Shadar-kai

The **Shadar-kai** are a race of elves who found themselves trapped in the Underdark in the First Era. Due to this, they have taken on traits from the dark energy-charged lands of the Underdark, and evolved to adapt to the strange environment within. Many legends surrounding their origin exist, and it is unsure of *what* truly occured that trapped the shadar-kai in the Underdark, however the most common theorize that they were outcasts from an ancient elven city. Most shadar-kai live in the Underdark or the caves below Eukitia, however some will emerge from the depths to join societies on the surface, although rarely. They often worship their patron deity, known as the Raven Queen.

## Description

Shadar-kai resemble blighted elves, in a strange state between life and death. They were typically quite slender and tend to be somewhat taller or shorter than humans. Often they would exhibit graceful movements in their everyday actions, well suited to stealth.

They generally had dusky gray skin and colorless complexions, varying from alabaster to dark gray. Their hair was typically black, gray or white. Shadar-kai eyes lacked any sclera or clear pupil, often appearing solely as black or dark brown, but rarely dark red eyes appeared. Many shadar-kai display iron piercings throughout their body, particularly in their nose, ears, eyebrows and shoulders, as well as other parts of the body. These piercings were typically quite brutal in appearance.

## Society

### Locations

The most important location to the shadar-kai is the city of Shadar. Their first and most ancient settlement, Shadar is a massive city in the Underdark where the culture of the shadar-kai has evolved and adapted over time. The city has survived the test of time in the cruelest place of the Material Plane, and as a result, many shadar-kai are quite proud that their civilization has outlasted many of those on the surface.

### Shadar-kai Items

The shadar-kai possess a number of unique cultural technology and items.

All sorts of shadar-kai would favor the spiked chain, called a *shadar-shlek* in Deepfolk, with entire forms of martial arts developed using the weapon.

A *gal-aram* is an iron armband made with needles that would pierce the skin. Shadar-kai believed that this item would better bind the soul and body together due to the constant pain it created, and became a symbol of the Raven Queen. Particularly pious shadar-kai, such as clergy or warriors, often wore these.

Many shadar-kai, especially spies and assasins, would carry night extract, an aerosol that would blacken the air and reduce ambient light to pitch black, making it easier for them to escape in an emergency.

### Culture

Shadar-kai culture reflects the Underdark - it is violent, brutal, cruel, and untrustworthy. Many shadar-kai bind together not out of mutual trust and appreciation, but out of need for survival. It is well understood between shadar-kai that the only law in their lands is "don't get caught." The strongest survive in the Underdark, and the weak won't even notice the shadar-kai thief stealing their food from under their nose. Most shadar-kai are raised in schools that do not teach knowledge, but teach warfare and battle tactics so that they may defend their city in the time the need arises. Despite this, only the strongest shadar-kai go on to become warriors or gladiators (a common past-time of the race), and most will become farmers or artisans with self-defense training. Priests and promising magicians are sent to schools where they are taught in the ways of the Raven Queen and of her shadow magic, a gift given to the shadar-kai by her. Shadar-kai believe shadow and illusion magic are the most powerful forms, and only teach them in their schools.

While their environment often forces shadar-kai to become brutal and untrustworthy, stealing when they can and doing anything in their power to survive, those shadar-kai who live on the surface and find that basic survival necessities are in (roughly) abundant supply often lose this violent temperment over time, finding it to be a disadvantage in overworld society. Strangely enough, shadar-kai families living in cities for one or two generations often become known as some of the most trustworthy citizens after enough time. Shadar-kai who live on the surface generally are able to let the survivalist instincts of the Underdark loosen greatly, and instead live a life of peace and self-growth. Because of this, alongside their natural talent at hiding, many societies are quite quick to welcome in shadar-kai escapees. Some that are in close proximity to exits of the Underdark will even establish outposts at the enterances, having full programs to indoctrinate escaped shadar-kai into their culture.

## Combat

Shadar-kai are particularly graceful, agile, and speedy, and prefer to use this in combat to their advantage. They typically will yield light weapons, especially spiked chains. Many warriors wore light armor to not impede their movement. Spellcasters often would favor illusion and shadow magic, and some shadar-kai who reached the surface became proficient mesmers.

Many shadar-kai were abnormally skilled with stealth, possibly due to the immense time their race spent in the Underdark. Due to this, they could often hide anywhere in a dark room, even in plain sight. This lead many shadar-kai to favor ambushes and backstabbing attempts. Due to this nature, many shadar-kai would take up the mantle of becoming thieves, assassins or spies.

## History

There are many beliefs surrounding the shadar-kai's history and origins, however it is believed that they were originally exiled from an elven city during the First Era, for their alligience to the Raven Queen in her first (and failed) attempt to achieve godhood. While the exact motivations of the shadar-kai for doing this are unknown, it is possible they were lured by the Raven Queen's promises of power and magic. It is possible that a civil war was waging at this time, which lead the shadar-kai to seek for the Raven Queen to bring an end to it and unify the elven people. Regardless of the reasoning, the Raven Queen's attempt failed, and she and the shadar-kai were defeated, later being sealed into the Underdark.

While early shadar-kai history is largely undocumented, around 422 1E the first shadar-kai city, Shadar, was founded in the Underdark. This city became the epicenter of their race's culture and development to this day, and soon after smaller villages and cities would follow. Shadar-kai began to farm the various fungi and underground flora populating the depths of the Underdark, and in doing so, their food surplus allowed them to develop into areas such as art and culture. This culture began to develop in a very brutal and violent fashion, and to this day shadar-kai art is often quite violent and disturbed in nature, lending to the cruelty of the Underdark they reside in.

By the Second Era, the shadar-kai had breached from the Underdark into the lower caverns of Eukitia, often recolonizing ancient First Era dwarven cities. Shadar-kai began reaching the surface and interacting with the races that called it home. This lead to a complex relationship between the shadar-kai and the folk of the overworld, one that would sow distrust between their peoples for the rest of history. While some shadar-kai were good-hearted and came to trade and learn, others came to the surface to pillage and plunder. It wasn't uncommon to see a caravan of traders and band of warriors climbing up from the Underdark in close proximity. Due to this, many surface races became untrustworthy of the shadar-kai. This rang especially true for elves, who were targetted relentlessly by shadar-kai - while the elves had long forgotten sealing them away, the shadar-kai had not forgotten nor forgiven their slight.

When the Draconic Cataclysm occurred, the shadar-kai returned to their towns and castles in the depths of Rosenwelt, avoiding the cataclysm altogether. However, the sudden change in politics on the surface allowed shadar-kai to return to the surface en masse and claim their own spots of land. While most of this would be beaten down and destroyed, sending the shadar-kai back to the Underdark, some settlements still exist within caverns and caves of Eukitia.

During the Third Era, shadar-kai have remained largely quiet on the world stage. Preferring to remain to themselves and become isolationist due to the wrongdoings against them by overworlders, many shadar-kai have became hateful towards the surface and seek to destroy any surface dwellers before they destroy them. However, most shadar-kai are simply wary of travellers from the overworld and avoid speaking with them. Shadar-kai who do not choose to live solely in the Underdark will often leave for the surface to become spies or assassins for political powers in the overworld, and fulfill their roles effectively and dutifully - skilled shadar-kai spies are prized by monarchs and leaders worldwide, and are sought after for their efficiency in their work. The priestly caste of shadar-kai will often conspire in various attempts to try to raise the Raven Queen to godhood, and often will do so by helping other deities or godlike beings, in order to recieve favors to bolster the Raven Queen's power. Shadar-kai warriors often train to defend their settlements from the monsters of the Underdark, and are reknowned for their brutal efficiency in the darkness. Entire sectors of Eukitia's alchemical and magical economies exist within shadar-kai settlements, rare ingredients smuggled out by the odd merchant or adventurer to be sold for high prices. Rarely enough, a shadar-kai will be banished from their settlement - perhaps they were challenged by another and failed, or perhaps they somehow betrayed their religion or were not contributing enough to the society. Regardless of the reason, most of these shadar-kai die to the cruelty of the Underdark quite quickly - however those who survive and make it to the surface often become valued members of surface society, becoming philosophers, skilled mages, warriors and adventurers.

## Notable Shadar-kai

* Cinne, an early Third Era shadar-kai mesmer.