D&D 5E What are Possible Ancestors/Sources for a Shadow Sorcerer Bloodline?

[DarkMoon250]

Back in middle school when I thought DnD and Pathfinder were somehow the same thing, I fell in love with the Sorcerer as Pathfinder had presented it: a semi-magical creature that had a supernatural or esoteric being lurking somewhere in there family tree, whether as an actual genealogical ancestor or who left a big arcane stain on the real ancestors. And, being born right next to Halloween, loving the "Dark is not Evil" trope, and sticking to the shade as a kid due to light and heat sensitivity, I felt some connection with the Shadow Bloodline Sorcerer and its abilities. Later, I would learn that Pathfinder and DnD were quite separate franchises, and quickly discover and fall in love with 5e's own Shadow Magic Sorcerer (just wish it had subclass spells like Pathfinder's; like why not, Jeremy?!).

Here's where my problem arises; I still want to play a Sorcerer with a supernatural ancestor, rather than just being exposed to high levels of planar magic or being experimented on, but I can't think of a single potential type of candidate for that role in the ancestry of a Shadow Magic Sorcerer. All the species and entities I know of from the Shadowfell are either not magical enough, feral beasts and monsters, or so evil and destructive (and undead) it's hard to imagine them having some kind of family or letting anyone who could synergize with their dark power actually survive.

I need inspiration.

 

[Sir Brennen]

If you're playing in the Forgotten Realms, there's a few possibilities. Check the "Inhabitants" section of this wiki article:

Shadowfell

The Shadowfell, also known as the Plane of Shadow, was one of the planes of existence in various cosmological models. Its purpose and characteristics evolved as new cosmologies were formulated. Other names for this plane included Shadowland, the Demiplane of Shadow, the Shadow Deep, and simply...

forgottenrealms.fandom.com

Some of those could be used as is (shadow demons, for example), or re-fluffed/stolen for another campaign. Shades, Dark Powers, even just assuming that high level NPCs serving gods tied to the Shadowfell might be infused with enough of the plane to pass it on in their bloodline. Heck, even though they're not official in 5e, a shape-shifted shadow dragon might have been one of your ancestors consorts.

 

[Weiley31]

Dad/Mom was a 3E/4E/5E Shadar-Kai.

 

[Savage Wombat]

There's a whole city in FR that's about a group of drow that bred with shadow dragons for a bloodline. One of my players is using that.

 

[SkidAce]

There's a whole city in FR that's about a group of drow that bred with shadow dragons for a bloodline. One of my players is using that.

whats the name for research purposes?

 

[Savage Wombat]

whats the name for research purposes?

Well if you're going to make me google it again, it's Chaulssin.

 

[SkidAce]

Thank you, wasn't sure what terms to search.

 

[Iry]

Thultanthar ("Shade" in the Loross language), also known as the Shade Enclave and the City of Shade, was a Netherese flying city situated in the middle of the Anauroch desert.