D&D Lore: The Shadar-Kai

[@garretthurler961]

I just made a Shadar-Kai for my campaign, and there is not enough Lore about them. Thank you so much for these videos they have been INSTRUMENTAL in my character development. Got a permanent fan now!!

[@RichesandLiches]

@garretthurler961 Comments like this give me the most satisfaction. We have all been there and just reading that my research has helped another world builder/dm/creator is one of the main reasons I create these videos... so thank you so much for sharing!

[@TheMadDoctor-ku6yu]

I'd love to see you make adventures from the grand lost lore of the DND story. Much better to have players be a part of the world history than just hear about.

[@Adam_First]

Excellent

[@gothicshark]

Love that you found one of many references to events in D&D history shaped by actual gameplay, and where the Heroes of lore were not named, unless one of the players started to publish book on the adventures.

[@pr1mamater1a]

These are seriously the most well researched and engaging lore essays out there! Super grateful for the time and effort you are putting in to each one. I hate the 5e versions of the Shadar-Kai and Raven Queen, so it's unbelievably helpful to have a quick reference for all the previous versions in one place!

[@Adam_First]

Great video

[@duanebradway1627]

In regard to the Adventuring Part, I think that would be great. I always find myself needing to expand on lore. Backstory and purpose are what drive future decisions. PCs having an understanding of the former allow them to determine the latter. This is what makes a good story. I love using Shadar-Kai in places where a massive and tragic loss have taken place. I use them in the roll of collecting the dead with significant memories while preventing the resurrection of the individuals lost in these events. The party then has to decide if they are going to allow this or if there is someone there who was important to them they want brought back. Will they fight for the people they love or choose a different path?

[@LikeTheBirb]

I've been making a hybrid dark elf/Shadar Kai character for a story and this is giving me so much to work with

[@corymorse4271]

4th edition shadar-kai are the most compelling. In my game they descend from the society that birthed the Raven Queen along with the nagpa. I treat them something like the Vistani after a diaspora. Those who live in the material plane are mostly tied to lineages tasked with observing the avatars of the gods whose active participation in the world often spell doom for its people and iconic locations.

[@RichesandLiches]

@corymorse4271 You might very well be interested in my comments coming in part 4 :)

[@corymorse4271]

@@RichesandLiches well, I know how the Raven Queen has acted in her attempts to consolidate power and how the other gods have acted in their attempts to restrain her. It is the template on which my current campaign is built. So, I bet I'll love it.

[@danwizzle91]

Yes you definitely should make a backstory for these heroes

[@ytchanviewer5389]

I don't know how much of the pictures were your creations (all, or some came from elsewhere), but jeez, the Shadar-Kai look pretty cool. Their lore is much less cool though. Somewhere between "retconned too many times it's broken" and "no version was great anyway".

[@syvajarvi2289]

I play a Shadar Kai. It’s a DMPC that I created when a friend and I shared DMing responsibilities. Our take is that the Shadar Kai have always been tied to the Raven Queen and we’re drawn into the Shadowfell when she ascended to godhood. We broke them into two groups, those that were loyal to her during her ascension and those who tried to betray her. Both are “cursed” but differently. Those who were loyal are essentially immortal in a sense…. They die but are reborn through “reincarnation”. They are the sorrow sworn. The sorrow sworn are similar to the psychopomps of PF2e. They ascend to levels, some are messengers, some guide the dead to judgement, the “Ravens” are her agents and champions. My Shadar Kai character collects stories and memories for her as well as acts as a champion when needed. He is a Horizon Walker and College of spirits bard and is fun to play. He is Chaotic Good to the Raven Queens LN and that is why she keeps him around.

[@karmickatastrophe7864]

Have documented this a bit differently. The Shadar Kai are what is left of the LeShay that tried to help the Raven Queen when she attempted to rise to god-hood, as she was one of the most powerful of the LeShay. Their 'removal from the passage of time' concept helps back this up. As they are tied to her from before, the pain is to retain their memories and experiences, as the Raven Queen also seemingly collects/absorbs memories trying to hold herself together and find forgotten/ hidden lore by consuming what memories she can in an effort to restore herself. The LeShay that are still LeShay [still exist as of current lore] are those not present for this incident, though they were still affected by their species' removal from record. The individuals who were helping her but then selfishly betrayed her and tried to steal some or all of the power she was building during this ritual were cursed as has been documented elsewhere already. There were no 'heroes' involved. The RQ was trying to elevate herself to deity status to have a say [for her people] in the rearrangement of the cosmos that the 'new elven' deities were enacting, since it affected what would become the Feywild, their home of origin. Since they weren't interested in this 'primogeniture' race of fey, as they would gain no worshippers from it, they opposed it. If those who betrayed her had not, she could have saved her people's place in history and brought them all home to Arvandor. But as a result of the betrayal and failure, the new gods struck her down as her own ritual imploded, due to their opposition as well as those who betrayed her. They thus shattered her, and cast her into the Negative Energy Plane, erased the memory of her and her people from history [that part even affecting the LeShay not involved, explaining that detail of *their* canon], and leaving her broken and barely there. When Shar starts messing with the Negative Energy Plane to create her Shadow Weave, she combines the Plane of Shadow and the N.E.P. in canon. This revitalized the Shadow Queen and brought her, and all mentioned here, to their current lore standing, filling a few blank spaces and fitting rather nicely. No pesky, hole-riddled story of any of these groups. No confusion over who or what the Raven Queen really was/is. No confusion over how a mortal defeated the [then] God of Death by herself - she was not mortal, only diminished, and she used his power to feed herself and recover. He had no clue what he was dealing with as she was not even a memory. Their appearances even fit. Nice and neat. Use as you like, feel free for questions if you have them. I find it amazing that we all seem to come to a similar solution to the issue.

[@JRMshadow260a]

I love the lore and stories... I haven't played in a very long time..

[@majinsole8554]

I actually really like the 4e version of the Shadar-Kai. So much more culture in that lore that I find interesting. Thanks for this! ~_~

[@RichesandLiches]

@majinsole8554 You might be interested in my conclusions and comments in the part 4 finale then. I don't love that in 4e they were human, but otherwise I agree with you.

[@neceon4586]

In my homebrew world, Shadar-Kai are descendants of the elven army that helped the Raven Queen conquer the Shadowfell from the Dark Triad, Myrkul, Bhaal and Bane. Myrkul, last one standing and knowing that he was weaker than the RQ, cursed her to be bound to the Shadowfell forever, and so, even in victory, she stranded there forever with her devout Shadar-Kai. They have since tried to cope with the utter hostility of the plane; emotion is rare within their societies. But one way to temporarily forget their misery is to be a Raven of the Queen. Shadar-Kai can mentally enter a Raven familiar and summon them in most places within my world's universe, serving as the eyes and ears of the bound goddess and forgetting their struggles in the body of a primitive beast that can go basically everywhere it wants.

[@MrKrisipock]

Love your channel and The Shadow series has been very eye opening for me. I have my own take on the Shadar-Kai but the information you have provided is awesome.

[@RichesandLiches]

@MrKrisipock Thank you for the kind words. Would love to read your take on the Shadar-kai.

[@alphamontemayor396]

Subscribing for the clear effort you’ve put into sourcing awesome and very appropriate art. Nicely done

[@arcaniswithertree4284]

I like thinking that all of them exist at the same time. I like the idea of The Thrill Seekers.

[@ShellySummers]

Talk about retconning 😢 great break down Rich!!

[@rowanisjustatree]

I like to think that the further from the Raven Queen the 5e version of the Shadar-kai get the more the qualities of the previous versions come out. Almost like their heads clear, but they are still aware of their true state of existence and then compensate for that eventual loss of self.

[@RichesandLiches]

That is normally the approach I like to take in tieing versions together, but it is bit harder with the Shadar-kai just based on the origin lore itself. Still, excellent feedback, thank you!

[@avan5352]

More Shadar Kai lore would be awesome.

[@pwykersotz]

It's kind of wild. I only read scraps of lore about the Shadar-Kai, so I made my own and didn't realize it. I honestly don't like any of the lore in its totality, but I do love the struggle against the darkness, the faithful service to the Raven Queen, and the pursuit of the eradication of undeath.

[@VengefulJarl]

Something else about the netherese version, slaves of Thultanthalar were bred with shadow demons creating the Kinth, later these slave creatures started giving birth to the shader Kai similar to how the werewolves gave birth to Lycans in the Inderworld movies.

[@Flyonaweb]

You can use it all. Different sects that break off from the main. History is told from a point of view to which the world has many. Kernels of truth in each piece of lore that are twisted together to surprise lore sponge players.

[@Nikki-cb5zn]

Love it. As someone new to dnd that loves the Raven Queen, this is a great series.

[@chadstinson9886]

4th edition lore of the Shader-Kai is the best. I would drop 5ths lore on them and replace it with the 4ths. The new DnD writers are paid far to much for the product they put out.

[@benperry5233]

They just used Ai didn't pay for much.

[@soldierbreed]

Are you sure they are paid alot. Wasn't there a whole thing about wotc paying terrible

[@chadstinson9886]

@soldierbreed 4th edition if they got paid a dollar it was to much as a whole it was a flaming mess.

[@otiswhitt1129]

Would love to see this Series rounded of on a video on the Zekeyln or Drow-Dragons. Loving the content man, quickly becoming my favourite Dnd based channel

[@SaltyShaun]

I wanna hear ur story of the heros that saved the world. Sounds fun

[@ravendelacour1917]

The true threat to the Shadar-Kai's existence is the Wizards of the Coast's editorial board.

[@RichesandLiches]

This one made me chuckle!

[@umagon6226]

I really want to hear this story of the forgotten heroes!

[@uzunaruMelonness]

"The splintering... visions, they... echo the... ever-changing nature... of existence. Each copy... of the sphereiod world," the gruff voice of the hooded mage reverberate the desolate sancuaturay of her home, "they spell out... the undying change... to the Shadar-Kai." The titanic mass of red and black stonelike scales laid before her. The mammoth wall slowly inches and wane before her very eyes. Only interrupted by the slight opening of the gigantic light of the harsh, burning, red with the slit. "These worlds... form and collapse... without the knowledge... of those who lived... in it." The hood is removed. The blonde caster sighs. Her mind recollects the many versions of her own existence. Each striking their differences and similarities to her own. Bass smiles as her nickname remains the same. The deep impression of her natural talent remains intact...

[@Patty-Cake86]

I was a huge fan of the Erevis Cale series of novels, which have a HEAVY focus on Shadovar and Shade Enclave. I always thought it was weird that they started randomly referring to the Netherese soldiers as "Shadar Kai", and distinctly remember thinking "don't Shadar Kai already exist? Aren't they something else? Wtf is going on here?". It seemed really weird and random and kinda lazy. Also the fact that Shades exist basically as a barely mentioned footnote in 5e is a crime when they were an incredibly massive impact on the current state of Faerun not too long ago.

[@RichesandLiches]

Excellent book series, I have only read the first two, need to find time to read Midnight's Mask. Thanks for the comment!

[@Patty-Cake86]

Make sure you catch The Twilight War trilogy after Midnight Masks. It continues his story and is the bit that really focuses on Shadovar! Also, I'm curious to how you think the Sojourner compares to other magical heavy hitters like Elminster, Larloch, Ioulaum, etc.

[@steeldrago73]

If you look into the lashae there is solid fae origin as the divinities of a previous alien to current world D&D. It's all optional of course.

[@Maelum_]

it sounds like shadar-kai is now just a group terminology, if we take all versions: 3e were the originals as the Prophecy-doomed shadow elves trapped by their ritual, 5e are elves cursebound to the raven queen during her divinity ritual and the creation of the Shadowfell, 4e are the secretive human tribe out and about while the 3E ones were doing their thing (with the tribe willingly joining the raven queen when she and her cursed worshippers showed up). then you have those poor netherese folk who later got pulled in.

[@RichesandLiches]

That is an excellent summary, thank you for watching and sharing!

[@reddragon7030]

I think there is a piece missing from their stats. They have an affinity to survival. As such, they should gain an ability to add char mod, or prof bonus to all healing affects. This should reflect in an addiction to health potions. Also their raven gift should only work while they are not at max hp? Food for thought

[@RPGFanboy14]

4e's lore for the shadar-kai is wildly more compelling than 3e or 5e. Its kinda wild.

[@RichesandLiches]

@RPGFanboy14 While I really like the 3e variant personally, I completely agree with you that the 4e lore for the Shadar-kai (along with the Shadowfell and the Sorrowsworn for that matter) is great! While not a fan of 4e in general, I really think they got the Raven Queen and all the lore surrounding her right.

[@VengefulJarl]

Perhaps a inspiration for the original shader Kai are the shadow fey of ravenloft that replaced the drow of the shadow rift. I believe in 2nd edition.

[@Jimmy-p9n]

I liked the door with the "3E" on it

[@IsaiahPaquette]

Love this content! If you can do another death match that would be awesome.

[@PumpdaBrakes-ub8kp]

These guys should be as cool as the Drow.

[@RichesandLiches]

@PumpdaBrakes-ub8kp 100% agree... and IMO they are as cool, just not as popular :)

[@PumpdaBrakes-ub8kp]

@@RichesandLiches yea edit: An author need to write a novel series when them

[@genehetzel2036]

So these are Shades, Elf Edition

[@bluebird3281]

Great job

[@kennyshack2006]

This couldn't have come at a better time. I am gearing up to take my players to the shadowfell with the shadar-kai as a main body. I am however using something much more akin to the 4e lore and ignoring the 5e lore which i think is quite poor in comparison. Thank you for this i think my players will reap the benefits of this thorough telling of lore as i bring it to life at my table

[@RichesandLiches]

@kennyshack2006 I am thankful you find it helpful and gave it a watch, have you checked out the video on the shadowfell itself in part 1? Here is the direct link - kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIq6qnxjoLOKqqM

[@VengefulJarl]

While I agree it is handled poorly, I treat them like the Tabaxi. Different peoples with the same name.

[@pepperino-hotterino]

The reason why i like the 5e the most though not fully satisfied, is because their demeaner makes more sense now. Since the feywild is the reflection of overabundance of emotion, the shadowfell is the opposite "drained emotions". It makes more logical sense to me for a race that has spent thousands of years in the shadofell to have become almost emotionless. It can be a bit difficult to roleplay an emotionless character,however there are vvery cool paths you can take with it. I also like them to be the opposit of eladrin and having ties with the other elven races. But i totally understand it when people dont like the 5e version.

[@RichesandLiches]

@pepperino-hotterino You are 100 percent on point and I said as much in the video. There is no question that the 5e Shadar-kai (and the Sorrowsworn for that matter) perfectly match the new lore of the Shadowfell. Excellent point, thank you for taking the time to share!

[@pepperino-hotterino]

@@RichesandLiches No, thank you for enriching our games with deep lore and inspirations. You are a true Sage of Oghma!

[@RichesandLiches]

May the lord of knowledge continue to bless us all (and maybe drop a few blessings on the YT algorith) :D

Ah that first Fiend Folio was such a good book! I would LOVE to see a lore video for what you came up with, to see how you expanded that exceptionally lazy chunk of lore writing 🙂 Any deepening of throw away lore is almost always a good thing. I would say if I was going to put the Shadar-Kai in order of preference, I would say 3e and 4e being equally interesting with 5e being last. (which happens fairly often for me honestly)

[@RichesandLiches]

Nice to see so many in this community are like me and enjoy the obscure aspects of lore too. And my preference/order of the Shadar-kai is the exact same as yours. :) Thanks for the comments!

@@RichesandLiches For me that obscure lore is what gives the whole world depth and "realism" and makes the world interesting. It's why there can be good books well written in a universe that is designed for a TTRPG.

[@arcaniswithertree4284]

Perhaps Every time one dies And comes back they are brought closer to the 5e Variant versus the 3E or 4E

[@CommunistGuerrilla]

I say go ahead and make a video or a pdf of the homebrew lore for this one.

[@valentineX1X]

The human shadar kai and shades >>>>>>>>> the elf ones.

[@adambaldinger4507]

Do it make the homebrew explain that 2 lines of lazy text

[@chadstinson9886]

You post early it's 4:45am where I'm at.

[@RichesandLiches]

I said early yesterday and i meant it :)

[@TheCerebralMirage]

So... they are 40k Drukhari

[@brockdoyle8329]

They shouldn't be elves, they should be there own race with habits and traits of there form existence. Like the Raven queen is no longer physical. The shaddar should be and organization like the harpers. You could run a system way better with that play style.

[@JoshuaManuel-k8k]

You need to get a job at wizards of the coast!

[@PopeAdopE420]

35 views in the first 15 minutes. Not bad

[@chadstinson9886]

I like your lore you make up especially when DnD writers are lazy and your lore has more depth. I started playing at the end of the 1st edition and going into ADnD that in my opinion was the best lore it's so good most of the 5th is ADnD lore brought back.

[@joeburns8415]

The whole point of “lore” in D&D is to spark the imagination of players and DMs to fill in the gaps with their own stories. If you want fully fleshed out lore and backstories, that’s what books and movies are for.

[@Lachdonin]

3E Shadar-kai are just discount Dark Eldar. That said, I for one have always hated the idea of races being monolith. The idea that an entire group of people behaves in a particular way, thinks a particular way, or has a particular culture, has long struck me as lazy worldbuilding. Even before I learned how utterly meaningless the idea of Races are. So my solution has always been simple. Shadar-Kai is simply a term used by inadequate material plain scholars for the greater inhabitants of the Plane of Shadow, Shadowfel, FeyDark, etc. It effectively means Shadow People, and covers a vast array of cultures, ethnic groups, tribes and societies that are all visually close enough that Material Plane scholars inappropriately lump them all together. ALL the origins and descriptions are accurate. They simply describe different peoples called the same thing by scholars who aren't interested in the actual details of the cultured and politics of other places.

[@RichesandLiches]

That is well said and something i too have repeated in more than a few other videos on this channel and will again be adding to my summary of conclusions at the end of part 4 that is coming soon to wrap up this series. Thank you for taking the time to share!

[@Asgaardiangatekeeper]

This just smacks of self important reddit scum.

[@Jeremy-d7i]

Wise perspective

[@DustyLeeSledge]

*Shar* is the only Goddess of Shades and Shadar-Kai *IMO* Fourth Edition and the raven queen ruined all of the shadow plane denizens. *The Forgotten Realms shadow fell lore is good.*

[@zacharyfroeschl2315]

I'd like to see the backstory of those heroes.

[@Nikotheos]

Dark fey all the way!

[@JoshuaManuel-k8k]

You and Mr. Rhex need to collaborate

[@AncientRylanor69]

K

[@sohkaswifteagle2604]

No offense, but I don't really care about your homebrew ideas and your personal head canon. I'm watching those video for the original official lore, then I can create my own head canon around the hole and gap in order to fit them in my world.

[@RichesandLiches]

@sohkaswifteagle2604 That is a perfectly reasonable expectation! I believe it is safe to say that the vast majority of the lore I share is canonical by version. However, I also do have a not insignificant portion of my audience that appreciates some sprinkled homebrew, so I generally keep that to an isolated chapter that you can skip at your leisure. Thank you for the feedback

[@NickHammond-j9t]

wow... WotC, or someone, really needs to clean all of this up and make it cohesive. I also think it's just plain lazy writing to just bandy around terms like "insane" and "madness" when it would seem obvious and the most sensible thing to do would be to draw on Jungian psychology and the expression of the shadow and it's relationship to the self as a vehicle to explain the nature of these entities and how they function. Imagine being relegated to a plane of existence when who you were has literally been erased and you are from that point on operating strictly as the shadow version of yourself, every thought, feeling and emotion you have ever repressed not just coming to the surface but becoming the surface and becoming obsessed with seeking the remnants of the self to make sense of itself. To just simply say "she's possibly insane and obsessed with secrets" is incredibly lazy. The fans of the character and the people buying the products deserve better writing than that. "Flaven Queen"... it definitely feels that way. Like it was just thrown out there to appeal to people on that basis alone and just becomes this cookie cutter character and her band of goth-metal groupies. I think WotC/Hasbro needs to do a better job of working with and developing writers who write from a perspective of genuine interest in the characters and lore rather than what seems to be an obviously marketing driven standpoint. It just becomes lazy and if you want to see what happens when you start becoming lazy with your writing and overall creative direction - have a look at the MCU these days.

[@Emanon...]

Emos suck ass in every universe