Dungeons & Dragons Shadeslink Miniature

This is a highly detailed miniature of a Shadeslink.

This model was created by MZ4250 who makes amazingly accurate models of the Monster Manual creatures and provided by Commercial License.

In Dungeons & Dragons, a Shadeslink is a rare and esoteric concept that typically appears in settings where the Shadowfell or Plane of Shadow plays a central role. The term "Shadeslink" is not part of the core D&D rules or mainstream monster manuals but has appeared in some third-party materials, homebrew content, or obscure modules. In these sources, a Shadeslink is often described as a mysterious conduit or creature intrinsically tied to the Shadowfell—a dark, echoing reflection of the Material Plane suffused with sorrow, death, and entropy.

A Shadeslink can take different forms depending on the setting and the storyteller’s needs. Sometimes it refers to a magical portal or phenomenon that links a location in the Material Plane to its shadowy counterpart in the Shadowfell. These Shadeslinks might appear as shimmering patches of darkness, hidden doorways, or even living shadows that can transport creatures across planes. Such portals are usually unstable, appearing only during certain phases of the moon or under the influence of dark magic. Those who use them often do so at great risk, as traversing the Shadowfell can drain the willpower and life force from the unwary.

In other contexts, a Shadeslink may be an entity rather than a portal—an intelligent or semi-sentient being that exists between worlds. These beings could serve as emissaries of powerful Shadowfell entities such as the Raven Queen or Shar, manipulating events in the Material Plane from behind the scenes. As creatures, Shadeslinks might possess the ability to merge with shadows, teleport between dimly lit areas, or corrupt the minds of mortals with despair and hallucinations. They are typically encountered by high-level adventurers, particularly those dealing with planar travel, necrotic magic, or the balance between light and darkness.

Because of its ambiguity, the Shadeslink is often used by Dungeon Masters as a plot device, a mysterious threat, or a bridge between worlds, lending a strong narrative element to campaigns steeped in planar or gothic themes.