Elali

A powerful psychic species—and the elder statesmen of the Bellanic Accord—elali have long cultivated a reputation as benevolent shepherds of the multiverse. Ages ago, they evolved on a lush, mountainous world with vicious predators, forced to rely on cunning and intellect to survive. As a result, they also prefer to remain in the shadows of interplanetary affairs, often shaping events on other worlds through proxies and intermediaries until native species are ready to accept their presence. The true agenda of the elali is sustain the master plans and prophecies of the ascended Patrons, moving the multiverse towards a similar enlightenment and joint commonality.

Capable of channeling their psychic talents in impressive displays of mental dominance and deception, the elali loathe to use their powers on the unwilling. This self-imposed ban on the unethical abuse of their abilities—as well as their dwindling population and slow reproductive cycle—is all that keeps them from becoming a conquering force in the universe; a well-known fact by other species, especially their enemies among the Ultari Hegemony. Only marginally shorter in stature than an average-sized human, elali commonly stand 5-1/2 feet tall and weigh around 120 pounds.

Originating on the mountainous, arboreal world of Ternastra, the elali developed in the shadows of massive, translucent, fungal-like trees which filtered much of the light from the world’s twin, blue-white suns. They developed nascent psychic abilities as a defense against the world’s fiercest predators, hiding in small, migrating communes among such forests. Only after millennia eking out a living while being hunted, did the first elali ascend into the mountains and skies of their planet. Settling on the tops of the gargantuan fungal blooms and highest peaks, the elali created their first true settlements, made from the picked carcasses of the colossal beasts, below. From this moment, the elali race learned what it meant to truly look down upon other creatures, safe from reprisal and able to develop their culture at a pace of their own choosing.

One of the few species to directly interact with the immortal Patrons, the elali once again adapted to the greater multiverse after accepting an interplanetary gate connected to the Weave. Mastering psychic trickery, they took the form of other humanoid species, often passing among them as idealized versions of the local culture to better influence civilizations in positive ways. Unfortunately, psychic communication with these initial species often led to misunderstandings, fear, or—in extreme cases—terrible accidents, with the elali unintentionally overriding the synapses of lesser species and rendering them in a state of permanent catatonia. Since then, the elali have grown more accustomed to neural differences within other species, though psychic intrusion still results in moments of deep shock. For this reason, elali prefer telepathy for communication, reserving the direct sharing of minds only for others of their kind.

Relations: The peaceful elali abhor war even when it proves absolutely necessary. Capable of extending psychic energy into the very weapons they wield, only a handful embrace martial traditions because of their aversion to violence. Instead, most use deception to avoid combat or turn enemies against one another. This prevents them from inflicting lasting harm on others, as they believe the mind is always far more important than the flesh. Because of this, elali particularly guard against psychic enemies, especially those among the Ultari Hegemony.

Elali almost always live among the societies of other worlds, appearing as a member of the native species while manipulating events until a situation warrants their direct hand. From this position, they work to influence important leaders and improve the lives and advancement of their adopted species. When discovered or confronted about their presence, the elali use more invasive psychic powers to carefully alter memories and disappear, cultivating new identities and new relationships to continue their work. Because of this activity, members of the Hegemony often paint the elali as master manipulators, meddling in the affairs of lesser species for nefarious reasons, and the elali are then forced to repair and defend their reputation once revealed.

Small groups of more adventurous elali occasionally explore the Weave on scouting missions to discover or intervene among the neutral worlds of the multiverse coveted by rival forces. Able to remain hidden for years at a time, these agents foment resistance to brutal dictators and Hegemony incursions, especially any outbreaks of the vile assimilation strains manufactured by the jagladine. Such atrocities always evoke a more militaristic approach by the elali, as they know full well the dangers an assimilation strain can pose to unprepared species yet to discover the dangers of the greater multiverse. On worlds not yet under the direct threat of the Ultari Hegemony, visiting elali covertly act to uplift a local species in hopes of discouraging interstellar conflict and guide peaceful outcomes toward interplanetary diplomacy and unification.

Outside their sojourns across the cosmos, groups of elali also hold council among the greatest strongholds of the Bellianic Accord, often debating the greater actions of the coalition’s multiracial alliance while discussing the master plan of their enigmatic Patrons. Even so, the elali rarely show themselves beyond mandatory appearances among the leaders of the Accord, preferring to spend their individual time contemplating Patron philosophy and pursuing the shared revelations of the vast neural network provided by their kind.

Racial Traits

Ability Adjustments: +2 Int, +2 Cha, -2 Str. Elali have towering intellects and potent psyches, and while not physically imposing they are hardy and graceful.

Size and Type: Elali are Medium humanoids with the elali subtype.

Mental Paralysis: Elali can assail the minds of lesser creatures with waves of psychic energy to temporarily restrict conscious control of their bodies. As a standard action, an elali may use this ability to target a single creature within 30 feet as a mind-affecting effect. As long as the creature has an Intelligence of 3 or greater, but still less than that of the elali itself, it must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the elali’s Hit Dice + her Charisma modifier) or become paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds. Each round, on its turn, an affected creature may attempt a new saving throw to end the effect, but this requires a full-round action which does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Once targeted by this ability (whether successful or not), a creature is immune to further mental paralysis from that elali for the next 24 hours. An elali may only maintain one instance of mental paralysis at a time. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Psychic Enhancement: Any weapon wielded by an elali receives a fraction of its psychic might, being treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Psychic Potency: Elali gain Minor Psychic Power as a bonus feat even if they do not meet the prerequisites. They may use Intelligence or Wisdom in place of Charisma for the purpose of prerequisites and spell-like abilities used with feats that require Minor Psychic Power as a prerequisite.