Shockers originate in the Demiplane+of+Electromagnetism*, but can also be found throughout the Quasielemental Plane of Lightning.
In their natural form, the contented ones, they appear to be sparkling blue humanoids made entirely of electrical energy. Their whole existence seems to be based around discharging this energy. When it has discharged all of its energy on a plane other than the Demiplane of Electromagnetism or the Quasielemental Plane of Lightning, it disappears, their essence returning to their home plane.
Those who seek to explore the Planes at large are called sojourners; they wear suits of humanoid armor to protect themselves from dissolution. Not only do they not exhaust themselves in discharging their energy, but they actually gain stronger.
In their own language, shockers call themselves vrrxlzk. They are clever, curious creatures. They learn new things staggeringly quickly, mastering new languages in a matter of days. However, they have difficulty retaining this knowledge, forgetting them again in a similar amount of time. Their view of time is different from that of other creatures, perceiving it as speeding up and slowing down in a random fashion. Their chaotic and unpredictable natures make them dangerous and unreliable.
Sources: Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, pages 159-160; Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III, pages 98-99; MC 14
(*) 1st edition Manual of the Planes, page 21
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