Nightwalker

A nightwalker was a type of nightshade, a sentient undead monster from the Plane of Shadow, also known as the Shadowfell. It was unnatural and malicious, and it took delight in the corruption and suffering of others. It was a creature of both death and shadows and had enormous powers over darkness.

"A nightwalker...but I have never seen nor heard of one so large. Terror lives in its eyes, and death in its hands. This foe is beyond your companions, perhaps beyond even me. They are lost, human, as is the battle."

- The dragon Furlinastis, to Abelar Corrinthal.

Description
Nightwalkers were the shades of extremely strong-willed and evil mortals whose ancient and unyielding will and malice allowed them to hold their corporeal shape. A nightwalker's body looked as if it was made of shadow-stuff, with a vaguely humanoid form. They were about the size of a house, but were usually no taller than, and their bodies were smooth and hairless.

Origins
Some scholars stated that nightwalkers actually originated from the Negative Energy plane. Whenever an unworthy being attempted to tap into that plane of existence, there was a chance they would be killed outright, or (more unfortunately) sucked within and replaced with a nightwalker. The number of nightwalkers in the Shadowfell could be attributed to the connection between it and the Negative Energy plane.

Abilities
Nightwalkers were capable of transforming humans they killed into bodaks through use of an arcane ritual that warped the void energies of the Shadowfell. This ritual would not work on any other plane.

History
A nightwalker appeared in the middle of the Shadowstorm in Ordulin on Nightal 6, in the.

Notable Nightwalkers

 * Mardava, a former Imaskari artificer from the Jorhat Citadel.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Condemnation • The Orc King • Shadowrealm • The Ghost King • Unholy
 * Video Games
 * Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II • Neverwinter Nights series (Neverwinter Nights 2 • Tyrants of the Moonsea)