Hello, all.
The 4E FRCG states that Netherese agents have "shadow infused flesh". I'd like to know if anyone can present evidence on whether or not "shadow" from the Shadowfell is a tangible or detectable substance.
Here's why I want to know:
I'm reworking the New Moon Pact, for 4th edition. The NMP is a secretive order of Selûnite lycanthropes dedicated to apposing Shar and Malar. The NMP appeared for the first time in the FR novel Mistress of the Night by Don Bassingthwaite and Dave Gross, and was subsequently turned into a Paragon path, "New Moon Hunter", in Bestiary of the Realms: Volume 2 by Thomas M. Costa and Eric L. Boyd.
The Paragon path includes a number of powers and enhancements confered by Selûne to members of the NMP. I would like to adapt these enhancements for 4E. It occured to me in the post-Shade, post-Spellplague Realms, that it would be useful for lycanthropic servants of Selûne, who´s vocation it is to root out Sharran sleeper cells, secret shrines, safe houses, etc., to be able to smell shadow.
Thoughts?
Cheers,
Afet
I dont think they ever covered that in 4e. I know in 3e shadow magic was harder for non-shadow using spell casters to detect, so i dont know it could go either way. It would make sense for didicated followers of Selune to be able to sense out shadow magic, or get a vibe from it or something.
By the way what is that book you was talkin about? The bestiary of the Realms volume 2? I thought i had like every realms source book ever published but ive never heard of that one. Where can i get a copy of that?
I kinda picture a concentration of shadow being more a sensation. Like temperature, or immersion in water. I don't really imagine it being a "scent" of sorts, but that works too. Not too sure how to implement it, though.
By the way what is that book you was talkin about? The bestiary of the Realms volume 2? I thought i had like every realms source book ever published but ive never heard of that one. Where can i get a copy of that?
The two volumes are non-TSR/WOTC pdf publications by the authors. They were available for free from Eric L. Boyd´s site (www.ericlboyd.com/dnd), but his site is down for some reason. You could try emailing Eric at eric@ericlboyd.com , but I don´t know if that address is still valid.
Cheers,
Afet.
I kinda picture a concentration of shadow being more a sensation. Like temperature, or immersion in water. I don't really imagine it being a "scent" of sorts, but that works too. Not too sure how to implement it, though.
Interesting idea. I suppose that NMP lycanthropes could "sense" the presence of shadow as an unpleasant physical sensation, like the way animals can sense the approach of bad weather. I wouldn't want it to be too precise, though. I wouldn't want it to be a game wrecker like the 2E Paladin ability "detect evil intent".
Regarding the properties of "shadow", I've found the following so far:
"shadow" can infuse flesh (FRCG p. 164), slow aging, allow one to become insubstantial, and be conjured as a "disk of solid shadow" by Shades (FRCG pp. 260-1) or as a "tentacle" by Dark Moon Monks (FRCG p. 240). So, it is something visible, that is potentially either insubstantial or substantial with the capacity to grab or deal force damage.
Cheers,
Afet
Regarding the properties of "shadow", I've found the following so far:
"shadow" can infuse flesh (FRCG p. 164), slow aging, allow one to become insubstantial, and be conjured as a "disk of solid shadow" by Shades (FRCG pp. 260-1) or as a "tentacle" by Dark Moon Monks (FRCG p. 240). So, it is something visible, that is potentially either insubstantial or substantial with the capacity to grab or deal force damage.
Cheers,
Afet
I would add in Necrotic, shadowey spells ussualy do necrotic damage. Illusions are tied in with the shadowfell as well.
Sure, I think shadow can have some indicators; I just wouldn't go overboard, since it is usually presented as rather subtle and all that. It makes sense for a PP that specializes in hunting shadow users to have a good sense for shadowstuff itself. You could keep your description of the NMHs "sniffing it out" and simply give them a +X bonus to Arcana checks to identify or detect magic when the shadow keyword is involved.
If a static bonus isn't involved enough for you, it seems within the skill's rules to consider shadow magic users as "sources of magical energy" and you could modify the area of detection in relation to being up or downwind or something like that.
As for evidence, it'd mostly be fluff evidence. Shadar-kai, shades, revenants, the Shadowfell...all these are infused with shadow power and are visually rather pallid and dark. Shadowstuff also often involves insubstantiality, so it may not be tangible; however, it's often described as cold, so it may still have a tactile indicator in some cases. When it is tangible, it's often meant to be the stuff of nightmares/illusion come true.
Saying that shadow has a smell that NMHs can detect is essentially arbitrarty, but imho it sounds kinda cool. 
It doesn't have to be world-altering; maybe NMHs are the only ones who can actually smell it. (Loved that book, btw.)