1. Locations

Syrania: The Azure Sky

Plane

Imagine a perfect blue sky, stretching off into the horizon. There’s no sign of the sun, but the sky is clear and bright, and the floating crystal towers gleam as if caught in a sunbeam. A warm, gentle breeze brushes over you, and there’s a faint sound of distant chimes. You feel absolutely calm; in this moment, all anger melts away.

This is Syrania, the Azure Sky. While people often think of its floating towers and crystal spires—the same magic that sustains the great towers of Sharn— Syrania is the plane of peace and all that flourishes in peaceful times: commerce, education, reflection. There are no vast armies here, no dangerous monsters. The magic of Syrania allows all creatures to communicate and dispels aggression. As such, it’s a common crossroads for beings who do travel the planes, and the Immeasurable Market of Syrania is the safest place to interact with fiends, slaadi, and other extraplanar beings. However, while bloodshed is rare in the Azure Sky, you can still make deadly enemies; mortals are always wise to tread lightly in the cities of angels.

Source: Exploring Eberron


Crystal spires float in a perfect blue sky. Farms and serene communities stretch across clouds. Syrania is the plane of peace and all that flourishes in times of peace. This includes commerce; the Immeasurable Market of Syrania draws merchants and travelers from across reality.

Syrania is home to a host of angels that devote their immortal lives to serene contemplation. Each angel seeks to achieve mastery of one pure concept, such as holding all the knowledge on a subject or ceaselessly abiding by the tenets of a virtue. An angel of dreams isn’t a quori, but it understands dreams, it can explain and interpret them, and it can shape them if it chooses. Likewise, an angel of war isn’t constantly embroiled in battle as the celestials of Shavarath are; instead, it seeks perfection in the art and theories of war. Angels of Syrania can be useful sources of information for adventurers, and sometimes travel to Eberron to observe mortals.

Syrania Manifest Zone Features

d4 Feature
1 This zone suppresses all aggressive thought. Any creature that wants to make an attack or cast a damaging spell must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or it doesn’t make the attack or cast the spell, but loses its action.
2 Those with great will and fortitude who ascend a mountain peak in this area can try to bend the weather for miles around to their will, as if they had cast the control weather spell.
3 In this sun-dappled field, children — as well as free-spirited, childlike folk — find themselves able to fly for 1 hour.
4 A village is built into the side of a cliff face here. Windmills protruding from the cliff collect energy from the power of the wind, which is used to operate elevators throughout the community.

Source: Rising from the Last War

Keith

Crystal spires floating in blue sky. Farms are spread across soft banks of clouds. It is breathtaking, serene, and above all, peaceful. The Azure Sky is the realm of peace and of those things that flourish in peaceful times, such as abstract knowledge and commerce.

It is virtually impossible to conceive an aggressive thought while in this plane. For this reason, it has become a crossroads for planar travelers, both immortal and otherwise. The Immeasurable Market hosts artisans and merchants from across realities. While the Market includes beings from many planes, most of the floating towers of the Azure Sky are home only to angels engaged in serene contemplation. Some of these angels are scholars studying a particular topic. Others are philosophers who contemplate a particular concept. Others simply embody an idea. This can overlap with other planes in strange ways. You could have an angel of Hope in the Azure Sky, but this is very different from a celestial from the Eternal Dawn. The angel in the Azure Sky doesn’t INNATELY embody hope; rather it is about the idea of someone seeking to embrace and understand hope… and beyond that, it is the only angel in the plane who has this role. You can even have an angel who studies the arts of war; but it does so in an abstract and peaceful way, as opposed to the active aggression of an Archon of the Battlefield.  

As a rule the Azure Sky doesn’t meddle in the affairs of other realms. But here’s a few ideas.

  • An angel could venture into the material plane seeking to prove a thesis related to its field of study. This could require interaction with (or manipulation of) player characters. Alternately, the angel could intend to be present only as an observer but instead be drawn into a conflict.
  • An unusual merchant might have a back door that opens onto the Immeasurable Market, where they trade mundane things as exotic curiosities.
  • A traveling merchant selling goods from the Immeasurable Market could cause chaos, innocently or intentionally.
  • PCs could require specific knowledge known only to an angelic scholar or goods only available in the Immeasurable Market. Or perhaps they are pursuing a fugitive who has managed to flee to the Azure Sky… how do you capture this villain in a realm where conflict is impossible?

Special artifact ideas

  • A gemstone that is believed to hold an entire reality within it. The gem serves as a source of power for divine spells, as the attuned bearer can draw on the devotion of an entire world.
  • A crystal that is the essence of an angel, who engaged in contemplation so deep that they condensed into this form; it’s unknown if they will one day reform, and if so what revelations they will bear.
  • A cloud seed. If activated, it will extrude an island-sized mass of solid (but floating) cloud-matter that can serve as a foundation for buildings. This region is also treated as a manifest zone to Syrania; this could have the same properties as the Sharn zone, or it could have an additional enforced peace effect.
  • A coin with which you can purchase anything. Anything that can be bought can be purchased with this coin; its irresistible magic compels the owner to make the trade. In the process this means you’re giving them the coin, so you only get to use it once. But you can buy anything that can be bought with it.
  • A book scribed by a since-fallen angel that is the absolute source of knowledge on something. A particular Overlord or type of demon. An epic spell that could have catastrophic effects if cast. Some secret lore about one of the planes. If you want to take things a step farther, the angel could have “fallen” into Xoriat; this book holds some secret about the nature of reality so fundamentally destabilizing that realizing it shifted them into being a spirit of madness.

Universal Properties

Syrania encourages communication and negotiation, and grants all creatures the gift of flight. The Open Sky of Syrania is an endless void, and without flight, you could fall indefinitely; fortunately, all creatures find that they can move through the air just as naturally as walking.

Unburdened. A creature gains a flying speed equal to its walking speed, unless it already has a flying speed greater than or equal to its walking speed, in which case that speed increases by 10 feet.

Gentle Thoughts. A creature has advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks and disadvantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks.

Standard Time. Time passes at the same pace as on the Material Plane, and is consistent across its layers. Universal Understanding. A creature can understand the literal meaning of any spoken language that it hears and can understand any written language that it can see. This doesn’t decode secret messages or reveal the meaning of symbols that aren’t part of a written language.

Absolute Peace. To make an attack or cast a damaging spell, a creature must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it doesn’t make the attack or cast the spell, but the action is lost.

Syranian Domains

Each virtue, dominion, and throne is dedicated to contemplation and mastery of a domain. Here are some example domains, along with skills and spells that any dominion or throne dedicated to it would likely have; virtues might also be able to cast a couple spells from their associated domain.

Arcana. At will: detect magic, identify, magic missile. 3/day: dispel magic, magic circle, Nystul’s magic aura, remove curse. 1/day: antimagic field, planar binding, teleportation circle. Skills: Arcana.

Art. At will: minor illusion, phantasmal force. 3/day: enthrall, programmed illusion, seeming, suggestion. 1/day: mass suggestion, Otto’s irresistible dance, project image. Skills: Performance, tool or instrument proficiency.

Commerce. At will: charm person, comprehend languages, detect thoughts. 3/day: dominate person, fabricate, sending, telepathic bond. 1/day: creation, glibness, mind blank. Skills: Insight, Persuasion.

Death. At will: ray of sickness, speak with dead. 3/day: animate dead, blight, death ward, vampiric touch. 1/day: antilife shell, cloudkill, finger of death. Skills: Medicine.

Knowledge. At will: augury, command, identify. 3/day: confusion, legend lore, scrying, true seeing. 1/day: commune, feeblemind, foresight. Skills: History.

Life. At will: cure wounds, spare the dying. 3/day: beacon of hope, death ward, greater restoration, revivify. 1/day: heal, mass cure wounds, raise dead. Skills: Medicine.

Nature. At will: animal friendship, druidcraft, speak with animals. 3/day: commune with nature, dominate beast, grasping vine, plant growth. 1/day: animal shapes, control weather, insect plague. Skills: Nature, Survival.

War. At will: magic weapon, shield of faith. 3/day: banishing smite, crusader’s mantle, freedom of movement, spiritual weapon, warding bond. 1/day: blade barrier, holy aura. Skills: Medicine.

Layers

Rather than being divided into separate layers in the same way as many other planes, Syrania is comprised of crystal spires floating in the seemingly infinite void of the Open Sky. The space within a spire may be far larger than it appears from the outside, whether the spire leads to the multiple towers of the University or the vast expanse of the Immeasurable Market. However, all of these regions are connected through the medium of the spires and the Open Sky.

The majority of spires aren’t all that vast. Most are the seats of a dominion, who is attended by a few virtues and additional angels as needed. These have the general flavor of a library or museum, with additional facilities to allow the dominion to practice or study its subject. The spire of a dominion of nature has gardens, while the tower of a dominion of war has displays of armor and a dueling chamber. But these are still places for study and contemplation; the seat of a dominion of war isn’t an impenetrable fortress, and the spire of a dominion of nature has cultivated gardens, not the wilderness one finds in Irian and Lamannia.

The Open Sky

The Open Sky is the vast blue expanse from which the Azure Sky takes its name. The clear, bright, sunless sky shows no signs of passing time; the moon Therendor can be seen, but it doesn’t move or have phases. Despite the Open Sky’s seemingly infinite space, it wraps around on itself, effectively making it a 300-mile cube. So while it takes a significant time to travel between the farthest points, it is possible. There are no native threats in the Open Sky, and all visitors to Syrania have the ability to fly; the catch is knowing where to go, as there are hundreds of spires.

The University

The pursuit of knowledge and education are things that flourish in times of peace. While most dominions are devoted to their own personal contemplation, the Throne of Knowledge maintains the University of Syrania, where chosen students can study an astonishing array of subjects with virtues of knowledge and the occasional guest dominion. The catch is that students need to be admitted . . . and there isn’t actually a process for applying. At the moment, the University only has twenty students, chosen from across the planes by roaming virtues.

For planar travelers who come to Syrania, the University is a good repository of general knowledge; if the scholarly virtues can’t help, they’ll likely know the way to a dominion that can. It’s also an unusual background for a player character; perhaps a Divine Soul sorcerer unlocked their powers at the University, or perhaps a warlock’s Celestial patron is their thesis advisor. And it’s a very exotic option for a university group patron . . .

The Immeasurable Market

While most planes are isolated from others and it’s difficult to move from one plane to another, commerce and peaceful interaction are defining aspects of Syrania. Most planes have back doors that lead to the Immeasurable Market. The crystal spire in the Open Sky is merely a gateway leading to an open marketplace that extends as far as the eye can see. To one side, a slaadi haggles with a modron over the price of hippogriff eggs; to the other, a sly dao shows a Shavaran balor a selection of Fernia-forged blades. It’s said that anything you can imagine—and many things you can’t—can be found in the Immeasurable Market.

The Immeasurable Market includes customers and merchants from across the planes, including the Material Plane; there are a few back doors to the Market hidden on Eberron, and those who find them can make a healthy profit trading in exotic goods. It also includes a significant number of native immortals. Angels work as servers and porters, while virtues of commerce run small stands and shops. Dominions of commerce run the largest and most reliable businesses, while the Throne of Commerce monitors the entire Market and banishes troublemakers.

There are countless merchants in the Market. Most have temporary stands or tents, but there are a few permanent structures scattered about; the Last Resort is the most beloved watering hole in the planes. The Immeasurable Merchants table provides a few examples of merchants and shops adventurers could discover.

Immeasurable Merchants

d8 Business
1 The Last Resort is a tavern where angels and devils drink together, where fey share stories while slaadi do shots. The barkeep Solace is the Dominion of Hospitality; he’s got a sympathetic ear for patrons and knows the perfect drink for any occasion.
2 Jabra the night hag is an alchemist of exceptional skill. She bottles stolen dreams and nightmares, and sells unique potions with remarkable powers. She peddles her goods from an eye-catching tent of red dragonhide, and when she’s not in the Market, she can often be found selling her goods in Graywall.
3 Sar Saeran the dao is the finest weaponsmith in Fernia. Sometimes he has goods for sale, but he also comes to the Market to discuss commissions.
4 Mazalene is the Dominion of Rumors, and she only trades in kind. Anyone who has a particularly interesting story to share with her can get an intriguing—and possibly true— tale from this angel.
5 The Hoard is the storefront of the ancient gold dragon Halazaryx, who settled in Syrania after some differences of opinion with the Conclave of Argonnessen. Hal has a collection of interesting relics tied to historical figures in Khorvaire, and is always interested in trading for items that have fascinating stories.
6 Lady Ash is a githyanki merchant who sells the plunder claimed by her city-ship, Zaeran’s Sword. Her goods depend on the Sword’s most recent target.
7 Bor’ob is a slaadi merchant specializing in extradimensional spaces: bags of holding, handy haversacks, and the like. He’s usually a gray slaad, but it varies from week to week.
8 Slade is the Dominion of Music. They craft and play magical instruments, and may be willing to sell an instrument, a song, or a performance.

Violence is forbidden in the Market, and thieves and other criminals are generally deported to Daanvi for judgment and punishment. While merchants always try to get the best deal, when dealing with immortal customers, your reputation is everything. Beyond this, oaths made in the Market carry great weight, and can be enforced in the courts of Daanvi; in the Immeasurable Market, your word truly is your bond. This is important, because most of the merchants aren’t interested in gold, and goods and services usually involve barter. The Immeasurable Currencies table gives a few examples of things that can be used in trade, but this is just a starting point; the DM should feel free to come up with other offers.

Immeasurable Currencies

d8 Currency
1 Angel Tears. These translucent coins are one of the only active currencies in the Immeasurable Market. They’re produced by the Throne of Commerce and honored by most dominions and virtues. For simplicity’s sake, they could be assigned a value in gold pieces, so a Dominion might pay adventurers 100 gp in angel tears for a minor service. These are useful when you want to buy a drink at the tavern without selling your soul.
2 Dragonshards. Dragonshards are unique to Eberron, and there are merchants who take a great interest in them— especially Khyber dragonshards, which can be used to bind spirits.
3 Luck. Some merchants literally let you spend your fortune. Luck is measured in “dice.” Each die you spend allows the DM to give you disadvantage on a future d20 roll of their choosing. So if you spend five dice to acquire an item, that’s five difficult rolls in your future.
4 Trade Goods. Many merchants are primarily interested in things they can resell. What’s valuable to an immortal may not seem valuable to a mortal; an item that is unique or has emotional significance may have value to an Immeasurable merchant even if it doesn’t do anything. So it’s possible a treasured trinket holds more trade value than a legendary magic item.
5 Odd Organs. Some merchants like to deal in the body parts of unusual creatures—unicorn horns, a dragon’s heart, a demon’s eye. They may be willing to sell something on the promise of future delivery, but there’s usually a fixed time to complete the transaction.
6 Services. Merchants may well barter goods in exchange for a promise of service, either immediately or to be performed in the future. Remember that oaths sworn in the Market carry great weight; those who break a vow can end up facing a tribunal in Daanvi.
7 A Song. This doesn’t have to literally be a song, but there are merchants who trade goods in exchange for a performance of some sort. Usually this is about quality; they’ll sell you the dagger for a song, but it needs to be an epic performance. Can you succeed on a DC 20 Charisma (Performance) check ?
8 A Soul. These aren’t a common form of currency, but some immortals trade in souls . . . if not your own, this is usually about promising to kill someone! A soul traded in this way becomes the possession of the immortal upon death instead of it going to Dolurrh; this eliminates any possibility of resurrection unless the soul is reclaimed.

Planar Manifestations

Here are some ways that Syrania affects the Material Plane.

Manifest Zones

Manifest zones tied to Syrania can reflect one or more of the properties of the plane, but often in more limited ways. The manifest zone containing the city of Sharn has a lesser aspect of the Unburdened property; it doesn’t grant flight, but it enhances effects that grant flight or levitation, enabling the skycoaches and flying buttresses that support the towers. A zone that has the Absolute Peace property might have a lower DC for the saving throw, or it might encourage peaceful behavior without actively enforcing it. Temples are often built on Syranian zones with the Absolute Peace property, while universities and House Sivis search for zones with the Universal Understanding property.

In addition to standard manifest zones, there are a few portals to the Immeasurable Market hidden in Eberron. These take many forms; a back door could be an actual door, a large chest, or a shallow pool of water. A back door only opens under specific circumstances: when opened with a special key, when used at a certain time, when blood is spilled, or when a heart is broken. Most who discover these portals jealously guard them; a merchant with access to the Immeasurable Market can acquire remarkable goods!

Coterminous and Remote

When Syrania is coterminous, goodwill spreads across the world and people find it nearly impossible to contemplate violence. These periods brought welcome moments of peace during the Last War, and there are stories of enemy soldiers coming together to share stories or play games. During these times, the Absolute Peace and Gentle Thoughts properties apply across Eberron. However, if a creature is attacked, harmed by a spell, or witnesses its friends being harmed, that creature is unaffected by Absolute Peace for one minute. The influence of Syrania limits violence, but once conflicts break out, it can’t stop them.

While Syrania is coterminous, the skies are clear and the weather is calm—it’s believed that if you’re in a Syranian manifest zone during this time, it’s possible to fly into the Open Sky simply by flying straight up to the edge of the sky. This may be apocryphal or only true in certain manifest zones . . . there’s only one way to find out!

When Syrania is remote, the skies are gray and the sun can’t be seen. People feel quarrelsome and it’s difficult to come to an understanding. Creatures have disadvantage on all Charisma (Persuasion) checks and advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks. Outside of Syranian manifest zones, all flying speeds are reduced by 10 feet, to a minimum of 5 feet.

Traditionally, Syrania is coterminous on the 9th day of the month of Rhaan, once every ten years. Followers of the Sovereign Host celebrate this day every year as Boldrei’s Feast, a time for people to come together and resolve their grievances; the tenth-year coterminous celebrations are especially grand. Syrania is remote once every ten years on the same day, five years after the coterminous period. This day is still celebrated, as people make a conscious effort not to give into anger.

Syranian Artifacts

Syrania’s greatest treasure is the Immeasurable Market itself, with all manner of exotic goods available there. Many of the dominions of Syrania are more interested in collecting relics tied to their domain than in creating them, but there are a few who do both; the limits of what they can produce are tied to their domain.

Other Syranian items are usually linked to the plane’s universal properties. The power of Syrania enhances flight; there’s a stall in the Market that sells wings of flying that resemble the wings of an angel. Things that encourage or enforce peace may come from Syrania, along with items that enhance a character’s diplomatic ability.

Syranian Stories

Wandering angels can stumble into any story, and the Immeasurable Market is a boon for adventurers lucky enough to find it. The Last Resort can be an interesting place for a powerful enemy to arrange a meeting; what safer place for neutral negotiations than on the plane of peace? Given the versatility and opportunities available in the Immeasurable Market, a DM may wish to limit access to Syrania; even if adventurers find a back door, it could open only at certain times or require a particular sacrifice.

Curious Virtue. After the adventurers acquire a curious object that defies any attempt to divine its powers and history, a hireling or observer is revealed to be a Syranian angel that’s observing the adventurers. The item is a powerful extraplanar artifact; the virtue doesn’t want to take it from them, but rather, to observe the effect it has on its bearer and the world around them. The virtue is the key to unlocking the powers of this powerful artifact . . . but how do the characters feel about being subjects of a celestial case study?

Pursuit through the Market. An enemy of the adventurers has been making use of powerful and exotic weapons— Shavaran explosives, a Mabaran shadow-blade, Fernia-forged armor. The adventurers corner the supplier, but they escape through a portal, and when the characters pursue, they find themselves in the Immeasurable Market. Can they find their foe in the Market? If so, how will they deal with them in a realm where violence is all but impossible?

Celestial Knowledge. The adventurers need to obtain a particularly obscure piece of information, and the only being that might possess it is a dominion of knowledge in Syrania. Can the adventurers find a way to reach the celestial’s library spire? What does it want in exchange for its knowledge— and will the adventurers try to pay this price, or steal the information they need?

Radiant Idols

Source: Exploring Eberron

Syranian virtues sometimes travel to the Material Plane to conduct research for their dominion, concealing their true nature through magic or invisibility, and trying to minimize their interactions with mortals. Occasionally, a dominion wishes to experience the Material Plane for itself, perhaps pursuing a lead or studying a particularly interesting group of subjects. However, this venture can be quite dangerous, for even angels fall.

Many sages believe that touching Eberron’s ground makes angels vulnerable to the influence of Khyber and the overlords, while others theorize that mortal worship—the positive energy that sustains the Undying Court—is like a drug to the dominions. Whatever the cause, dominions who interact with mortals run the risk of becoming corrupted. Such immortals crave mortal adoration and often seek to dominate mortals by exercising the power of their sphere.

Not all dominions fall prey to this corruption, but once one does, there seems to be no way to undo it. Even if the angel is destroyed and reforms, the corruption remains. It’s unlikely that such an angel would be met in Syrania itself; typically, these corrupted angels are forever stripped of the power of flight and condemned to walk the Material Plane as radiant idols.


Source: Rising from the Last War

A radiant idol was an angel that was banished from the celestial realm of Syrania and cast down to the Material Plane. One sin led to their fall: the desire to be worshiped by mortals. Now in the mortal realm, most radiant idols gather cults of devoted followers.

Fallen Angels. The insatiable hunger to be adored can transform a fallen angel, physically and mentally. In its true form, a radiant idol appears to be a warped angel. It might have bloody stumps in place of its wings, or its wings could be weighted down with chains representing its pride. A radiant idol uses disguise self to hide its corruption, presenting an image of celestial glory.

The Weight of Corruption. When a radiant idol achieves a sizable following through silvered words and demonstrations of power, its facade begins to crack, and a downward spiral ensues. As the radiant idol sinks deeper into the realm of material power, it begins twisting its followers, leading them ever deeper into ominous ritualism, hedonistic folly, and fanatical doom.

Immortal Nature. A radiant idol doesn’t require food, drink, or sleep.

Denizens

Source: Exploring Eberron

Syrania is a curiously empty plane. While the Immeasurable Market is always bustling, most of this traffic is comprised of creatures from other planes. Syrania’s other spires have comparatively few inhabitants—not so few that they feel desolate or barren, just enough so that it always feels slow and peaceful. There’s no need for people to perform menial tasks in Syrania, nor does this plane have manifestations to populate it; damaged structures gradually repair themselves, and litter and debris slowly dissolve.

The native inhabitants of Syrania are winged humanoid immortals, collectively referred to as angels, though they differ from those of other planes in some important ways. While they’re considered to be celestials, most angels of Syrania are neutral in alignment. They aren’t champions of justice or bringers of hope; rather, they’re observers and scholars, defined by their domain of study. The lesser immortals are simply referred to as angels, while the higher orders have titles—virtues, dominions, and thrones. These higher angels are bound to the contemplation of a particular concept, based on their domain, and devote their existence to contemplating and understanding it. Some believe that it’s through this contemplation that the concept continues to exist (though most inhabitants of other places—mortal and immortal alike—consider this to be highly unlikely). The appearance of Syranian angels is influenced by their domain, so the Dominion of Storms might be wreathed in lightning and have wings formed of storm clouds, while the Dominion of Trees could have bark for skin and moss for hair.

Unlike lesser angels and visitors to Syrania, virtues, dominions, and thrones are immune to the effects of Syrania’s Absolute Peace property, and are capable of taking aggressive action to defend Syrania, or when pursuing their domain—so a virtue of war could fight. However, they always try to find nonviolent or nonlethal solutions to threats.

Angels

Angels are the least of the immortals of Syrania. They have no names or domains and are generally interchangeable; they serve as scribes and guides, performing minor tasks. They do not engage in combat and their statistics are largely inconsequential.

Virtues

Virtues are a higher order of angel, with names and broad domains—Hazari, Virtue of Nature. They act as assistants and emissaries of the dominions. Virtues spend much of their time contemplating their domain, but they also gather information for their dominions—either by fetching existing records within Syrania, talking with creatures who visit the plane, or by venturing beyond Syrania and discretely observing. A dominion is always aware of everything that happens to its virtues and immediately knows all information they collect. Virtues typically use the stat blocks of devas, and they change their forms to conceal their presence while gathering intelligence. The “Syranian Domains” sidebar provides examples of some domains; it’s possible that a virtue might be able to cast a couple additional spells that are associated with their domain, though they’ll not know the full list. They can only use commune to answer questions tied to their domain, and can cast plane shift once per day, but only when acting in the direct service of a dominion.

Dominions

Dominions focus on a very specific aspect of a single domain, like wolves or swords. They have names and specific domains, along with extra titles for pomp—Tezaria, Angel of the Storm, Dominion of the Seventh Spire. They typically spend their time in contemplation and use virtues as their eyes and hands, but occasionally a dominion acts directly—especially if its spire is threatened in some way. As neutral observers, dominions have no sympathy for mortals, but they’re often willing to discuss their domain with a mortal who has an interesting perspective on it

It’s important to recognize the difference between a warrior angel of Shavarath and a dominion of Syrania with the domain of War. The Shavaran is an angel who fights wars, and this has no place in peaceful Syrania. On the other hand, the dominion of Syrania—perhaps called the Angel of Swords—understands war, and in particular, knows everything there is to know about a single thing: swords. They know sword-fighting techniques from every mortal and immortal culture. They can recognize any sword, know the locations of a number of long-forgotten legendary blades, and may have a few in their possession. They’re likely one of the deadliest swordfighters in existence, but they don’t actually desire to fight, because that’s not the point: they are the Angel of Swords, and they contemplate swords.

Dominions often use the statistics of a planetar, substituting the spells and skills on the “Syranian Domains” sidebar; however, they maintain the ability to cast detect good and evil and invisibility at will, and use the latter to move unseen when observing on the Material Plane. Dominions might also possess additional abilities reflecting their absolute knowledge of their domain. For example, the Angel of Swords could be immune to any damage inflicted by a sword; perhaps they know perfectly how to defend against such an attack, or the sword itself might even refuse to strike them.

Thrones

The greatest angels of Syrania are the thrones. There’s a single throne for each domain, and they have a profound knowledge of their entire domain. Unlike lesser angels, thrones are known only by their domain, with no other name—the Throne of War. They’re bound to all the dominions whose studies lie within their domain, and they know everything experienced by those dominions. They largely remain in deep contemplation, acting only if Syrania itself is threatened or if a dominion succumbs to corruption. A throne has powers equal to or greater than a solar, though when using spells such as commune, it can only answer questions tied to its domain. A throne also has access to the skills and spells on the “Syranian Domains” sidebar. As a bonus action, a throne can strip the benefits of Syrania’s Unburdened property for any number of creatures it can see—so flightless creatures who cause trouble may find themselves falling forever through the Open Sky.

The thrones are the most powerful entities that can be encountered by mortals, but many sages assume that they are themselves tied to a greater force who knows everything that they experience, and who shapes the plane itself.


Angel (all).

Monster Manual III: Prismatic golem.

Prismatic Golems

In the EBERRON campaign setting, prismatic golems are created on the plane of Syrania, the Azure Sky, and are often referred to as Syranian golems.