As I understand it, the Shadowfell looks like the Prime Material Plane, however under constant twilight and the buildings and geographical features look more "evil" than their normal world counterparts. For instance, you Plane Shift to the Shadowfell outside of a McDonald's. When you arrive, you'll see that same McDonald's... only now it looks metal... and the employees are probably Shadar-Kai.
Both the Feywild and Shadowfell are meant as reflections, is how I understand and describe it. The Shadowfell is dark and barren, but for the dark things that lurk. They Feywild is conversely vibrant and alive, a world of violent, unhindered growth.
To me, it's almost as if each represents a different post-apocalyptic vision of the material plane.
Also, if you wanted to look up some descriptions from older DnD editions, the Shadowfell was referred to as the Plane of Shadow up until 5th edition.
Personally, I think of the Shadowfell as a world completely lacking in any personality. No color, all gray, a sky that's never bright, but never dark. Constantly cloudy. Full of ruins where houses and towns and forests would be on the material plane. All very drab.
To my understanding, the Prime material plane, Feywild, and Shadowell where all originally one plane with all there extremes pressed up against each other. But That made things super gaudy and tacky to look at/experience. So they split it up, all the three stack ontop of one another interconected and bound to one another, but still technically separate layers.
The Shadow Fel is the Prime material plane, but hot topic, and under the creative direction of H.R. Geiger but more Catholic. Think of this as the expression of Anxiety and Depression, a loss of will and resentment.
The Feywild is the Prime material plane, but Claires/Sanrio, and under the creative direct of a Violent Lisa Frank. Think of this as the physical manifestation of Manic Depression, constant wild emotions positive or negative, expressed to and healthy degree and completely unnameable
My groups have always treat it as though all three regions had similar topography-geography. That River beds existed in the same places in all three, but they might be dry or polluted in the Shadow Fel, while the Fey wilds where idealistic. Forest/scrub lands would also exist in the same general region, with different dress and densities of plant life.
Major architectural land marks would all also be in the same places. An Ancient Temple in the prime material would be an Decript fortress in the Shadow Fel, But an Palace "embraced" by nature in the Feywild.
It would be possible to alter the echos by Massively alterin the Prime Material. We ran an "amoral" campaign where we where able to destroy the palace of a fey court but Demolishing the Temple the it corresponded on in the prime material, so our Allied Fey could march in and slaughter them.
Now Shadow Fel its self... Between playing in Curse of Strahd, Reading Morts. Tom of Foes, and Playing in a few homebrews; The Shadowfel really doesn't lend its self to Heroic Fantasy, its honestly a really sad place where you just have to make do and enjoy the small victories.
The Dead can walk freely here, Manifestitions of peoples sins and regrets stalk the lands. There exist entire Demiplanes who purpose is to Trap powerful monster who are both the prisoners and kings of there own domains, The people living inside them are isolated the the regular cycle of souls and are damn to simply reincarnate within the same twist microcosm.
The Shadowfel is Tragic even in its romance. Think of Megera From Disneys Hercules, She makes a pretty solid personification for the Shadowfel of a Noted NPC. An individual who would give up there very soul and independence in order to do good, only to have it fail and become a Tool of amoral and Apathetic Powers.
...It would be possible to alter the echos by Massively altering the Prime Material. We ran an "amoral" campaign where we where able to destroy the palace of a fey court but Demolishing the Temple the it corresponded on in the prime material, so our Allied Fey could march in and slaughter them...
This overlay/reflection has always 'bugged' me a little as to the mechanics of it - kudos on playing on it like that. They would have to be linked pretty tightly in order to maintain any resemblance at all, especially after ages of existence. Obviously some things are ignored in deference to the plane, while other things enforce reflection. Also things which reflect are modified to a degree in their reflection. Check me on this theory:
Stone could be be a reflection enforcer - as in mountains, caverns, and worked stone; fortresses, walls.
Waterways could be a reflection enforcer - springs, rivers, lakes, inland seas, oceans.
Populations would be the most haphazard reflections - cities, villages, ships - all might depend upon individuals located therein crossing planes, or the use of particular magics.
Living matter does not reflect over - plant, animal, humanoid, undead, or outsider - all are in one place at a time only.
Some other unknown quasi-random agency(ies) also influences reflection across the PM, Faewild, and Shadowfell.
Also, also - I would say that, generally, creations reflect strongly, where as changes and destruction apply more slowly.
Does that seem like a viable Reflection-Theory to play with?
Lol, we went with reflections work on grand scale things.
Assume the regions have the same geography.
All the reflections will have Ideal defensible positions in the same place.
If Rivers flow in the same place, silt and sediment will build up in the same place making for ideal farm land existing in the same general region. So you would have healthier plant life in those regions. Which would lead to a higher density of small animals in those regions.
If mountains exist in the same general area, the Vistas will be in the same place.
Picture it as the broad strokes, and the large set pieces have parallels.
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Trying to find and read anything I can on Shadowfell right now, but having some trouble finding much.
Can anybody point me to any favorite references or URLs?
I'd especially like to hear from those who have played or DMd some time there, how did yall handle it?
Thanks in advance!
As I understand it, the Shadowfell looks like the Prime Material Plane, however under constant twilight and the buildings and geographical features look more "evil" than their normal world counterparts. For instance, you Plane Shift to the Shadowfell outside of a McDonald's. When you arrive, you'll see that same McDonald's... only now it looks metal... and the employees are probably Shadar-Kai.
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ModeratorBoth the Feywild and Shadowfell are meant as reflections, is how I understand and describe it. The Shadowfell is dark and barren, but for the dark things that lurk. They Feywild is conversely vibrant and alive, a world of violent, unhindered growth.
To me, it's almost as if each represents a different post-apocalyptic vision of the material plane.
If you'd like some general information about the Shadowfell, the Forgotten Realms wiki page is a good place to start:
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Shadowfell
Also, if you wanted to look up some descriptions from older DnD editions, the Shadowfell was referred to as the Plane of Shadow up until 5th edition.
Personally, I think of the Shadowfell as a world completely lacking in any personality. No color, all gray, a sky that's never bright, but never dark. Constantly cloudy. Full of ruins where houses and towns and forests would be on the material plane. All very drab.
Maybe it looks like "The Upside Down" from Stranger Things?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHQfgZPETdw
To my understanding, the Prime material plane, Feywild, and Shadowell where all originally one plane with all there extremes pressed up against each other. But That made things super gaudy and tacky to look at/experience. So they split it up, all the three stack ontop of one another interconected and bound to one another, but still technically separate layers.
The Shadow Fel is the Prime material plane, but hot topic, and under the creative direction of H.R. Geiger but more Catholic. Think of this as the expression of Anxiety and Depression, a loss of will and resentment.
The Feywild is the Prime material plane, but Claires/Sanrio, and under the creative direct of a Violent Lisa Frank. Think of this as the physical manifestation of Manic Depression, constant wild emotions positive or negative, expressed to and healthy degree and completely unnameable
My groups have always treat it as though all three regions had similar topography-geography. That River beds existed in the same places in all three, but they might be dry or polluted in the Shadow Fel, while the Fey wilds where idealistic. Forest/scrub lands would also exist in the same general region, with different dress and densities of plant life.
Major architectural land marks would all also be in the same places. An Ancient Temple in the prime material would be an Decript fortress in the Shadow Fel, But an Palace "embraced" by nature in the Feywild.
It would be possible to alter the echos by Massively alterin the Prime Material. We ran an "amoral" campaign where we where able to destroy the palace of a fey court but Demolishing the Temple the it corresponded on in the prime material, so our Allied Fey could march in and slaughter them.
Now Shadow Fel its self... Between playing in Curse of Strahd, Reading Morts. Tom of Foes, and Playing in a few homebrews; The Shadowfel really doesn't lend its self to Heroic Fantasy, its honestly a really sad place where you just have to make do and enjoy the small victories.
The Dead can walk freely here, Manifestitions of peoples sins and regrets stalk the lands. There exist entire Demiplanes who purpose is to Trap powerful monster who are both the prisoners and kings of there own domains, The people living inside them are isolated the the regular cycle of souls and are damn to simply reincarnate within the same twist microcosm.
The Shadowfel is Tragic even in its romance. Think of Megera From Disneys Hercules, She makes a pretty solid personification for the Shadowfel of a Noted NPC. An individual who would give up there very soul and independence in order to do good, only to have it fail and become a Tool of amoral and Apathetic Powers.
Lol, we went with reflections work on grand scale things.
Assume the regions have the same geography.
Picture it as the broad strokes, and the large set pieces have parallels.