Xorn is the Neutral Evil god of Insects and the Earth. The holy symbol for Xorn is a swarm of insects.
Xorn Creation and Evolution
The xorn you know about are earthy elementals, burrowing through non-magical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the xorn doesn’t disturb the material it moves through. They are bulky creatures.. Strange and rather uncommon. The xorn has advantage on Dexterity and Stealth checks made to hide in rocky terrain. You know, through the stories told by the Travelling Storyteller, that they can pinpoint, by scent, the location of precious metals and stones, such as coins and gems. Seeing one can lead to a painful death, or a backpack full of treasures!
It is said that, a long time ago, one xorn was born with extreme power and later realized they could control other things. This xorn would spend the next lifetime learning how to cause bugs to amalgamate… and over time, they used high magics to transfer their power from “earth” to “bugs” (as an evolutionary feat). Thus Creating the god, Xorn.
After evolving from earthly amalgamation to bug-based amalgamation, Xorn can only be summoned by having at least 2 devoted worshippers and using a Ritual of Summoning (consuming the most devout of the followers). Xorn can pass as humanoid as they wear a tattered leather cloak with a hood to hide their true form. As xorn are raised to have extreme neutrality, you would expect Xorn to also be neutral. However swarms of bugs do have a poor reputation in polite society due to their nightmarish nature and unique nihilistic perspective. He has, what some would call, a chaotic or evil neutral alignment. Xorn’s life is at once very fleeting, due to an individual insect’s short life span, and eternal, due to the swarm’s persistent ever-breeding nature. Though not necessarily evil, Xorn’s followers are considered to be for the vast majority.
Some races and classes are more susceptible to hearing Xorn’s call, especially those that grew up in poorer conditions or ran into bugs their whole life (ie: farmers, street rat children, beggars or dungeon keepers).
Introducing Xorn
To introduce Xorn to your campaign, start by having your PCs randomly fight small bug swarms. Lead to larger and larger swarms or bug-types over time. PC will need to find remnants of Xorn history, leading to them finding out about this tiny cult and forgotten worshippers. Plot Twist: have one PC begin to hear the Call of Xorn after fighting a swarm of bugs.
Finding the Plague Heralds
A Plagueherald (the common name for Devout Followers of Xorn) uses poisons, curses and mind manipulation. They prefer to spread poison around creating charos and decimating the lands, rather than conquering for a great takeover, relying on their bug summoning and control abilities. They have a more unique fighting style when cornered or faced with face-to-face combat: they prefer hurling insects and vermin while drawing strength from the air and the darkness to boost their power. Their poison will eat away at their opponents turn after turn, while curses overwhelm the mind of their adversaries. Take caution, as the plague heralds are masters of a fair amount of area of effect abilities.
Xorn is a deity submitted by DMNye, from the Wally DM Discord
