The Shadelands

The Shadelands is the plane where the souls of the dead are judged and ushered into the afterlife. It is the domain of Thanáta and home to the Shadar Kai.

The Shadelands predate the creation of Divostra, existing as a barrier realm between the Prime Material Plane and the higher and lower planes. As part of their plan to achieve complete control over the Thaumic Weave, the Titans entered the Shadelands and destroyed the connection to the higher and lower planes, locking off the Prime Material Plane from possible usurpers of their power. The Shadelands remained an empty void up until the Primordial Titans introduced mortal creatures to Divostra; as these creatures began to die, the Shadelands' purpose as a passage for the souls of the dead between worlds was realized, though none on the Prime Material Plane were aware of this fact. By severing the connection between the Shadelands and the higher and lower planes, the Titans unknowingly created a reservoir of soul energy that caused necromantic magic to flow back into Divostra. Necromancers began to summon hordes of undead to wreak death and destruction, the wizards' inexperience with such magic leading to uncontrolled violence that desecrated the young plane. This led to the birth of the undead god Tenebrous and his sister Thanáta, the former created through the chaos and destruction caused by undead plague, and the latter borne of mortals' prayers for an afterlife free of necromantic taint.

Alternative Name(s)

The Shadowfell, The Shadowlands, Purgatory, Limbo

Type

Dimensional plane

Owner/Ruler

Thanáta