Xorn (Dungeons & Dragons)
Encyclopedia
In the Dungeons & Dragons
role-playing game
, xorn are outsiders
from the Elemental Plane of Earth
.
(1977). The xaren appeared in the original Monster Manual II (1983).
The xorn appeared in second edition in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), and reprinted with the xaren in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
The minor xorn, the average xorn, and the elder xorn appeared in the third edition Monster Manual
(2000), and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003).
The xorn appeared in fourth edition in Monster Manual 2 (2009).
items. Xorns sometimes attack wealthy adventurers, especially on the Prime Material Plane
, where it is much harder for the xorn to find its normal sustenance.
A xorn is described as having a barrel-shaped body with trilateral radial symmetry
; three arms, legs and eyes spaced around its torso. The mouth is located at the top of the body. This description is remarkably similar to the description of Asag
, a demon of sumerian mythology, on which the xorn may have been based.
Because a xorn can move through earth as easily as a fish moves through water, when they choose to attack they often use ambushes, hiding just below or above a potential victim. In fact, they often move around with the lower part of their body inside the earth.
Xorn come in three categories: minor, average, and elder.
Another creature related to the xorn is the xaren.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, xorn are outsiders
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
from the Elemental Plane of Earth
Inner Plane
The Inner Planes are the innermost planes of existence in the standard cosmology of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. They are the building blocks of the multiverse, the elements and energies from which all of the material universe is made.The Inner Planes, the material building blocks of...
.
Publication history
The xorn first appeared in first edition in the original Monster ManualMonster Manual
The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...
(1977). The xaren appeared in the original Monster Manual II (1983).
The xorn appeared in second edition in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), and reprinted with the xaren in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
The minor xorn, the average xorn, and the elder xorn appeared in the third edition Monster Manual
Monster Manual
The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...
(2000), and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003).
The xorn appeared in fourth edition in Monster Manual 2 (2009).
Description
Xorn devour earthen and silicate materials, and have a taste for gems, precious metals, and magicalMagic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
items. Xorns sometimes attack wealthy adventurers, especially on the Prime Material Plane
Prime Material Plane
The Prime Material Plane is the central plane of existence in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game...
, where it is much harder for the xorn to find its normal sustenance.
A xorn is described as having a barrel-shaped body with trilateral radial symmetry
Symmetry (biology)
Symmetry in biology is the balanced distribution of duplicate body parts or shapes. The body plans of most multicellular organisms exhibit some form of symmetry, either radial symmetry or bilateral symmetry or "spherical symmetry". A small minority exhibit no symmetry .In nature and biology,...
; three arms, legs and eyes spaced around its torso. The mouth is located at the top of the body. This description is remarkably similar to the description of Asag
Asag
In the Sumerian mythological poem Lugale, Asag is a monstrous demon. He is described as being so hideous that his presence makes fish boil alive in the rivers. He was said to be accompanied into battle by an army of rock demon offspring - born of his union with the mountains themselves...
, a demon of sumerian mythology, on which the xorn may have been based.
Because a xorn can move through earth as easily as a fish moves through water, when they choose to attack they often use ambushes, hiding just below or above a potential victim. In fact, they often move around with the lower part of their body inside the earth.
Xorn come in three categories: minor, average, and elder.
Another creature related to the xorn is the xaren.
Xorn in other media
- The creature has also appeared in the Eye of the Beholder video game; a similar creature (with the spelling zorn) appeared in the Ultima computer game series.
- "xorn jaw" is an attainable item in the MMORPGMMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
parody Progress QuestProgress QuestProgress Quest is an application created as a parody of EverQuest and other massively multiplayer online role-playing games. It is loosely considered a zero-player game, in the sense that once the player has set up his artificial character, there is no user interaction at all; the game "plays"... - Xorns can be found in the roguelikeRoguelikeThe roguelike is a sub-genre of role-playing video games, characterized by randomization for replayability, permanent death, and turn-based movement. Most roguelikes feature ASCII graphics, with newer ones increasingly offering tile-based graphics. Games are typically dungeon crawls, with many...
games NetHackNetHackNetHack is a single-player roguelike video game originally released in 1987. It is a descendant of an earlier game called Hack , which is a descendant of Rogue...
and MoriaMoria (computer game)Moria is a roguelike computer game based heavily on J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings. The game's objective is to kill a Balrog, presumably Durin's Bane, deep within the Mines of Moria. A later port of Moria called Umoria inspired the Angband roguelike game...
. - The xorn appeared in the D&D Miniatures: Underdark set #28 (2005).