Far Realm: Difference between revisions
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The Far Realm is generally described as, or believed to be, the origin-point for all [[aberration]]s. The exception is in [[Eberron]] where they are instead the creation of the [[daelkyr]] and the equivalent of the Far Realm is called [[Xoriat]]. | The Far Realm is generally described as, or believed to be, the origin-point for all [[aberration]]s. The exception is in [[Eberron]] where they are instead the creation of the [[daelkyr]] and the equivalent of the Far Realm is called [[Xoriat]]. | ||
Ironically, the Far Realm was about the only major plane to survive completely unchanged when 4th edition switched from the Great Wheel to the [[World Axis]]. It is still the mysterious alien realm from which aberrations are believed to spring and about which little is known. It's actually quite important to the [[Nentir Vale]] setting; [[shardmind]]s were born when a cosmological construct keeping the Far Realm at bay was | Ironically, the Far Realm was about the only major plane to survive completely unchanged when 4th edition switched from the Great Wheel to the [[World Axis]]. It is still the mysterious alien realm from which aberrations are believed to spring and about which little is known. It's actually quite important to the [[Nentir Vale]] setting; [[shardmind]]s were born when a cosmological construct keeping the Far Realm at bay was accidentally broken by some of the gods, whilst the energies pouring through that heavenly wound are suggested as one possible source for [[psionics]]. | ||
Denizens of the Far Realm are typically given an Evil alignment in official material, but the community actually generally prefers the fanon idea that any system of morality the Far Realm has would be ''entirely distinct and alien'' from the Great Wheel one (the same way the mechanics of combat in [[Mutants and Masterminds]] is entirely alien to those of D&D), as that is more in line with the Far Realm's entire theme (Abberations like Beholders and Illithids having a listable alignment is usually explained by the additional fanon idea that Far Realmers who travel to the Great Wheel are immediately warped and driven mad the same way us Wheelers are when we travel there). | Denizens of the Far Realm are typically given an Evil alignment in official material, but the community actually generally prefers the fanon idea that any system of morality the Far Realm has would be ''entirely distinct and alien'' from the Great Wheel one (the same way the mechanics of combat in [[Mutants and Masterminds]] is entirely alien to those of D&D), as that is more in line with the Far Realm's entire theme (Abberations like Beholders and Illithids having a listable alignment is usually explained by the additional fanon idea that Far Realmers who travel to the Great Wheel are immediately warped and driven mad the same way us Wheelers are when we travel there, in other words the Far Realm is so alien that Beholders and Mind Flayers are what happens when visiting denizens ''go native'' ). An obvious alternate formulation is that most Far Realmers who decide to ''stay'' in the Material Planes are pretty much going to be "evil" under humanoid standards, since almost all possible reasons for staying amount to some degree of hostility to the natives of the Prime Material (with [[Flumph |one notable exception]]). | ||
=Inhabitants= | =Inhabitants= | ||
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* '''[[Beholder]]''' (Mainly in 4th edition) | * '''[[Beholder]]''' (Mainly in 4th edition) | ||
* '''[[Gibbering Mouther]]''' (Depending on the edition they may be from the Realm or formed from corpses left near Far Realm portals, or have a completely different origin if this is from before the far realm was added) | * '''[[Gibbering Mouther]]''' (Depending on the edition they may be from the Realm or formed from corpses left near Far Realm portals, or have a completely different origin if this is from before the far realm was added) | ||
* '''[[Gibberling]]''' Gibber gibber gibber | |||
* '''[[Grell]]''' | * '''[[Grell]]''' | ||
* '''[[Flumph]]'''. Not everything from the Far Realm has to be evil | * '''[[Flumph]]'''. Not everything from the Far Realm has to be evil | ||
Latest revision as of 23:24, 20 June 2023
The Far Realm is H.P. Lovecraft's magnum opus one of the more obscure planes of Dungeons & Dragons, and basically amounts to the obligatory "Cthulhu Mythos Dimension" for Lovecraftian horrors. It is formally considered an invention of 3rd edition, although Lovecraftian tropes were in D&D lore from the very beginning - like the first Deities & Demigods, for which Gygax's ass got royally sued. It was Bruce Cordell's 2e adventure "The Gates of Firestorm Peak" which named the plane "Far Realm", and since nobody sued him that's what stuck. 3rd edition merely expanded on the details most highly, which, combined with the fact it isn't formally placed on the Great Wheel, is why most consider it a 3e invention.
The Far Realm is generally described as, or believed to be, the origin-point for all aberrations. The exception is in Eberron where they are instead the creation of the daelkyr and the equivalent of the Far Realm is called Xoriat.
Ironically, the Far Realm was about the only major plane to survive completely unchanged when 4th edition switched from the Great Wheel to the World Axis. It is still the mysterious alien realm from which aberrations are believed to spring and about which little is known. It's actually quite important to the Nentir Vale setting; shardminds were born when a cosmological construct keeping the Far Realm at bay was accidentally broken by some of the gods, whilst the energies pouring through that heavenly wound are suggested as one possible source for psionics.
Denizens of the Far Realm are typically given an Evil alignment in official material, but the community actually generally prefers the fanon idea that any system of morality the Far Realm has would be entirely distinct and alien from the Great Wheel one (the same way the mechanics of combat in Mutants and Masterminds is entirely alien to those of D&D), as that is more in line with the Far Realm's entire theme (Abberations like Beholders and Illithids having a listable alignment is usually explained by the additional fanon idea that Far Realmers who travel to the Great Wheel are immediately warped and driven mad the same way us Wheelers are when we travel there, in other words the Far Realm is so alien that Beholders and Mind Flayers are what happens when visiting denizens go native ). An obvious alternate formulation is that most Far Realmers who decide to stay in the Material Planes are pretty much going to be "evil" under humanoid standards, since almost all possible reasons for staying amount to some degree of hostility to the natives of the Prime Material (with one notable exception).
Inhabitants[edit]
Creatures that are definitely from the Far Realm[edit]
- Bloodsipper: A plant whose fruit has claws and teeth.
- Dharculus: A floating thing with the general shape of a squid, but one end has a big mouth, and the tentacles end in eyes and . . . more mouths.
- Father Llymic, the Alien Thought Given Flesh: An Elder Evil resembling a three-eyed scythe-armed ice monster who spreads a disease that turns the infected into similar monsters.
- Kaorti: Accidentally created from a group of wizards that tried to set up a base in the Far Realm and were warped when Zurgurth tried to examine them.
- Uvuudaum: From the Epic Level Handbook. A bizarre and extremely powerful creature that has 8 human like arms but no legs and a giant spike where its face should be. Also apparently the overlords of the Far Realm.
- Wyste: A big scary worm thing, and also a total weirdo for having morphology that actually makes sense.
- Zurgurth the Feasting Vast: An Elder Evil resembling an ocean of flesh.
Creatures that might be from the Far Realm[edit]
These creatures have multiple origin stories so whether they are from the far realm or somewhere else depends on what edition and setting you are looking at.
- Beholder (Mainly in 4th edition)
- Gibbering Mouther (Depending on the edition they may be from the Realm or formed from corpses left near Far Realm portals, or have a completely different origin if this is from before the far realm was added)
- Gibberling Gibber gibber gibber
- Grell
- Flumph. Not everything from the Far Realm has to be evil
- Foulspawn
- Neh-thalggu
- THOON: Something that some Illithids worship but will not or cannot explain what it is.
| The Cosmology of the World Axis | ||
|---|---|---|
| Far Realm | ||
| Astral Sea | ||
| Feywild | Prime Material | Shadowfell |
| Underdark | ||
| Elemental Chaos | ||