View source for Complete Xeno (3.5e Sourcebook)/Introduction

== Origins of Aliens ==

While aliens share many traits with aberrations and outsiders, they are not neccessarily one of them.  The key point of what makes an alien is that they are indeed material planar creatures (even the outsider ones, being native outsiders).  However, their homelands are somehow alien and strange, by strange environments such as a sun too dim, or a world without a surface, or through proximity to strange effects such as brushing on the edge of the planes, existing in an alternate material world where the atmosphere is carbon dioxide, or a world where the planet is alive and erupting with magical energies powerful enough to change the surface of life upon it.

Regardless of their homeworlds, aliens can find means of traveling the great void between solar systems and still find the standard campaign settings without need of plane shifts to move into another dimension.  As such, aliens by and large much either be technologically or magically advanced enough to allow for ships and other means of propulsion across the vast distances.

The major xenotheric/xenoblooded races include the following:

'''Appilons:''' The appilons are hard-shelled mollusk-like creatures from a hostile world; a land of sulfur smoke and thunder.  Born in a place which would kill any lesser being they have been built to survive against all odds, split into two castes ([[Appilon, Ortshell (3.5e Race)|ortshells]] and [[Appilon, Agiishell (3.5e Race)|agiishells]]) which both weather out the everlasting storms of their world.

'''Gokiburi:''' The [[Gokiburi (3.5e Race)|gokiburi]], or Gokes are they are known in shorthand, are roach-like creatures from a semi-tropical homeworld.  They are dutiful, proud, brave, and persistent, but can also be totalitarian, domineering, militant, and expansive.  Born with latent psionic energy, their paragon leaders possess subtle control over their colony with mental and pheromone-based means.

'''Uberich:''' The [[Uberich (3.5e Race)|uberich]] are humanoid aliens, thin and lithe, and indeed weak of frame but possessing powerful psychic minds filled with evil intent.  Able to home their abilities by focusing upon a single emotion, this idea has formed the basis of even their technology, literally riding upon engines of fear.

'''Seppia:''' The [[Seppia (3.5e Race)|seppia]] are kindly curious creatures from a distant gas giant.  Lacking legs to walk or a body pressurized for most earth-like worlds, they walk the land in construct bodies, appearing as the local humanoids do in an effort to understand life on a world with a surface.

'''Noo:''' [[Noo (3.5e Race)|Noo]] are creatures who are all one, a single planet consumed in a sentient slime.  Finding itself unable to expand any further, it reached for the stars, sending child seeds out into the depths of space in hopes of finding new planets to colonize and grow its ever-widening consciousness.  All Noos are part of the Noosphere, and the Noosphere is all of Noo.

'''Tempus:''' The [[Tempus (3.5e Race)|tempus]] are beings from a world long dead, long lived ancient giants who wander the land ponderously, thinking throughs slowly to conserve energy and watching the universe pass before them.  They have scattered across the cosmos now, and what seems like eons to many are but the passing of another day for them.

These six races mentioned here represent the most widespread and virulent of the alien species which roam the stars, though many others exist, be they uberich slaves or natives who have no yet left their homeworlds.  Some pre-existing creatures may also qualify as aliens in a setting, the most likely of all being the Neogi. which possess spider-like flying ships, visiting from a distant star, or the Tsochari which hail from a yet unknown lightless dead planet out in space.  Such creatures may be given the xenoblooded subtype if desired.