Vharixid - Parasite of the Astral Sea

The Vharixid is a semi-ethereal, parasitic astral entity that manifests as a dark, cracked, and shifting form fused intimately to a host’s limb or organ. Lacking conventional biological structures such as bones or muscles, it exists as a mutable shadowy mass that can subtly reshape itself—often taking the appearance of jagged tendrils or clawed extensions growing from the host’s flesh. Its surface is cold to the touch and marked by fissures that reveal a faintly glowing, alien visage that shifts and warps unpredictably.

Highly intelligent (Intelligence ~14+), capable of complex thought, strategic planning, and telepathic communication.

The Vharixid does not reproduce through biological means. It propagates by fragmenting portions of itself and drifting across the Astral Sea, waiting for suitable hosts or arcane relics to infest. These fragments can remain dormant for centuries, seeking ideal conditions to bond with a new host. This propagation resembles a form of astral spore dispersal rather than sexual reproduction.

Once bonded to a host, the Vharixid rapidly integrates with the host’s nervous and arcane systems over the course of days to weeks, gradually increasing its influence and sentience. It does not increase in physical size but grows in arcane power and control over the host’s abilities. The Vharixid reaches maturity when fully merged.

The Vharixid is an obligate consumer of magical energy, requiring continuous access to spells, enchantments, or ley line flows to maintain its strength. It can absorb ambient magic or actively consume spells cast near or on its host.

The Vharixid’s activity fluctuates with magical and planar energies rather than natural seasons. It enters states of dormancy during prolonged magical droughts or astral disturbances and becomes hyperactive during planar alignments, rifts, or ley line surges, feeding ravenously on ambient arcane power.

Highly intelligent and alien in mindset, the Vharixid is manipulative, sardonic, and cryptic. It treats its host as a tool and vessel, influencing their decisions with dark counsel that serves its insatiable hunger for power. It delights in chaos, foreboding, and sowing discord, often communicating through dark humor and ominous prophecies. The Vharixid exhibits patience and strategic cunning, always seeking to expand its arcane reach.

Primarily found drifting through the Astral Sea, the Vharixid is exceedingly rare and encountered mostly near planar rifts or potent arcane hotspots. Its host-based existence means sightings are unusual and often mistaken for cursed or magically altered individuals.

The Vharixid perceives its surroundings through a unique blend of psionic resonance and arcane sensory webs. It detects magical energies and planar disturbances within a 120-foot radius and communicates telepathically with its host. It has no traditional senses like hearing or sight but “sees” through the host’s eyes and perceives the flow of magical energy in its environment with precision

The Vharixid is a parasitic symbiote fused permanently to its host. While it grants increased magical ability and protection, it also wields influence over the host’s mind and actions. The relationship is mutually beneficial in terms of survival but fraught with tension and manipulation.