Xoriat
Xoriat, the Realm of Madness is a plane in the cosmology of the Dungeons & Dragons setting of Eberron, commonly nicknamed "The Orrery". Beyond description or comprehension, Xoriat is aptly called the Realm of Madness. Not only do its alien geometry and unspeakable inhabitants seem like the product of a madman’s nightmare, but any who visit Xoriat risk finding their minds shattered by the experience. Xoriat has been likened to a sack of transluscent parchment, an apparent infinite connection of layers and dimensions. Its inhabitants exist on multiple layers simultaneously. Massive, drifting entities, too large to notice visitors to the plane: free floating rivers of milk-white liquid: rains of blue globes falling from unknown heights, only to burst and release horse-sized ticks when they strike another object – such are the madness-inducing features of Xoriat. Gelatinous worms wriggle from layer tolayer, wending through tentacled vegetation encrusted with orange moss, all suspended above an amoebic sea. Over this mad realm the Daelkyr are absolute masters. Like Dal Quor, Xoriat’s last time of being coterminous was a disasterous period of warfare. Over 9000 years ago, Xoriat became coterminous, and the Daelkyr sent their minions into Khorvaire to conquer it. Before the orc and hobgoblin druids known as the gatekeepers managed to alter Xoriats orbit, the Mind Flayers and lesser minions of the Daelkyr, had decimated the hobgoblin Empire of Dhakaan. The gatekeepers magic was less cataclysmic than the giants’ attempt to close the connection to Dal Quor, however, Xoriat moved quickly away from its coterminous position but it is sure to return one day. Xoriat has the following traits:
In case it's not obvious, Xoriat is the Eberron version of the Far Realm.
Planar Traits
- No Gravity
- Highly Morphic
- Mildly Evil-Aligned
- Wild Magic
- Distorted Time: Time flows differently on Xoriat than Eberron. One minute in Xoriat is equal to one hour on the Material plane. So, adventurers from Eberron that visit Xoriat for one hour will return to find 60 hours have passed.
- Xoriat Inhabitants: Daelkyr, Mind Flayers, Pseudonatural Creatures, Rukarazyll, Wyste, Kaorti, Odopi, Shrieking Terror, Voidmind Creatures.
- Coterminous: When Xoriat is coterminous, madness literally bursts forth upon the world. For reasons unknown, the Shadow Marches are somehow ‘close’ to Xoriat, and the natives of Xoriat were able to enter there during the last coterminous phase. Throughout the Shadow Marches, magic went wild, and the Daelkyr warped native creatures into monstrous aberrations. The intervention of the Gatekeepers altered Xoriats orbit and the plane has not been coterminous since. Dimensional seals keep the plane away but various forces seek to break their powwer so Xoriat can draw near again.
- Remote: Xoriat’s remoteness has no known effect on the Material plane.