Waywards

Ancient doorways between the material world and The Shadowfell.

Description

Waywards are magical portals that bridge the gap between planes. They can take many forms:

• Stone arches covered in ancient runes
• Old wells (active only at midnight)
• Hidden gates in forgotten places
• Other mysterious thresholds marked by planar magic

Each Wayward is unique in appearance but shares the same function: providing passage to The Shadowfell.

History

Waywards are extremely ancient, predating most current civilizations. They were created in ages past to allow travel between the material plane and the Shadowfell.

The Great Destruction

Centuries ago, most Waywards were deliberately destroyed. The “wise folk of old” decided that some doors were better left closed, recognizing the danger of easy access to the Shadowfell.

Reasons for destruction:

• Prevented dangerous entities from crossing over
• Stopped mortals from seeking forbidden knowledge from Kyoss
• Sealed off a realm of despair and darkness
• Protected against shadow creatures and undead

Current Status

Extremely Rare - Most Waywards no longer exist. The few that remain are:

• Hidden in remote, forgotten locations
• Heavily guarded or sealed
• Known only through ancient texts and legends
• Incredibly dangerous to approach

Finding a functioning Wayward in the current age would be a significant discovery.

How They Work

To use a Wayward:

1. Locate the portal (the hardest part)
2. Activate it (methods vary - some work at specific times, others require specific rituals or keys)
3. Step through the threshold
4. Arrive in the corresponding location within The Shadowfell

Important: The Shadowfell mirrors the material plane. Where you enter affects where you emerge in the shadow realm.

Dangers

Using a Wayward involves significant risks:

• One-way travel concern - Can you find your way back?
• Shadowfell hazards - The realm itself is hostile to mortal life
• Temporal distortion - Time moves strangely; hours there could be days here (or vice versa)
• Psychological effects - The oppressive atmosphere can cause lasting damage
• Encounters - Shadow creatures, undead, and worse inhabit the realm
• Getting lost - The gray landscape makes navigation difficult

Connection to Kyoss

Those who seek to bargain with Kyoss, the Keeper of Ancient Knowledge, must find a Wayward to reach The Shadowfell where Kyoss dwells.

This makes Waywards incredibly valuable to those seeking:

• Forbidden knowledge
• Ancient rituals
• Information about planes and demons
• Secrets lost to time

However, Kyoss does not give knowledge freely. There is always a price.

Known Uses

Historically, Waywards were used by:

• Knowledge seekers bargaining with Kyoss
• Planar scholars studying the Shadowfell
• Necromancers seeking power from death magic
• Shadow creatures crossing between realms
• Those who created The Butchered Words of Kyoss - someone used a Wayward to bargain with Kyoss for the ritual knowledge

Potential Locations

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