The dabus (pronounciation: DAH-buss, [1]) are the mysterious servants of the Lady of Pain and the caretakers of Sigil. Tall gaunt figures with grayish skin, a shock of white hair, and goat horns, they float several inches above the ground.
They communicate exclusively via rebus, a visual puzzle that hovers in the air. The rebuses themselves appear to be crafted in Planar Common.
Dabus may be related to the phirblas of the Ethereal plane, who have a similar appearance, but their words appear plainly written in the air rather than being encoded into a rebus.
Some dabus found their way to Logicus where they were adapted into programmers, whose speech takes the form of hovering mathematical formulae.[2]
Rebuses
Known rebuses include:
| Rebus | Translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Th+(hair) S ❄️-s m+🥩+🤴 A •-t+💤, n+(oar) (dew) th+(hay) tr+👁️ 2 h+👁️+d th+(ham)+s+🧝♂️🧝♀️. 1,3,5...+lee th+(hair) s+🍑 S (chest) A 🧶 F (cymbals) | There is no mistaking a dabus, nor do they try to hide themselves. Oddly, their speech is just a string of symbols. | Planescape: Planescape Campaign Setting, p. 10, Monstrous Supplement  
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| 🗣️ 🧱-w 🩸🩸! D (general) 🫏+R+🐜🐜 🪮+🍳+E (man shading eyes) (cleavers) 2 RE+🌳+V (2+2=4)+TH+💍-R ? (Abyss symbol). 🥚🥚+(jail cell)+🐜 💰. C (a will)+M N D (grinning imp) | Calling all bloods! The General Assurance Company seeks cutters to retrieve something lost on the Abyss. Excellent pay. See Willum in the Grinning Imp. | Planescape: In the Abyss , cover fold-out, Planescape: In the Abyss, p. 4
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| 🪢 🪡 ☁️-C — 👁️+M 🪢 D+F, 🐑 ❄️-S. | Not so loud — I'm not deaf, you know. | Planescape: Uncaged: Faces of Sigil, p. 66
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| W+👒 (dew) 🐑 🫘-B+M, "Wh+(hair)+s D P+(moon/June/spoon)+S ⚔️-S?" | What do you mean, "Where's the Prime Ward?" | Planescape: Uncaged: Faces of Sigil, p. 66
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| Pl+eee (dew) 🪢 🕯️+R (Lady of Pain) (will) 🐝 😠 | Please do not litter. Our Lady will be angry. | Planescape: Uncaged: Faces of Sigil, p. 66
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| C+(awl) 🥩-T A "🐕-G 🐕-T" 🥚+N ✋-H 🏝️ (kilt)-T 🐑. | Call me a "daw-boo" again and I'll kill you. | Planescape: Uncaged: Faces of Sigil, p. 67
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| (Fell symbol)? 👁️ (dew) 🪢 ❄️-S N+E+1 C+(awl)+D (Fell symbol). | Fell? I do not know anyone called Fell. | Planescape: Uncaged: Faces of Sigil, p. 67
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| 🐐-T A+W+(hay) — 👁️+M 🐝+Z. | Go away — I'm busy. | Planescape: Uncaged: Faces of Sigil, p. 67
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| Th+(hair) S A (arrows missing a target)+(singing mouth) ⚔️ 🧙♀️ we R 👀+🤴 4 🐝+(man yawning)+d the (gate). (will) u tr+👁️ 2 b+🔔 it (a person's back) 2 the (birdcage)? | There is a missing sword which we are looking for beyond the gate. Will you try to bring it back to the Cage? | Dungeon: Dungeon Magazine 60, p. 37 |
| We f+👂 the ⚔️ M+(hay) (falling person) in+2 the ❌ ✋✋. we 🥫+🪢 🍃 the (birdcage) b+🛖 MAY+🐝 u 🥫 on ⌛ 🐝+½. U (will) (rolling dough) A SP+🐚 🗝️ 4 the (gate). H+👂👂 A 🐍 2 o+(quill pen) the (gate). | We fear the sword may fall into the wrong hands. We cannot leave the Cage but maybe you can on our behalf. You will need a special key for the gate. Here's a snake to open the gate. | Dungeon: Dungeon Magazine 60, p. 37 |
| 🐝 4 u 🍃 we th+(ink well) th+🎩 u sh+(hangman's hood) (talking mouth) 2 📏+of+III at the SL+🦦+🏠. He 👃 the ch+🐜 & (7+5=12) V+(gust of wind) use+(person with a full belly) f+🪓. H+👂👂 A 🗺️ 2 sh+(unknown) (trio singing). | Before you leave we think that you should talk to Rule-of-Three at the Slaughterhouse. He knows the chant and some very useful facts. Here's a map to (unknown). | Dungeon: Dungeon Magazine 60, p. 37 |
| 🎀 2 th →; 🎀 2 th ←. the 1st 🗝️ t+🏺+s; the (lasso)+t 🚪 (knee)+s. | Bow to the right; bow to the left. The first key turns; the last door bends. | Planescape: Doors to the Unknown , cover fold-out; Planescape: Doors to the Unknown, p. 33
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| ↑ the ←; ↑ the →. the L+🥚 x+10s; the 2nd 🗝️ L+👁️+ts | Lift the left; lift the right. The leg extends, the second key lights. | Planescape: Doors to the Unknown , cover fold-out; Planescape: Doors to the Unknown, p. 44
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| A+👗 th 🚪, 🧲-et+👁️+f+¢. 👁️+t (open door) 2 the (hand touching an wall). | Address the door, magnificent. It opens to the touch. | Planescape: Doors to the Unknown , cover fold-out; Planescape: Doors to the Unknown, p. 52
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| 🍃 🎩-H 1+S, D (Lady of Pain) 🪮+&+S (mitt)-M | Leave at once, the Lady commands it. | Planescape: Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse, p. 23 , Morte's Planar Parade |