The Shadows

I made this deal with little knowledge of what the Shadows wanted, but I was desperate and they were there hiding in the dark more than willing to grant me what I needed. The cost didn't matter then and I'm not sure it does now but what was once my shadow is no longer and it watches me and something watches it...

The Known

The Shadows are an ancient race that has lived alongside the other higher races for as long as anyone can remember, though most dismiss them as mere fairy tales the product of an overactive imagination or too much drink while stumbling home. They are very much real and occasionally move into the prime material plane to escape their homeland. Those that have made the deal over the years have gleaned a small amount of information from them.

Home

The Shadows are from a plane of perpetual darkness and perpetual luminosity. Each vies for control and for the moment the Shadows are losing the struggle. Their home is a dark and cold place where the vast majority of the Shadows are enslaved by the Lumos.

The Deal

In order to stay in our world the Shadows must take possession of a host body. In so doing they take the place of the creatures existing shadow granting a boon. The exact particulars of the boon vary from person to person but in most cases the boon takes the form of some kind of healing or life extension which the Shadow is easily capable of doing. Other boons have been known to be granted however the Shadow cannot bring another back from the dead and it's ability to materialise material wealth is limited to items valued at 5000 gp. In order to facilitate the deal one must either wait until the longest night when the Shadows are most able to breach the planar boundary or perform the ritual of shadows which requires a spell caster of at least 10th level to perform.

Symbiosis

The host exhibits a number of changes after the deal is struck. Firstly whatever item, healing or life enhancing property they requested is granted to them. After which the hosts original shadow is removed and the new shadow takes it's place. The Shadow can and does move on it's own but is generally content to act as the host's o riginal shadow most of the time. The host also gains vulnerability to radiant damage. In addition every time the sun is at it's zenith (noon) there is a 5% chance a 1d4 Lumos will appear and attempt to return the Shadow to it's home plane and servitude.

Shadows Abilities

The Shadow has a few minor abilities it may employ while bound to a host.

Consume

The Shadow attempts to consume a small or smaller object. If the object is of magical origin of uncommon or less make a DC10 wisdom check using the hosts wisdom score to see if the item is consumed. If an item is consumed in this way it is destroyed but the Shadow cannot consume another item for a period of 1d4 weeks. If it was a magical item the period is increased to 1d4 months.

One with Shadows

The Shadow clings to the host and imparts advantage to stealth checks for one hour however the shadow cannot let go of it's host and also imparts disadvantage on any CHA based checks while the Shadow is clinging to the host.