Energon, Xag-Ya

Bestiary > Energons > Xag-Ya

Energon, Xag-Ya

DESCRIPTION: The xag-ya (the word is both singular and plural) are floating, silver-white globes veined with dozens of writhing filament tentacles of living light. Their surfaces shimmer like quicksilver beneath halos that are bright enough to cast shadows and reveal dust motes. The ozone-rich air around xag-ya crackles with electricity and hums at a barely audible high pitch, colours saturate, and plants begin to writhe and blossom. Bring touched by a xag-ya results in a jolt of vital power—pins-and-needles behind the eyes, a fullness in the lungs, and pressure in the head that quickly turns into a nosebleed or migraine if it continues too long.

PREFERRED HABITAT: Xag-ya prefer the blazing immensity of their native Positive Energy Plane, but beyond their glowing home, they frequent the quasi-elemental planes of Lightning, and Radiance, or the Deep Ethereal where the tides of positive energy lap at colour pools. When met off-plane, xag-ya are typically surrounded by verdant growth of plant life and minerals, although whether they are attracted to these places or cause them by their presence is dark. Xag-ya who’ve been befriended, which is no mean feat given they do not speak, might act as a guide across positive quasi-elemental planes for planewalkers who’ve somehow earned their trust.

PHILOSOPHY / SOCIETY: Xag-ya are typically solitary. Their presence overstimulates environments, accidentally overcharging nearby living things or even igniting plant matter, making sustainable communities impractical even with their own kind. Their temperament is curious and restrained: xag-ya prefer to observe, experience phenomena of birth and renewal, and to practice fine control so they can learn how to heal with their touch rather than harm. Philosophically, they seem to believe that it is their role to ensure energy flows to where it is needed to sustain life, although indiscriminate growth is wasteful. They seem to struggle to comprehend the concept of death—while a xag-ya can heal wounds they cannot restore life to the dead. They harbour a deep hatred for the undead however.

ECOLOGY: It’s thought that xag-ya to feed upon the energy flux of the planes—the mere presence of living material infuses them with a sparkling radiance, without harming its source. Xag-ya have never been known to reproduce, in fact, they don’t even seem to interact with one another very much. Vitality energons of different sizes have been encountered, so graybeards believe they do age and grow, and presumably reproduce asexually.

COMBAT: Xag-ya are intelligent enough to use their incorporeal nature to gain a tactical advantage, ducking into walls and ceilings. They leave scorch marks on solid objects when they do this, making them tracking easier. In combat, a xag-ya will strike with its tendrils or shoot energetic rays at a range. Either of these attacks actually heal their targets rather than harm them, which may seem counter-intuitive. However, the xag-ya does not stop when a target is at full health—it can continue to overload them with more and more energy. While this initially feels exhilarating [and manifests as bonus hit points], it rapidly becomes painful, dangerous and even deadly[if a target reaches double its maximum hit point total, it spontaneously combusts and dies]. It sets combustible objects alight, and heats metals. Conversely, the vitality energy of a xag-ya causes damage to most kinds of undead.

Upon destruction, a xag-ya detonates in a concussive surge of radiance that can also injure or overcharge living targets, ignite flammables, and heat metal. Xag-ya and xeg-yi are opposite aspects of planar energy; if two should ever they meet, they rush together and annihilate in an amplified explosion. It’s a phenomenon that daring planewalkers have exploited as a dangerous, last-resort planar flare or as a ritual reset to cleanse cursed areas.

Full Statistics: [ D&D 2e | 3e / PF1e ]

Canonical Source: Manual of the Planes [1e] p54, [3e] p168-169, [5e] p412; Planescape Monstrous Compendium Vol. III [2e] p118

Source: Margarita and Jon Winter-Holt