Often described as the literal shadow of Aureon, the Shadow is the figurative dark side of the god of magic as well. Whenever magic seems to take on a life of its own to plague mortals, people point to the influence of the Shadow. The Shadow is revered by anyone who uses magic for evil ends. The traditional deities of magic-using and psionic monsters are often identified as aspects of the Shadow, particularly if their portfolios include secrecy or darkness. In addition, monsters in Droaam and elsewhere revere the Shadow as their creator.
The Shadow is known as Aureon's Shadow by his most devoted followers.
Source: Player's Guide to Eberron
Province: Ambition and temptation, forbidden knowledge, monsters
Suggested Cleric Domains: Arcana (Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide), Knowledge, Trickery
Suggested Paladin Oaths: Conquest, Oathbreaker
The war between the Shadow and Aureon rages in all of us. Aureon’s voice tells us that we are stronger together, that it’s worth it to suffer for the sake of the common good. The Shadow whispers that there is no common good—all that matters is what you need and what you can do. Why should you make sacrifices for others instead of doing what’s best for yourself? Why should you give when you can take?
The Shadow is the Sovereign of ambition. Those who revere it view this as a positive trait; the Shadow will show you how to be the best you can be. But how far will you go in pursuit of your ambition? What—or who—will you sacrifice? Priests who embrace this aspect of the Shadow call themselves Mentors, emphasizing that they can show you how to achieve your full potential; others call them Tempters, as they will always drive you down the darkest path. The Pyrinean Creed says that the Shadow consumes the souls of those who fall prey to its temptation; a Mentor will tell you that this is exactly the sort of lie the Sovereigns use to trick you into following their rules.
The Shadow is also the keeper of forbidden knowledge, of secrets you know you shouldn’t pursue. This includes arcane magic—granting powers virtuous people should shun (see the Forbidden Magic sidebar for ideas about this). Any spellcasting character could attribute their powers to the Shadow; a wizard might have been struggling with their studies, but after a sacrifice to the Shadow, they awoke with new insights. The Shadow can also serve as a warlock’s patron, likely in the role of the Fiend or the Hexblade. While the Shadow won’t interact directly with a warlock, they could receive visions like a priest; they could interact with a fiend who claims to speak for the Shadow; or they could be mistaken about the nature of their patron, and actually be bound to the overlord Sul Khatesh.
In addition to mystical knowledge, priests of the Shadow often know things they simply shouldn’t know—secrets that can harm people if revealed. Priests of the Shadow can sometimes be found working as fixers in the criminal underworld; how much are you willing to pay for the knowledge you seek?
Beyond all this, the Shadow is seen as a corrupting force that creates monsters, both figuratively through temptation, and literally—it is said to have created many of the monstrosities that prey on innocents. In turn, many monstrous creatures see the Shadow as their patron.
Optional Rule: Forbidden Magic
The Shadow tempts you to perform evil actions and can teach spells no one should know. While the game’s rules aren’t designed with the idea of forbidden spells that shouldn’t be cast, a DM could choose to grant a character one or more additional spells that have dangerous or unpleasant side effects every time they’re cast. Or the Shadow could grant a spellcaster the ability to increase the power of any spell they know—as if it was cast using a higher-level spell slot—once per long rest, but in doing this, it triggers a negative effect. Regardless of what effects you establish, they should illustrate a clear and concrete reason why this magic is forbidden. Someone or something will pay a price every time this magic is used. Consider the following ideas:
- When you cast the spell, roll a d6. The DM chooses you or one of your allies, either dealing the result as necrotic damage or applying it as a penalty to that creature’s next saving throw.
- When you cast the spell, an innocent creature dies. You have no control over who will suffer and may never know who it is.
- When you cast the spell, plants wither and all living creatures within 15 feet of you take one point of necrotic damage.
- When you cast the spell, choose an ally within sight. That player can reveal a disturbing secret about their character to you. This must be worse than any previous secret they’ve revealed; if they can’t or if they choose not to, the spell fails.
- When you cast the spell, the effect of the spell itself is particularly horrifying.
Source: Exploring Eberron
If Dol Arrah represents the light of the mortal soul, the Shadow is the darkness within. The literal shadow of Aureon, it acquired both sentience and godhood as the cosmic price paid by its creator for arcane knowledge. It is a god of ambition, corruption, and dark magic, and evil spellcasters the world over conduct foul rituals in its name. The Shadow is the progenitor of the medusas, and patron to a great many other monster races, especially in Droaam, where its worship is most popular. Legends say that were Aureon and his shadow to be once again united, the age of civilized peoples would come to an end.
Portfolio: Arcane magic, consequence, corruption, darkness, duality.
Domains: Chaos, Darkness‡, Evil, Magic, Mind‡, Shadow*.
Priest Training: The Shadow’s priests must have some knowledge of both magic and the natural world, and many are equally proficient with both arcane and divine magic.
Quests: Followers quest to unearth ancient and forbidden lore, lead good people into temptation, or twist things of the natural world to suit selfish ends.
Prayers and Rites: The Shadow is invoked in the name of ambition or discovery, especially arcane insight. The god prefers offerings of great value, whether it be personal bloodletting or destroying a precious gem or magic item.
Shrines: The Shadow’s favored stone is obsidian, and it forms his highest temples. Though the glassy mineral is difficult to work, the priesthood’s facility with arcane magic makes the task of construction easier.
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff.
Holy Symbol: A block of obsidian in the shape of a tower
Source: Faiths of Eberron