Of Shadowdancers and Shadows

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fading
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Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:52 am

Of Shadowdancers and Shadows

Post by fading » Wed Jan 08, 2020 5:35 pm

I'm trying to understand how Shadows are supposed to be played like. I have seen plenty of creativity when it comes to them by the playerbase, some speaking backwards, some being their character's very own shadow taking form and sentience, others creating a being from the energy of the Shadow Plane and so and so on. There's no concrete information as to what this shadow is supposed to be, which is why there's so much variation in the way people RP it.

This isn't inherently a bad thing, but it does leave me somewhat confused. They're clearly not meant to be Shadows (the undead) as they are in tabletop (and the main game), which leaves me with nothing when it comes to what it's meant to be in Arelith.

If you examine them, they're True Neutral Outsiders, which again, tells me virtually nothing and leaves me even more puzzled.

My question is, what exactly are they meant to be? If anything. Are they meant to be whatever it is we want them to be? So long as it's vaguely thematic, or is there a more coherent idea regarding them that I'm not aware of.

I must add, once again, I do not mind the variety and the ability for the Shadow to be whatever one wants it to be. The more I think, the more I'd prefer that, however the question still stands.

Aelryn Bloodmoon
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Re: Of Shadowdancers and Shadows

Post by Aelryn Bloodmoon » Thu Jan 09, 2020 2:12 am

Sd shadows ARE in fact undead shadows, with four major caveats that differentiate them from standard shadows, assuming you want a lore/ book answer.

The caveats are

- alignment matches the shadow dancer's, even if it's not evil.
- cannot be turned, rebuked, or commanded by any third party, no matter what
- creatures slain by your shadow do not rise as shadows themselves as they normally would, instead dying a normal death and staying that way.
- they can speak with their shadowdancer- only

Source: https://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClas ... mmonShadow
Bane's tyranny is known throughout the continent, and his is the image most seen as the face of evil.
-Faiths and Pantheons (c)2002

Nitro
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Re: Of Shadowdancers and Shadows

Post by Nitro » Thu Jan 09, 2020 5:19 am

That's correct in the P&P, but was explicitly changed on Arelith to be neutral outsiders instead of Chaotic Evil(base NWN) undead. What this means for the other P&P properties of the shadows is up to interpretation, but WYSIWYG it's just a neutral outsider that can't get far away from it's summoner and looks like them.

fading
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Re: Of Shadowdancers and Shadows

Post by fading » Thu Jan 09, 2020 7:27 pm

I assume they're like the Shades around Shadow Cordor/Wharftown? Who are also outsiders? Though as to what they're supposed to be, I've no clue. Well, either way, wasn't exactly expecting a concrete answer, because I guess there isn't one. And that's fine, probably.

Aelryn Bloodmoon
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Re: Of Shadowdancers and Shadows

Post by Aelryn Bloodmoon » Fri Jan 10, 2020 6:14 am

IIRC, those shades in shadow cordor are actually Shadovar, which is a whooooole other thing. Even if the Arelith WYSIWYG stance applies, and your shadowdancer shadow is an outsider instead of an undead, they're definitely not the same kind of outsider, anymore than say a demon and a devil are the same kind of outsider, if that makes sense. (Everything subject to IC perception, of course).
Bane's tyranny is known throughout the continent, and his is the image most seen as the face of evil.
-Faiths and Pantheons (c)2002

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