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The Plane of Shadow was one of the planes of existence in various cosmological models of the Forgotten Realms. Its purpose and characteristics evolved as new cosmologies were introduced in new editions. Other names for this plane included Shadowland, the Demi-Plane of Shadow, the Shadowfell, and simply Shadow. "It is the toxic plane of darkness and power. It is the hidden place that hates the light. It is the frontier of worlds unknown."

- Manual of the Planes

Shadow Plane in the Great Wheel Model
In 1st and 2nd edition D&D the Plane of Shadow was considered a demiplane in the Great Wheel cosmology model in vogue at that time. Demiplanes formed out of the proto-matter that ebbed and flowed about the Ethereal Plane, creating a finite plane with its own Border Ethereal whenever a critical mass was achieved. The largest of these was the Demiplane of Shadow, made up of both Positive and Negative Energy in equal measure. For those traveling through the Ethereal Plane, the curtain of vaporous color for the Demiplane of Shadow was the color silver. Wizards could shadow walk directly to the edge of the Shadow Plane and travelers could use this plane as a transitive plane to traverse many Prime Material miles/kilometers very quickly. If any were brave enough to cross the Demiplane of Shadow, it was possible to find the borders of other planes of reality.

Very little was known about the Shadow Plane other than it was a dim and dismal place, home to a mysterious form of undead called shadows, other "shadow" creatures such as the shadow mastiff and shadow dragon, and a race of humanoids known as shades. The material of the Shadow Plane could be manipulated by illusionists to form semi-real monsters and quasi-real evocations that were still effective (to a lesser degree) even if the target successfully disbelieved the illusion.

Shadow Plane in the World Tree Model
When 3rd/3.5 edition introduced the World Tree cosmology model, the Plane of Shadow was upgraded to an infinite plane that coexisted with the Prime Material Plane&mdash;touching it at all points and having the same basic geography &mdash;but only accessible at night or from shady areas. The Plane of Shadow was no longer connected to the Ethereal Plane even though it was coexistent with it. Rapid movement between points of the Prime were still possible by stepping into the Shadow Plane and skirting the edge before stepping back into the Prime, but arriving at a particular destination was much less precise than in previous editions. Intrepid travelers could still reach other universes by traversing the Shadow Plane and locating the border with an alien world such as Oerth for example.

The most striking and immediate impression a visitor to the Plane of Shadow experienced was the lack of color and light; no sun, moon, or stars adorned the vault of the inky black sky, and all things looked as if the color had leeched out leaving nothing but black and white, which in the dimness were more like "dark black" and "light black". Sources of illumination only penetrated half as far as normal, flames and fires put out less heat, and spells that dealt with light or fire were less predictable and prone to failure. Shadow spells on the other hand, were enhanced.

Gravity and time were the same on the Shadow Plane as on the Prime, but because the Shadow Plane was magically morphic (and divinely morphic in the realms of Shar and Mask) the landscape was a twisted echo of what existed on the Prime. Upon entering the Plane of Shadow the local features were usually quite similar: casting shadow walk in a forest put you in a shadow forest; casting it under water dropped you in a similar body of water, etc. But from that starting point the landscape diverged rapidly away from the familiar, and on subsequent visits from the same starting point it diverged in different ways, making mapping the Shadow Plane a useless endeavor. Landmarks were usually recognizable but altered in some bizarre way: buildings might be constructed in a different style, built with different materials, at a different location, and/or in any condition from dilapidated ruin to normal, for example.

Air, water, and food existed on this plane, supporting plants, animals, and some humanoids adapted to the shadow environment. Visitors could survive indefinitely if they were willing to endure thick, foul-smelling water, food that oozed dark blood, and a pervasive nip of cold in the air. Over time however, exposure to the Plane of Shadow altered living things, increasing various traits and abilities but also some vulnerabilities.

Shadow Plane in the World Axis Model
It was rediscovered by the Netherese in the Year of Plentiful Wine (-553 DR) and

The Plane of Shadow (sometimes erroneously called the Demiplane of Shadow) is a transitive plane that coexists and, to some extent, overlaps with the Material Plane. It is similar to the Material Plane, with similar terrain and landmarks, but lacks color and light. Despite this, plants, animals and humanoids live there. The plane changes constantly, meaning that no maps exist. Those that are drawn are outdated almost immediately.

Traits
Gravity and time are normal on the Plane of Shadow, and it is of infinite size. Magic functions normally, except for spells that emit light or fire, which are less predictable and prone to failure, and shadow spells, which are enhanced. Air is normal on the Plane of Shadow, but water is thicker and ichorous. Non-native residents can remain for an extended period without ill effects, but during the course of years, changes might occur. Emotions within individuals still exist on the Plane of Shadow, but they are less potent. The terrain is similar but not identical to that of the Material Plane, so if one were to transition between the Material Plane and the Plane of Shadow in a mountain range, one would arrive at the other side in a mountain range, although not necessarily the same mountains.

The Shadow Plane is not totally dark and it has a permanent level of brightness similar to a moonless night. Any sources of light, even magical ones, appear dimmer on the Shadow Plane than they would on the Material Plane. Fires also burn cooler than they would normally on the Material Plane, and the Shadow Plane is cooler.

Dark mirages
A dark mirage is a mirror image on the Shadow Plane of a feature on the Material Plane and is caused by the close proximity of the planes causing a "bleeding" effect. If one transitions from the Material Plane to the Shadow Plane and begins at a well-known location like a town, it is quite likely that the town exists on the Shadow Plane, but in ruins, or altered somehow. It is also possible that shadowy versions of its inhabitants exist on the Shadow Plane. This can be quite a distressing and alarming experience for anyone not accustomed to it.

Darklands
Darklands are areas of the Plane of Shadow that are extremely dark and bleak, and filled with negative energy. Living creatures entering an area of darklands have their energy sucked from them until they turn to ash and crumble. Because magic works (almost) normally on the Plane of Shadow, it is possible to shield against these effects with magic items or spells. The location of darklands often corresponds to graveyards, sites of battles or areas of potent necromancy on the Material Plane.

Shadow quakes
Although the terrain on the Plane of Shadow drifts slowly over the course of days, it is prone to sudden earthquake-like events called shadow quakes. These are extremely localized (within about a hundred feet (30m)) and their effects are similar to an earthquake on the Material Plane.

Travel
It is possible to access the Plane of Shadow through portals or via the shadow walk spell. Intermittent portals called vortices exist between the Plane of Shadow and the Material plane, and the entry and exit points are unpredictable, as is their duration. They open onto dark areas of the Material Plane, but by contrast, these appear bright on the Plane of Shadow, and the Material Plane seen through one of these vortices appears to have colours inverted (black is white and white is black). The Plane of Shadow connects with more than one Material Plane, making it possible for inhabitants of one Material Plane to use it to transition to another.

Inhabitants
The best-known inhabitant of the Plane of Shadow is the shadow. Others are generally evil and dangerous, including the dusk beast, the ecalypse, the nightshade, the shadow mastiff and the umbral banyan.

Shadow magic
Shadow magic uses the Shadow Weave as its source, taking the shadow energy and manifesting it elsewhere, as with the darkness spell. Notably, negative energy is not tied to the Shadow Weave, and spells or effects drawing on negative energy do not harness it.

Shadowdancers
Shadowdancers are those who use innate ability rather than arcane magic to harness the power of the Shadow Weave.

Shadowcasters
Shadowcasters are magic users who concentrate on studying shadow magic. This involves a significantly different path of study than learning most arcane magic, and requires a dedicated mind. Its secrets are closely guarded, so book learning is often not possible—shadowcasters are often chosen very selectively and then taught everything they know on the subject.

Shadow adepts are a type of shadowcaster.

History
There is an unconfirmed legend that the Plane of Shadow began as a demiplane, but an order who venerated the plane's unknown creator built a fortress called the Shining Citadel and used the life, light and colour of the plane as its power source.

However, it is now known that the Plane of Shadow was initially created by the Primordials, godlike beings of elemental power, as an "echo" of the Prime Material Plane. It is for this reason that the Plane of Shadow shares so many geographical similarities with the Prime. Much like the Feywild, another such echo, the Plane of Shadow became a center for magical energies, in this case the energies of the Shadow Weave maintained by Shar.

When Shar succeeded in engineering the murder of Mystra by Cyric, she was granted more power than ever before, allowing her to fold the necrotic energies of the Negative Energy Plane within the Elemental Chaos into the Plane of Shadow. In doing so, Shar ended the Plane of Shadow's long existence, replacing it with another, nearly identical but more powerful plane of existence known as the Shadowfell.

In video games

 * Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance: In 1235 DR, the Black Horde, attacked Faerun. The Horde defeated Eldrith the Betrayer who would go on to betray Baldur's Gate. They killed her and she was reborn out of hatred. In her soul of hatred, the Onyx Tower was created and tied to her life. The Onyx Heart was located in the Plane of Shadow and only with its destruction could the Onyx Tower be destroyed. In 1376 DR, eight brave heroes ventured into the Plane of Shadow and defeated one of its guardians, Mordoc SeLanmere and destroyed the Onyx Heart.


 * Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide: The Hero escapes impending doom by traveling to the Plane of Shadow using a magic mirror.


 * Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer: Travel between the Shadow Plane and Prime Material Plane is possible in certain places in Mulsantir at certain times of day. Shadow Mulsantir contains a Temple of Myrkul, in the place where a Shrine to Kelemvor stands on the Prime. Within this temple is found a portal leading to Kelemvor's domain, the Fugue Plane.