Extheoria (3.5e Elder Evil)

Background
Throughout the realms countless worlds have civilizations who sat upon ancient ruins of a golden age past. The tale of ancient artifacts and lost technology is so common as to become a trope and yet these civilizations, as advanced as they were, always fell to ruin seemingly suddenly and all at once, their knowledge lost and their artifacts buried by time. The causes are often blamed on war, accident, or invasion, and this is often the case. And yet some of the downfalls of the greatest empires seem to possess a pattern and disturbing regularity. With what few reports are recovered from these times, each civilization makes note of a strange appearance in the sky of the same entity in each report (Knowledge History DC 30), and the destruction which followed. Summary::When civilization reaches great heights and society is at its richest, it comes from the darkness above to harvest the sentience of the world and make it part of its own. It is Exthoria, Reaper of Minds (Knowledge History DC 40), and woe be to those civilization which attract its hunger.

The true nature of Extheoria is debated, for when it is seen in the flesh it is too late to stop the inevitable reaping. Many claim it some random Far Realm nightmare drawn to the material plane (Knowledge The Planes DC 30), while others claim is the a mass hallucination caused by magic or psionics gone wild (Knowledge Arcana or Psionics DC 30). Some even claim it is not a being, but a ship or machine with alien origins (Knowledge Xeno DC 30). It is summoned when life blooms on the surface, especially strong, sapient life and life rich in intelligence and psychic potential (Knowledge Psionics DC 45). It hunts for planets which shine brightest with this essence and absorbs them into itself. Though it may simply eat them, many believe the minds of its victims still persist in some twisted hivemind space and that its collecting serves some sinister purpose not yet known. What is known is that as it approaches, the world awakens its psionic potential and its animals grow restless. For only creatures with Intelligence 2 or less can see the invisible astral form of Extheoria growing closer and closer. Intelligent beings have no idea until it is too late, when Extheoria reaches out with its "reapers" and begins using them to funnel the world's population into a single area.

Extheoria is said to be related somehow to the beings known as ureymiller oozes. It may be these terrible creatures were created as a perverse defense against the elder evil.

Goals
Extheoria seeks out planets rich in high level sapience, psionics, and advanced philosophy and societies. As it approaches it affects these beings, which advance rapidly until they are ripe and Extheoria reveals itself. After it has stripped the world of the sapient life it departs, but it is said to haunt the same realms over and over, letting civilization regrow and rebuild for the next harvest (Knowledge History DC 50).

Extheoria in the Campaign
Extheoria is only attracted to worlds with heavy psionics, an influx of powerful intelligent creatures such as wizards, or beings with highly advanced cultures and technologies.

Description
Reports are sketchy, but from various accounts of fallen civilizations Extheoria has been defined as not a being of matter so much as thought made flesh (Knowledge Psionic DC 45). As a result it is normally invisible, and its appearance shifts slightly from person to person, but always is defined by its large unblinking eyes. Many have described it as a rogue planet the size of the moon covered in eyes of various sizes, including at least one large one most define as its "front" (Knowledge Psionics DC 45). This form is almost never seen, instead its cuttlefish shaped "moons" are what appears to others. These beings act as its hands, literally and figuratively, with red eyes all over its vaguely metallic hide (Knowledge Psionics DC 40).

Its said that while intelligent creatures cannot see Extheoria's main body, creatures with less than 3 Int can make out its approach (Knowledge Nature DC 45). Extheoria is made of thought, not flesh, and is completely incorporeal and untouchable by normal means. It feeds by passing through the planet, and whenever intelligent creatures meet its "flesh" they rapidly evaporate into ectoplasm and are consumed body, mind, and soul, now one with Extheoria (Knowledge Psionics DC 40). Because Extheoria is smaller than the planets it feeds on it uses its reapers to encourage the population to gather in one place by either trickery, force, or compulsion through The Gathering ability it possesses. When enough of the population is gathered, Extheoria allows itself to drop through the planet and devour them all (Knowledge History or Psionics DC 45).

Sign
Sign::Psionic Awakening

As Extheoria approaches, sentient minds "ripen" and start obtaining, or enhancing, psionic powers (Knowledge Psionics DC 40). By the time Extheoria has arrived, most sentient beings have developed at least a small amount of psionic powers. The powers are sometimes seen as a blessing, and many other times brings chaos as even commoners begin to possess the strength to push others around, resulting in social upheaval. Ironically the advancement of one culture over another only serves to hasten its arrival (Knowledge History or Nobility DC 50).

Faint: Psionic creatures gain 2 extra power points each day, and their manifester level is increased by 1. Nonpsionic creatures with at least Intelligence 3 gain the Wild Talent feat. When using a psionic power there is a 5% chance it will cause 1 point of backlash damage. Creatures with animal intelligence begin acting seemingly concerned, though they can't tell why. In truth, it is because they can see a strange "star" in the sky. This is Extheoria, and it is coming.

Moderate: Psionic creatures gain 5 extra power points each day, and their manifester level is increased by 2. Nonpsionic creatures with at least 3 Int gain the Hidden Talent featXPH choosing a 1st level power, and their power points become 5 instead of 2. The backlash chance rises to 10% and deals 1 point of damage per level of the power manifested. If this backlash kills a creature, they are subject to decerebrate (no save) as the psionic force is too much for them to bear. Creatures of animal intelligence begin watching the sky at night seemingly looking for something. Extheoria begins growing in the sky, a expanding orb of light.

Strong: Psionic creatures gain a number of power points each day equal to their highest mental ability score, and their manifester level is increased by 3. Nonpsionic creatures gain the manifesting ability of a 1st level psion, with a manifester level of half their character level, and using their highest mental ability score for manifesting. The backlash chance rises to 20%, and now deals 1d4 damage per power level. Creatures of animal intelligence will begin acting erratic and strange, most seeking to avoid exposure to the sky when possible. Birds cease flying for this reason, and many go underground. Extheoria is now the size of the moon and growing bigger every day.

Overwhelming: Psionic creatures gain a number of power points each day equal to twice their highest mental ability score, and their manifester level is increased by 4. Nonpsionic creatures gain the manifesting ability of a psion half their character level, and a manifester level of their character level. The backlash chance becomes 30%, and this time provokes a Fortitude save DC 15. If the save fails, they are subject to decerebrate, otherwise they take 1d8 damage per power level. Animals are in a full panic, many growing aggressive if encountered, and seek to find shelter underground or away from exposure to the sky. Animal companions can be calmed, but are considered constantly shaken. Extheoria fills much of the sky, and will soon pass through the planet. Its reapers manifest, gathering the population of the world into the crash zone. When Extheoria hits, it passes through solid matter but will sweep away all the sentient life in its way.

Malefic Properties
Psionic Anathematic Secrecy: Immune to all divine divination spells and effects. Unique to it, it is also immune to all psionic clairsentience powers and effects.

The Gathering: Each round as a standard action, an elder evil can force a single creature with Int 3 or higher to make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the elder evil's HD + Cha modifier). On a failure, the creature is compelled to reach a desired location by any means nessicary and given the desire to stay there as if under the effect of sympathy. They retain their own mindset, but will taken any means they see appropriate to reach the location. This location is, of course, the same location Extheoria will pass through the planet. There is no duration, but other creatures within 60 ft can attempt to break the effect over the course of 1 round with an opposed Charisma check. Though it is a mind-affecting effect, immunity is bypassed. Only being mindless or having an intelligence less than 3 can prevent it.