Eye On Eberron: Baator… and the Sovereign Host!

My latest Eye on Eberron article deals with the inclusion of Baator in Eberron; if you’re a DDI subscriber, you can read the article here. Baator was added into Eberron’s continuity in the 4E ECG, but we didn’t explain how it fit with the rest of the cosmology and it always felt like an odd duck to me. The article addresses that, explaining its relationship to the 13 planes we all know and how the devils of Baator fit in with the Lords of Dust and the fiends of Shavarath. Among other things, the article states that Baator was created not by the Progenitors, but rather by the Sovereigns. It also discusses angels interacting with the Sovereigns. Some of you may say “Wait a second – isn’t one of the core themes of Eberron the idea that religion is based on faith? I thought the Sovereigns didn’t manifest in the world!”

This remains a central element of Eberron. You can’t go to Daanvi and make an appointment to see Aureon. For that matter, even when your cleric performs a commune ritual, you’re not actually communing with Aureon directly; you are communing with an angelic servant of Aureon. And that angel can’t go talk to Aureon either. He simply believes with ever fiber of his being that he is a conduit of Aureon’s will – and that what he says to you in Aureon’s name is dictated by the Sovereign. Maybe he’s right; maybe he’s not. Only the DM knows for sure. So… how’s that work with the idea that the Sovereigns interacted with angels in a concrete manner in the past? What were these Sovereigns, and what became of them?

The Baator article asserts that there was a point in time when the Sovereigns worked with the angels, “perfecting the work of the Progenitors.” The angels believed (and most still do) that the Sovereigns were created by the Progenitors for this purpose, and that it was the duty of the angels to support them in this. After a time, the Sovereigns ascended to a higher state of existence – something beyond the 13 planes. The angels firmly believe that the Sovereigns remain active – that Dol Dorn and Dol Arrah watch every battle, and Onatar watches over every smith. The angels believe that the Sovereigns speak through them. But it has been tens of thousands of years since any angel has interacted with a Sovereign directly. Some – such as Asmodeus – believe that the Sovereigns didn’t “ascend” but rather died, and that the angels are trapped by foolish faith.

But once again… what are or were these Sovereigns? The draconic religion of Thir maintains that exceptional dragons can ascend to a divine state, and historical figures like Ourelonastrix and Dularanahk seem like a logical source of inspiration for many Sovereign myths. One possibility is just that: the Sovereigns of the tales were the draconic champions of the first age. However, the angels don’t believe that the Sovereigns were ascended mortals. They maintain that the Sovereigns were created by the Progenitors themselves. They may find expression in mortal flesh for a time, but the Sovereign spirit is something greater than that. If this is correct, it’s not that Ourelonastrix inspired the myths of Aureon… but rather that Ourelonastrix was the first mortal avatar of the Sovereign Aureon, and that his great deeds were due to this divine inspiration. In other words, it’s possible that remarkable mortals can ascend to become Sovereigns… but it’s equally possible that an aspect of a Sovereign sometimes descends to inhabit a mortal form, and these mortal avatars thus become legendary heroes.

What does all of this mean for you?

If you DON’T believe the Sovereigns exist, then you can say “The entities the angels interacted with were just impressive dragons who had some adventures in the planes after defeating the fiends. They’re long dead.”

If you DO believe in the Sovereigns, you might say that any mortal has a chance to ascend and either become a Sovereign or that alternately, the reason such a remarkable person appears to embody a Sovereign is because the spirit of the Sovereign has actually entered into him. Dorius Alyre Korran sought to displace Aureon by acquiring ultimate knowledge; but perhaps he was driven in that pursuit of knowledge by the spirit of Aureon within him. If you decide to take this route, it could be one more reason player characters are capable of such epic feats. Perhaps each player character is, unknowingly, the avatar of a Sovereign!

Of course, this being Eberron, you can also choose to ignore the whole thing. The key point is that many angels serve the Sovereigns, but even they don’t interact with the Sovereigns directly.

What about Radiant Idols?

The Dragon article says that Baator is a prison for rebellious angels. But wait – isn’t that where we get Radiant Idols? Aren’t they angels cast down from Syrania?

Yes. Yes, they are. Not every angel follows the Sovereigns. The angels were created by the Progenitors – they were born when their planes were created, and each has a role to play. While there are many who serve the Sovereigns, there are others who simply do their duty with no interest in any higher power. Such an angel knows what it must do to keep the celestial machine in motion. It believes this is the purpose it was created for. But it is loyal solely to the purpose laid out by the Progenitors, and has no interest in Sovereigns. There is rarely conflict between these angels and those who follow the Sovereigns, because they are both doing the work that needs to be done – though they do generally live in different divine cities, as the neutral angels have no interest in maintaining shrines to the Sovereigns or answering prayers. When a servant of the Sovereigns rebels, it is thrown into Baator and becomes a devil. When a neutral angel rebels, it is cast down to Eberron itself and becomes a Radiant Idol.

In other news, the Crossing The Streams contest continues until the end of this month. In addition, the cyberpunk music/fiction anthology Foreshadows: Ghosts of Zero comes out later this month, and includes work by many fine authors and me! Check it out!