants these plants are deep purple and nearly black where others would be green and similar shades reaching closer towards brown where they would be more woody. Several types animals can be found throughout the endless forest, some are a part of it, ceasing to exist when out of sight, others navigate it, traveling from one region to another.
Traits
Gravity
Normal
Time
Normal
Realm
Self-Contained Shape and Size
See morphic properties
Highly/Divinely Morphic/Sentient
Skadwalth is able to reorient the shape of the plane at will, however, any region not currently under his command contains an echo of his will that is refreshed as long as he occupies the plane. This echo has similar ability to alter the shape of the plane. When neither Skadwalth nor the echo of his will is intervening in its shape, the plane takes the shape of an unnavigable forest. Any who wander beyond the reach of a given region (often denoted by the presence of some light) are immediately drawn into an endless forest in which they are quickly isolated. Light sources are able to form temporary regions of stability allowing multiple creatures to occupy the same space in this forest. Once in this forest creatures who are properly trained can identify various markers that indicate which direction to go to reach a given area. Continually following the proper markers will deposit the creature on the boundary of the corresponding region. While within the endless forest, creatures, in a sense, create the forest around them or, more directly, they give the forest realness. The forest only exists within the region of their sight and each creature, source of light, and defined region of the forest creates a demiplane within the forest which they occupy. As such, only spells capable of traveling between planes are able to transport a creature from one to another.
Essence
Mixed
Both shadow matter and physical matter
Alignment
Mildly Neutral-Aligned
Enhanced Magic
Spells with the shadow descriptor and spells that produce, use, or manipulate darkness are enhanced in the Forest of Shadows. Furthermore, specific spells become more powerful on the Shadow Plane. Shadow conjuration, shadow evocation, and other shadows spells that create effects that are only partially real or that replicate other effects at only a percentage of their power are made completely real, replicating effects at 100% power and are cannot be disbelieved while in the Forest of Shadows.
Impeded Magic
Spells with the light descriptor or that use or generate light are impeded in the Forest of Shadows. Spells that produce light are less effective in general, because all light sources have their ranges halved in the Forest of Shadows.
Denizens
Shadows
Originally created by a group of Sceaduinar who had learned to spy on and mimic the methods of the Jyoti, "Shadows" is the name given collectively to a group of races that now worship their direct creator, champion, and defender, Skadwalth.
Mirrors to the races of the material plane, the various races of Shadows appear in every way identical to the races they mirror except that they appear to be completely grayscale, they see light as darkness and darkness as light seeing colors where others see grays and grays where others see colors, and that their souls are composed of negative energy instead of positive energy unlike almost all other souls in the planes.
Half-Shadows
The children of Shadows and the races of the Material plane, Half-Shadows are able to assume either form and often act as mediators between Shadows and the races of the Material plane.
Drow
Before the creation of the Forest of Shadows, a house of drow, losing favor with the other houses, made a tentative alliance with the Sceaduinar who created the Shadows. When the last of these Sceaduinar died in the Last Great Siege of the Priests of Pharasma, Skadwalth gave each of them a choice: Forsake their evil ways or die. Many of the drow were slain, though some escaped back to the other houses and some, who Skadwalth had been secretly attempting to influence while under the rule of the Sceaduinar, forsook their ways and joined him. These drow now live amongst the Shadows in the Forest.
Myrkalfr
A race of fey unfavored by their brothers and sisters in the Fey World. As all Fey come from premature souls trapped before reaching the planes of mortals, these Fey are formed from the negative energy souls otherwise destined to become Shadows or their kin. Myrkalfr take an appearance similar to that of the Svartalfar and it believed that this may be due to their proximity to the Shadow plane. Myrkalfr enjoy collecting knowledge, particularly that of arcane secrets and of the wilds of the various planes but they also delight in learning any form of secret. Myrkalfr have numerous archive-villages where they reside and keep their collected knowledge, sharing with others of their people. Myrkalfr are often stingy about sharing their knowledge with outsiders but may be accepting of a trade. Myrkalfr will also often take jobs of espionage to uncover the secrets of another organization.
Vulrifaz
Also known as the Children of Vulhi, Vulrifaz are a type of negative-energy soul fey that take the form of a dire wolf formed out of shadow stuff. They will often take a humanoid form, appearing as a child with dark gray skin, long black hair, and eyes that reflect no light, with a build similar to that of skinny half-elf child but lacking the characteristic point to their ears.
In the Forest of Shadows, Vulrifaz will defend their regions with a passion, using the full extent of their abilities and showing burning hatred for any who would assault it. Vulrifaz also sometimes leave the Forest of Shadows creating permanent regions that connect to a forest in the Material and/or Shadow planes. These forests they will defend with identical fervor. When their forests are not threatened, Vulrifaz delight in playing tricks on travelers, often causing them to become lost or lose items. While playful like this, Vulrifaz are never cruel and often display a curious attitude.
Kyromaws
The psychopomps of the Forest of Shadows who serve the goddess Kyrodya in collecting the souls of fallen Shadows and their kin. Due to disagreements between Skadwalth and Pharasma in the past about the nature of the Shadows, all negative-energy souls sent to Boneyard are destroyed on sight. As such, Skadwalth collected up the souls of the first dead among the Shadows and formed the Kyromaws. One among these eventually became the goddess Kyrodya. Kyromaws deliver the souls to various hard to reach regions of the Forest of Shadows housing various afterlives for the souls. Some among these souls will even become more Kyromaws. Kyromaws do not only have the jobs of ushering the dead however, Kyromaws are also responsible for tending the groves where negative-energy souls are grown.
Divinities
Skadwalth, Kyrodya, Vulrigi, Aralyth, Sminca, Knul, Valthar, Freorn, Trang and Demning
Outsiders
Kyromaws
Petitioners
various
Infusions
Basic
You are infused with the dual nature of the Forest of Shadows and are healed when exposed to either positive or negative energy. Additionally, you can intuitively navigate the Endless Forest.
Improved
1/day as a spell-like ability you can pass into the a special region of the Endless Forest close to your current plane within any area of dim-light or darkness and exit after traveling a ways into a distant region of your current plane. This functions as Shadow Walk except that you travel within the Endless Forest instead and it functions in any plane coterminous with the Forest of Shadows.
Greater
3/day as a supernatural ability you can create an opening to the Forest of Shadows in any region of darkness or dense forest. You can also use this ability from the Forest of Shadows to create an opening to any such location on any plane coterminous to the Forest of Shadows. Additionally, the next time you attempt to travel using an entrance created by this ability in either direction, it is guaranteed to be present and allow access.
This stat block goes with the Forest of Shadows setting.