Shadowslain

A shadowslain was a unique type of undead monster created from the use of the shadow shard, a Shadow Weave artifact.

Creation
A shadowslain was born when a creature was exposed to the necromantic magic of the shadow shard. If they were a living and corporeal being and lacked the ability to use Weave magic in any form, and could not mentally resist its effect, then they were instantly killed and raised again as a shadowslain version of their former self. However, a being who could use Weave magic was simply injured almost to the point of unconsciousness as their magic was ripped from them, but otherwise survived. Meanwhile, one who commanded Shadow Weave magic was unharmed but could choose to die and become shadowslain.

Description
A shadowslain being was swathed in flickering, rippling shadows, and its eyes glowed with a light described as unholy and hate-filled. Otherwise, they looked much as they did in life, but as undead beings they became increasingly emaciated and decayed to the point of being skeletal.

Abilities
A shadowslain carried a potent aura that could drain Weave magic from an arcane spellcaster who stood too close for too long. If they used Weave magic and were caught within 10 feet (3 meters), then they lost one of the least-powerful spells currently available to them, though they could at least choose which to lose. As the spell was lost, the shadowslain was healed of any damage, according to the power of the spell. Users of divine magic and Shadow Weave magic, and those who did not use magic at all, were unaffected.

The semisolid shadowstuff that cloaked a shadowslain served as a form of armor, helping to turn aside attacks. By bringing shadows with them, it also gave them great ability to hide.

Otherwise, a shadowslain gained greater strength, the ability to see in darkness as with both low-light vision and darkvision, and all the benefits and drawbacks of being an undead monster. They were harder for clerics to turn or rebuke than common undead, however. Being creatures of shadow, they were dazzled in the bright light of day.

History
Upon being given the shadow shard by Esvele Graycastle, the Shar-worshiping black dragon Despayr used its power on his lizardfolk slaves—the surviving members of the defeated Dragonslayer tribe—and even his own half-breed daughter, Ketsarra Shadowscale. They died and became shadowslain, and more powerful undead servants for his will. Thus arose the Shadowscale tribe.

Despayr then sent the Shadowscales to make war on the other tribes of the Vast Swamp in the Year of Lightning Storms, 1374 DR. The Shadowscales worked to capture other lizardfolk, of the Sharptooth, Blackscale, and Poison Dusk tribes, dragging them away to be made shadowslain themselves. These victims, now Shadowscales, would return to fight their former kin.

Isti-Zar, the banelar naga follower of Cyric who aided the Shadowscales at their warren in the Shadow Swamp, was intensely curious to learn the secret of the rite for creating shadowslain.

Ultimately, the threat of the shadowslain was ended when adventurers in service to Mystra cleared out the Shadowscales' warren in early Eleint of 1374 DR, leaving no more than scattered survivors in the swamp, and defeated Despayr himself, though the fate of the shadow shard is unknown.

Personality
A shadowslain being was always of evil bent, but other orientations they'd possessed in life remained unchanged. A shadowslain was not bound to serve the owner of the shadow shard.

Shadowslain beings kept to the same habits they did in life, even if no longer necessary, but over time they abandoned these. For example, the Shadowscales would retire to their lairs to mimic eating and sleeping, though they had no need to. They kept tools for hunting and trapping, but gave up using them, and not feeling the cold, they no longer bothered to light fires.

Notable Shadowslain

 * Ketsarra Shadowscale
 * Kossaandar
 * Shadowfang, a shadowslain fang dragon that was involved in the Zhent invasion of Shadowdale in 1375 DR.