D&D General Elves are to the Feywild as ______ are to the Shadowfell?

[Guang]

Elves (and their various relations) can serve a Prime Material community as a natural bridge to the Feywild, both attracting otherplanar threats and having wisdom on how to deal with them. At least that's one way of looking at how a contingent of elves (or Eladrin, or even half-elves) living in an "elven quarter" might change a town.

Is there an ancestry (in any edition) that might naturally fall into a similar role when it comes to the Shadowfell? Vampires would seem a logical choice, as would Shadar-Kai, but neither is easily made part of a community (Welcome to Vampire town! Those of you with rare bloodtypes may want to apply this tincture of garlic before entering).
Help pls?

 

[Mannahnin]

I think Shadar-Kai are the closest.

 

[Reynard]

I think Shadar-Kai are the closest.

Aren't Shadar-Kai actual residents of the Shadowfell? they are essentially that plane's Eladrin, no?

 

[Guang]

I think Shadar-Kai are the closest.

But groups of them don't normally live in towns in the sunlight of the Prime Material. I don't think they would be happy there, and their neighbors might have some complaints as well.

 

[Mannahnin]

Aren't Shadar-Kai actual residents of the Shadowfell? they are essentially that plane's Eladrin, no?

Yes? I think it depends on how you use them. I think the last time I used them in a campaign and read their fluff closely was in 4E, and I seem to recall it's changed a bit but I don't remember the specifics.

I don't believe there is any Prime Material-native species which stands in the exact theoretical relation to the Shadowfell as the Elves do to the Feywild, but as I opined, the Shadar Kai are probably the closest thing.

 

[Reynard]

Yes? I think it depends on how you use them. I think the last time I used them in a campaign and read their fluff closely was in 4E, and I seem to recall it's changed a bit but I don't remember the specifics.

I don't believe there is any Prime Material-native species which stands in the exact theoretical relation to the Shadowfell as the Elves do to the Feywild, but as I opined, the Shadar Kai are probably the closest thing.

You could put ghouls in that position, especially if you treat them more like they do in Kobold's books.

 

[Guang]

I don't believe there is any Prime Material-native species which stands in the exact theoretical relation to the Shadowfell as the Elves do to the Feywild......

Agreed. But I have trouble seeing them as townfolk. I've been thinking shadows, undead, darkness, fading.....trying to come up with something other than either Shadar-Kai or Vampires.

 

[Guang]

You could put ghouls in that position, especially if you treat them more like they do in Kobold's books.

Interesting idea - I'm aware of Kobold's underground kingdom of ghouls, but not how their ghouls might live among other peoples. Would they be neighborly enough to work? Do they have some kind of planar attachment or abilities?

 

[CleverNickName]

I think it would depend on the cosmology you want to use. With the default D&D cosmology, I think shadar-kai elves are the closest match.

In Mystara, there isn't really a Shadowfell, or even a "plane of shadow" so to speak. The closest you would get is probably Limbo (the "Realm of the Dead", probably best described in Dragon Magazine #180) or the Land of Mists (from adventure module X2: Castle Amber). If your game uses this cosmology, you might consider using tieflings, dhampir, hexbloods, and The Reborn in addition to shadar-kai.

Which cosmology is your game using, @Guang ?

 

[Reynard]

Interesting idea - I'm aware of Kobold's underground kingdom of ghouls, but not how their ghouls might live among other peoples. Would they be neighborly enough to work? Do they have some kind of planar attachment or abilities?

I could imagine some "civilized" ghouls who trade for "food" with a city above them. And as to the planar connection isn't that where their undead qualities come from?