Shadowfell

The Shadowfell, sometimes simply called Shadow, was a parallel plane from which necrotic energies and shadow magic stemmed. It existed as sort of a counterpart to the Feywild in the sense that it was a reflection or "echo" of the Prime Material Plane except that it was a bleak, desolate place full of decay and death.

History
The Shadowfell was created in 1385 DR when Shar, having successfully arranged Mystra's death, bound the energies of the Negative Energy Plane with the Plane of Shadow. Since then, the Shadowfell existed as a center of Shar's power as well as a transitory place for dead mortals on their way towards judgment on the Fugue Plane.

Inhabitants
Much of the Shadowfell was a twisted reflection of the Prime Material plane and was populated primarily by dead creatures such as ghosts, specters, and other undead who for whatever reason refused to leave the Shadowfell and continue on to the Fugue Plane. There were however, numerous other inhabitants, such as communities of shadar-kai, Shadovar, and dark ones.

Notable inhabitants

 * Ambergris, dwarf Shadovar cleric of Dumathoin and former member of Cavus Dun.
 * Afafrenfere, human Shadovar monk, former member of Cavus Dun, former member of Brothers of the Gray Mists, and former member of the Monastery of the Yellow Rose.
 * Draygo Quick, a Netherese lord and powerful warlock.
 * Effron the Twisted, tiefling Shadovar warlock, and former student of Draygo Quick.
 * Herzgo Alegni, tiefling Shadovar warlord, who wielded Charon's Claw.
 * Parbid, tiefling Shadovar monk, member of Cavus Dun, and the Brothers of the Gray Mists.
 * Glorfathel, elf Shadovar wizard and member of Cavus Dun.
 * Parise Ulfbinder, a Netherese lord.
 * Ratsis the Spider Farmer, a human male shade and member of Cavus Dun.
 * Jermander, a tiefling Shadovar warrior and member of Cavus Dun.
 * The Ghost King, a composite being formed from: Hephaestus a dracolich; Crenshinibon and its seven disembodied liches; and the sentience of Yharaskrik, an illithid; which had powers over the undead denizens of the Shadowfell.
 * Drasek Riven, a godling, had his fortress here, where he hid from Rivalen the Nightseer and the archdevil Mephistopheles, both of whom shared a piece of the divine essence Drasek himself had.
 * Dark Powers, vestiges of ancient dead evil gods that either dwell on the plane or were banished there, and feed on evil creatures that become trapped in the Shadowfell.

Locations

 * Gloomwrought, the dark twin to Thultanthar (the Shade Enclave).

Domains of Dread
In remote corners of the Shadowfell there were demiplanes created by the Dark Powers which served as prisons to trap creatures of extreme evil to serve as sustenance.

One such demiplane was the valley of Barovia, ruled by the vampire Strahd von Zarovich, himself a prisoner of the Dark Powers. Passages to Barovia were rumored to exist somewhere in the Misty Forest, based on reports of werewolf attacks and Vistani presence in Daggerford and surrounding areas.

Elminster, the Sage of Shadowdale, has shown himself aware of count Strahd and his mist-filled domain, as well as how to journey to-and-from there somewhat freely. Elminster having briefly sent Volothamp Gaddarm to Barovia to explore the valley (though Volo was initially unaware of the dangers).

Appearances

 * The Ghost King
 * Charon's Claw
 * The Last Threshold
 * The Companions
 * Travel Talk: Volo's visit to Barovia