Akhana

The akhana is a truly strange creature, a cloud of grey mist filled with sparkling points of like almost like stars, formed roughly into the shape of an eye. A tail-like appendage of mist extends from the edge, and four blue-grey arms, each ending in a hand with three digits, are arranged around the outside of the cloud. Despite its appearance, its body is quite solid (and a little slimy).

The akhana is a strange extra planar being that judges and maintains a balance between birth and death. Each one travels constantly, watching for anything that it views as damaging this balance, and seeking to try and correct this damage. How it judges an imbalance is not clear to non-aeons, and the akhana is rarely interested or able to explain its process, instead just taking direct action. Sometimes this involves returning a creature to life, while others it will involve destroying a particular creature. On very rare occasions, a mortal spellcaster of some kind has summoned an akana and presented a case for why they believed a particular creature or event was damaging this balance. On even rarer occasions, they were able to convince the akhana to take the course of action they requested.

The akhana’s method of communication is viciously difficult for mortals to comprehend. Rather than speak any language, or even telepathically convey words directly to other creatures, they simply project a single telepathic intent, usually a visual and audio representation of what the akhana expects. It may send an image of a crumbling city to indicate it expects a town’s destruction, though there’s no clarification of whether this is a warning of an event that may occur, or what the akhana intends to do itself. Attempting to question the akhana to clarify its meaning is usually ignored, or worse viewed as opposing the creature and a cause for attack.

There are other beings similar to the akhana out there, other such creatures that oversee universal dichotomies. Where exactly they come from, by what measure they hold the universe, and how they judge the balances they oversee are all questions that mortals have not yet uncovered answers to, but scholars aware of these esoteric and obscure creatures are attempting to discover them.

Originally from the Pathfinder Bestiary2. This post came out a week ago on my Patreon. If you want to get access to all my monster conversions early, as well as access to my premade adventures and other material I’m working on, consider backing me there!

5th Edition

Akhana
Medium celestial (aeon), true neutral
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 195 (17d8 + 119)
Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
Str 19 (+4) Dex 21 (+5) Con 24 (+7) Int 14 (+2) Wis 19 (+4) Cha 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Con +11, Wis +8, Cha +7
Skills Arcana +6, Deception +7, Insight +8, Medicine +8, Perception +8, Religion +6
Damage Immunities cold, poison
Damage Resistances fire, lightning
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 18
Languages envisaging 120 ft.
Challenge 12 (8400 XP)
Envisaging. The akana communicates through a form of telepathy, nearly incomprehensible to non-aeons. It sends psychic projections of a single concept with a combination of visual and aural stimulation, and expects the target to interpret the meaning it intended. This otherwise functions like telepathy.
Extension Of All. The akhana has advantage on Arcana, Medicine, and Religion checks. It can also communicate telepathically with any aeon on the same plane as it, and can send empathetic messages to aeons on other planes of existence.
Regeneration. The akhana regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
Soul Siphoning. If the akhana is grappling a creature at the start of its turn, it can use a bonus action to touch that creature with its tail and attempt to siphon its life. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) necrotic damage on a failure. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. If the target’s hit point maximum is reduced to 0 by this effect, the target dies and if the akhana isn’t holding a soul it can capture and hold the target’s soul. The target can’t be raised from the dead, and its body is preserved by a gentle repose spell as long as the akhana holds its soul. The akhana holds the soul until it uses an action to release it, the akhana is forced to release it by a wish spell or similar effect, or the akhana is killed. If the soul is released while the akhana is within 300 feet of the creature’s body, the soul immediately returns to the body, returning it to life. The creature’s hit point maximum is returned to normal, and the creature regains 1 hit point. The akhana can only hold one soul at a time. If a creature’s saving throw is successful against this effect, the creature is immune to the akhana’s Soul Siphoning for the next 24 hours.
Actions
Multiattack. The akhana makes three Claw attacks, or four Claw attacks if it is flying. It can choose to make two fewer attacks in order to cast one at will spell from its Spellcasting.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4+5) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) radiant or necrotic damage (akhana’s choice). Instead of dealing damage, the akhana can grapple the target (escape DC 16).
Spellcasting. The akhana casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components, and using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks):
At will: cure wounds (as a 3rd level spell), gentle repose, inflict wounds, lesser restoration, sanctuary
3/day: greater restoration
1/day each: finger of death, raise dead

13th Age

The akhana is capable of casting the resurrection spell, though doing so destroys the akhana. As such, they rarely do it upon request. This can be sometimes to the player’s benefit, and often not. The effect on the target is always determined by the number of times it has been returned to life.

Akhana 
6th level caster [celestial] 
Initiative: +10
Multi-Arm Clawing +11 vs. AC (2 attacks) – 9 damage.
Duel Hit: If both attacks hit during the same turn, the akhana can make a soul siphoning attack during its next turn as a quick action.
[Special Trigger] Soul Siphoning +11 vs. PD – 20 negative energy damage, and the target must start making last gasp saves. If the akhana is stunned or moved away from the creature and can’t return to it on its next turn, the creature doesn’t have to make a last gasp save that turn. On the fourth failed save, the akhana pulls the target’s soul free from its body, and the target dies. Its body is magically preserved and it can’t be returned to life as long as the akhana holds its soul, which it can do indefinitely. The soul is released if the akhana chooses to do so as an action, or if the akhana is killed. If the akhana is engaged with the creature’s body when the soul is released, the soul immediately returns to the body and restores the creature to life with 1 hit point. The akhana can’t use soul siphoning if it is holding onto a soul.
Miss: The akhana can’t target that creature with soul siphoning for the rest of the battle.
C: Manipulate Life and Death +11 vs. PD (one nearby creature) – 15 holy or negative energy damage (akhana’s choice), and one other nearby creature of the akhana’s choice takes 5 damage of the opposite type.
Natural Even Hit: Instead of dealing damage to a second creature, the akhana or one nearby creature heals 3d6 hit points.
Flight.
Resist Cold 14+.
AC 21 PD 17 MD 20 HP 92