The Shadar-kai are NEVER going to be the next drow

[theskyfullofdust]

Does anyone recall the Issue of Dragon where the Shadar-kai Ecology was written?

-DM Jeff

Yes, it's in Dragon mag # 337

 

[Hussar]

Drow created by E Gary Gygax, Githyanki ripped off from George RR Martin by Charles Stross. WoTC have never created a cool villain race AFAIK.

In the interests of honestly.

 

[DM_Jeff]

Yes, it's in Dragon mag # 337

Thanks a ton!

-DM Jeff

 

[I'm A Banana]

I still don't see Shadar-Kai in 4e as nu metal/emo, it is closer to metal then anything else. They are a race that will laugh and get pumped up and essentially find elation in being in-combat/getting the crap beat out of them.

They would actually make a PERFECT berzerker race, they revel in pain as the main-thing keeping them together and they are masters of combat. Berzerkers are masters of combat and use pain to help energize/enrage them.

Reveling in your own pain is totally EMO. Metal would be reveling in the pain of those who oppose you, walking on a carpet made of their corpses, in order to make out with the irrationally proportioned blonde wearing the chainmail bikini who is being held captive in the Lust-Palace of the Demon Queen B'thaglu.

Without the whole "I am of two worlds, I am darkness and light, suffering is what keeps me alive" emo-ness of the Shadar-kai, they come off as S&M style. "Ooooh, baby, stab me so hard."

I like classifying the Shadar-Kai as a bit "nu metal" with their suburban rebellion from piercings and their intentse ennui and their parents who don't understand their suffering and their tramp stamps. They are crying out for attention, for meaning, for someone who understands![/U]

This is coming from a guy with nothing in particular to hate about 'em. I just really like seeing how music has influenced various aspects of D&D.

Oh, plus the aforementioned "one of the designers has an irrational boner for them."

 

[Darrin Drader]

I'm beginning to think that maybe the shadar-kai are a major new player, given all of the conversation they have prompted. Just the metal/nu-metal/emo debate is giving them traction.

 

[Set]

These descriptions of the Shadar-kai remind me a bit of the Qullan, also from the original FF. They were freaky, tattooed berserkers who got off on pain and scarification. They also had a permanent Chaos field around them. Me, I'd like to see these guys come back.

Qullan rocked. Now they must be converted!

 

[Evilhalfling]

Was this your 17th campaign you ever run, and and the next campaign featured R-related monsters? At what point of the alphabet are you now? Did you invent new letters, or are you recycling?

I once ran a 2nd ed game called the B-quest.
I thought placing the Baraccuda and the Bulette in an inland forest enviornment for 3rd level characters was particularly tricky.

I was pelted with food at about the 5th encounter, but the players finished the game.

In the interests of honesty.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I once ran a 2nd ed game called the B-quest.
I thought placing the Baraccuda and the Bulette in an inland forest enviornment for 3rd level characters was particularly tricky.

I was pelted with food at about the 5th encounter, but the players finished the game.

I liked the idea of "themed" adventures (though I might actually have run only one: Theme was "Crystals & Spiders", and it was pretty enjoyable), but never considering using the alphabet.

Maybe the next theme should be the "Count Count" theme. "1 Kobold Minion. 2 Kobold Minions. 3 Kobold Minions." *roaring thunder and lightning* "Hahaha 3! 4 Kobold Minions, 5... Hahaha" *roaring thunder and lighting* "...5 Kobold Minions!"

 

[Kesh]

EH?! Shadar-kai aren't metal. Metal is thumping bass and blood-soaked flesh and giant axes and gratuitous T&A and hyperviolence.

Shadar-kai are "Blah! I suffer! Blarg!" That's incredibly emo, or at least more '90's Nu Metal (which is rage-based emo for suburban kids, right?). Punk? Seriously?

Bah. I think there's a lot of biases throwing this discussion to the wind. I've seen nothing that says "woe is me" in the Shadar-kai, and everything that says, "I suffer for power."

I'm surprised no one brought it up before: Shadar-kai are heavily borrowing from The Order of the Gash. They just haven't been able to cross into full-fledged demons yet. And that, my friends, is f-in' metal.

 

[freyar]

Qullan rocked. Now they must be converted!

Apparently they're in Living Greyhawk Journal #4. There's also a free 3.0 version right here in the EN World Creature Catalog.