Dabus

The Dabus are a mysterious species of extraplanar humanoids native to Sigil in the multiverse of Dungeons & Dragons. Introduced with the arrival of the Planescape setting, dabus are one of the more distinctive, or at least easily recognizable, aspects of Sigil itself.

Though possessing the ability of speech, dabus almost always communicate only through visual rebuses they create, filling the air near them with golden shining lines (from which the name Dabus originates). Physically, a Dabus resembles a humanoid with yellow-tan skin, goatlike horns, and a shock of white hair. Dabus float off the ground, their feet never touching the earth. The character Fell is the only exception to this.

Their agenda strictly follows the orders of the Lady of Pain, but their principal duty is to build and rebuild the living and growing buildings and streets of the city of Sigil.

Certain sources suggest that Dabus can in fact speak, but fear that if they were to do so "their thoughts would be overheard." Another, more cynical source suggests that they simply enjoy frustrating others with their puzzles, though communication with a Dabus proves them to be extremely patient, if rather aloof and alien.

The only Dabus with an identity is actually a fallen one known as Fell, who had become an outcast after he proclaimed the god Aoskar (god of portals) as his patron deity. Shortly after that, the Lady destroyed Aoskar and his temple but for reasons unknown, she let Fell live. He now runs a tattoo parlor in Sigil's Grand Bazaar where he uses his ability to dream whole stories into one picture to create unique tattoos for adventurers who visit it. Most locals still prefer to avoid him, for fear of retribution by the Lady.

The rebuses of the Dabus are so annoying to both in-game characters and real-world players that the splatbook "Uncaged: Faces of Sigil" introduced a Lillend NPC who has made a small fortune creating an instruction manual on how to translate them.

Dabus were first statted in the Planescape Campaign Setting boxed set for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition. They then were updated to Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition in the adventure module "Expedition to the Demonweb Pits".