Quick! Name a famous Shadar-Kai. Tricky, eh? This new poster-child race from 4e D&D lacks the same iconic identity as our familiar Dwarves, Elves and Halflings for that one simple reason: they’re new.
How about if we took a small step back and paraphrase the racial details for the Shadar-Kai from the Monster Manual:
“They are a bleak and sinister human-like people who move secretly to accomplish ruinous ends. They have gray skin and eyes like a raven’s. The shadows around them seem to deepen as they move. They prefer loose, dark garments. Hair is worn long and their skin always has patterns of tattoos and many piercings. They prefer light, exotically shaped weapons.”
Shadar-Kai are pale skinned, dark clothed moody heirs to an ancient branch of humanity who wield unusual weapons and their single-minded pursuit of whatever it is they are single-minded about.
So, let’s ask the question again: Can you name any famous Shadar-Kai?
Here are a few contenders:
Elric of Melnibone
Beyond any shadow of a doubt, Elric is the quintessential Shadar-Kai Fighter/Dark Pact Warlock. This pale-skinned albino with the kewl sword is the last heir to the decadent Melnibone empire, an outcast and wanderer who brings gloom, destruction (and just occasionally love and hope) wherever he goes.
As an albino Shadar-Kai, he must take herbs (which may or may not be Controlled Substances) to survive, and is by nature a loner who is at his best when standing atop storm-tossed cliffs, fighting demons.
Batman
Batman? Yes, Batman. Pitch him as a Shadar-Kai Urban Ranger/Artificer and you’ve got one awesome crime-fighter who uses his innate ability to Shadow Jaunt (teleport between shadows – how Batman is that???!!!), awesome Streetwise and Stealth skills and unique equipment to take down foes. He roams the alleyways and makes the points of light just a little lighter by sticking to the darkness. Add an Arcane Familiar, which is a large tattoo of a Bat on his chest when it’s in Passive Mode, and you’re there.
James Bond
Not all Shadar-Kai are as brutal as Elric and Bats. This Shadar-Kai Wizard (bear with me on this one) is as suave and sophisticated as they come. His dark elegance and charming demeanour belies the heart of a stone-cold killer bored with life and continually craving yet more reckless excitement to fill his days. With his pistol shaped wand he is a deadly aim, and his mind holds volumes of esoteric knowledge, though he rarely reveals this side of his personality. Most villains underestimate Mr Bond, that is their downfall.
Professor Snape
Another wand-wielding Shadar-Kai Wizard, though this one couldn’t be any more different. Severus Snape is a tragic figure, a mere half-breed Shadar-Kai who hides the shame of his birth along with all the other secrets that make up his fractured personality.
Not that all Pureblood Wizards are Shadar-Kai, of course – but both Snape and the Malfoy family almost certainly come from that particular bloodline.
Incidentally, 4e D&D would make a terrific Harry Potter role-playing game. The PCs are all Wizards with the Wand implement. Take Brew Potion by 3rd level or you fail the course. Good luck!
There’s my group of famous Shadar-Kai. Can you add any more to the list?
Greywulf
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The way Shadar-Kai play a role in my campaign, I’m tossing this one into the hat: Riddick. Drizzt doesn’t stand a chance in my world.
Very interesting, I do not fully agree but a fun look at lining up classic character themes with a new race.
The Melnibonians make an interesting parallel with the Shadar-Kai, though that decadent race is less about shadows than raw magical power. And Elric is a likely to be fighting alongside demons as against them.
As a Batman or Bond, a Shadar-Kai would stand out. No secret identities or disguises for them which is a considerable limit. And I have never seen Bond as an intellectual, not even a hidden one.
However, as a forced transformation into a Shadar-Kai, Marvel Comic’s Cloak would fit.
Hellraiser?
HELLRAISER – Now he would be cool to play as a Shadar-kai.
My awesome shadar kai PC who I dont think I’ll get to play anymore because of the evils of school. He was not to far off from the man-bat but I was going for a kind of Angel guy who yes is very batmany 🙂
Ninja Assassin guy?
This is actually a picture of a Warcraft 3 night elf.
@ Human
Yes, yes he was.
Drizzt? Bah. That silver-maned dark elf would not survive in my world. With two dragonborn Fighter-Warlords , a Lizardfolk Druid-Monk , and my character , a Half-Genasi Sorcerer-Cleric-Fighter , I took down 12 Deathpriest Heirophants , 2 Abyssal Rotfiends , Doresain the Ghoul king , and ORCUS HIMSELF!
That silly drow weakling would be crushed under the boot belonging to The Vessel of Bahamut, Arcane Storm Mage , Healer , Purple Dragon Knight ,
Acryion Heldarathiah Doronpaur Darastrixvaeri!