Roleplaying a shadow sorcerer

[Blackflight]

Hey Everyone. I am about to start playing a sorcerer with the shadow magic bloodline in a new campaign starting at level 1, and would like to hear if you have some input on a cool background story?

The basics I want to incorporate is that I want to play a male, elven character with a good alignment. I have the mechanics bit covered, so I am simply looking for roleplaying ideas.

Thanks a bunch! :)

[Cheesegear]

The basics I want to incorporate is that I want to play a male, elven character with a good alignment. I have the mechanics bit covered, so I am simply looking for roleplaying ideas.

For reasons, your character is sacrificed by an Ritual-Assassin. But like, something you can potentially recover from. Like bleeding out, if you get medical attention early enough.

Your soul gets sent to Mask or Shar in the Shadowfell. Or the Raven Queen, 'cause Elf. Whatever.

The Ritual is interrupted, and using medicine or magic, you were brought back to life by saviours/friends. 'Dead for three minutes', as they say.
But, you've been tapped to the Shadowfell.
Now you have powers.

You can potentially include a nemesis in your campaign, the Warlock or Cleric who killed you.

[DrKerosene]

Would you want to roleplay a 3.5e “binder” who makes a pact with the vestige Tenebrous? A shadow of a shadow, tattered vestiges of divinity that grant you power over death, darkness, etc, but afflicted with a general detachment and aching desire that can be blamed for any bad Initiative rolls.

[Chad.e.clark]

My Oath of the Ancients Paladin took a hit from a necromancer or low level evil wizard that dropped him to 0HP and he failed two death saving throws (don't remember the exact attack, but it was during Tier 1 and AL at that, so this was all just re-fluffed.)

The story I spun was that being brought so close to death by evil arcane energy embedded a small bit of the energy into his soul, which manifested as a 1 level dip in Shadow Sorceror. To keep with the Ancients Paladin nature-y theme, picked up Ray of Frost, Mold Earth, Shape Water, and Control Flame (I think) for cantrips, and Shield and Absorb Elements for spells. Also fluffed him as always being just slightly more cool to the touch than what you would expect him to be, but still very much a "leader of the wolf pack"-type personality wise

[Safety Sword]

You could play it as having a "shadow" on your soul. Perhaps some entity that's connected to the shadow fell has marked your soul. Maybe something happened in a previous life? You'll never know until you travel there and confront them. In the meanwhile the plane of shadow "bleeds through" when you cast spells.

Alternatively, perhaps it's a special curse because your father is secretly bound to the plane of shadow via a pact?