HISTORY
Tens of thousands of years ago, elves were the slaves of the giants of Xen'drik. Elven legends claim that giant wizards created the drow by harnessing the essence of night and binding it to an elven frame. While this might be nothing more than myth, some drew did serve the giants during the great uprising, using stealth to penetrate the elven strong-holds that the massive giants could never breach. While the majority of the drove fought the giants or simply sought to avoid the conflict entirely, the treachery of few turned the wider elven population against the dark elves. Even then. the drow were regarded with fear and distrust, and when the ancestors of the Aereni fled the dark shies were left to face the doom of Xen'drik alone. Soon the dragons came to Xen'drik, and the civilization of the giants fell in a blaze of dragonfire and mystical power. Hundreds of thousands died in the conflict, and the land was twisted by magical forces that modern wizards have yet to understand.
The ancestors of the Umbragen escaped the worst of this cat-aclysm by fleeing beneath the surface of the world, delving into the realm of Khyber, the Dragon Below. The underworld was filled with its own terrors, but nothing so deadly as the final battles between giant and dragon. After a long and dangerous journey one tribe found sanctuary beneath a region known as the The Ring of Storms. This subterranean fortress had been constructed and later abandoned by the Qabalrin, an isolated clan of elves whose power matched the mightiest giants. The Qabalrin were long dead when the tribe arrived—struck down in a disaster that some called divine vengeance—but their works remained. life in Khyber remained a constant struggle. Aberrations howled at the gates, while famine and plague ravaged the tribe as they fought to adapt to subterranean life. Searching for tools to aid in their struggle for survival, the tribe discovered a set of Qabalrin mystical inscriptions. These writings revealed ways to tap into a vast force of spiritual energy—a dark well the elves called the Umbra. Over the course of generations, the elves performed terrible arcane rituals that bound body and soul to the Umbra, blending this shadowy force with elven flesh. From this point on. they were drow no more: they were the Umbragen. shadow elves. the children of darkness.
The horrors of the underworld remained and the Umbragen never knew peace. Deep within their cavern fortress the elders continued to plumb the secrets of the darkness. searching for ways to increase the power of their race. The concept of returning to the surface never occurred to them: the legends of the surface world were filled with slavery, war, and betrayal. Eventually. however, it became the only option. While the history of the Umbragen was one of constant conflict, this usually involved random attacks by disorganized monsters. In 997 YK, a new force rose in the underworld. A daelkyr lord had stirred in the depths and the Umbragen found themselves besieged by a disciplined force of beholders, mind flayers, and lesser aberrations. It is a vicious struggle and so far the shadow elves have been able to hold the aberrations at bay, but it is a losing battle, Recently, Umbragen forces have been sent to the surface world, seeking any sort of weapon or power that might drive the aberrations back into the depths of Khyber. The Umbragen fled one battle and they don't intend to be driven from their second home.
Racial Description
The Umbragen are an offshoot of the drow race twisted by generations of arcane experimentation and devotion to the powers of shadow.
Personality: A shadow elf has the personality of a mclatotldis fellow umbra. gen are his allies-in the hunt, and they alone have his respect and loyalty. All other creatures am potential prey. unwor. thy ofiespect or pity. With this in mind, tlis shadow elf is always searching for :.. ev{ars to turn a situation to his advantage or to exploit weakness in a foe.
While he is ruthlessly efficient when required, if given the opportu-nity a shadow elf prefers to play with his prey. Conflict is the one pleasure of the Umbragen. and a shadow elf would rather lead an opponent into an amlnish than kill hint outright. The umOragen are not fools however. and ref 'e to throw away victory for a fool's game. If the odds are even a shadow:elf draws out the conflict to Savor the victory..
Umbragen society is split into two paths: the Council of War and the Vault of Shadows. with a king who sits on both councils. Those who fol. low the path of war battle on the front lines while the students of the Vault search for ways to increase the mystical power of the race. Rank is earned through conflict, and any leader—even the king—can be challenged by a direct subordinate. These ascendancy duels take on many different forms of challenge, as there is more to being a general than skill at arms and the strongest fighter is not necessarily the best commander. While it might seem that this policy would create a very chaotic society, challenges are relatively rare. Leaders hold their positions by maintaining the respect of the people. and only an incompetent leader risks being challenged. Rank is not a matter of personal ego — it is a question of who can ensure the survival of the race, and true leaders are revered and valued by those beneath them.
Physical Description: Shadow elves have jet black skin, pale hair, and slender elven builds. At a distance, Umbragen are indistinguishable from drow, but up close, a few distinctive features become visible. The eyes of a shadow elf are pure black, with no iris or white, while the skin of the Umbragen has an
oily gleam, almost as illiquid shadow was flowing across their skin.
Alignment: As a race, the Umbragen tend to be lawful evil. The believe that order and discipline is vital to the continued survival of their race, and they are willing to do anything in the pursuit of this goal. They expect treachery from other creatures and thus feel no remorse for actions they take against their entities (or temporary allies).
Religion: The shadow elves believe that the Umbra slowly devours the soul of everything it touches, including the Umbragen themselves. Those who are closest to the Umbra become colder and more ruthless as their dark powers grow. To the Umbragen, the exchange of power for their souls is a fair one and the people respect this sacrifice.
An outside observer might come to the conclusion that these elves worship the Shadow, which is true in a sense. Umbragen clerics should use the listing for the Shadow to determine their domains.
Language: The Umbragen speak Elven. However, they have been separated from the Aereni for tens of thousands of years and their use of the elven tongue has drifted over those years. When Umbragen first encounter elves of other cultures, the DM might want to require a DC 5 Intelligence check to understand the full meaning of a statement. However. after a brief period the speakers learn to bridge this gap. Umbragen also learn Undercommon as a result of their long conflict with the creatures of Khyber. The Common tongue has never been a part of their culture and an Umbragen who selects this as a bonus language has presumably made contact with explorers from Khorvaire.
Names: A shadow elf begins life with a simple birth name. These are typically monosyllabic, reminiscent of changeling naming patterns. When the elf embraces the Umbra—represented by acquiring an Umbragen racial feat or a level in one of the classes linked to the shadows—he chooses his final name.
Male Names: Dulos, Hulaje, Jalaen, Satros, Turaje
Female Names: Delake, Haeri, Mekali, Solake, Ulari